How to Gain Weight Quickly

Have you ever thought of yourself as too skinny? Maybe even bony? Do you have chicken legs? While many of us need to lose weight, gaining weight can be just as hard. Follow these tips to gain a few pounds-healthily and quickly!

Steps

Method 1 Eat to Gain Weight

1. 1 Eat and eat often. While everyone should abide by this rule, it is especially true for those who are trying to gain weight. Eating often means eating five to six small meals a day and packing in those nutrients.
   • This doesn't mean eating junk food and sugars, it means lots of protein and carbs. You want to obtain a healthy weight, not build up your fat deposits. Unlike many of your peers, your snacks should be nutritious but calorie dense: think nuts, peanut butter, cheese, dried fruits and avocados.^[1]And that bedtime snack? Go for it!
   • Even though it's a good way to gain weight, it's unhealthy -- so pass on the sodas and coffee. Keep your liquids up with smoothies or shakes made with low-fat milk or juice for an energized calorie boost. And remember to drink 30 minutes before or after your meal; you don't want to be full before you even start eating.^[1]
2. 2 Eat the right kind of fats. You want a bigger, healthier looking body--not a thin frame with a bit of a paunch. Maximise the avocados, dairy products, nuts (including peanut butter), and meats; stay away from ice cream, fries and fatty junk foods.
   • Healthy fats can be obtained from foods like peanuts, cashews, and olive oil. Stay away from saturated fats (bad fats) gained from processed foods. If you're looking for a treat, good alternatives are bran muffins, yogurt, fruit pies and granola bars.
3. 3 Go high-protein. Though it's a myth that protein builds muscle, it is an essential part of your diet.^[2] It's a building block of our entire body: muscles, bones, skin, hair, and blood. Go for high-protein foods to fill up.
   • Protein-rich foods include meat, cheese, milk, fish, and eggs. For vegetarians, protein can be found in soy products such as tofu as well as in combinations of foods, such as rice or corn with beans.^[2]
4. 4 Layer on the carbs. Though they get a bad rap, carbs, too, help build muscle and facilitate all of your vital functions. Carbs are your body's main source of energy. Complex carbs are fine; it's the simple ones you want to avoid. They contain empty calories and will most likely be stored as fat because the sugars enter your bloodstream quickly and cause a spike in blood sugar levels.
   • Brown rice, pasta, potatoes and whole grains fall into the approved category. These sugars are released slowly into your bloodstream and provide a steady supply of energy over a long period of time without causing the insulin spike that leads to fat storage.^[3]
5. 5 Eat late at night. Without even upping your food intake, changing your eating times can facilitate the weight gaining process. Have a big dinner late at night and after that? Pile on dessert.
   • A recent study shows that people who snack after 8 p.m. have higher body mass indexes (BMIs) than people who don’t nosh at night, even though they don’t eat significantly more total daily calories.^[4] The researchers adjusted for many factors; timing seemed to be the one variable that correlated.

Method 2 Exercise to Gain Weight

1. 1 Weight train. While cardio will develop some of your muscles, weight training alone is more likely to cause you to gain weight, since muscle weighs more than fat.
   • This does not mean you have to join a gym (though that certainly would work!). Do push-ups, crunches, lunges, and squats in the comfort of your own home while watching TV.
   • Exercising also builds up your appetite. After a workout, slam a protein bar or shake to give your muscles what they're craving.
2. 2 Increase your workout. As you progress, what you've been doing will not be enough. Your muscles will get used to the work you're putting them through--as your workouts get easier, change them up to make them more difficult.
   • Invest in weights for your home. That way, when you only have 15 minutes before you have to get ready for work, you can squeeze in a quick muscle-building session to stay on the right track.
3. 3 Other than weight training, stay immobile. The simple "more calories out than in" motto is true. So apart from bulking up, burn as few calories as possible. Grab the remote, your smoothie, and hanker down on the couch.
   • If you do become more sedentary overall, it's important to keep weight training. Even if you can't see the fat on your body, visceral fat (the kind lining your arteries) can still show up. And visceral fat loves inactivity. So before you sit down to watch that movie, pump some iron. Then have a marathon--a movie marathon--with some snacks.

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