Most vegetarians eat only vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, although some eat beef and eggs. Because you don't eat meat, you may lose weight when you just start living a vegetarian lifestyle. Don't fret! Even if you live a vegetarian lifestyle, you can gain weight if you choose the right foods.
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Method 1 of 2: Gaining Weight on a Vegan Diet
Step 1. Understand the differences between vegetarian and vegan lifestyles
In a vegetarian lifestyle, one really does not touch meat products - beef, poultry, fish, etc. - but the vegan lifestyle is a step further. In a vegan lifestyle, a person does not consume any products of animal origin, including beef products (milk, yogurt, butter) and eggs. A person who lives a vegan lifestyle consumes only wheat, nuts, legumes, soybeans, fruits, vegetables, and oils.
Step 2. Calculate the number of calories you need
A calorie is the unit of energy found in food, and when consumed, it is used as fuel for the body or stored as fat. When trying to lose weight, you need to reach a calorie deficit, which means you have to burn more calories than you take in from food. To gain weight, you have to do the opposite: eat more calories than you burn in one day. The vegetarian diet consists of many choices of foods that are rich in calories, and you can choose them to increase your calorie intake without reducing the amount of exercise or activity you do, so you too will stay healthy.
- 450 grams of fat equals 3,500 calories. For every 3,500 calories you get without burning them, your weight will increase by 450 grams.
- Calorie requirements depend on age, gender, and height. Use an online calorie counter calculator to calculate the number of calories you should be getting each day.
- Since you want to gain weight, try to eat more than usual each day - but don't overdo it! Eat more or less 500 calories each day, so the number of calories you get is approximately 3,500 each week. That way, your weight will increase by 450 grams every week.
Step 3. Continue to eat healthy calories
The easiest way to gain weight is to eat unhealthy vegan foods, such as french fries or sweet pastries. However, don't sacrifice your health to gain weight, so make sure that your diet is filled with healthy calories.
- Start eating healthy snacks that contain "good fats" in your daily life, such as avocados, whole grains, nuts, peanut butter or almond butter, and hummus.
- Get calories through drinks! In addition to water, drink juices, protein drinks, and smoothies to add calories to your body without filling you up.
- Add calories through food garnish. For example, you can add olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fruits to salads.
Step 4. Start eating foods that contain lots of protein to increase muscle mass
Protein deficiency is a major problem that occurs in vegan and vegetarian lifestyles. People who live this lifestyle must consume protein consistently. Whole protein contained by animal products, soy, and quinoa is needed because of the complete amino acid panel it has. However, vegans and vegetarians can consume a variety of other protein options that complement each other (called complementary proteins) to form a whole protein consisting of the 9 main amino acids. One example of a combination that can be consumed is brown rice and grains.
- Whole grains are a great substitute for meat-based protein, which is also a good source of calories! Ideally, you should eat as much as 650 grams of whole grains each week, although you can actually eat more than that without having to worry about getting sick.
- Nuts and seeds are rich in protein, but some of these foods can add too much cholesterol to your diet. Get pumpkin seeds, almonds, almonds, and walnuts, but don't eat macadamia nuts and Brazil nuts.
Step 5. Try a variety of soy-based foods
Soy protein is vegans' best friend, and can lower "bad" (LDL) cholesterol levels. Tofu and tempeh are basically bland foods, but they absorb flavors when cooked, and also increase the protein content you need. Some people don't like the soft texture of tofu, so you can add it (textured vegetable protein) to foods that require a protein boost that tastes like ground beef - such as tacos, pasta sauce, and so on.
Also add calories through soy garnishes. You can get soy cheese, soy milk, or soy sour cream at the grocery store. Add these products to salads, baked potatoes, tacos, or granola without needing to fill you up
Step 6. Increase carbohydrate intake
You may have heard of other people wanting to lose weight by eliminating carbs completely. Research suggests that a low-carbohydrate diet is very effective because it can reduce the number of calories consumed. Foods rich in carbohydrates will increase your calorie intake without filling you up, when compared to the same number of calories obtained by eating vegetables and whole grains. To gain weight, add carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, quinoa, and whole grain breads to your diet.
Step 7. Eat six small meals a day
If you feel full quickly, you may find it difficult to increase your calorie intake through three servings of vegan meals. In such cases, divide the food into six servings to be consumed in one day. You don't need to eat until you feel full and full, but eating smaller portions will increase the daily calorie count.
Step 8. Get used to frequent snacks
Even in between small meals, you can increase your calorie intake by snacking on high-nutrient snacks, which are specifically designed to increase your body's energy. A spoonful of peanut butter, a protein bar, 220 grams of granola, or a handful of cabbage chips won't fill you up, but they can help you gain weight.
Method 2 of 2: Gain Weight By Consuming Beef Products and Eggs
Step 1. Start with a weight gain guide for vegans
Vegan and vegetarian diets are quite similar, although vegetarian diets are a bit more flexible. Therefore, vegetarians should follow all the advice useful for weight gain specifically for vegans, and also follow the advice to add beef products to their diet.
- Try to eat 3,500 more calories per week than normal, so you can maintain your weight. In this way, your weight will increase by approximately 450 grams every week.
- Start eating high-calorie and protein foods such as whole grains, nuts, peanut and almond butter, soy products, etc. to replace meat in your diet.
- Eat smaller portions to meet the caloric intake needed to gain weight, and make sure that you snack frequently.
Step 2. Add the amount of egg protein to your diet
If you can eat dairy products and eggs in your diet, you must take advantage of the calories and protein they contain. Although eggs contain a lot of protein, consuming too much egg yolk can raise cholesterol levels to a dangerous level. In a reasonable amount, egg yolks are good, but you are not advised to consume more than one egg yolk every day. On the other hand, egg whites are a high source of protein and are healthy to consume in large quantities. Simply discard the yolks or buy egg whites from the grocery store to make a dish that is rich in protein, calories, and nutrients.
For example, you can add a few ingredients to an egg white omelette, such as grains, cheese, chopped tomatoes, onions, and peppers, then add sour cream, salsa sauce, and avocado for garnish
Step 3. Garnish the food with beef products
Like a vegan diet, you can increase the calorie count of a meal by adding nuts, fruit, and other calorie-rich garnishes to salads and other meals. However, if you are allowed to eat beef products, you can use regular sour cream and cheese instead of the cream and soy cheese used by vegans. Cheese, sour cream, butter, and other beef products are high in saturated fat, so you should only eat them in moderation. Eating too many of these foods will cause heart disease.
- However, 30 grams of grated cheese can add 100 calories to your baked potato, omelet or salad!
- Two tablespoons of sour cream can add 60 calories to your vegetarian chili dish.
- Buttering on toast for breakfast can add 36 calories.
- Garnishing your meal with beef products can help you achieve the additional 500 calories you need without feeling overly full.
Step 4. Start snacking on beef products
Cheese should be consumed with care. Although cheese has always been linked to obesity and heart disease, it is also a major component of the Mediterranean's very healthy diet. The right key in gaining weight by eating cheese is to choose the right type. Skip the more unhealthy cheeses, such as cheddar or Swiss cheese, and go for healthier cheeses, such as goat's milk cheese, feta, and mozzarella, which are lower in calories and can be consumed as snacks to increase your calorie intake. Cottage cheese is popular enough to add protein to your diet without risking your health.
Yogurt is also a great snack to choose from, but avoid yogurt that contains a lot of sugar because of the added flavor. It would be better if you choose plain yogurt or Greek yogurt, then add fresh fruit so that the yogurt is not bland
Step 5. Consider adding fish to your diet
Many vegetarians choose not to eat meat products, but still eat fish. Such a diet is referred to as pescetarian, and can be a good choice for people looking to gain weight. Like chicken, fish is lean and can add calories and protein to your diet. The human body cannot produce omega-3 fatty acids contained by fish, but these acids can help in building muscle mass, so that weight gain can be increased without increasing fat levels in the body. The American Heart Association recommends that everyone should eat fish meat at least twice a week, and the following fish are recommended for consumption:
- Mackerel
- Lake trout
- Herring
- Sardine
- Albacore tuna
- Salmon
Warning
- Although fast foods like soda, chips, and candy contain a lot of calories and are usually okay for vegetarians to eat, eating them to gain weight is not a good idea. Usually such foods contain a lot of sugar and fat, while the nutritional content is low.
- Check with your doctor or nutritionist before you change your diet or start gaining weight.
