“I work out really hard, have a fast metabolism and actually need to gain weight. What are some healthy strategies to gain weight?” -Casey
Great question Casey! Although it is easy to turn to junk food and other not so healthy sources of calories to gain weight, healthy alternatives do exist.
One of my favorite strategies to gain weight in a healthy way is to include more calorie and nutrient dense foods and beverages to one’s day. I do also find that small, frequent meals and snacks every few hours helps to keep the body consistently fueled without becoming too full. A few good meal and snack options might include:
- 100% whole sprouted grain toast, Mary’s Gone Crackers or Ryvita crackers with avocado and wild salmon or raw macadamia or coconut butter, sliced mango and sprinkled with raw sesame seeds
- Trail mix- raw nuts and seeds, cacao nibs, dried unsulphured and unsweetened fruit such as raisins, cranberries, cherries, goji berries, banana, golden berries, mango, apple or coconut chips.
- Banana and raw nut or seed butter
- Lara or Vega bar and a hard-boiled egg
- Whole grain pita dipped in hummus, guacamole or black bean dip
- Whole grain pasta with vegetables, lean protein and healthy fat
- Baked sweet potatoes stuffed with lean protein, vegetables and drizzled with a little extra virgin olive oil
- Protein smoothie with Vega or Sunwarrior protein powder, unsweetened fruit, unsweetened coconut or almond milk and some good fat, such as a tablespoon of ground raw chia or flax seeds, cold pressed flax or hemp oil, or even a couple of slices of avocado.
- Blend your favorite green juice with a banana or pineapple and even a little unflavored or vanilla protein powder for a green smoothie with some serious kick.
- Healthier breads and muffins, such as my Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice bread or Carrot Spice muffins with some unsweetened Greek yogurt. Add a little raw walnut or pumpkinseed butter for some good fat.
Of course it is always very important to check with your personal physician if you are experiencing any unintentional weight loss or cannot gain weight despite your best efforts to rule out potential medical causes.
What are your favorite nutrient-dense snacks? Do you have a nutrition question that you would love to see featured in an upcoming Ask the Nutritionista blog post? Please let me know in the comments below and on Facebook!
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© 2013 Nutritionista. Erin Luyendyk, RHN. All rights reserved.
All material found on www.thenutritionista.ca is intended as general educational material only and should not be considered medical or nutritional advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any medical condition and has not been evaluated by the FDA. Please consult with your personal physician before implementing any health, nutrition, supplement or exercise program to ensure its safety and suitability for your specific individual situation
