Think you’re too skinny but can’t seem to bulk up? Lost a lot of weight and struggling to get back to normal? Need to gain muscle mass? Our round-up of the best tips and science-backed substances will help you finally achieve your weight gain goals.
In theory, gaining weight is simple. All you have to do is provide your body with more energy than it needs: approximately 2000-2200 kcal for women, and 2400-2700 for men, around 70% of which will be used up covering essential functions.
Of course, energy expenditure is likely to increase if you exercise, but the logic remains the same: if you maintain a balance between energy input and output, your weight will remain stable. If you eat too little, your body will draw on its reserves and you will lose weight in the medium term all the time the imbalance persists. If you overeat, the opposite occurs: the body stores any excess in the form of fat, or muscle mass if accompanied by the right kind of exercise.
In practice, however, it’s a bit more complicated. Baseline energy expenditure varies significantly from one person to another: certain individuals are genetically ‘programmed’ to gain weight quickly while the reverse is true for others (1).
Thin people may not be able to create the necessary imbalance, through lack of appetite, very high metabolism which adapts to food intake, or other mechanisms involving the microbiota and brown fat which are as yet, little understood. Women are usually more affected than men.
Fortunately, there are ways of creating a significant energy differential, by sensibly increasing your energy input and temporarily reducing your energy output.
All foods are permitted to produce a significant energy surplus, but for health reasons, it is better to eat as balanced a diet as possible. There are three ways to achieve this: stimulate the appetite, avoid foods with a low energy density (which take up a lot of room in the stomach), and slow down your metabolism.
A sensible goal would be to progressively increase your calorie intake by 250-500 calories a day, to achieve a weekly weight gain of 250-500g.
Here are 8 tips to help you gain weight healthily and effectively :
In all cases, your diet should be high in vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids: this is essential for achieving healthy, durable weight gain.
If, in addition to dietary changes, you still need an extra boost, taking appropriate dietary supplements can be effective, whether for increasing your calorie intake, stimulating your appetite, or slowing down your metabolism. Here is a - by no means exhaustive - list:
References
4 Days
Good product, value and price. Arrived ahead of promise.
El Capt
6 Days
Excellent products. High quality and outstanding customer service! Thank you!
BUISSON Laurence
8 Days
Very quick shipping and deliveries.Customer service is also quite efficient.
Norman
17 Days
Fast shipping, fair prices.
Yelgnit
17 Days
Great product, received in a timely manner…thank you
DOMINIC
18 Days
There were some problems buying a subsidiary in the U.S., but in the end, I did it!
MENDEZ TELLEZ GIRON Jose
18 Days
Amazing products ! I recommend 100%
BLASIAK Pierre
19 Days
I was able to buy a supplement that is very difficult to find in US, so it makes me happy! The website is easy to navigate. Fast and free shipping (over $25)
Eva
24 Days
Good all around service with a few hiccoughs.
PODLAHA Helmut
31 Days
Super fast shipping and a quality product
DOTY Michael
32 Days
I need to Knowles when arrive my policosanol
HERNANDEZ Ramon
32 Days
Excellent product and super fast shipping. Good price too. Thanks!
Tori Harris
33 Days
My order was received quickly. Very much appreciated.
CINDY Cromley
34 Days
The 2 bottles arrived intact, even though the USPS envelope had the imprint of the tires having rolled over it. This happened before when I mailed CD’s to my grandchildren and they were completely crushed and unusable.
WRIGHT Connie
37 Days
I love this vitamins!!!!
LOPEZ Waleska