Healthy Weight Gain Meal Plan

Although losing weight is a great goal for many, not everyone wants to lose weight. You may be looking to gain weight for many reasons. You might be trying to build muscle or recovering from an illness that has caused you to lose weight.

This 7-day weight loss meal plan is for you. These meals include nutrient-dense whole foods like fiber-rich whole grains, protein (including vegetable-based protein options), healthy oils and lots of fruits and vegetables. We’ve simplified the process of gaining weight by providing meal prep and recipes that can be used twice and feed more people.

How many calories do you need to gain weight?

This meal plan has 2,500 calories and can be modified to include 2,000 or 3,000 calories. As a guideline for daily eating, 2,000 calories is probably something you are familiar with. The FDA uses this number to give general advice on diet. It’s the number that you will see on Nutrition Facts panels.

However, 2,000 calories don’t fit all. This is especially true if you are trying to lose weight. It would be best to consider your current weight, height and activity levels when deciding how many calories you should consume.

First, determine your resting metabolic rate (RMR) to determine how much you need for weight gain. This is the number of calories your body requires to sustain a sedentary lifestyle. It does not include exercise. You can calculate your RMR by adding your activity level once it is established.

Step 1: Calculate the resting metabolic rate

Multiplying your weight by 12 is a simple way to find your resting metabolic rate.

If you weigh 150 pounds: 150 x 12 = 1,800 calories/day

This is the number of calories you have burned throughout the day. If you ate these calories daily, you would maintain your weight.

Step 2: Add your activity level

You can calculate how many calories you burn each day by multiplying your resting metabolic rate with the following numbers.

Lightly Active (light exercise for 1 to 3 days/week).
Moderately Active (moderate exercise between 3 and 5 days/week).
Very active (hard work 6 to 7 days/week).
Extra Active (harder exercise for 6-7 days per week): x 1.8
Super Active (extra-hard work 6 to 7 days a week and a physical job).

1,800 calories per day x 1.2 (moderately energetic) = 2,160 calories/day

If your activity level is the same, this number will tell you how many calories are needed to maintain your weight.

Step 3: Increase calories to aid weight gain

You can aim to eat 5-10% more calories if you are in the bulking phase.

For 5% more calories: 2,160 calories/day x 1.05 = 2,268 calories/day

For 10% more calories: 2,160 calories/day x 1.1 = 2,376 calories/day

Healthy Foods to Eat More to Lose Weight

Macronutrients are important when it comes to building muscle and weight. It’s not true that high-protein foods are necessary to build muscle. Although protein is essential for repairing micro-tears caused by weight lifting or other exercises in your muscles, carbs and fats still play important roles in your body’s growth. These foods you should focus on to get a balanced intake of healthy fats, complex carbs, and lots of protein.

Oily fish such as salmon, tuna and herring.
Meats such as turkey, chicken, lean beef, pork, and lamb
Beans and legumes include chickpeas (black beans), lentils, cannellini beans, hummus, and cannellini beans.
Eggs
Nut kinds of butter, nuts such as cashews or peanuts, almonds or walnuts, and pecans
Whole grains such as whole-wheat bread and whole-wheat pasta. Brown rice and quinoa are all examples of whole grains.
Avocados, bananas, mangoes, and coconut are high-calorie fruits, vegetables, and vegetables
Full-fat dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, and cheese

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