Top 8 Tips For Healthy Weight Gain

These days it seems like most people are trying to lose weight….

But believe it or not, many are trying to the pack on the pounds and it’s not as easy as you may think.

If you’re one of the those actually trying to bulk up, you’ve likely copied what popular celebrities (and athletes) have done in the past when they needed to put on weight for a role (including competitions) eat copious amounts of ice cream, bread, cheeseburgers, donuts, and pasta…

That’s certainly one way to gain weight, but it's definitely not the healthiest way.

In this article, I’m going to talk about 8 healthy ways to gain weight.

You might be a skinny guy having trouble with the ladies, or you could have lost weight via illness, dental surgery, or lack of proper diet…

Or maybe you’ve been away at school studying like a madman for months without some good homecooking

Whatever the reason you’re underweight now…

But there are some really healthy ways to pack on the pounds. You don't have to resort to loads of simple carbohydrates or overdoses of junk food!

The idea is to gain weight while optimizing health, not just to gain weight… Keep in mind the old adage,

You are what you eat.

When you’re trying to pack on the pounds you don’t want to turn into a bulked up dude that can’t take out his wallet only to discover you’re out of shape, fatigued, and unhealthy because you’ve been eating so much crap.

I know a guy who thinks he’s in great shape. To be fair, he works with concrete all day and has big arms and a lean-ish physique…

But he eats like absolute crap and is very UNHEALTHY inside. His skin is often very unhealthy looking and he’s often suffering from a “cold.”

The funny thing is, he’s giving horrific advice to his friends and many times it has to do with nutrition and how you should eat anything and everything to gain weight – so long as you work out.

Simply put, he’s a moron.

The nutrients in our food are the raw materials your body uses to make new cells. A diet of junk food, devoid of nutrients, doesn't give your body what it needs to work with.

It's sort of like building a house with tape and cardboard, instead of with bricks and mortar. Sure, its easy and it gets you to where you want to be, but it wont stand the test of time.

Here are eight healthy gain rules you can use right now.

Table of Contents

1. Eat When You’re Hungry
2. Eat A Variety Of Colors
3. Eat Nutrient Dense Foods
4. Stay Hydrated
5. Eat A Nutritious Snack Before Bed
6. Eat Lean Red Meat
7. Eat Natural Nut Butter
8. Don’t Avoid Resistance Training

1. Eat When You’re Hungry

Your body requires a constant supply of energy because it's like an engine that's on ALL THE TIME (your heart is constantly beating, your blood is flowing, your muscles and brain are working).

When you go without meals, you don't give your body the fuel it needs to function optimally. The ideal way to prevent your body from losing any critical tissue is to eat meals regularly…

For me this means spacing them about three or four hours apart. If you're trying to put on new muscle tissue, meal timing is essential.

You might think you're eating all the time, but you can't really know unless you’re keeping a food journal. Consistency is key here.

2. Eat A Variety Of Colors

You should always shoot for at least three food groups.

Instead of just a bunch of nuts or some bananas, try a couple pieces of spelt sourdough toast with banana slices and almond butter, along with a glass of raw milk, almond milk, hemp milk, etc.

A wider variation of foods offers your body a much broader spectrum of nutrients to work with during the day. Plus, you’ll probably eat more.

If you just eat a couple of bananas, it's not as much food as a couple slices of toast topped with almond butter AND banana slices.

3. Eat Nutrient Dense Foods

The optimal way to add a lot of extra nutrition without needing to eat huge amounts of food or down a whole bunch of junk food is to pick nutrient-rich foods that stuff a lot of fat, protein, or carbohydrates into a tiny serving.

Dried fruit is one option. When the water is removed, the portion shrinks by nearly of its original size.

For example, a cup of grapes would become a quarter cup of raisins. Make sure that the dried fruit doesn't have any added preservatives or sugar.

For another really nutritious, power-packed, and nourishing snack, fold some minced dried fruit, dark chocolate, and rolled oats into almond butter. Take a spoon and get out portions roughly the diameter of a quarter, roll them into tiny balls, wrap them up in wax paper, and snack on them during the day.

Almond butter is chock full of calories and healthy fat.

4. Stay Hydrated

Liquids aren't nearly as filling as solid food is, so if you're trying to pack on the pounds, they can offer you nutrition without giving you that bloated or stuffed feeling.

Try whole milk, hemp milk, 100% fruit juice, and smoothies for breakfast.

Smoothies are much better than milkshakes because you can add all sorts of good stuff to them, like protein powder, carrot juice, nut butter, and wheat germ.

5. Eat A Nutritious Snack Before Bed

Often times, you’ll hear people claiming that you shouldn’t eat before bed…

A ton of the healing, regeneration, and repair happens during the night when you"re asleep. It's the prime time when your body builds lean tissue and muscle, so eating a nutritious snack right before bed means you get a fresh supply of nutrients that are ready to start working in your body.

A good choice that won’t leave you feeling bloated might be a little bowl of pasta salad, made with olive oil, veggies, and lean protein like beans, crumbled cheese, or chopped chicken or turkey breast.

6. Eat Lean Red Meat

Have a hefty portion of lean read meat if you're trying to gain weight. Steak has a lot of iron and protein.

Not all red meat is created equal, though. You should buy the fatty cuts where the meat is marbled.

These cuts have a lot more calories. Buy beef tenderloin, New York strip steak, t-bone steak, and rib-eye. Don't eat red meat more than a couple of times per week, though.

Many health experts say that a diet high in saturated fats could be bad for your health.

7. Eat Natural Nut Butter

Natural peanut butter is chock full of fats and protein, making it an excellent choice for people who are trying to gain weight in a healthy way.

One tablespoon has almost 100 calories and 4 grams of protein. Add a couple tablespoons to your morning breakfast smoothies, mix it into oatmeal, use it as an apple dip, or spread it over a slice of spelt bread.

8. Don’t Avoid Resistance Training

A question I often receive is whether or not it’s possible to gain muscle without getting fat. Thing is, anyone can lift weights and eat a ton for several weeks, and the result is always going to be the same – weight gain.

Unfortunately, with over 90% of these people, that weight gain is typically more than half fat, which isn’t a great look (or feel).

It is important to note that traditional intensity cardio methods are going to eat away too much muscle and for this reason should be avoided. Besides that, they are lame and boring!

If you take the right approach it's totally possible to gain muscle without getting fat.Try to complete several high intensity workout / conditioning sessions each week and consider taking a fast walk when you first wake up each day.

Take a thirty to 45 minute walk. This can be done every single day and not impact your strength gains because it's a low intensity work out.

When you keep clean eating habits and add in some high intensity conditioning work several days a week, it's totally possible to gain healthy weight in the form of muscle instead of fat.

Health by choice, not by chance.