Gaining weight is surely no walk of roses, if you have a fast metabolism and genetically no or very low muscle mass. There has always been a controversial comparison between gaining weight and losing weight, and how the people on the various sides feel the other side is greener. Well, people who are trying to lose those extra inches from their body and craving for that fast metabolism, and the ones who are trying every other food to grow up the number on that weighing scale are finding ways to not look that skinny and actually gain weight.
Is it that easy? Both of them are challenging, but with a little bit of study, self-practice, patience and consistency, you can definitely amaze yourself with amazing results. “You are what you eat”, diet is one of the most important parts of anybody’s scaling up or losing inches journey. Whatever you take inside your body reflects via your body outside, so you need to understand and listen to your body, what it wants, what it needs, how it reacts to different food types, and so on because it is the only way to feed right to your body, and have some visible results.
Have a healthy way of gaining weight:
If you have been skinny your whole life, then you won’t be able to gain 5 kg a day, or if you do, you are most probably going to lose all of it, because it’s the unhealthy weight, which could be added up by eating junk or by being bloated. You want something sustaining, something for the long term. The right amount of protein according to your body weight, carbs, starch, and healthy fats are your go-to options. So let’s see a few food options, which can help you gain weight, the right way.
1. Peanut butter:
Peanut butter is the most recommended source of getting healthy protein. Two tablespoons of peanut butter roughly consist of around 7 g of protein, 16g of fat, and 7g of carbs making it a total package of 190 calories.
The reason why peanut butter is recommended by everyone is that regular consumption of it can help you manage a significant weight gain, which is excellent in the longer run, also peanuts are extremely rich in protein and is fulfilled with almost all the necessary 20 amino acids, which acts as a catalyst to strengthen up your immune system.
2. Banana:
Many fruits are rich in calories, but banana is a package of fiber, protein, potassium, and vitamins A, and C, Folate- is a healthy fat, basically a powerhouse of all the micronutrients in such a small portion.
It is usually suggested to take a banana before a workout because it is a great source of energy, an average size banana comprises roughly around 105 calories. If you want some tastier ways to consume bananas, you can have it with milk, a few nuts, and dry fruits, and you are ready to smash that high-intensity workout.
3. Milk:
Milk has always been considered as the complete food, be it your mother’s cribbing about having a glass of milk every day or anybody suggesting any food item that helps you “gain”.
Why shouldn’t it be? Milk has almost every macronutrient necessary for your overall growth. Different nutrients like proteins, healthy fats, carbs, vitamins, minerals, and calcium are present in it in the right proportion.
Two cups of milk usually contain 149–150 calories per cup and would act as an excellent option for snacks between meals, or even after and before your workout. If you have always hated plain milk, or are habitual to having it with some sugar, try mixing it up with some berries, and one-two tablespoon of honey, for a healthier option. You can add milk to your diet by various methods, it’s just how you prefer it.
4. Rice:
If you are a rice eater, then things just got delicious for you. Plain white rice is a great source of carbs and is also very cost-effective. Just one cup of white rice provides around 200 calories, 44 g of carbs, and a little fat as well. Rice is the ultimate source of calorie-dense food, making it extremely easy to grab all the carbs and calories in as low amounts as possible.
Mix it up with soybean, and tons of veggies like broccoli, capsicum, beans, and peas to make it a complete source of protein and carbs- basically easy to make a complete meal. Therefore, it will just not be a healthy option but also a tastier one. If you’re non-vegetarian, you can go for egg fried rice, or even boiled chicken, or fish fried rice.
5. Homemade protein smoothies:
There are many protein smoothies available in the market, but most of them contain artificial sweeteners, which aren’t very healthy. When you choose to make a protein smoothie by yourself, for yourself then you are responsible and free to add as much protein source as possible and make it ultimately, one of a kind. You can speed up your weight-gaining journey by taking protein-rich food and adding some resistance training to your daily routine.
A quick recipe to create a homemade protein shake:
Peanut butter protein shake: 1,2 tablespoon peanut butter, a cup of milk and a banana.
Chocolate and apple protein shake: 1,2 scoops of chocolate protein powder, a cup of milk and an apple.
Banana and almond protein shake: 1,2 bananas, a cup of yoghurt, and 1,2 tablespoons of almond powder.
The basic ingredient for any protein smoothie is really the same. Just a cup of milk, a few tablespoons of whatever the main ingredient is and you are good to go, add dry fruits and any fruit you like for extra sweetness.
6. Chicken thigh, with skin:
Chicken breast is usually most recommended to everyone who wants to gain weight, but to break the myths apart, the chicken thigh is richer in protein.
They are not only a great source of protein but of vitamins and minerals. And have multiple benefits like the overall growth of skin, nails, and hair.
Try learning the art of pairing, pairing the right food with another right one to create a complete meal, or a complete food will help you go a long way. A quick tip is to pair up the chicken thigh with any whole grain substance such as rice or quinoa, it works magically with green leafy vegetables as well.
Conclusion:
Gaining weight is difficult as we stated above as well, but you can always level up your lifestyle by enjoying it. Adding these few nutrients, proteins, and vitamins can help you do so.
Let’s make your weight-gaining journey easy and enjoyable to follow.
