In France , 54% of men and 44% of women are overweight or obese .
However, there are also many people who have the opposite problem of being too skinny .
This is a concern because being underweight can be just as bad for your health as obesity.
Additionally, many people who are not clinically underweight still want to gain muscle .
Whether you're clinically underweight or simply struggling to gain muscle weight , the fundamentals are the same.
This article outlines a simple strategy for gaining weight fast - the healthy way.
To gain weight and gain muscle mass , follow our healthy mass gain food plan by clicking here.
How to gain weight the healthy way
If you want to gain weight , it is very important to do it right.
Throw you on soda and donuts can help you gain weight , but it can destroy your health at the same time.
If you are underweight, you want to gain a balanced amount of muscle mass and subcutaneous fat rather than lots of unhealthy abdominal fat.
Many normal-weight people suffer from type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems often associated with obesity .
Therefore, it is absolutely essential to eat healthy foods and lead a way of life globally healthy.
The next chapter looks at several effective ways to gain weight fast , without ruining your health at the same time.
Eat more calories than your body burns
The most important thing you can do to gain weight is to create a calorie surplus , which means you eat more calories than your body needs.
If you want to gain weight slowly and steadily , aim for 300 to 500 calories more than you burn each day according to the calculator.
If you want to gain weight quickly , aim for about 700 to 1,000 calories above your maintenance level.
Eat lots of protein
The most important nutrient for gaining a healthy weight is protein .
Muscle is made of protein and without it most of those extra calories can turn into body fat.
Studies show that during periods of overeating, a high protein diet results in the conversion of many extra calories into muscle .
However, keep in mind that protein is a double-edged sword. They are also very filling, which can significantly reduce your hunger and appetite, making it harder to get enough calories .
If you 're trying to gain weight , aim for 0.7 to 1 grams of protein per pound of body weight (1.5 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram). You can even go higher if your calorie intake is very high.
Protein-rich foods include meats, fish, eggs, many dairy products, legumes, nuts, and others. Protein supplements like whey or casein protein can also be helpful if you're struggling to get enough protein in your diet.
Fill up on carbohydrates and fats and eat at least 3 times a day
Many people try to limit carbohydrates or fat when trying to lose weight.
This is a bad idea if your goal is to gain weight , as it will be more difficult to consume enough calories.
Eat lots of foods high in carbohydrates and fats if weight gain is a priority for you. It's best to eat plenty of protein, fat, and carbs at every meal.
It is also a bad idea to practice intermittent fasting to gain weight . This is helpful for losing weight and improving health, but it can be much more difficult to eat enough calories to gain weight .
Make sure to eat at least three meals a day and try to add energy-dense snacks whenever possible.
Eat energy-dense foods and use sauces, spices, and condiments
Again, it's very important to eat mostly whole, single-ingredient foods.
The problem is that these foods tend to be more filling than processed junk foods, which makes it harder to eat enough calories.
Using lots of spices , sauces, and condiments can help. The tastier your food is, the easier it is to eat a lot of it.
Also, try to focus on energy-dense foods as much as possible. These are foods that contain many calories relative to their weight.
Here are some energy-dense foods that are great for gaining weight :
- Nut: almonds , nuts , nuts macadamia, peanuts, etc.
- Fruits dry : raisins, dates, prunes and others.
- Dairy products rich in fat: whole milk, yogurt bold , cheese, cream.
- Fats and oils: extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil .
- Grains: whole grains like oats and brown rice.
- Meat: chicken, beef, pork, lamb, etc. Choose fatter cuts.
- Tubers: potatoes, sweet potatoes and yams.
- Dark chocolate , lawyers , peanut butter, coconut milk, granola, trail mixes.
Many of these foods are very filling and sometimes you will have to force yourself to keep eating even if you feel full.
It may be a good idea to avoid eating a ton of vegetables if weight gain is a priority for you. This simply leaves less room for energy-dense foods.
Eat fruits whole is fine, but try to emphasize fruits that don't require too much chewing, such as bananas .
Lift heavy weights and improve your strength
To ensure that excess calories go to your muscles rather than your fat cells, lifting weights is absolutely essential.
Go to a gym and lift 2-4 times a week. Lift heavy and try to increase the weights and volume over time.
If you're out of shape or new to training, consider hiring a qualified personal trainer to help you get started.
You can also see a doctor if you have bone problems or medical conditions.
It's probably best not to do cardio right now - focus mostly on weights.
10 more tips for gaining weight
Combining high calorie intake with intense strength training are the two most important factors.
That being said, there are several other strategies to gain weight even faster .
Here are 10 tips for gaining weight :
- Do not drink water before meals. This can fill your stomach and make it harder to get enough calories.
- Eat more often. Have an extra meal or snack whenever you can, such as before bed.
- Drink milk. Drinking whole milk to quench thirst is an easy way to get more high-quality protein and calories.
- Try gainers. If you are really struggling, you can try the gainers . These are very high in protein, carbohydrates and calories.
- Use larger plates. Definitely use large plates if you're trying to consume more calories, as small plates automatically cause people to eat less.
- Add cream to your coffee. It's a simple way to add more calories.
- Take creatine. The muscle building supplement creatine monohydrate can help you gain a few pounds of muscle weight.
- Get quality sleep. sleep properly is very important for muscle growth.
- Eat your protein first and vegetables last. If you have a mix of foods on your plate, eat the high-calorie, high-protein foods first. Eat vegetables last.
- Do not smoke. Smokers tend to weigh less than non-smokers, and quitting smoking often leads to weight gain .
Gaining weight can be tough and consistency is the key to long-term success
It can be very difficult for some people to gain weight .
This is because your body has a certain weight set point where it feels comfortable.
Whether you're trying to go below your set point (lose weight) or above it (gain weight), your body resists the changes by regulating your hunger and metabolic rate.
When you consume more calories and gain weight , you can expect your body to respond by reducing your appetite and boosting your metabolism.
Much depends on your brain, as well as weight-regulating hormones like leptin .
So you should expect a certain level of difficulty. In some cases, you may have to force yourself to eat even though you feel stuffed.
At the end of the day, changing weight is a marathon, not a sprint. It can take a long time and you need to be consistent if you want to be successful in the long run.
