Metabolism is the rate at which you expend energy and use calories.
A person’s metabolic rate will vary greatly and most often is determined by their genes.
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Focusing on a calorie surplus will help your body store those calories in fat or muscle.
When counting calories, start with an increase of about 300 to 500 calories daily.
This will help promote healthy weight gain.
Examples of healthy, dense foods that may help you gain weight include:
4.
Focus on Protein-Rich Foods
No matter your preferred taste, there arehigh-protein foodoptions for everyone.
These include:
5.
Choose Nutrient-Rich Beverages
Healthy beverages can add calories in between meals or be part of a meal.
Some tips for boosting calories in beverages include:
7.
Increase Healthy Carbs
Not all carbohydrates are created equal.
When trying to gain weight, it’s best to focus on nutrient-rich carbs instead of processed carbs.
Include calorie-dense carbs in your diet daily, such as:
8.
Opt for at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily to help keep your hunger levels activated.
Still Not Gaining Weight?
If you are not gaining weight despite increasing your caloric intake, contact a healthcare provider.
Fast Metabolism and Body Size
Someone with a fast metabolism will burn calories quickly.
This means they may be able to consume lots of calories and not gain weight.
However, a fast metabolism does not necessarily mean someone is thin or has difficulty gaining weight.
People with a fast metabolism can have any body size.
Differences Between Females and Males
Males and females have different metabolic rates.
Males tend to have a higher metabolic rate than females.
This is due to fat storage and hormone differences between the two sexes.
Females also have less skeletal mass and moreadipose tissue(body fat) than men.
Summary
A fast metabolism may be why someone has a hard time gaining weight.
Try consuming an extra 300 to 500 nutrient-dense calories per day.
The inability to gain weight may be due to a health condition like hyperthyroidism.
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