Healthy Weight Gain for Underweight People
For some people, putting on weight is as hard as losing weight is for others. The goal should be to gain muscle with as little fat as possible, not just any kind of weight.
Step One: Know the Cause
If you've lost weight for no reason, your appetite has suddenly changed, or your thinness comes with fatigue, heart palpitations or digestive problems, see a doctor first. An overactive thyroid and some digestive disorders can be the cause.
A Moderate Calorie Surplus
Eat about 300 to 500 calories a day more than your body needs, aiming to gain about 0.25 to 0.5 kg per week. Estimate your calorie needs with the calorie calculator.
Healthy Calorie-Dense Foods
- Nuts and peanut butter
- Oats with whole milk, honey and banana
- Olive oil on salads and meals
- Rice, bread and potatoes alongside protein
- Liquid snacks such as milk and banana; drinking calories is easier than eating them
Strength Training Is Essential
Without resistance training, extra calories mostly turn into fat. Build your program around compound movements such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses and pull-ups.
A Warning About Weight-Gain Drugs
Taking appetite-stimulant pills and syrups, corticosteroid or hormonal drugs, or "weight-gain powders" without a proper label on your own can cause serious side effects. Any medication for weight gain should only be taken with a doctor's prescription and follow-up.
Choose the "weight gain" goal in ProGym to get a suitable training program and calorie target.
Frequently asked questions
How can thin people gain weight in a healthy way?
A moderate surplus of about 300 to 500 calories a day, healthy calorie-dense foods and regular strength training let you build muscle with as little fat as possible.
How much weight gain per week is healthy?
A good target is about 0.25 to 0.5 kg per week, so that more of the added weight is muscle rather than fat.
Which foods are good for healthy weight gain?
Nuts and peanut butter, oats with whole milk, honey and banana, olive oil, rice, bread and potatoes with protein, and liquid snacks like milk and banana are all good options.
Are weight-gain pills and powders dangerous?
Yes. Taking appetite-stimulant pills and syrups, corticosteroid or hormonal drugs, or unlabeled powders on your own can cause serious side effects; they should only be used with a doctor's prescription.
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