Gaining weight needs a diet too
Gaining weight needs planned eating just as much as losing it. People who feel they do not look healthy because they are underweight, people who have lost weight after illness or a busy period, and people who want to build muscle mass at the gym all meet the same question: "Whatever I eat, I cannot gain." The answer is not eating more, but eating the right amount of the right foods at the right time. Weight gained with fast food and desserts is stored as fat; weight gained with a planned calorie surplus and enough protein comes as muscle and healthy tissue.
How does it work?
The only way to gain weight is to take in more energy than you use each day. The Diet Prof analysis calculates your basal metabolic rate and your daily need according to your activity level; the weight-gain programme aims for roughly 300-500 calories above this need. This measured surplus gives a healthy increase of a quarter to half a kilo a week; larger surpluses are stored as fat, not muscle. For the calorie surplus to be turned into muscle, two more conditions are needed: enough protein (about 1.6-2 grams per kilo of body weight a day) and resistance training. Calories taken without training turn into fat; calories taken with training turn into muscle.
The rules of a weight-gain diet
- Increase the number of meals. Three main meals and three snacks a day; frequent medium portions do not strain the appetite the way large portions do.
- Protein at every meal. Eggs, chicken, red meat, fish, dairy, legumes; the raw material of muscle building.
- Quality carbohydrate. Bulgur, rice, potatoes, oats, wholemeal bread, fruit; for training energy and glycogen stores.
- Healthy fat. Olive oil, walnuts, almonds, peanut butter, avocado; a lot of calories in a small volume.
- Calorie-dense snacks. Nuts, dried fruit, tahini and molasses, milk and oat mixes; can be eaten even when not hungry.
- Eating around training. Carbohydrate and protein 1-2 hours before training, a protein-heavy meal afterwards.
A sample day (training day)
- Breakfast: A three-egg omelette, 2 slices of hard cheese, 2 slices of wholemeal bread, tomato and cucumber, 1 glass of milk.
- Snack: A mix of oats, milk, banana and peanut butter.
- Lunch: Grilled chicken or meat, 5-6 tablespoons of rice or bulgur pilaf, yoghurt, salad.
- Before training: 1 banana and a handful of raisins, or 2 slices of bread with honey.
- After training / dinner: Baked salmon or meatballs, baked potatoes, vegetables in olive oil, ayran.
- Evening: 1 bowl of yoghurt with walnuts and 1 teaspoon of honey, or tahini and molasses.
This day contains roughly 2,800-3,200 calories; the quantities are personalised to your height, weight and goal. On rest days the carbohydrate amount is reduced a little and protein is kept.
Common mistakes
- Filling the calories with junk food: the weight comes, but as fat and unhealthily.
- Missing the protein target: the extra calories go to fat instead of muscle.
- A calorie surplus without training: resistance training is essential for muscle gain.
- Skipping meals: the biggest obstacle for people with a low appetite; reminders and regular times solve it.
- Impatience: healthy muscle gain is around 1-2 kilos a month; a fast increase is fat.
How is the weight-gain and muscle programme applied on Diet Prof?
In the free analysis you choose your goal as "gaining weight" and mark your physical activity level; your daily need and calorie surplus are calculated accordingly. Your list is built as six meals with a balance of high protein and quality carbohydrate; the quantities and calories of every meal are on the meal card. If you report your training days and times from Dietitian Support, the pre- and post-workout meals are placed accordingly and rest days are arranged separately. Meal Reminder prevents you from skipping meals because of a low appetite. You follow your weight increase weekly in the Change Graphs. The whole process is on the How Does Diet Prof Work? page.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to use protein powder?
No. The protein need can be met with eggs, meat, dairy and legumes. A supplement is considered only when the daily target cannot be reached with food, and with a doctor's approval.
Can I gain weight without getting fat?
With the trio of a measured calorie surplus, enough protein and regular resistance training, most of the weight gained is muscle; a small increase in fat is natural.
I do not exercise, I just want to gain weight.
The programme still applies; the calorie surplus is kept more moderate and protein is maintained. Adding light resistance exercise improves the result noticeably.
Start now
Healthy weight gain is the result of planned eating. See your daily need and calorie surplus with the free analysis; let your list be built for muscle gain.
