you’re not alone

Yes, I know, it’s shocking to hear that some people actually want to gain weight than there are so many people who are obsessed with the idea of losing weight. The truth is, however, that there are many people out there who feel they are underweight and would love to put on some pounds as quickly and safely as possible. If you are one of those people, rest assured that you’re not alone. You may get dirty looks from your friends, though, when you share your previously held secret desire to gain some weight. Some may react with jealousy because you appear to have a higher metabolism than they do. That’s not so surprising when you think about it. Everywhere you look you see ads for the latest weight loss pill or new exercise machine designed to burn fat. Virtually every news story, magazine cover, or a new prescription drug that has anything to do with weight will be about losing weight, not gaining it.

So what if you are one of those fortunate (or unfortunate, depending on how you look at it) souls who desperately want to put on some weight? Well, first of all we need to make clear what kind of pounds you’re trying to put on. I’m assuming that you want to put on lean muscle mass and not a bunch of flab (otherwise known as fat). There are some basic suggestions given by nutritionists that may help you in your quest to increase your weight. For example, most recommend that you stick to healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean meats, nuts, and seeds. You certainly should not spend all of your time at fast food restaurants when you’re trying to gain healthy weight. Another suggestion is to measure the number of calories that you consume each day (packaged foods will contain this information and you can also use the Internet to look up other common foods) and then increase your daily calories by 500. The goal would be to increase your weight by about a half pound a week.

These suggestions aren’t bad, but if you’re serious about gaining large amounts of muscle you will need to commit to a comprehensive program of weight training in addition to your weight gain diet.

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Muscle building may require a little fat

Why must you accept a little fat when you begin a weight gain program? Because if you don't, it'll be difficult to accomplish your muscle building program. You see, gaining muscle and losing fat are essentially contradictory goals. One requires you to increase your calories, while the other requires that you decrease them. A good comprehensive program on how to gain weight will teach you how to maximize your muscle gains while minimizing your fat increase.

Skip the fast food

Recently an acquaintance told me how he planned to gain weight. He began by telling me how tired he was of being skinny, and he ended the conversation by explaining how grateful he was to have a McDonald's nearby. Apparently his weight gain plan consisted of French fries and apple pies, with a little ice cream on the side. Needless to say I tried to explain the importance of a healthy diet that would help him gain muscle instead of fat. Hopefully, he now has a better understanding of how to gain healthy weight .