Most women struggle with excess weight and they are constantly looking for a new way to lose some weight. But there are many other women who are trying to actually gain some weight, which can be harder than we think. This is especially true for women who are taller, who are athletes or building muscles, who have some health problems or just have a genetic predisposition to be skinny.
Being underweight can also cause some health problems like the excess weight does. Therefore, it is necessary to take matters into your own hands and start little by little to gain weight in a healthy way and reshape your body.
Another issue with the process of weight gain is the moral support. Usually when people say that they’re trying to gain some weight, other people look at them in disbelief and ignore them, because we live in a world where people desperately want to lose weight, not to gain it.
Increasing your muscle mass and not fat is the best way to gain weight in a healthy way. And even if building muscle mass is not your thing, you shouldn’t be afraid that you will start to look like a bodybuilder. The female body doesn’t produce too much testosterone, so you won’t become muscular suddenly. Instead, you’ll have defined muscles that will make you look fit and sexy.
Important! Consult your doctor about your plans to gain weight, especially if you have some health problems.
Gain weight in a healthy way – Diet
Consumption of fast food and fatty foods is not healthy for anyone, especially for those who try to gain weight. They are loaded with trans fats, and those kinds of unhealthy fats are something that no one needs. To gain weight in a healthy way you don’t need foods filled with fat, you just need to focus on consuming healthy protein rich foods.
Your daily menu should include:
- Healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids, found in tuna, salmon, flax seeds and walnuts;
- Good lean proteins found in lean meat, fish, lean poultry meat (chicken breasts), nuts, seeds and legumes;
- Healthy carbohydrates, from fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
For example for breakfast you can have a bowl of oatmeal with hazelnuts and walnuts, whole milk, banana and a glass of freshly squeezed juice, or a smoothie made wit fruit and protein powder. For lunch you can have a large piece of grilled tuna, a salad made from tomatoes, lettuce, a handful of olives dressed with 2 tablespoons olive oil and topped with avocado. For dinner you can have a large grilled chicken breast with no skin and quinoa, zucchini and avocado salad etc.
Also don’t forget the snacks. You should have at least two snacks between meals. Choose healthy snacks like protein bar, nuts and seeds, fruits with honey, smoothie etc.
To gain weight in a healthy way, you should consume approximately 500-700 calories more than your daily needs. That way you’ll gain weight slowly without overeating. The healthiest way is to focus on increasing your weight 1-2 pounds per week, and no more than that.
If you are not accustomed to eat large meals, divide your meals into 5-6 meals a day, plus snacks.
If you’re a smoker, quit smoking because smoking ‘kills’ the appetite, and leads to many health problems. The same goes if you drink a lot of coffee, limit the coffee intake to one cup per day.
Gain weight in a healthy way – Exercise
Keep in mind that you’re trying to gain weight and you go to the gym to be fit and to define your muscles, so don’t do the same exercises that women who try to lose weight do.
You don’t need running track or elliptical trainer. In fact, you should do cardio exercises (running or aerobics) as little as you can, because they are more designed for speeding the metabolism, burning calories and weight loss.
To gain weight in a healthy way and to build muscle mass, go for exercises with weights. Exercise with light weights and do as many reps as you can to tone the muscles on your arms. To build more muscle mass, you need to gradually increase the weights and repetitions. Also use the gym equipment that is designed for toning the abs and legs, usually this equipment has weights too.
Remember! Gaining weight can be a lengthy process, but be patient and continue to eat healthy foods until you reach your goal.
