How can you gain weight in a healthy way? (6 tips)

While most people nowadays would like to lose a few pounds, there are also those who want to gain weight, particularly to build more muscle mass. In this article, we'll explain how you can gain weight in a healthy way. Below are 6 practical tips that you can apply right away.

1. Weigh Yourself

To start off, it's wise to weigh yourself regularly. This way, you can prevent gaining weight too quickly. Building muscles takes time, and you want to avoid your body storing excess fat due to overeating.

A good guideline to follow is between 0.5% and 1.0% of your total body weight per month. Always weigh yourself on the same scale and preferably in the morning after using the bathroom.

2. Get more exercise/move

The right training combined with the right (protein-rich) diet helps your body build muscles and limits the storage of fat as much as possible.

Make sure to exercise regularly and try to engage in intense workouts a few days a week.

Intensive (strength) training helps your body process the extra calories you consume better and use them for muscle building, rather than storing them as fat.

3. Make a plan

When you want to gain weight, it's wise to create a plan, just like when you're trying to lose weight, to ensure that you eat enough (but not too much).

You can do this with the help of a dietitian or a nutrition coach. Together, you can create a plan and establish a meal schedule to prevent gaining weight too quickly and ensure you're eating the right things.

It's also beneficial to track your food intake using an app (e.g., FatSecret or MyFitnessPal) to find out how many calories you're actually consuming in a day.

Especially if you struggle with gaining weight, it's good to gain insight into this. People who have difficulty gaining weight often think they eat a lot, but in practice, they often don't meet their daily calorie intake.

4. Eat more fats

Fats contain more calories (9 kcal per gram) than carbohydrates and proteins (4 kcal per gram). An easy way to add more calories to your daily diet is by increasing your fat intake through consuming more fatty foods.

Think specifically of avocados, olives, nuts, seeds, nut butter, coconut, coconut milk, full-fat dairy products (and dairy alternatives), and fatty fish.

Walnuts, cashews, pistachios, pecans, and almonds make for simple and tasty snacks that can be incorporated into various dishes. You can easily add avocado, coconut, and/or nut butter to your meals and protein-rich smoothies.

You can also add a tablespoon of coconut oil or olive oil to your daily meals, but it's always better to use whole foods that also contain many other nutrients that contribute to your health.

5. Eat more (protein-rich) meals

If you naturally aren't a big eater (or if you eat very large meals) and still want to gain weight, try to train yourself to eat more by adding an extra meal or snack.

Your body will adapt to your meal pattern. Eating multiple smaller meals can increase your appetite and ultimately make you feel hungry more often.

Also, make sure that the meals you eat always contain a good portion of proteins. Proteins are the building blocks of our muscles, and your body needs not only more calories but also sufficient proteins to build muscle mass.

Read also: How much protein do you need daily?

Good plant-based sources of protein include soy products (tofu, tempeh, soy yogurt, meat substitutes), beans, lentils, quinoa, buckwheat, and our plant-based proteins.

6. Drink your calories

People who struggle with gaining weight often feel full quickly after a meal and don't have a strong natural urge to eat. As a result, they tend to forget to eat, leading to a daily calorie deficit.

For those who have difficulty with breakfast, consuming a liquid meal can be an excellent solution to get a significant portion of your daily calories.

Our Orangefit Hero is a perfect solution for that. Orangefit Hero is not only practical but also very suitable when you want to add an extra meal or protein-rich snack to your daily diet in a quick and simple way.