Weight Management 7 MIN READ 12873 VIEWS May 27, 2022

The Right Food To Gain Weight For Females

Written By HealthKart
Medically Reviewed By Dr. Aarti Nehra

food to gain weight for females

While conventional wisdom suggests eating anything and everything can help gain weight, this is not the case. Foods have their natural properties. While some are good for shedding weight, others can help add on a few kilos. Due to certain hormonal issues, some women find it harder to gain weight. If you are one of them, relying on junk food will not be the right thing to do. If you want to add a few kilos, make sure you have healthy food to gain weight for females. 

Now, you might be wondering, how to gain weight for females or what food to consume for healthy weight gain. Read through to know what foods doctors and diet experts recommend for a weight gain diet plan for females.

Food to Gain Weight for Females

Females are structured differently than men. Also, their metabolic activity is different. So, a diet plan to gain weight must be formulated accordingly. Foods to eat to gain weight may differ from the food consumed in a regular diet. A weight gain meal plan for females must include these foods:

  1. Whole Milk: Milk is a rich source of fat, carbohydrates, and proteins. It provides ample quantities of vitamins and minerals. Drinking at least 2 glasses of whole milk or full-cream milk will not just help you gain weight but also provide the required nutrition to make your diet healthy and balanced.
  2. Dried Fruits: Dried fruits are rich in nutrients and are packed with calories. Being energy-dense and naturally high in sugars, they feature in the list of healthy ways to gain weight in females.
  3. White Rice: In India, rice is rated as a staple food, and is part of most Indian diets, making it the easiest option among foods to gain weight for Indians and Asians. But the type of rice that is consumed makes all the difference. Go for white rice if you want to add a few kilos. White rice is the result of refining. The fibre from the grain is removed during the refining process which increases its glycemic index. This leads to a quicker breakdown of sugar in the body, releasing sugar instantly into the bloodstream which is helpful in weight gain.
  4. Red Meat: Red meat plays a significant role in building muscle and gaining weight. Steak, sliced from the fleshy part of beef, is rich in leucine and creatine. Also, they contain both proteins and fat. These nutrients are known to increase muscle mass. 
  5. Dark Chocolates: Dark chocolates are rich in calories as well as fats and have added sugar, all contributing to weight gain.
  6. Whole Grain Cereals: Whole grain cereals have high amounts of unsaturated fats which provide healthy calories and the essential carbohydrates required to gain weight quickly. They are fortified with minerals and vitamins and are rich in fibre and antioxidants which are good for the body.
  7. Cheese: Cheese is a rich source of fat and calories. Also, protein and calcium are packed in ample quantities. So, if you are looking to add a few kilos, get a hand on full-fat cheese.
  8. Butter: Butter is rich in calories. Each tablespoon contains about 102 calories. Thus, it is a wonder food to gain weight for females. In addition to using it generously while cooking food, add one tablespoon of sugar to a tablespoon of butter. Eat it twice daily post meals.
  9. Olive Oil: Olive oil is a healthy fat when it comes to weight gain. You can use it as a medium of cooking or as a salad dressing to enjoy its benefits.
  10. Peanut Butter: Peanuts are a rich source of fatty acids, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. A tablespoon of peanut butter provides almost 90 calories which help you gain weight easily. Also, being nutritionally dense, they act as a constant source of energy.
  11. Potatoes and Starch: Starchy foods like potatoes, oats, cornstarch, legumes, etc. are a source of extra calories which help in easy and quick weight gain. Go for baked and grilled potatoes to boiled ones as baking and grilling keep the carbohydrate content intact. Just add butter to add taste and calories.
  12. Dates: Dates are a good source of iron and dietary fibre. They are high in sugar. Eating a handful of dates every day is one of the healthy ways to gain weight in females. 
  13. Ginger: Including ginger in your daily diet can confer a magical effect. Ginger is a revered appetite stimulator. Consuming it before meals enhances the production of digestive juices which help you consume a larger meal, providing more calories.
  14. Dry Fruits: Nuts, dry fruits, and seeds are calorie-rich and loaded with nutrients that help you gain weight naturally. Add them to smoothies, salads, or simply munch. 
  15. Whole Eggs: Eggs must form a part of the diet for weight gain for females because of their muscle-building properties. They provide a healthy combination of proteins and fats. The best part is that you can consume as many as you like in a day. They are easily available and are an excellent example of foods to gain weight.
  16. Fatty and Oily Fish: Eating oily fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel provide the required proteins, healthy fats, and omega-3 fatty acids required for muscle building, leading to healthy weight gain.
  17. Chicken Breast: The chicken breast contains high amounts of healthy fats and proteins which facilitate muscle growth and recovery and therefore must be a part of the weight gain meal plan for females. It is also packed with loads of nutrients that help in making the body healthy.
  18. Banana: Bananas are a rich source of carbohydrates and calories. The fully ripe ones are packed with sugar. Mix a fully ripe banana with milk or curd for weight gain.
  19. Avocados: Avocados are a wonder fruit when it comes to weight gain. Being calorie-dense and packed with fats, they provide the required calories and nutrition to gain weight.
  20. Mango: Mangoes are rich in carbohydrates, sugar, and proteins. This makes it an essential part of a diet for weight gain for females. Coupling it up with a glass of milk boosts easy weight gain.

Discussed above is a list of food to gain weight for females effectively, while taking care of health and nutritional needs as well.

Tips and Tricks to Make Weight Gain Diet Plan for Females Effective

‘What to eat?’, ‘when to eat?’, and ‘how to eat?’ are important aspects that are crucial in a weight gain journey. These must be part of a weight gain meal plan for females to get quick results. Listed below are a few tips and tricks that will address these issues and will make the weight gain diet plan for females effective. 

What to Eat?

Eating right to get the required nutrients on a daily basis is essential. Here are some of the measures you can take to gain these healthy nutrients:

  1. Add Calories to Your Daily Diet: Weight gain is all about the input-output equation. If you take in more than what you burn, the excess will be stored as body fat. Eat approximately 1000 extra calories per day over and above the recommended daily calorie intake.
  2. Say NO to Junk Foods: Although junk foods are packed with calories, they contain high amounts of added salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats. These impact the body adversely, so it’s best to avoid junk calories.
  3. Avoid Fizzy Drinks: Fizzy drinks like colas and sodas have empty calories and added sugar with no nutritional values. Prefer shakes and smoothies made from full-cream milk with fruits, nuts, and seeds as a healthy replacement.
  4. Dress Up Your Salads: In the search for high-calorie options, foods like salads are bound to go down. But it’s important to consume your salads as they provide vital nutrients and roughage. Consider using dressings to make your salad a high-calorie diet.
  5. Keep Protein Intake High: A high protein intake coupled with regular exercise helps build muscles. Without adequately developed muscles, the extra calories are stored in the body as fat. Therefore, it is important to add protein in food to gain weight for females.
  6. Eat the ‘Good’ Fats: Not all fats are good and therefore they must be added carefully to weight gain meals for females as they contribute to heart ailments. Consume polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats and avoid trans fat.
  7. Stay Hydrated: Once you are hydrated, your muscles are hydrated too. This improves muscle strength and aids in recovery and building. Healthier muscles allow you to work out for longer durations which helps develop muscle mass, adding to extra kilos. 

How to Eat?

It may be possible that you are not able to reach your weight management goals despite eating only healthy foods. For healthy weight gain, you should ensure that you:

  1. Increase Portion Size: To increase the calorie input in each meal, simply eat more in every meal. This can be done by increasing the portion size.
  2. Eat Frequently: Instead of 3 basic meals a day, make it to 6 meals per day. Add healthy snack options in between the basic meals to increase your calorie intake. Prefer energy-dense foods like dark chocolates, peanut butter, or coconut milk as a mid-meal snack.

When to Eat?

Drinking fluids immediately before meals make you feel full, cutting down on your appetite. Hence, you fail to get the required calories. Therefore, it is important to avoid drinks before having food to gain weight for females. You can instead take high-calorie beverages with meals or post-meals.

Overall Health Tips

Eating right alone is not a way to reach your weight management goals and maintain your overall health. You should also ensure:

  1. Adequate Sleep: The body rejuvenates during sleep. Also, the muscles recover and grow during sleep. Healthy muscle mass is important to gain weight.
  2. Stress Reduction: Stress and weight gain are inversely related. If you are looking for healthy ways to gain weight in females, try to eliminate stress from life.
  3. Try Weight Training and Yoga: The type of exercise you choose also has a direct bearing on how much weight you’ll gain. Avoid cycling, swimming, and jogging as they increase the rate of metabolism. Try weight training exercises and yoga.

Conclusion

Unlike weight loss, weight gain can be a happy and cheerful journey as it allows you to eat to your heart’s content. Picking your favourites from the list of healthy food to gain weight for females and following the simple tips and tricks on how and when to eat can go a long way in helping you achieve your weight goals quickly and safely.

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