7 Foods That Will Make You Gain Weight

Science-based shortcuts from slim-down

If you have a fast metabolism and you want to bulk up, changing the way you eat and exercise can help you gain weight more quickly. While you can always gain weight by eating junk food and getting little exercise, the healthier way to do it is by eating plenty of nutrient-rich food and weight training to build up your muscle mass. It’s not going to happen overnight, but if you start right away you’ll see results within a few weeks.

1. Lean Red Meat
If you are trying to gain weight, enjoy some lean red meat. Steak contains a ton of protein and iron. But food experts warn that not all steak cuts are made equal. You want the fatty cuts where the meat is marbled. These cuts of meat will contain more calories, but they’ll also be way more delicious too! Look for rib-eye, t-bone, New York strip, and beef tenderloin. Red meat is high in cholesterol, so most food professionals don’t recommend it as part of a healthy diet more than a few times per week. Combining it with an unhealthy diet high in saturated fats could cause health effects.

2.Eat plenty of calories at every meal. Eating five small, low-calorie meals isn’t going to cut it; they’ve got to be big and rich in calories. Load up on a restaurant-sized meal each time, with big portions of meat, vegetables, and a carbohydrate. Eating this much might not exactly feel comfortable, but it’s the best way to gain weight fast.

• A large enough breakfast might consist of a three-egg omelet, two slices of bacon or sausage, a cup of roasted breakfast potatoes and a glass of orange juice.
• For lunch, try a fully dressed turkey club on whole wheat bread, two bananas, and a salad.
• Dinner could be a grilled steak, loaded baked potato and a few cups of grilled veggies.

3. Real Nut Butters
Natural peanut butter is packed with protein and fats, making it a great choice for people trying to gain weight the healthy way. One tablespoon contains around 100 calories and has 4 grams of protein. Real peanut butter is also high in folate, magnesium, vitamin E, and vitamin B3.
You can enjoy peanut butter mixed into oatmeal, topping a slice of whole grain bread, or as a dip for apples. When picking a brand of peanut butter, try to find varieties that are all natural, meaning they don’t have a ton of sugar and other ingredients added.

4. Whole Fat Milk
Dietitians say that one simple substitution you can make when trying to gain weight is swapping your skim milk for whole milk. It’s only 60 calories more a glass as the fat is left in. When you keep the fat in milk, the vitamins and nutrients stay in the solution. Whole milk is high in vitamin D and A.
Add whole milk where ever you would use skim, such as in oatmeal, cereal, sauces, or just as a glass of milk. If you enjoy milk in your coffee, you can also use cream here.

5. Natural Granola
Natural granola with no added refined sugar is a great cereal to enjoy if you are trying to gain weight. This tasty snack is made from rolled oats, sugar, and healthy fats (like nuts and coconut oil). More dried fruit and nuts can also be added.
You can buy granola pre-made, but it’s easy to make at home too! Enjoy granola topped with thick yogurt, fruit, and a drizzle of honey. This breakfast will be high in protein from the yogurt, filled with fiber from the oatmeal, and sugar from the fruit.

6. Vegetable Oils
Nothing beats the taste of oil for cooking or in salad dressings. Extra virgin olive oil, safflower oil, coconut oil, and peanut oil are full of flavor and heart-healthy calories when enjoyed in moderation.
Plus, most oils are safe to use when cooking at high temperatures, unlike butter which will burn. Many vegetable based oils also have concentrated flavor, so you can use less when cooking


9. Nuts
Nuts are a great snack for gaining weight. According to foodies, they are full of fat and nutrients, but also contain a great deal of fiber. Eating only a handful of nuts can keep you full for hours. Not all nuts are equal for fiber though.
Almonds are a great choice, while macadamia nuts are very high in fat. Mixed nuts are a great option because you can get the nutritional benefit of many varieties in one snack. Add nuts to your salads, on top of Asian dishes, and in your breakfast cereals and oatmeal.