These foods are still nutritious and good for your digestive system, but they’re also fairly low in fibre, which will speed up your digestion and help to reduce bloating and gas. The researchers concluded that the most filling foods were either high in protein (like chicken breast), high in fibre (like broccoli), or high in water (like boiled potatoes). That being said, there are several other strategies to gain weight even faster. Whatever your reasons are for wanting to gain weight, there are a variety of strategies you can use to bulk up.
To gain healthy weight fast, respectively to boost your muscle mass, you have to eat food that is high in calories and also provides enough nutrients for your body’s needs. Many calorie-dense foods are highly processed, high in fat, and low in nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. It is important for a person to pay attention to the quality of food they consume to ensure the body is getting enough of the nutrients it needs to perform at an optimal level. “My favorite high protein food is chicken breast, because it’s lean and provides about 24 grams of protein per 4 ounce serving,” says Evink.
And some common bulking foods, such as bananas, are great for your digestion. The reason behind this effect is that our bodies naturally crave a varied intake of nutrients from a number of different sources. Perhaps the dinner you’re eating is rich in iron but low in vitamin C, so when you’re presented with a fruity dessert, your stomach is eager to find extra room for it. If you’re having trouble gaining weight despite trying the strategies discussed above, it’s important to talk with a doctor or dietitian. A dietitian can help you employ eating strategies that may help you reach your goal. This eating plan can be useful for weight loss and other benefits but can make it much harder to eat enough calories to gain weight (33). It’s important to eat mostly healthy foods even when you’re trying to gain weight.
Eating more high-fiber foods helps you stay full longer, so you’ll be less likely to need to reach for additional snacks. Research shows eating enough protein helps preserve lean muscle mass during weight loss (so the pounds you lose are less likely to be muscle) and keeps you feeling full for longer. Your rate of weight gain will depend on a number of factors, including your body size, sex, calorie intake, genetics, activity level, and health status. However, a sedentary lifestyle can have some negative health effects of its own, including an increased risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure (11). Some drinks are both nutrient rich and calorie dense, allowing you to efficiently boost your calorie intake without feeling overfull. You can gain weight by eating at a calorie surplus, which means taking in more calories than you burn on a regular basis via your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and daily activity and exercise.
Calorie density allows you to overcome this weight loss challenge by choosing lower-calorie foods that are both nutritionally rewarding and satisfying. To experience weight loss, it’s generally recommended that women take in 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day and men take in 1,500 to 1,800 calories a day. It’s estimated that the average sedentary (inactive) adult male needs about 2,200 calories per day to maintain his weight, while physically active people require 2,800 calories per day. Everything you eat and drink brings calories into your body as it’s digested and absorbed. Your body uses the calories to maintain your organs, healthy tissue, breathing, heartbeat, and every movement you make.
Read more about Benecalorie here.
Peanut Butter Coffee Smoothie
Some of the foods in the chart below can also be used to make a shake that can supplement a child’s diet. 1000 calories are tricky to get down if you’re going with solids alone. If you need a boost of energy first thing, this peanut butter and coffee smoothie is a gamechanger. From delicious sweet treats to refreshing tropical shakes, these recipes contain no refined sugars or nasty ingredients. Unfold Today has rigorous sourcing principles adhering to the top journalistic standards, so our writers always look for official, experienced, and first-hand sources. Read more about how we keep our content trustworthy and updated by reading our editorial process.
What Is Bulking? Steps, Diet, and More
A low-calorie-density diet can lessen hunger since your stomach senses the volume of food you have consumed in a meal. “Calorie density” refers to the number of calories per weight or volume of food. It is also called energy density and is usually measured as calories per 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of food. What’s more, focusing on low-calorie-density foods allows you to eat a large volume of food while still cutting back on calories (2, 3, 4). These beverages are ready to drink and typically have about 200 calories for every 8 ounces. They also contain protein and are supplemented with vitamins and minerals. As a pediatric dietitian and a parent, I have faced similar challenges working through this situation with my son when he was younger.
On the other hand, if you ate a croissant for lunch (47 satiety), then you’d eat an 800-calorie dinner. In theory, it’s possible to bulk up on a ketogenic diet, but when researchers tried to study it, they found that the participants weren’t even able to get into a calorie surplus. To illustrate this example, let’s consider intermittent fasting, where you restrict the number of meals you eat.
A low active level means taking part in minutes of moderate activity each day, such as walking at 3-4 miles per hour. Active level means at least 60 minutes of moderate activity each day.
It is recommended to consume not more than 10 percent of your total calories from saturated fat. Alternatives to grains that contain many of the same nutrients are beans, legumes, quinoa, and starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes and peas. Different foods have a different number of calories per gram or ounce of weight.
