By incorporating more protein into your diet, you’ll have the opportunity to gain weight faster. We’ve researched 7 weight gain tips for your diet.
Keyword(s): weight gain tips
Fat, carbohydrates, and protein.
They’re the three building blocks of our diet and our body, and, despite what you may have heard they’re all equally necessary.
They tirelessly work together to keep a perfect balance between muscle and fat.
Unfortunately, for the past few decades, certain disreputable diet fads have tried to ruin the good name of both fats and carbs.
But the one source of energy you never hear anyone bad mouth is proteins. And for good reason too.
The Power of Protein
Proteins are absolutely essential, not just for dealing with weight loss but, they work nicely in the weight gain tips field too.
That’s because proteins are the major building blocks of muscles, not to mention our organs and tendons.
This is why you often see bodybuilders consuming massive amounts of protein muscle builders and the like.
And while those additives can be useful for anyone in weight training or bodybuilding, they’re called supplements for a reason.
You simply won’t get anywhere with weight gain if you’re not already eating a balanced diet that significantly ups your protein intake.
Weight Gain Tips: Boost Your Protein!
Forget fads!
The best weight gain tips are those that add protein to your diet.
Typical studies show that doubling your protein intake will also eventually double your weight gain, and not in stored fat but in lean muscle (the type of gains you want).
You can experiment from there, but natural proteins are the way to go.
That’s because they’re made from long chains of essential amino acids which our bodies don’t produce naturally; they’re literally called essential amino acids.
They come mainly from animal proteins — but if you’re vegetarian or vegan, you can still introduce protein into your diet all day long!
Here are seven easy weight gain tips to get more protein into your diet without sacrificing too many fats or carbohydrates.
Tip #1: Eggs
Because an egg is essentially an incubator for a future chicken, it contains tons of nutrients, including six grams of protein. That makes up about 35% of a whole egg’s total calorie output.
That’s pretty high for such a versatile food item.
Eggs can be eaten as they are in several different ways or added into recipes as a thickener.
One whole egg will also get you a nice dose of your B vitamins for the day, as well as vitamin C, D, E, and calcium.
They do contain a lot of cholesterol, but that’s mostly “the good kind,” known as HDL. If you’d rather not take the risk, eat only the whites.
Why?
The cholesterol’s all in the yolk.
Tip #2: Nuts
A great source of fiber and a good option for a mid-meal snack, nuts are also a great source of energy.
Even the smallest nut is packed full of protein. Around 13% of its calories, as a matter of fact.
Almonds have the best protein-to-fat ratio, but peanuts, pistachios, and cashews are almost as healthy.
Don’t overlook the classic peanut butter sandwich, either.
The amount of fat in peanut butter (even the processed kind) is more than offset by the impressive protein content.
Tip #3: Seafood
High on the list of weight gain tips comes the trusted fish.
Most fish offer an excellent amount of protein, and unlike red meats, they contain very little bad fat.
- Tuna is your best bet here. It’s naturally low in both calories and fat and the kind packed in water works best.
- Salmon is a great backup, though any kind of white fish can be considered good.
- Seafood contains omega-3 fatty acids, which are the major fuel sources for your cell structure.
And hey, who doesn’t love shrimp?
Shrimp is positively loaded with protein. Just do yourself a favor and don’t fry it!
Tip #4 : Meats and Poultry
Red meat has gotten a bad rep in recent years, but that’s largely because of how it’s processed and what it’s combined with.
It’s actually a great source of both protein and iron.
Fully half of the calories in a sizzling steak come from protein. But for adequate weight gain, you’ll want to cut the fat off.
With recent reports about the link between unprocessed lean red meat and cancer risk, limit servings to 1-2 a week.
You can make up the difference with lean turkey and pork, also making sure the fat is cut away.
Remember this though: Poultry trumps both.
A skinless chicken breast, for example, gets about two-thirds of its calories from protein.
Tip #5: Veggies, Beans, and Grains
We don’t normally think of vegetables when we consider high-protein weight gain tips.
The key here is variety.
Broccoli, which is easy to prepare and goes with almost anything, tops the list. 20% of its calories come from protein.
But don’t overlook other important veggies.
Think…
- Edamame
- Tempeh
- Avocados
- And corn that hasn’t been genetically modified.
Potatoes are a good source, too, but they’ll up your carb intake, so be sure to go easy on them.
Likewise, beans and whole grains have a lot of necessary protein hiding in their deliciousness. And, they’re low calorie and high-fiber to boot!
Lentils contain a lot of protein (18g/cup), which is good news for you hummus lovers.
And, don’t forget classic sides like lima beans and black beans (about 15g/cup).
Turns out your mom was right about forcing those on you… she had her own weight gain tips!
Grains are also an important component of a high-protein diet.
In this, everyone’s favorite go-to grain lately is quinoa, boasting an impressive 6g per cup.
But remember too that you don’t need to hop onto every fitness bandwagon that comes along.
Oats, wild rice, and wheat contain just as much protein as quinoa. You can also buy a complex carbohydrate supplement called Mod 6.
Tip #6: Dairy
The purest and most concentrated power-packed protein in any dairy item occurs in cottage cheese, which is low-calorie and also staves off hunger.
If you can stomach the lactose, whole milk and cheese are also great sources of protein. Again, the secret is not to overdo it with either.
Make sure you have something with a good protein-to-fat ratio.
More fat than protein and you’ll be bulking up in the wrong way!
Italian cheeses like…
- Parmesan
- Romano
- And Mozzarella
… Contain lots of protein. It’s what you sprinkle them on that counts!
If you’re not eating a whole lot of dairy, don’t worry too much about the fat content, especially if you’re trying to pack on pounds.
And, if you do go low-fat, read the package and make sure you’re not getting any unwanted chemicals added in.
Yogurt is another great source and is one of the perennial weight gain tips, but make sure you opt for real Greek yogurt, not the processed kind.
Tip #7: Whey
When people do consume high-protein supplements, whey protein powder is usually the first one they reach for. It’s packed with protein, and it’s also quickly and easily absorbed by the body.
As a plus, whey powder can be easily added into almost any dairy product you’re eating.
And there’s good news for lactose intolerant types! Whey powder can be bought in a non-concentrated, easier to digest form.
Where Does Protein Fit Into Your Weight Gain Diet?
It’s important to remember that with protein, as with all weight gain tips, more is not always better.
About one-third of your calorie intake per day should consist of protein; any less and you won’t gain muscle mass and any more is simply wasted.
Don’t forget that you need fats, proteins, and carbs to work together, but restrict your fats to about 20% of your diet. The other half will be made up of carbs.
Eat smaller meals more frequently during the day to keep your metabolism chugging along.
And, bear in mind that protein can make you feel full, so don’t eat too much at any one time.
If you find you’re having trouble bulking up, there are different calculations you can make to determine how many calories of food a day you should eat.
Remember, this is not how you’ll be eating for the rest of your life. It’s just a way to pack on muscle now.
If you’re bulking up for a workout routine, you can go ahead and look into other supplements such as creatine and glutamine.
The Best Weight Gain Tips Are All About the Protein
One of the reasons a high-protein diet can make it hard to bulk up, or even add muscle, is the fact that it’s the most filling of the three kinds of nutrients we need to survive.
This is why you’ll need to get the balance just right.
Do that and you’re sure to begin building muscle mass right away.
So, what are you waiting for?
Retool your diet and get the body you’ve always wanted. Then, you can sculpt it into the body you never thought you could have!
Got any questions or need some advice? Get in touch. We’re always happy to help. Don’t forget to check out our weight gain supplements.
Alex Rogers is a supplement manufacturing expert. He has been formulating, consulting, & manufacturing dietary supplements since 1998. Alex invented protein customization in 1998 & was the first company to allow consumers to create their own protein blends. He helped create the first supplement to contain natural follistatin, invented whey protein with egg lecithin, & recently imported the world’s first 100% hydrolyzed whey.