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Three Parts:Preparing to Gain FatEating the Right FoodsUsing Techniques to Help Gain FatQuestions and Answers

Most dieting and health advice focuses on losing fat, not gaining it. Accordingly, you may be at a loss for information about how to properly put on fat. Whether you're gaining fat for health reasons or are an actor preparing for a movie role, there are safer and healthier ways to gain fat than not exercising and eating junk food. By following the correct regimen, you can gain the fat you want while maintaining your health.


Part 1 of 3: Preparing to Gain Fat

  1. 1
    Visit the doctor. Before making any kind of dietary or bodily changes, you should get a full evaluation from the doctor. If you have a preexisting condition like high blood pressure or high cholesterol, your doctor may advise against gaining weight. Always take your doctor's advice seriously before making this kind of change.
    • Certain medical conditions will require you to keep your weight up. Thyroid problems, digestive health issues, diabetes, and cancers can all lead to severe weight loss that will endanger your health. Being underweight can lead to health risks like a weakened immune system, anemia, hair loss, and decreased bone density.[1]
    • Very high physical activity can also cause you to be underweight. If you're an athlete, gaining some fat would be good for you because it can increase your energy levels and allow you to workout for longer periods.[2]
  2. 2
    Set your goal. You'll need a clear plan as you proceed with your weight-gain plan. How much do you want to gain? By when? By figuring this out and drawing up a schedule, you'll be able to gain weight more effectively.
    • Start by figuring out how much weight you want to gain. This can either be a personal goal, or one you've worked out with your doctor. Either way, you need a concrete number in mind to start your progress.
    • Remember, the basic way the body gains weight is when you take in more calories than you burn. So when drawing up your plan, you should figure out how much you need to eat every day to offset the amount of calories you burn. There are various ways to calculate this. Click here for a tool to estimate your daily calorie burn.[3]
    • Read Set Meaningful Goals for more advice on how to set and stick to a goal.
  3. 3
    Plan to start slowly. Flooding your body with hundreds of more calories than it's used to is dangerous for your heart, blood pressure, digestion, and other body systems. Work your way up gradually to acclimate your body to the increased caloric intake. Start off with 300 extra calories a day for a week or so, then increase to 600, and so on. This will help you avoid an initial shock when you start your weight-gain regimen.[4]
    • Break your weight-gain down into stages. Determine how much you would like to gain per week or month. That way, you can ease your body into the weight increase instead of starting off too quickly.
    • Just like with losing weight, gaining weight should come gradually. Gaining about 1 pound per week is a healthy way to go.[5]
  4. 4
    Draw up a meal plan. You'll have to eat much more in order to gain weight. Focus on nutrient and calorie dense foods instead of junk food. There are plenty of foods that will help you gain weight and also contain all of the nutrients you need to stay healthy.
    • Plan on eating more than 3 meals a day. Increase your meals to 5 or more per day, plus snacks throughout the day.[6]
    • Make sure all your meals have a good balance. Each meal should contain carbohydrates, protein, and unsaturated fats. These three nutrients will help most with your weight gain.[7]
    • Eating more often and including healthy foods in your diet will get expensive. It would also be helpful if you drew up a new budget to go along with your new diet.
  5. 5
    Plan on doing some strength training. In addition to gaining fat, gaining muscle will also lead to a weight increase. Starting a strength-training regimen will put all of those nutrients you've been eating to good use. Gaining muscle will help make sure you keep up your strength and overall health while you gain fat.[8]

Part 2 of 3: Eating the Right Foods

  1. 1
    Eat foods high in unsaturated fats. Of course you'll need fat to increase your body weight, but not all fats are the same. Saturated and trans fats will help you gain weight, but they'll also increase your cholesterol and your risk of heart disease. Unsaturated fats, however, help reduce your risk of heart disease and boost your immune system. Make sure every meal you have includes some fat.[9]
    • When gaining weight, you'll want to focus on these "good fats" to help beef up your body fat while still getting necessary nutrients that your body needs.[10]
    • Nuts, peanut butter, fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, and avocados are all high in unsaturated fats and calories and will still provide you with essential nutrients. Include these in your meals or snack on them throughout the day.[11]
  2. 2
    Eat whole wheat or grain carbohydrates. Carbohydrates act as energy sources for the body. If you don't burn off the energy, it will be stored as fat and help you gain weight. After fat, carbs are important contributors to weight gain, so you'll need plenty of these in your diet.[12]
    • You should focus on whole wheat products for your carbs instead of white products. White products are bleached and processed, which removes most essential nutrients. Whole wheat products will give you the carbs, plus fiber, vitamins, and essential minerals.[13]
    • Replace white products with whole wheat bread, pasta, and brown rice. Include carbs in all your meals to help in your weight gain.
  3. 3
    Use full fat dairy products. Dairy is important for your diet because it contains calcium and vitamins. Most dairy products come in reduced-fat varieties, but you'll want the full fat versions to increase your calorie and fat intake. Drink whole milk and eat cheese and yogurts made from whole milk.
    • Also cook with butter instead of oil to give yourself another boost of fats.
    • Replace certain drinks with a glass of whole milk to increase your fat intake.[14]
    • Keep in mind that these types are higher in saturated fats. There is, however, some evidence that full fat dairy products actually decrease the risk of heart disease.[15]
  4. 4
    Include meat carefully in your diet. The protein and fats you get from meats are important for gaining weight. Be cautious with red meat, however. Studies conclude that excessive intake of red meat can lead to cardiovascular disease and several kinds of cancer.[16] Stick to about 3-5 servings a week to stay healthy.[17] The rest of the time, eat poultry for proteins and unsaturated fats.
  5. 5
    Enhance foods with calorie-rich ingredients. You can continue eating many of the foods you normally do, but make them help your weight gain by adding a few ingredients. Some healthy and effective options include:[18]
    • Add hard boiled eggs to salads.
    • Add cheese to sandwiches, eggs, and salads.
    • Add meats to sauces and gravies.

Part 3 of 3: Using Techniques to Help Gain Fat

  1. 1
    Avoid processed and refined sugar. Just because you're trying to gain fat doesn't mean you should binge on junk food all day. You need to focus on high calorie, high fat foods that are still good for you. Processed sugar contains no nutritional value and can lead to diabetes, heart disease, rotten teeth, hormone issues, and other health problems.[19]
    • Cut out as much sugary food as you can. Candy, cake, cookies, and any other dessert foods are packed with sugar.
    • Cut down on or avoid soft drinks altogether. A can of soda contains more sugar than your average dessert.
    • There are also some reputed "healthy" foods that are loaded with extra sugar. They include canned and dried fruit, yogurt with fruit, protein or energy bars, fruit juices and certain breakfast cereals.[20] Always read food labels before purchasing to find out if you're inadvertently adding sugar to your diet.
  2. 2
    Eat before you sleep. When you sleep, your body requires less calories. Food you eat before sleeping is more likely to be stored as fat. Take advantage of this by eating dinner late at night or take an afternoon nap after lunch.[21]
  3. 3
    Avoid drinking fluids for 30 minutes before eating. Fluids fill the stomach and can make you feel full prematurely. To avoid this outcome, avoid drinking anything for a half hour before your meals. This will ensure that your stomach is empty and you'll be able to eat the entire meal.[22]
  4. 4
    Use proper exercises. Just because you're trying to lose weight doesn't mean you can't still exercise. In fact, it's very unhealthy to stop moving altogether and become sedentary.[23]
    • Lifting weights can hurt your fat gain if done improperly. Resistance training boosts your metabolism, which will burn more calories. Flood your body with calories after a workout to cancel out the burn and keep your weight gain up.[24]
    • Also stretch regularly. Lack of activity will make your muscles tense up and you risk losing mobility. Make sure to stretch your legs, arms, hips, and back daily to keep your body in good working order.
  5. 5
    Use protein shakes to bulk up. In addition to eating more, you can also increase your body mass with protein shakes and powder. A variety of products will provide a protein boost that will help increase your weight and muscle mass. Remember to use all products as directed.[25]
    • Whey protein powder is a popular supplement that you can add to several types of drinks. You can blend up a smoothie using fruit, yogurt, and a few scoops of protein powder.
    • There are also a variety of protein drinks and bars you can purchase from vitamin stores. Snack on these throughout the day to give yourself a good dose of protein.
    • Read all labels when buying these products. Many are packed with added sugar, which can be harmful. Opt for products low in added sugar.

Questions and Answers

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    • Continue checking in with your doctor regularly. This will be a big change for your body, and you should make sure you're staying healthy by sticking to a fat gaining regimen.

    Sources and Citations

    1. http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=52231
    2. http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/prevention-wellness/food-nutrition/healthy-food-choices/healthy-ways-to-gain-weight-if-youre-underweight.html
    4. http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/diet-tips/ask-diet-doctor-healthy-way-gain-weight
    5. http://www.webmd.com/diet/how-to-gain-weight
    6. http://www.webmd.com/diet/how-to-gain-weight
    7. http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=52231
    8. http://www.webmd.com/diet/how-to-gain-weight?page=2
    9. http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/types-of-fat/
    10. http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fat/art-20045550?pg=2
    11. http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20823598_4,00.html
    12. http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Weight_loss_and_carbohydrates
    13. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/
    14. http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=52231
    15. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/09/29/full-fat-dairy-products.aspx
    16. http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/cutting-red-meat-for-a-longer-life
    17. http://health.ucsd.edu/news/releases/Pages/2014-12-29-sugar-molecule-in-red-meat-linked-to-cancer.aspx
    18. http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=52231
    20. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs394/en/
    21. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/betteru37.htm
    22. http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=52231
    23. http://www.nchpad.org/403/2216/Sedentary~Lifestyle~is~Dangerous~to~Your~Health

    Article Info

    Categories: Gaining Weight

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