For some people, gaining weight is more difficult than losing it. You must increase your calorie intake and exercise to support weight gain. Maybe you are confused about how many calories you need each day in order to gain weight slowly and gradually over a period of two months. In addition, you also need to choose the right food. The following tips and tricks can help you change your diet so you can gain weight slowly in two months.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Eat to Gain Weight
Step 1. Add daily calories
If you have two months to gain weight, you need an additional 250 or 500 calories each day.
- Small increases in calories result in healthy, gradual weight gain. In general, your goal is 0.25 or 0.5 kg per week.
- Increasing your daily intake beyond that can lead to a drastic increase, and that's not healthy.
- Use the food journal app to find out how many calories you are currently taking. Add another 250–500 calories, and that's what your daily intake needs now.
- For example, if you currently consume 1,600 calories each day, try to get 1,850–2,100 calories to gain weight.
Step 2. Write a food menu
When you want to change your diet, making a daily meal plan will help.
- A food menu is like a blueprint for all the meals and snacks for a week. This gives you a plan to eat only the right types and amounts of food during the week.
- Write down all the meals, snacks, and drinks you will consume during the week.
- Maybe you also need to write a shopping list that fits the menu. It will make it easier for you when shopping.
Step 3. Eat a balanced diet
Whatever your goal is to gain or lose weight, a balanced diet is very important. A balanced diet means eating a wide variety of each food group during the majority of days of the week. Consume the following food groups:
- Food sources of protein. This includes eggs, dairy products, red meat, seafood, poultry, and legumes. Include 75–125 grams of protein-based foods at each meal and in snacks.
- Fruits and vegetables. Aim to eat 1–2 servings of fruit daily (about 1 slice or 100 grams) and 4–6 servings of vegetables daily (75–150 grams of green leafy vegetables).
- Cereals. Try to choose whole grains as much as possible (such as quinoa, brown rice, or whole wheat bread). One serving is about 100 grams of cooked cereal.
Step 4. Add more calories to the food
You can increase your total caloric intake by 100–200 calories per one dish for an additional 300–500 calories per day.
- In addition, choose foods with higher calories. Some foods are higher in calories and healthy fats, and are a nutritious way to add calories.
- Moderate and lean protein will add more calories. Choose foods such as whole eggs, full-fat dairy products, dark meat poultry, or moderate-fat beef.
- If you're a fan of avocados, eat this nutritious, high-calorie meal. Add to lettuce, scrambled eggs, or make avocado guacamole.
- In addition, choose seafood and fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines, or mackerel. These fish contain higher calories and heart-healthy fats.
- For example, instead of choosing turkey galantine with lean meat, use ground turkey or plain, whole eggs instead of egg substitutes. Opt for full-fat yogurt, 2% cheese and milk over low-fat or fat-free options.
- If you can, eating slightly larger portions also helps. However, if increasing portions is difficult or inconvenient, choose high-calorie foods instead.
Step 5. Use higher-fat sauces and condiments
Another way to add extra calories is to change the sauce or change the cooking method
- Cook food in butter or olive oil instead of baking. You can also pour a little olive oil on cooked vegetables, cereals, or proteins.
- Pour in a high-calorie sauce such as full-fat sour cream or full-fat grated cheese.
- If you're making a casserole or a mixed dish, use a full-fat option. For example, use whole milk or cream in mashed potatoes instead of skim milk.
Step 6. Add extra snacks
Adding a snack or small meal is another way to get an extra 250–500 calories each day.
- Try to include sources of protein, fruit, or vegetables in your snacks. That will keep your snack balanced and nutritious.
- An example of a snack that contains 250 calories or more is: one small apple with 2-3 tbsp. peanut butter, cup trail mix (a mixture of nuts, dried fruit, breakfast cereal, and sometimes chocolate) or 1 full-fat Greek yogurt with 2 tbsp. peanut.
- If you've never had a snack, you may actually only need to add 1–2 snacks to gradually gain weight.
- If you're already a regular snacker, try to plan ahead and find time for extra snacks between or after meals.
- Eating a snack before bed can also help you gain weight.
Step 7. Increase the calories of the drink
One way to get extra calories each day is through high-calorie drinks.
- High-calorie drinks may be an easy way to get more calories overall because liquids are not as filling as large or heavier high-calorie foods.
- Choose 2% milk or whole milk, 100% juice, or use full fat cream in coffee.
- Make a smoothie for a liquid calorie boost. You can add milk, full-fat yogurt, fruit, or peanut butter to make a high-calorie, nutritious smoothie.
- While it's okay to drink sugary or added sugars once in a while, don't make these choices a prime source of liquid calories. Drinks such as regular sodas, fruit juice cocktails, alcohol, or sports drinks are high in sugar and provide almost no nutrition.
Part 2 of 3: Equipping with Sports
Step 1. Continue aerobic exercise
Although aerobic exercise burns calories and can lead to weight loss, it is still an important part of a healthy lifestyle.
- Aerobic exercise has many health benefits, including better sleep, better mood, and control of high blood pressure or diabetes.
- Generally we are recommended to do cardio exercise about 2.5 hours every week.
- Choose low to moderate activities to support weight gain.
- Try walking or jogging, leisurely cycling, hiking or swimming.
Step 2. Add regular strength training
Strength training will help build muscle mass, not fat mass.
- Regular resistance or strength training will help build lean muscle mass. This is more ideal than fat mass.
- Do light weight strength training 2-3 days. You may want to try yoga, Pilates, or use light weights.
Step 3. Increase basic activities
If you're having trouble gaining or maintaining weight, focus on increasing your basic activity instead of cardio and strength training.
- Basic activities or lifestyles are exercises you already do in your daily routine. For example, walking to and from the car, or doing homework.
- These types of activities usually don't burn many calories or lead to weight loss, but they do provide health benefits.
- Increase basic activities by walking more often, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or parking the vehicle further from the destination.
Part 3 of 3: Tracking Weight Gain Progress
Step 1. Set reasonable goals
Realistic and reasonable goals will greatly help weight changes, both gaining and losing.
- To raise, you need to add 0.25 to 0.5 kg weekly. That is, in a period of two months, your weight can increase 2.5-5 kg.
- You'll also need to set smaller goals across those two months in order to track your progress. For example, if you want to gain 0.5 kg per week, but only manage to gain 0.25 kg per week, change your diet and daily calorie count to increase the rate of weight gain.
- If you want to gain more than that, you'll need to change your target time to make room for the extra weight.
Step 2. Keep a food journal
A food journal will be very helpful when you want to gain weight. The journal serves as a guide when planning goals and if you need to make changes.
- Record all the foods you eat each day. Keep all the meals, snacks, and drinks in a day in a journal.
- Try to record as accurately as possible. Maybe you need to use a scale or measuring cup.
- Also track your total daily calorie intake. This will help if you need to make changes to your calorie intake.
Step 3. Track weight
Keeping track of how many kilos have been achieved will be very important. If you don't track it, it's hard to know how much you've raised and whether your goals have been met.
- Weigh approximately 1-2 times per week. Weight gain occurs more slowly than loss. So, often weigh the body is not much use.
- For accurate results, try to weigh yourself on the same day and time each week.
- Record your weight and progress in a food journal.
Tips
- Talk to your doctor whenever you plan to gain weight, change your diet, or exercise.
- Try to limit processed foods or fried/fast food. Even though they are high in calories, they are not a nutritious option.
