Put On Some Weight With A Healthy Weight Gain Diet   by Russell Strider

in Health    (submitted 2011-10-05)

While individuals who want to lose weight get pretty much all of the attention, there are some individuals who would like to gain weight. While it sounds like an enviable position to be in, being underweight is nearly as unhealthy as being overweight. The very first thing to focus on with your weight gain diet would be eating more calories per day, beginning with 500 calories extra at first, and if necessary increasing to 700 extra calories. As with any healthful diet program, this should include complex carbohydrates like whole grains, lean protein such as lean beef, and healthful fats such as olive oil, coupled with aerobic exercise and weight training.

Talk with your doctor to be sure that there is not a much more serious issue like a B vitamin deficiency, improper protein synthesis or even an underlying disease. The more you work out, the more calories you burn off which means that calorie consumption will have to increase. Just like any topic concerning diet, there is a lot of debate. However, there's no specific weight gain diet that works for everyone, so you'll need to pay attention to your own body to determine what will work best for you personally.

Proteins should be increased to one gram for each pound of body weight. So if you happen to weigh 150 pounds, you'll want to take in 150 grams of protein each day. Good protein sources can include meat, seeds, whey and various other dairy items. Protein is made up of amino acids, which have to be taken in balanced proportions. Whey and dairy are particularly good following workouts because the amino acids they include are in two parts: casein, which is rapidly assimilated, and whey, which digests gradually and offers a steady supply of protein.

To not get enough of any single amino acid makes the others unavailable to the body and will make it impossible to increase muscle. Soy protein isolates are generally very high and all the amino acids are reduced in fat. Whey protein is additionally very easy to use in a shake to get an after workout protein boost. Carbohydrates are important to provide energy, however simple carbohydrates such as sugar should still be eliminated. Switching to whole wheat pasta and bread aids to raise glucose and glycogen supplies to your body.

While fats tend to get a bad rap, they are critical for good brain function and for your capacity to gain weight. Beneficial fats to include are flax seed oil, avocados, and oily fish like sardines, mackerel, and tuna, as well as other sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

A good variety of vegetables and fruits supplies sufficient antioxidants which don't just keep you healthy they also help you gain weight. Junk foods will need to still be avoided in your weight gain diet. Being attentive to how your body responds to your new diet plan will help you to tailor it to fit your needs.

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