To preface, I kind of know the answer to this. I’ve put on weight before but I was hoping to get advice on how to go about better/more efficiently. I guess my question is really: what are healthy high calorie foods I can use to put on weight?
I’ve been underweight pretty much my entire life. I don’t think I have a chronic eating disorder, but there are times where I just don’t want to eat. I believe, however, that’s actually not my largest issue.
I’m potentially too health conscious. I’m vegetarian by accident (So I dated this girl right…) mostly, and as a result I eat a lot of nutrient-dense but calorically-low foods. I’m currently sitting just under 56kg (125 lbs) at 180cm (5’11ish). My plan currently is to just eat more often, and slowly ramp up how much I eat at each meal. About 6 years back I managed to hit 77kg by eating 4/5 large meals per day but then lost it all over the years by being sedentary and losing my appetite.
If you’re just under your calorie target, you can add high calorie snacks or toppings to gain weight. Do you like nuts and seeds? Avacados? Olive oil? Cheese?
You can buy or make lots of nice high fat nut snacks, roast them with your favourite spices if you like flavour or just a little salt if you prefer blander stuff. Snack on them throughout the day, and schedule times to have a portion of you’re not naturally a snacker. Sprinkle them over salads or rice bowls or whatever.
Dip nice bread in olive oil and vinegar (with some zatar or other spice mixes if your like). Shallow fry things in olive oil - take slices of nutrious but calorie light vegetables, dip in a simple tempura batter of cornflour and water, then fry in olive oil. Crispy, fresh, delicious and lots of calories.
So you eat desert? Start having nice fruit with heavy cream poured over the top. Use cream in sauces or add to mashed potatoes, vegetable gratins, etc.
Nuts and seeds? Avocados? Olive oil? Cheese?
Good calls. I do avocados a lot and have been ramping up my oil use lately. I used to do a lot of nuts but have stopped recently due to bits getting stuck in my tonsils (I really gotta get them fuckers removed. Big af and cavernous for no reason)
Do you eat desert?
I don’t do a lot of super sugary things like cakes or candy. I used to have really poor dental hygiene which made those foods physically painful to eat and even now I don’t choose them often. Fruits with creams are a great idea though, and yesterday I actually had to slam some chocolate because I could feel my blood sugar getting low lol
Research well before getting your tonsils removed. They’re not vital, but they’re an important immunity center.
I’m aware. I’m also aware that my family has had issues with their tonsils for several generations - especially as they get older. I’d rather bite it in the ass when before they cross the line into harming instead of helping. I’m gonna talk to an orthodontist or whatever and get their opinion on when would be best to do that.
I appreciate the reminder to be diligent
Lift weights and eat proteins. Increasing your leg muscles will gain you several kilos. For protein you can just supplement with pea protein isolate. Has the same effect as protein from meat and you don’t need to eat massive amounts of veggies to hit that target protein intake. For fats you can eat macadamia nuts and pecan trough out the whole day. Like macadamia nuts are about 75% fat. Don’t gain weight through carbs. Yes it’s the fastest way but it’s also the unhealthiest way. It will just fuck up your blood sugars and increase your chances to become a diabetic. Sure carb load if you need to run a marathon in a few days. But doing it frequently will only damage your body.
Agreed with everything here but be careful about which protein powder you choose as some plant based powders have been found to contain higher levels of toxic metals.
See:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7509468/ , https://www.realsimple.com/unsafe-levels-of-lead-and-cadmium-found-in-47-of-protein-powders-tested-here-s-how-to-minimize-your-exposure-8774590
Pastas, oils, lentils, nuts, legumes, and beans ig.
But do conaider that muscle will be a more sustainable form of weight maintenance for your metabolism. Also, protein poweders are very high in calories.
Add more oil or even lard to your healthy meals and slowly increase consumption.
Workout bro’s use mass gain powder. I’m fat so I’ve never tried it, but I assume it’s protein powder and probably sugar and maybe some fats.
Protein supplements with weight training and other strength building exercises.
You could try a nutritional supplement like carbohydrates or protein;
I’ve been meaning to pick up some Mass Gainer for this reason. Right now, I’ve been drinking those breakfast shake thingies as snacks because they’re like 300 calories. Only issue, they’re pretty nutrient-dense so they sit heavy in my stomach.
Supplements will be getting a more thorough look-through once I have a bit more liquid on hand to do so
If it’s only 300 calories, it’s probably a diet shake and packed full of fiber to make you feel full. You’re better off switching to normal milkshakes.
As you’re vegetarian, I would get really into dahl cooked with ghee. It’s incredibly tasty and has so many calories.
Packed full of fiber
Damn I never even thought to check that. Normal milkshakes will be the future.
Dahl cooked with ghee
To the archives! There’s learning to be done (I have no idea what that is so I’m gonna go look it up lol)
I’m vegetarian
Stop that.
I’ve tried a few times. It kinda fuckin sucks to transition back to meat
Yes, changing dietary habits sucks. But a healthy approach is rarely easy.
Right but it’s also entirely unnecessary. It’s possible to put on weight and consume plenty of protein without meat. The lightest I’ve ever been was while I was still eating meat, and the heaviest I’ve ever been was while vegetarian.
Ai says…
Gaining weight in a healthy and sustainable way typically involves focusing on nutritious food choices, consistent eating habits, and an appropriate balance of exercise. Here are a few tips:
Nutrition
- Increase Caloric Intake: Aim to consume more calories than you burn. Focus on nutrient-dense foods like whole grains, nuts, seeds, avocados, dairy products, and lean meats.
- Eat Frequently: Try eating 5–6 smaller meals throughout the day, rather than 3 big ones.
- Include Protein: Add protein-rich foods like eggs, tofu, chicken, fish, beans, and lentils to support muscle growth.
- Healthy Fats: Incorporate healthy fats from sources like olive oil, peanut butter, and fatty fish.
- Drink Calories: Smoothies or milkshakes with fruits, protein powder, and nut butter can be a great calorie boost.
Lifestyle
- Strength Training: Muscle-building exercises can ensure that the weight gained is more muscle than fat.
- Minimize Stress: Chronic stress can affect appetite and metabolism. Focus on relaxation and mindfulness techniques.
- Get Adequate Sleep: Rest is crucial for recovery and healthy.
A big part of the reason AI isn’t useful here is that I already have all the base-level knowledge that it can give me. I understand I need to increase my calorie intake, and I could do so by eating more frequently or larger meals. In fact, I addressed most of this advice in the post already.
AI isn’t super great at delving into the nitty-gritty specific examples of “this is a high calorie food that fits into your specific diet”
It confirmed that you need protein and provided some examples. If you want examples it’s easy to ask. It sounds like you have some diet restrictions that you’ll need to work out.
You can also see if weed improves your appetite.
The fact that the AI couldn’t work around the dietary restrictions kind of shows why it’s worthless.
I didn’t copy/paste in the question.
Food is about the only thing I’ve found ai to be helpful at, and even then it’s not that great.
I didn’t copy/paste in the question.
Then what was the point?
Why reply to anything?
But you didn’t reply to anything. You asked an AI a different question from the OP and then copy-pasted the response.
It was essentially spam.
You need protein
Promise I get enough protein. Probably more than most meat eaters, due to the fact that I constantly think about it. I don’t know my exact numbers daily but I consume a lot of whey-protein. I eat the fake meats, tofu and all of that. I do my due diligence. I even make sure to hit my daily vitamins on average per week. I even smoke weed too to help create an appetite sometimes!!
Basically, you’re repeating things I already know. I told you I already knew them when I posted, and you repeated them anyway with an Appeal to Authority with the AI slop. You didn’t stop to consider that perhaps this person actually wants the question they asked answered, and instead answered a much more basic question.
I don’t know my exact numbers daily but I consume a lot of whey-protein
Hey, different person here and also with a totally unrelated point to what you two were talking about haha
But I train people in the gym and it’s incredibly common for people to be massively under eating protein while also firmly believing that they must be getting enough.
I’m not saying you are! But the pattern is always the same, where my clients will list a few foods with a “protein reputation” and sort of hand wave away the actual number. Then when we actually tally it up they’re shocked to learn they aren’t even at 30% of their daily goal.
Again not trying to insinuate that you’ve been doing anything wrong, just wanted to let you know that that’s a thing I see happen a lot. It’s worth going through a few typical days and calculating your actual number. I’m a vegetarian too fwiw, typically I suggest going like 10% higher than the general recommendation for meat eaters
No actually you’re absolutely right. I know with certainty that I should consume more protein as I put weight on. I haven’t been tracking it because I had a pretty high fat percentage when I picked up this new job so I’ve been allowing a bit of that to melt away.
Been here for 2 months now, and now starting to build the weight back which is why I’m asking for some specific advice on high calorie foods. In the meantime, I intend to start tracking my macros and hitting some strength training on the weekend (my job is a lot of cardio).
I’ve been taking down at least one or two protein shakes daily, and making sure to do a lot of my vitamins and protein on the weekends with mostly carbs and sugar during the work week for fuel. Once I round up my numbers I’ll adjust and create a specific diet plan
Nice! Yeah the only thing I would recommend, especially if you do pick up some strength training, would be to try and balance things through the week and not try to load the majority of your protein into the weekend.
Resistance training puts your body into a “muscle building state”, which will last for like, a couple days after you workout. You also want there to already be protein in your system before you hit the gym.
So even if you’re only strength training on the weekend, it works out that you’re gonna want the high protein on Monday and Tuesday as well, and also pick it up again by at least Thursday’s dinner. Which is basically just every day of the week at that point haha
No pressure of course, just my 2c based on experience getting people going in the gym. It’s more than a night and day difference between the ones who take the protein seriously and the ones who brush it off. I actually emphasize this far more with my clients than the actual training itself haha
Ah - I don’t have a 5/2 schedule so it’s more balanced than it appears at first. I protein load for 3 or 4 days of each week, then expend those nutrient for the other 3 or 4 days. I still try to hit maintenance protein on my workdays, but struggle with my appetite due to the momentum of working. I do a lot of liquid calories to prevent massive weight swings
