Food alone does not contribute to weight gain. It has to be complemented with a proper exercise routine that helps to increase appetite and build muscles. It is discussed below:
Importance of High-Fiber Foods
If a rabbit is deprived of adequate fiber, its teeth get longer, well enough to penetrate the roof of the mouth and even cutting the base of the brain.
A change in diet is the key to gain weight. Joining a weight training program or a gym but not eating proper food would be a waste of time and money. Those wanting to gain weight should eat the right high calorie food. Knowing what foods assist to improve weight is necessary to bring a healthy change in the body. Underweight people in a hurry to gain weight eat unhealthy food (junk foods), thereby causing health problems. The aim is to gain weight, while at the same time remaining physically active.
Although, it is necessary to increase calorie intake, it should come from a healthy source. With junk foods fueling the obesity epidemic, it would be unwise to indulge in these high-calorie foods. The goal is not to transform oneself from skinny to obese, rather, the intention should be to build a muscular frame that allows you to carry out your day-to-day activities effortlessly. Adding calories mindlessly to your diet would turn your body out of shape, in turn increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and chronic ailments like diabetes.
FOODS TO EAT TO GAIN WEIGHT
Best Foods
A diet that is rich in proteins, healthy fats and carbohydrates can help to gain weight in the right manner. It is essential to identify foods that are rich in these nutrients. Foods high in proteins will allow the body to gain muscle mass without building excess fat. Milk is an excellent source of high quality proteins. Drinking milk after a workout promotes the growth of muscles. Protein shakes and protein bars can also contribute to speed up the muscle growth.
Adding powdered milk to sauces and soup is an easy way to increase calorie intake. Foods rich in protein that promote weight gain in a healthy way are fish (salmon, tuna, cod), dairy products such as cottage cheese and low-fat yogurt.
Chicken without skin is also a rich source of protein. Other meat and poultry products high in protein that ensure overall health include lean cuts of turkey and rabbits. Eggs, nuts (almonds) and sunflower seeds contain a high amount of protein. Including these foods in the diet is beneficial to gain weight naturally. If you don't like eating raw almonds, you could always go for its tastier version, which is nothing but almond butter.
Carbohydrate Foods
Carbohydrate foods are an integral part of weight gain diet. Carbohydrates maintain the energy levels of the body essential to perform day-to-day activities. Vegetables and fruits are considered to be a superior source of carbohydrates. Vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, potatoes, spinach, cauliflower and tomatoes contain high levels of protein. One has to focus on fruits like apples, oranges, mangoes, avocado, pineapples and papaya to add carbohydrates to the diet.
Other good sources of carbohydrates are brown rice and whole grain. A healthy, nutritious breakfast should have whole wheat breads or whole wheat pastas in adequate amounts. An ideal healthy snack, rich in carbohydrates involves intake of dried fruits, grapes and bananas. You can always add dried fruits to everyday salads and yogurt to boost your healthy calorie intake.
Fat Foods
When choosing foods to gain weight, it is essential to avoid saturated fat foods so as to keep various health related disorders at bay. Saturated fats are known to elevate cholesterol levels in the blood which may increase the chances of cardiovascular diseases. Skimmed milk contains a sufficient amount of proteins but no fat.
Fish (salmon), omega-3 essential fatty acids, butter, seeds and nuts such as almonds, walnuts, cashew nuts and hazelnuts come in the list of healthy fat foods. Cold pressed oil extracted from seeds like sunflower, safflower and sunflower also come under good fat foods category. Anyone looking for gaining weight needs to incorporate these healthy fat foods into the diet. Dressing your salad with olive oil is an easy way to add healthy fat to your diet.
Meal Frequency (How Often One Should Eat?)
People serious about gaining weight need to increase their meal frequency. Instead of having 3 meals, one should try to have 6 meals everyday. Consuming 6 mini-meals that include breakfast, lunch, dinner and 3 small meals can help one achieve weight gain. There has to be a gap of 2.5-3 hours between each meal. Also, do not forget to drink plenty of water and fresh fruit juices to avoid dehydration.
Healthy Cooking
No matter, how healthy a food you choose, it may turn unhealthy if it is not cooked properly. The habit of eating fried foodstuffs must be discarded and instead opt for healthy cooking options such as broiling, baking, grilling, steaming and stewing.
Exercising and Staying Fit
Apart from eating the right food, workouts are also an important factor crucial to get the desired result. Exercises that help to build muscle mass are very important to increase weight. So, besides increasing protein intake, you got to do weightlifting exercises such as bench press, dead lifts, squats and bent-over rows to gain muscles.
Inability to gain weight has often been attributed to lack of appetite, despite having nutrient dense foods. Not feeling hungry during meal times is (in most cases) due to inactive lifestyle. So, start an exercise routine (jogging, fast walking, cycling) that makes you sweat and do it everyday in the morning. This will stimulate your hunger pangs and you surely won't leave your home without having a hearty breakfast. A brisk walk, half an hour before having lunch or dinner too can help to boost your appetite.
These are some of the best foods that help to increase weight in a healthy way. These foods are an excellent source of various nutrients and help to repair and build muscle. In addition to a healthy nutritious diet, make sure to follow an effective exercise program to gain weight.
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