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Lose or Gain: Eat a lot less, a lot more often
Eating to gain weight is actually quite similar to eating to lose weight. I have found the best results occur when I eat 6-8 small meals per day. It sounds like a lot, I know, but you should focus on never really feeling hungry.
To put lean muscle weight on, I shoot for 500 to 600 extra calories a day in combination with consuming 1 gram of protein per pound of my body weight per day (and of course a strict workout regimen). So if I weigh 160 pounds, I try to consume 160 grams of protein every day. Again, it sounds like a lot, I know. But the results are worth it.
You also have to eat nutritious and calorie-dense foods. It’s not always easy to cook (especially at work) or to eat large meals throughout the day, so I eat foods that fill me up and provide nutrition. Foods like bananas and peanut butter, avocados, granola, and salmon are what I choose most often. I also watch the fats and sugars.
Some people believe that in order to gain weight you need to eat more fat -- but that kind of weight gain is bad for your heart and your physique, and can lead to life-threatening medical conditions. Instead I eat plenty of lean cuts of meat and poultry, and lots of nuts. So in effect, the best diet to gain weight a combination of lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. It gives my body the nutrients it needs.
If you're anything like me, and need an easy way to remember all this, I have found that the acronym from Men's Health Magazine reminds me of what to eat in a given day -- to ensure that my body is a properly functioning machine: ABS DIET POWER
A - almonds and other nuts
B - beans and other legumes
S - spinach and other greens (broccoli, cucumbers, celery)
D - dairy (cheese, milk, yogurt)
I - instant oatmeal
E - eggs
T - turkey and other lean meats (chicken, fish, lean steak)
P - peanut butter (organic is best)
O - olive oil
W - whole wheat/grain products
E - extra protein (i.e. whey)
R - raspberries and other berries
I also take a few vitamins as well as body building supplements.
To put lean muscle weight on, I shoot for 500 to 600 extra calories a day in combination with consuming 1 gram of protein per pound of my body weight per day (and of course a strict workout regimen). So if I weigh 160 pounds, I try to consume 160 grams of protein every day. Again, it sounds like a lot, I know. But the results are worth it.
You also have to eat nutritious and calorie-dense foods. It’s not always easy to cook (especially at work) or to eat large meals throughout the day, so I eat foods that fill me up and provide nutrition. Foods like bananas and peanut butter, avocados, granola, and salmon are what I choose most often. I also watch the fats and sugars.
Some people believe that in order to gain weight you need to eat more fat -- but that kind of weight gain is bad for your heart and your physique, and can lead to life-threatening medical conditions. Instead I eat plenty of lean cuts of meat and poultry, and lots of nuts. So in effect, the best diet to gain weight a combination of lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. It gives my body the nutrients it needs.
If you're anything like me, and need an easy way to remember all this, I have found that the acronym from Men's Health Magazine reminds me of what to eat in a given day -- to ensure that my body is a properly functioning machine: ABS DIET POWER
A - almonds and other nuts
B - beans and other legumes
S - spinach and other greens (broccoli, cucumbers, celery)
D - dairy (cheese, milk, yogurt)
I - instant oatmeal
E - eggs
T - turkey and other lean meats (chicken, fish, lean steak)
P - peanut butter (organic is best)
O - olive oil
W - whole wheat/grain products
E - extra protein (i.e. whey)
R - raspberries and other berries
I also take a few vitamins as well as body building supplements.
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