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Key Tips for Gaining Weight Properly

There's nothing wrong with wanting to add a few pounds to your current body weight. Everyone isn't comfortable with a small or slim physique, and adding extra weight can increase body curves or muscle tone. While there are several ways to gain weight, it's vital to recognize the difference between healthy and unhealthy weight gain.

  1. Eat More Often

    • Eating often and increasing the amount of calories you consume on a daily basis is a top way to gain extra weight. But to gain weight the proper or healthy way, you'll need to pay close attention to the foods you eat and skip foods that do not provide nutritional value. Candy, cookies, potato chips and other types of junk food are tasty and high in calories. Regularly eating these types of food while also limiting your exercise will increase your weight. But if you want to maintain your overall health while gaining weight, stay away from junk foods and fill up on protein-rich foods and carbohydrates, such as meats, eggs, pastas and bread.

      Start each day with a hearty, filling breakfast, and do not skip meals. Snacking between meals (fruits, vegetables and nuts) also increases your daily caloric intake and helps you put on weight. Adding cheese, gravy and other types of fixings to food increases the total calories of a meal. Because 3,500 calories equals one pound of fat, you can put on an additional pound each week by eating 500 additional calories per day.

    Get Plenty to Drink

    • The calories in one eight ounce beverage varies. However, you can expect to consume around 100 calories per drink. Drinking sodas, energy drinks and coffee are a fun way to consume extra calories. But taking a healthy approach, choose alternatives such as 100% juices, milk and healthy smoothies. Drink a beverage at mealtime and between meals to add extra calories to your daily intake. Five extra drinks a day can add as much as 500 calories a day to your diet.

    Build Muscle Tone

    • Muscles are heavier than fat, and building muscle tone in your legs, arms and abs can add additional pounds to your body weight. Building muscle tone doesn't necessarily entail "bulking up." Simple and fast workouts such as Pilates, jogging, walking, lunges and squats help define the muscles in the legs and thighs. Hand weights increase muscle tone in the arms, and ab workouts like sit-ups and leg lifts can tighten the stomach or core muscles. Invest in a gym membership and regularly use the weight machines to help increase your body definition.

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