|  | Diet Nutrition | Nutritional Supplements

Are There Bars or Shakes That Help if I Need to Gain Weight?

While gaining weight seems all too easy for those struggling with obesity, athletes and others with high calorie needs may find weigh gain difficult. If you have had problems gaining weight, you can use a variety of bars and shakes to outpace your metabolism and reach your goal weight. You should consult doctor before consuming any supplements.

  1. Gaining Weight Basics

    • Weight gain and weight loss is primarily determined by your daily calorie balance. You will lose weight if you expend more calories through exercise and metabolic activities than you eat each day. Therefore, to gain weight, you need to consume more calories than you burn. Because activities such as walking and biking do burn calories, try to reduce your daily activity and exercise when trying to gain weight.

    Weight Gain Bars

    • Weight gain bars are formulated to be calorie-dense but not overly filling, so you can consume a lot of calories but not completely conquer your appetite. While many nutrition bars fall in the 200-to-300-calorie range, there are weight gain bars that contain more than 400 calories. This amount is 20 percent of the daily suggested intake of 2,000 calories, so adding this kind of bar to your daily calorie intake may help you gain weight.

    Weight Gain Shakes

    • Weight gain shakes come in powdered form and can be mixed with water, milk or other beverages. These high-calorie shakes tend to be rich in protein and carbohydrates, but may also be high in fat. Weight gain shakes vary widely in calorie content, ranging from around 600 calories to 2,000 calories per serving. If you have had trouble gaining weight, weight gain shakes may be better than bars; the Harvard School of Medicine notes that even high-calorie drinks may not suppress your appetite very effectively, because they are not very thick.

    Limiting Fat Gain

    • Gaining weight in the form of muscle can be helpful, but gaining fat can adversely affect your health and athletic performance. To encourage the growth of muscle rather than fat, you can work out with weights. You should note that weightlifting does burn calories, so you may have to pay more attention to your diet if you add a weight training program. In addition, nutrition researcher Dr. John Berardi explains that consuming high levels of protein may help you stay lean, as protein spurs release of glucagon and insulin-like growth factor 1, which help fight fat gains.

Nutritional Supplements - Related Articles