In this post, you will learn which foods you need to eat in order to gain weight, and that means mostly muscle.

If you don't pay attention to your nutrient ratios, for example 50% of your diet is fat, then you will surely gain more fat than you want to.  Also, if your protein intake is only 10% on a regular basis, you cannot build muscle!

You also must perform a weight training workout 3 days a week in order to ensure that your weight gain is primarily muscle. (Remember, you can't gain muscle and lose fat at the same time! You also cannot gain muscle without gaining some fat. Your bodyfat WILL increase when building muscle, but no worries! – You will lose the fat later in the cutting phase. The muscle gain phase is the bulking phase.)

My Daily Diet (ALGetsBig) – 2 x 200g spaghetti, 4 oz chicken breast, 4 oz ground turkey, 4 oz canned salmon, 2 slices multigrain bread, 52 oz whole milk, 200g yogurt, 3 slices muenster cheese, 112g peanut butter

 

Eat 500 more calories than you burn, every day.

 

The key to gaining weight is to eat more calories per day than your body burns per day.  Your body burns calories every day for bodily processes such as digestion, breathing, blood circulation, and everything else needed for you to survive.  In addition to that, your body requires calories for daily movement and activities. Your metabolism is based on your height, weight, and age, genetics, and your activity level.  First, you need to find out how many calories your body needs to function and add in the calories you need to account for your activity level.  You do this by calculating your basal metabolic rate, or BMR, and then adding your activity level calorie requirement.  Calculate your BMR here. Once you know your BMR + Activity Calories, you then need to eat 500 calories more than that amount every day until you reach the weight that you want to be.  That is the simple version.  Read how to gain weight to learn the full story.  This article will be about the food you need to eat to gain weight.

 

Eat a high quantity of healthy foods. 3000+ calories is a start.

Quick Estimate for Daily Calorie Intake for Weight Gain: Multiply Bodyweight in pounds by 24.

Recommended Calorie Intake for Muscle Gain: Bodyweight (lbs) x 24
150-Pounder: 150 x 24 = 3600 calories/day

Carbs: 40% = 1440 Carb Calories = 1,440 / (4 Calories Per Gram of Carb) = 360 grams of Carbs Per Day

Protein: 30% = 1080 Fat Calories = 1080 / (4 Calories Per Gram of Protein) = 270 grams of Protein Per Day

Fat: 30% = 1080 Protein Calories = 1080 / (9 Calories Per Gram of Fat) =
120 grams of Fat Per Day

To gain weight the healthy way, you need to eat a large amount of healthy foods.  Many people who seek to gain weight often make the mistake of eating unhealthy foods, which often results to various health problems including high cholesterol, obesity, constipation, and a long list of other issues. Gaining weight can be the result of gaining muscle and fat, or it can be the result of gaining just fat.  If you want your weight gain to be primarily in fat, then simply eat a high amount of calories with no regard for the quality of the food that you are eating. However, if your weight gain to be primarily muscle (there will inevitably be fat gain with muscle gain because you cannot gain muscle without gaining some fat), you need to be choosy about the foods you consume with your high calorie diet.  Read diet to build muscle.

 

30% Protein, 30% Fat, and 40% Carbs for Mass Gain that is mostly muscle (along with weight training.)

 

Track Your Calorie Ratios Easily with FitDay

A healthy weight-gain diet should be rich in proteins, carbohydrates, and essential fats. Protein-rich foods allow the body to build muscle mass without encouraging the buildup of unwanted fat. Eating foods rich in carbohydrates, on the other hand, helps the body to maintain the right amount of energy necessary in performing daily activities. Healthy fat is a necessary part of any diet.  

"I Tried Everything to Gain Weight & Couldn't But Finally Gained 24 Pounds with Muscle Gaining Secrets."

Protein is extremely important for those interested in weight gain from primarily muscle. To build muscle, it is widely accepted that the body needs 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight every day. Keep in mind, however, that you will not build muscle unless you break your muscle down effectively with heavy weight training (low reps), and then supply the muscle with the protein that it requires to rebuild itself. Read Al's Daily Diet to see an example of my daily diet rich in protein, carbs, and fat.  Vince's DelMonte's No Nonsense Muscle Building is an incredible weight training and nutrition program for hardgainers.

Foods that are rich in protein necessary for weight gain include fish, tuna, salmon, and dairy products like cheese and yogurt.  Foods such as nuts, eggs, and sunflower seeds are also known to be rich in protein. Protein powder is extremely helpful in reaching your daily protein goals.  Whey protein especially is a superior form of protein because it is fast-digesting compared to other proteins.  Whey protein is a bodybuilding staple for pre-workout and post-workout nutrition.  I consume a whey-oats-milk shake before and after my weightlifting sessions. Read how to make the oats-whey-milk shake.

You will need at least 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight every day to build and maintain muscle.  Whey protein powder is superior to other protein powders because it the fastest-digesting and it has the best blend of amino acids that your body uses to build muscle. No Protein = No Muscle Building. Without getting 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight every day, don't even bother weight training at all. You will not be giving your body what it needs to repair the muscles you have broken down if you don't meet your protein requirement every day.

Carbohydrates are important in any weight gain diet. The best sources of carbohydrates are pastas, rices, and breads.  Other sources for carbs are are fruits and vegetables such as oranges, avocado, mangoes, apples, and pineapples. It is recommended that those wanting to gain weight have adequate amounts of whole wheat breads every morning. Oatmeal is a wonderful carb source and it provides a ton of energy.

Fat is a necessary part of any diet, especially a muscle building diet.  Keep fat at 35% of your diet (Protein at 30%, Carbs at 35%).  You don't need to eat foods specifically for fat; you should get enough fat as a result of your food sources for protein and carbs.  So, focus on achieving your protein and carb goals, and you will get the amount of fat that you need from those foods.  Foods that are rich in good fat include salmon, ground meat such as ground turkey and beef, nuts, dairy foods such as milk, cheese, and eggs, oils such as flaxseed oil, olive oil, and fish oil.  It is advised that those seeking to gain weight incorporate oils and butter into their meals such as using olive oil for their cooking and spreading margarine on wheat bread.

Eating every 2.5 to 3 hours needs to become a lifestyle for the weight gainer (and really for all people). The standard of three meals a day is not conducive to maintaining a healthy physique simply because the body requires a more regular ingestion of nutrients.

Eating sporadically reduces your metabolism and promotes fat storage in the body.  Think of bears that eat large quantities at one time.  Bears eat this way so that their bodies build huge fat reserves for warmth and for hibernation, during which they will live off their fat stores.  Society follows the three-meal-a-day standard simply because it is more convenient. to eat fewer times for the daily worker.  If you want to control the shapr eand performance of your body, the first step is to train yourself to eat every 2.5 to 3 hours while you are awake.  Doing so is absolutely a MUST for hardgainers, or ectomorphs, to gain weight. Read eat six small meals a day.

Milk is a weight gainer's best friend! Milk is packed with protein, carbs, and healthy fat in the perfect ratio.  I would be nowhere without milk.  For weight gain, drink up to a half gallon to a gallon of milk per day in addition to a solid weight gain diet.  Drink milk from when you wake up to when it's bedtime.  Milk makes for great pre and post workout nutriton.  Read Al's Daily Diet to see where milk fits in. I drink a half gallon of milk every day to contribute to my calorie count. Read GOMAD: Gallon of Milk a Day to Gain Weight.

Drinking water is crucial to weight gain! As you consume a high number of calories, your body has to work much harder to process the additional nutrients.  You will need a high amount of water to support the body's processes, especially if you are weight training. Drinking lots of water will not only prevent dehydration and constipation but it will also ensure that your body operates at its highest potential.  Drink .66 ounces of water per pound of bodyweight every day.  So, if you weigh 150 pounds, you need to drink 99 oz of water every day.  A good rule for most people is to drink a gallon of water per day. Read diet to build muscle.

The following foods are regular staples in my kitchen:

Protein Sources	Carbohydrate Sources	Healthy Fat Sources
Chicken Breast Ground Turkey Tuna Peanut Butter Eggs Cheese Whole Milk or Lactaid Salmon	Yogurt Pasta Bananas Oats Whole Milk or Lactaid White Potatoes	Peanut Butter Whole Milk or Lactaid Ground Turkey Salmon Cheese Chicken Mayonnaise Margarine

Read Al's Daily Diet to see an example of my daily diet rich in protein, carbs, and fat.

With No Nonsense Muscle Building, you will receive a planned program that will tell you exactly what exercises to perform in the gym and what foods to eat to ensure size and muscle gains.  Vince DelMonte does an excellent job in laying out exactly what you need to do to get from skinny to muscular in no time.