Related Articles
Protein shakes can help you gain weight in the form of muscle mass, and the effect is more pronounced when you do resistance training
Protein shakes can help you gain weight in the form of muscle mass, and the effect is more pronounced when you do muscle-strengthening or resistance exercises. You can buy whey or casein protein powder from the supermarket or online stores and blend it with whole milk along with dried fruits or spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg.
Remember to eat more calories than you burn. If you are aiming for slow weight gain, which is healthier than rapid weight gain, your daily calorie intake should be 300 to 500 more than your daily requirement. If you want to gain 1 pound per week, aim to eat a surplus of 500 calories a day more than you burn.
3 shakes for healthy weight gain
1. Banana nut butter shake
- 2 tablespoons peanut or almond butter
- 1 banana
- 1 cup chocolate milk
- 1 scoop protein powder (blended shake)
2. Chocolate shake
- 3 slabs dark chocolate
- 1 scoop protein powder
- 1 cup chocolate milk
3. Oatmeal shake
- 1 package instant oatmeal
- 1 cup chocolate milk
- Toppings of:
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon raisins
Should you eat junk food to gain weight?
While it may be tempting to eat junk food such as chips, donuts, and candy to gain weight quickly, this is a dangerous practice because it will not only increase bad fat but also increase low-density lipoprotein (bad) cholesterol.
Excess fat gets deposited in the abdomen and increases your risk of type II diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and even cancer. Therefore, choose protein-rich foods over junk foods to gain weight in a healthier way.
What foods should you eat to gain weight?
Eat a balanced diet to make sure you are getting sufficient amounts of protein, fats, and carbohydrates, in that order.
Protein
- Lean meat
- Chicken with skin (broiled or steamed, not deep-fried)
- Salmon or other oily fish
- Beans
- Whole milk
- Eggs
- Cheese
- Full-fat yogurt
- Dried fruit
Carbs
- Potatoes
- Brown rice
- Whole-grain pasta
- Whole-grain bread
Fats
- Nuts
- Nut butter
- Olives
- Avocados
- Butter
- Mayonnaise
- Cheese
5 tips for gaining weight
- Eat 5-6 smaller meals or snacks throughout the day.
- Avoid drinking water 30 minutes before your meal. Eat more food and less liquids while having meals.
- Try topping your food with raisins, cheese, or avocados.
- Choose calorie-rich drinks such as milk, cream, shakes, and smoothies over drinks that contain fewer calories such as black tea and coffee.
- For snacking, go for cottage cheese cups, string cheese, nuts, granola bars, or beef jerky.
