Tips for Weight Gain in 2023: Healthy and Simple Strategies

Weight gain at home is often overlooked in the health and fitness realm, but it is just as challenging as losing weight. Being underweight indicates poor nutrition or could be a symptom of underlying health conditions. It makes one prone to infections, fertility issues, and weak bones, leading to fractures. Though weight gain may seem like an easy feat, consuming more calories without proper guidance can cause unhealthy weight gain. 

In this Satvic Foods blog, you will understand the factors that contribute to weight loss, exercises that can help gain muscle mass, food, and dietary tips to gain weight at home in a healthy way, with a focus on weight gain for females and weight gain for males. Whether you are looking to gain weight for personal or medical reasons, Satvic Foods will furnish you with the complete knowledge to do so in a satvic way.

Why Are You Underweight?

Before we dive into how to gain weight, it is important to understand why some people struggle to gain weight. Being underweight is equally unhealthy as being overweight. However, several factors can contribute to weight loss, some of them are as follows: 

Heredity plays an important role in body structure, and a lean body in genetics affects weight.

Medical conditions like infections such as HIV, diabetes, tuberculosis, and cancer lead to unhealthy weight loss.

Mental health plays an important role. Mental stress or disorders such as depression or anxiety leads to sleep apnea and appetite loss leading to weight loss. Additionally, eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa also cause weight loss. Though these disorders can affect any gender, however, American Psychiatric Association states that they are more common in females.

People with a high metabolism remain underweight and fail to gain weight. Hyperthyroidism is another reason for high metabolism and drastic weight loss.

Weight Gain Exercises for Male and Female

Exercise is normally associated with weight loss but, it can also help with weight gain. These are a few exercises that you can incorporate into your weight-gain regime at home, which will tone your body and make you look fuller:

Lunges: Lunges, one of the most effective ways to gain weight, aid in adding bulk and toning leg and hip muscles.

Crunches: Crunches help to gain core strength and lean muscle mass. With a balance of food and exercise, you will not lose any unnecessary weight but tone your body.

Squats: Squats aid in strengthening the lower body muscles. It is the most basic weight-gain exercise to tone the lower body. 

Tricep Dips: Tricep dips are simple arm and back exercises to practice at home to gain weight in the upper body. It will prepare you for next-level exercises such as the bench press.

Bench Press: The bench press allows one to bulk up the chest muscles.

In the weight gain exercise regime, minimize aerobic and cardio exercises. They burn fat and tone muscle. Be careful to keep them in moderation as they are necessary for growing stamina for beginners. Once you master these workout exercises, you can go for next-level and harder variations.

Diet Plan for Weight Gain

A weight gain diet plan is calculated based on the weight goals and current weight. One must increase the carbs, proteins, and energy-dense food intake. Consider these dietary tips to gain weight:

Calories: Aim to consume an extra 500-1000 calories daily because you need to consume more calories than you burn to gain weight.

Protein: Initially, 1 gram of protein per kg of body weight is essential for building muscle mass, later it can be increased based on muscle growth and your weight goals.

Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates fuels the body; hence, you must consume at least 2-3 grams of carbohydrates per kg of body weight.

Healthy Fats: Healthy fats, such as starchy vegetables, nuts, avocados, and olive oil, can help with calorie intake.

Weight gain for females might be challenging due to hormonal changes during menstruation, menopause, and other health disorders. However, with the tips mentioned above, females can gain weight in a healthy way. Weight gain for males may be easier due to higher levels of testosterone, which aids in building muscle mass. Nonetheless, males need to consume enough calories and engage in consistent exercise to gain weight healthily.

Foods for Weight Gain

A weight gain diet must include calorie-dense foods such as whole grains, nuts, dried fruits, and healthy fats to nourish and build muscle mass. These are just a few examples of the foods for weight gain:

Nuts and Nut Butter: one small handful of raw almonds contains 170 calories with 6 grams of proteins. Additionally, you can include nut butter in a variety of dishes, such as smoothies and yogurt, or as a spread on fruit slices. Make sure to choose 100% nut butter with no added sugar or oils, otherwise, it will unbalance your calorie count.

You can opt for Satvic Foods’ Almond Peanut Butter (Crunchy) made with natural and organic ingredients with no artificial sweeteners, preservatives, or hydrogenated oils. It provides 30g of protein per 100g, significantly higher than other market-bought peanut butter options.

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Rice: White rice is a calorie-dense food and a great source of plant-based carbs that is convenient and easy to digest. It is high-glycemic food containing 204 calories and 44 grams of carbs in 1 cup approximately 158 grams of cooked white.

Potatoes: Potato contains healthy starch and nutrients that add up to the calorie intake, and they also increase muscle glycogen stores. 

Banana: Banana, being rich in iron, potassium, and magnesium, is the best post-workout snack to restore lost minerals through excessive sweating.

Dried Fruit: Dried fruits are rich in fiber, antioxidants, and micronutrients, with extra calories and vitamins. Since their natural sugar content is high, you should combine it with protein to minimize their effects on the blood sugar.

Milk: Milk is an excellent dairy protein source that provides both casein and whey proteins. You can include 2-3 servings a day of whole milk to gain muscle. Additionally, adding a tablespoon of Satvic Foods' Golden Milk Masala, a blend of 20+ spices with turmeric, will aid you in reducing inflammation, muscle healing, and promoting deep sleep at night.

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Besides, you may also add dark chocolate with at least 70 percent cacao, full-fat Greek yogurt, avocado, and healthy starches such as beans, legumes, sweet potatoes, quinoa, oats, and corn to your diet. All these foods are high in healthy calorie and nutrient quotient, which will help in gaining weight comfortably.

Embrace A Healthy Weight Gain with Satvic Foods

An Indian diet or vegan diet plan for weight gain can get results when combined with appropriate and consistent exercise. Weight gain for males and weight gain for females differs due to physiological differences, and the amount of time it takes to gain weight varies for everyone. One must be careful about more calorie intake than burning through activities. 

Weightlifting is another secret to gaining weight, as the body uses additional calories to build muscle instead of storing fat. Stick to a plan for a couple of months to analyze the results. If you are still not getting desired outcomes, ask for the guidance of a dietician, as they will help you plan to gain weight optimally.

Additionally, adopting a satvic lifestyle is equally essential to experience overall wellness. Satvic foods, such as homemade meals, fresh seasonal fruits, and vegetables, can provide essential nutrients while promoting mental clarity and emotional balance. By adopting a healthy lifestyle, anyone can achieve healthy weight gain.

Check out Satvic Foods’ products to supplement your weight gain journey!