Eating Strategies to Gain Weight
It costs 3500 calories to gain one pound. That means, in order to gain one pound a
week, you have to consume 500 extra calories every day. Here are some tips for
getting those extra calories into your daily meal plan.
• Eat frequently! -- Make time for 3 large meals and
2-3 hefty snacks every day.
• Eat larger than normal portions at meals!
• Eat higher calorie foods! -- Choose dried fruit,
starchy vegetables, dense whole grain breads and
cereals, hearty bean soups, nuts...
• Add lots of “extras” to food! -- Don’t eat anything
plain.
• Add healthy unsaturated fats: olive and canola
oil, nuts, seeds, peanut butter, avocados.
• Add healthy carbs and protein: honey, jam,
dried fruit, wheat germ, nonfat dried milk
powder, soy protein powder.
• Make beverages count! -- Drink shakes, milk, juice,
etc. instead of water, coffee, tea, and diet sodas.
• Do resistance exercises! -- Weight training helps
convert the extra calories into muscle rather than
flab. Aim for 2-3 times per week.
TRY THESE QUICK-N-EASY BREAKFAST IDEAS:
⇒ Whip together 2 cups fruit juice, 1 cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit, 1 cup
yogurt, 1/4 cup dried nonfat milk powder, and 1/4 cup wheat germ or oat bran
for a high energy liquid meal to go.
⇒ Spread peanut butter, honey, or jam on large bagels, muffins, hearty whole
wheat bread/toast, graham crackers or stoned wheat crackers. Grab an extra
large banana and wash it down with a tall glass of milk
⇒ Fill a plastic bag with raisins and nuts (trail mix) or your favorite dry cereal.
Grab an 8 oz container of fruit yogurt and a couple cans/boxes of fruit juice.
⇒ Nontraditional ideas:
* Heat up leftover pizza, pasta, or Chinese food from last night’s dinner.
* Make a peanut butter and honey, grilled cheese, tuna, or turkey sandwich.
* Pop a baked potato in the microwave for 5-10 minutes; top with chopped
veggies (frozen ones are quickest) and melted cheese, canned chili, or
hearty bean...