Diet Plan for Weight Gain: Healthy Tips to Bulk Up
Just like losing weight is a challenge for many, gaining weight can be equally stressful, especially if you want to do it the right way (the healthy way). The key lies in eating smarter with nutrient-dense foods that will boost your calorie intake and also promote muscle growth. To help you with your goals, we’ll discuss with you a well-structured diet plan for weight gain. We’ll also talk about some food items that definitely should be a part of your meal plan. Read on…
7 Day Diet Plan for Weight Gain
Here’s a weekly plan for weight gain. Tweak the portion to adjust your calorie needs.
| Day | Breakfast | Mid-Morning Snack | Lunch | Evening Snack | Dinner | Before Bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 2 whole eggs + 2 egg whites omelette, 2 buttered toast, 1 glass milk | Banana + handful of almonds | Rice + dal, paneer curry, salad | Peanut butter sandwich + milkshake | Chapati + chicken curry/paneer, curd | Warm milk with honey |
| Day 2 | Oats with milk, nuts, and banana | Fruit smoothie | Brown rice + rajma, vegetable sabzi | Boiled corn + peanuts | Chapati + paneer bhurji, salad | Milk |
| Day 3 | 3 stuffed parathas with curd | Apple + peanut butter | Rice + chicken curry/soy chunks, salad | Protein shake | Chapati + dal + sabzi | Milk + dates |
| Day 4 | Smoothie (milk + banana + oats + peanut butter) | Handful of cashews | Rice + chole, paneer | Cheese sandwich | Chapati + egg curry | Milk |
| Day 5 | Idli with sambar + coconut chutney | Banana shake | Rice + dal + chicken/paneer | Roasted chana + nuts | Chapati + vegetable curry | Milk + honey |
| Day 6 | Poha with peanuts + boiled eggs | Fruit bowl | Rice + rajma, paneer sabzi | Peanut butter toast | Chapati + chicken curry/soy chunks | Milk |
| Day 7 | Pancakes with honey + milk | Dry fruits | Rice + dal + paneer | Smoothie | Chapati + sabzi + curd | Milk |
Best Foods to Include in a Diet Plan for Weight Gain
Some foods are naturally rich in calories, helping you with your weight gain goals. Let’s learn about them one by one.
1. Oats for Weight Gain
Oats are an excellent choice for weight gain because they are rich in complex carbohydrates and calories. They are easy to include in breakfast and can easily be whipped up into a delicious recipe with ingredients like milk, nuts, and fruits. These ingredients then further boost your calorie content.
Some other healthy ideas to include with oats are peanut butter and honey.
2. Banana for Weight Gain
Banana is one of the simplest and most effective options to increase weight. It’s naturally high in natural sugars and calories, giving you instant energy and a weight boost. Simply blend 2–3 bananas and consume them in a shake or smoothie.
3. Peanut Butter for Weight Gain
Peanut butter is really calorie-dense, having about 100 calories per tablespoon. It’s a great meal for breakfast, thanks to its high healthy fat and protein content. Simply spread it on a toast or add it to smoothies to enjoy the peanut-y goodness and delicious taste.
4. Dry Fruits for Weight Gain
Dry fruits are another good option for weight gain. Consider munching on almonds, cashews, raisins, and dates to get a large number of calories in one go. In addition, you also get a healthy dose of micronutrients when you consume them. Just a handful of these and your calorie count goes up by 150–200.
5. Fruits for Weight Gain
Certain fruits like mango, chikoo, grapes, and avocado are great for bulking up. You can easily consume them in your breakfast in the form of shakes and smoothies.
To take your calorie count one level higher, add nuts and seeds to your weight gain concoction.
6. Weight Gain Smoothies
Make a high-calorie drink for yourself with a simple smoothie. If you are wondering what to add, here are some ideas:
- 2 bananas
- 2 tbsp peanut butter
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tbsp oats
- Honey
With a drink like this, you can easily get 400–600 per serving. On top of that, all these are nutritious and therefore must be part of any diet plan for weight gain.
7. Weight Gain Powder
If you struggle to meet your calorie needs, then you can turn to protein powders or mass gainers for bulking up.
One piece of advice: always go for trusted brands to get quality protein. Also, avoid adding excessive sugar to your drinks.
8. Weight Gain Capsules
There are also weight gain capsules out there which promise quick results. They help you up your calorie intake by increasing your appetite and improving digestion.
However, it's best to rely on natural foods for weight gain rather than on factory-produced capsules.
Yoga for Weight Gain
You can also take the help of Yoga to gain a few kgs. Of course, the exercise will help you burn calories, but it will also help you gain weight, in an indirect way, though.
Yoga would support your weight gain goals by improving digestion and increasing appetite.
Some top recommended poses for increasing weight are Bhujangasana, Vajrasana, and Surya Namaskar.
If you practice them regularly, you can also increase muscle mass.
Conclusion
A good diet plan for weight gain ensures a calorie surplus and includes smart food choices (to keep the meals healthy and nutritious). You can take the help of oats, bananas, peanut butter, and dry fruits to bulk up. A weight-gain smoothie will also go a long way in helping you with your weight goals.
Just be consistent with your diet plan and eat healthy to see results.
