How to gain weight
How to gain weight
Perhaps you have a fast metabolic rate. Or maybe you’re recovering from an illness. The fact is some of us find it difficult to put on weight in the way that we want.
Quick 5 step plan
Step1. Address both nutrition and exercise
It’s important to address both your nutrition and exercise routine to put on weight effectively. If you’re training at least twice a week, but not eating sufficient calories or protein, you simply won’t gain weight. Step2. Balance Calories
People who want to lose weight need to create a calorie deficit, and similarly, to gain weight you need to take on board more calories than you need to maintain your current weight. These calories should come from small, regular meals to encourage good digestion, support your body’s muscle and reduce the amount of fat you store. So how many extra calories do you need? If you increase your calorie intake by 500 per day – above the amount needed to maintain your weight – you should put on a pound per week. Effective resistance training in the gym should make sure this gain is not from fat.
Products like Progain have a whey protein base, which supports your muscle and immune system. The great thing is Progain comes in a high calorie serving (453 calories), making it easy to add 500 calories to your diet. A piece of fruit will make up the remaining calories you need.
Step3. Regularly monitor your weight
When you start on your weight gain programme, monitor your weight at the beginning and end of the week. If you’ve not gained a pound then add a further 500 calories (another serving of Progain) to your diet for another week, then monitor your weight again. This way you can identify the point at which you put on weight without gaining unwanted fat. (For help with calorie calculations for your body size and exercise routine, take a look at our nutrition planner.) Step4. Eat protein
But gaining weight effectively is not just about extra calories - the importance of protein can’t be over-stressed. If your diet lacks quality protein you’ll lose muscle tissue, lack energy and recover more slowly after exercise. Your immune system will also weaken. So extra protein is vital if you want to gain weight, while maintaining muscle definition and tone. Aim for a serving of protein in each of your five or six daily meals. Or for a more accurate calculation, multiply your body weight in kilograms by two to get your daily protein intake in grams, then divide this between your six meals.
For example, if you weigh 55kg you need a daily protein intake of 110g, which means 18 grams of protein at each of your six meals. Progain has 32 grams of protein per serving, so could be ideal for your needs.Step5. Check vitamin and mineral intake
If you’re training hard, it’s also important to make sure you get all the vitamins and minerals your body needs, so you may want to consider taking Protrient and Immune Support. As well as enhancing your nutrition, it’s important to get your training routine right to ensure the extra pounds look attractive and aren’t stored as fat. Click here to view our training regimes that are designed to give you a great, toned body.
