Underweight? Simple Tips To Gain Weight For Females

Gaining weight and building muscles is not as simple as it sounds. But, just as there we have weight loss diet plans, there are weight gain diet plans. However, there is much conventional wisdom among females that suggests, consuming anything and everything can aid in weight gain, nevertheless, this is not the case. If you want to gain weight, you should follow a proper weight-gain diet plan for females. 

Now you might be wondering which weight gain diet plan for females is best to follow or what foods to consume for healthy weight gain. So, don’t worry; here we will discuss the weight gain procedure in detail. But before jumping in, let’s educate ourselves on some common reasons for being underweight.  

What Could Be The Reasons For Being Underweight?

Weight gain diet plans mainly work for those females who are either underweight or trying to increase muscle mass. Though gaining weight is relatively easier than losing weight, you can only do so by following a proper, healthy, and balanced diet. This way, you will gain weight.  

And if we talk about the causes of being underweight, there are many reasons for facing it. From nutritional deficiency to hereditary, here are a few of the common causes of being underweight:

• Hereditary: If your parent(s) are underweight or it runs in the family, you might be underweight too.
• Malnutrition: By not consuming enough nutrients in your diet, you may become malnourished, which starts with being underweight.
• Underlying Medical Condition: If you are losing weight abruptly without any cause, then you must get yourself checked as this could be due to an underlying disease such as thyroid, etc.
• Loss Of Appetite: Due to workload, stress, not having regular meals, and any other psychological factors, you might lose your appetite, which also causes weight loss.

But how do you know that you are underweight?

You can use the BMI calculator to find the answer to this question. If your BMI is less than 18, you are underweight. 

Health Complications Due To Underweight

Being underweight always puts you at risk of many health complications. Below, let us share a few complications that occur in females due to being underweight. 

• Nutritional Deficiencies: If you are falling underweight and still do not take any necessary steps to gain some weight, then it can cause nutritional deficiencies. A few of the most common nutritional deficiencies in females are iron deficiency (anemia), calcium deficiency, vitamin D deficiency, iodine deficiency, etc. All these deficiencies in your body could lead to chronic diseases that can compromise your health in the long run.
• Fertility Issues: Did you know that your weight can affect your fertility? Yes, both obesity and being underweight can hamper your fertility. Women get affected by this easily as they suffer complications in conceiving, keeping the pregnancy, and delivery as well. Also, due to weight gain or being underweight, miscarriages are commonly seen in such cases.
• Weak Immune System: When the female body is underweight, particularly due to nutritional deficiencies, the immune system can be compromised. With a weak immune system, you are also at high risk of catching seasonal flu and infections.

We believe that, till now, you might have understood the scientific reasons behind being underweight. But what are the tips and tricks to being healthy and gaining weight naturally? So, let’s learn now how to gain weight effectively.  

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

To gain weight effectively, three rules must be followed: “What to eat?” “When to eat?” and “How to eat?” 

Listed below are some tips and tricks that will address these issues and prepare an effective weight gain diet plan for females. 

1. Weight Gain Diet Plan For Females: What to Eat?

Consuming the right portion of a healthy diet to get the required nutrients daily is important. Here are some of the measures that females can take to gain weight: 

Add Calories To Weight Gain Diet Plan For Females

Weight gain is all about the input-output equation. For instance, if you take in more calories than you burn, the rest of the calories will be stored as body fat. Eating approximately 900–1000 extra calories per day over and above the recommended daily calorie intake will result in a healthy diet. Also, you can follow 3000 calorie diet plan to gain weight.

In The Weight Gain Diet Plan for Females Try to Include Salads

When we are following any weight gain diet plan, we search for high-calorie foods. And many of us start neglecting green vegetable salads, which are fully loaded with nutrients. So, it is crucial to consume salads, as they provide vital nutrients and roughage to the human body.

In the Weight Gain Diet Plan For Females Keep Protein Intake High

Regularly exercising and eating a healthy protein diet will aid females in building muscle. And if there is a lack of undeveloped muscles, any extra calories you intake will be stored in the body as fat. Therefore, it is crucial to add protein to the weight gain diet plan for females.

Consume ‘Good’ Fats In the Weight Gain Diet Plan For Females

In the nutritional world, you might have heard from various dietitians that all fats are not bad. So, start consuming good fats as they contribute to heart disease. Foods that contain good fats are dark chocolate, seeds, nuts, eggs, avocados, etc. 

Stay Hydrated When Following Weight Gain Diet Plan For Females

Staying hydrated means your muscles will hydrate too. This will improve muscle strength and aid in recovery and building muscles. Having healthier muscles allow you to work out for longer durations which helps develop muscle mass, adding to extra kilos. 

2. Weight Gain Diet Plan For Females: How to Eat?

Sometimes it happens that we are not able to reach our weight management goals despite consuming healthy food. So, for healthy weight gain, you should ensure that you:

Increase Portion Size In Your Weight Gain Diet Plan For Females

If you feel that you are not getting any results after following the suggested weight gain diet plan, then try to increase the calorie input in each meal. Simply, eat calories at every meal. And this can be done by increasing the portion size.

Add Frequent Meals To Your Weight Gain Diet Plan For Females

Instead of 3 basic meals a day, make it 5–6 meals per day. You can add healthy snack options in between the basic meals to increase your calorie intake. Always prefer to include energy-dense foods like peanut butter, dark chocolate, cream-rich milk, or coconut milk as a mid-meal snack.

3. Weight Gain Diet Plan For Females: When to Eat?

Always bring your pre-and post-workout meals to the gym. When we work out, we burn a good number of calories, and our muscles are also active at that time. So, after finishing your workout, you can take high-calorie beverages with meals or post-meals.

Secondly, drinking fluids immediately before meals makes you feel full and cuts down on your appetite, resulting in not getting the required calories. So, it is critical to refrain from drinking prior to beginning your weight gain diet plan.

Foods To Include In Weight Gain Diet Plan For Females

Female builds are entirely different from men. In addition, female metabolic activity is also different. So, always design the weight gain diet plan for females accordingly. Foods to consume for weight gain may differ from those consumed in a regular diet. A weight gain diet plan for females must include these foods:

1. Full Cream Milk

Milk is a good source of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. It provides ample quantities of minerals and vitamins. At least include two glasses of cream-filled milk in your diet plan. It provides the required nutrition to make your diet healthy and balanced.  

2. Dried Fruits

Dried fruits are rich in nutrients and packed with calories. Dry fruits are high in sugar and energy, and they rank on the top list of healthy ways for women to gain weight.

3. White Rice

Rice is considered a staple food in India and is part of most Indian diets. As a result, rice is the easiest food for Indians and Asians to gain weight. But the type of rice that an individual is consuming makes all the difference.

For instance, if you want to add a few kilos to your weight, then consume white rice because white rice is the result of refining. During the refining of rice, all the fibers from the grain are removed, which increases its ‘glycemic index.’ This leads to a quicker breakdown of sugar in the body and releases sugar instantly into the bloodstream, which is helpful for weight gain.

4. Red Meat

If you are non-vegetarian, you can include red meat in your diet. As it plays an important role in building muscle and gaining weight. Red meat is rich in ‘leucine and creatine.’ Also, they contain proteins and fat. And these nutrients are known to increase muscle mass in the human body. 

5. Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate is rich in calories. It also contains a rich amount of good fat and has added sugar, all of these will contribute to weight gain in females. 

6. Whole Grain Cereals

Whole-grain cereals have high amounts of unsaturated fats. These grains provide healthy calories and the essential carbohydrates required to gain weight quickly. They are fortified with minerals and vitamins and rich in fiber and antioxidants, which are good for the body.

7. Cheese

Cheese is a good source of fat and calories. Even this superfood has protein and calcium that are packed in ample quantities. So, if you are looking to add a few kilos, get your hands on full-fat cheese. Also, you can add cheese to your snacks in the form of sandwiches, etc. 

8. Butter

It is a perfect source to include in your weight gain journey. Also, it is considered a rich-calorie food. In butter, each tablespoon contains about 102 calories. Thus, it is a wonder food to add to your diet plan for weight gain. In addition to using butter, you can generously add desi ghee or butter while cooking food. 

9. Olive Oil

You can also add olive oil to your diet plan. Olive oil contains healthy or good fats when it comes to weight gain. You can also use this oil as a cooking medium or as a salad dressing to reap the benefits.

10. Peanut Butter

Peanuts are a rich source of vitamins, fatty acids, proteins, and minerals. One tablespoon of peanut butter provides almost 80–90 calories, which helps you gain weight easily. Also, being nutritionally dense, peanut butter acts as a constant source of energy.

11. Potatoes and Starch

Starchy foods such as potatoes, cornstarch, oats, legumes, etc. are the perfect source of extra calories, which help in easy and quick weight gain. You can opt for baked and grilled potatoes over boiled ones. 

12. Dates

Dates contain good iron and dietary fiber. Also, dates are high in sugar. One of the healthier ways for females to gain weight and improve their overall health is to eat a handful of dates every day. Furthermore, the presence of Vitamin B in dates plays a crucial role in eliminating an uncertain amount of homocysteine in the blood, which is considered one of the biggest date benefits.

13. Ginger

Including ginger in your daily diet can do wonders for your health. Ginger is a revered appetite stimulator. Consuming ginger tea before meals enhances the production of digestive juices. This will help you consume a larger meal, providing more calories.

14. Dry Fruits

Dry fruits, nuts, and seeds are calorie-rich. These are loaded with nutrients that help you gain weight naturally. You can include dry fruits in your smoothies or simply munch them. 

15. Whole Eggs

Eggs are the most important food to involve in a weight gain diet plan for females because of their muscle-building properties. Eggs provide a healthy combination of proteins and fats. The perfect way is that you can consume as many as you like in a day. They are easily available and are the best example of foods to gain weight.

16. Fatty and Oily Fish

Consuming oily fish like salmon, etc. provides the required proteins, healthy fats, and omega-3 fatty acids. These nutrients are required for muscle building, leading to healthy weight gain.

17. Chicken Breast

It contains high amounts of protein and healthy fats. This facilitates muscle growth and recovery. Therefore, consider chicken breast in your weight gain diet plan for females. Also, chicken breast is packed with loads of nutrients that help in making the body healthy.

18. Bananas

Carbohydrates and calories are rich in bananas. The fully ripe banana is packed with sugar. To consume a banana, you can blend it in milk or curd for weight gain and can consume it as an evening snack.

19. Avocados

Avocados are a wonder fruit. You can use avocados in your diet plan for weight gain. Being calorie-dense and packed with fats, this fruit provides the required calories and nutrition to gain weight.

20. Mango

Mangoes are the perfect fruit that contains sugars, carbohydrates, and proteins. This makes it an important part of weight gain diet plan for females. 

Foods To Avoid In Weight Gain Diet Plan For Females

Always try to extract calories from nutrient-dense food as they promote healthy weight gain. Here, we are listing a few foods to avoid when you are on your gaining.

• Packed Cookies, Chips, And Other Junk Foods

Well, cookies, chips, etc may be tempting but avoid them while you are on gaining period. Yes, they’ll cause fast weight gain, but also cause adverse health effects both long-term and short-term. Instead of choosing these unhealthy foods for weight gain, you must go for healthy, nutrient-dense snacks that can help to promote weight gain.

• Processed Meat

Processed meats cover smoked meats, packaged meats (canned, plastic, etc.), etc. These processed meats have negative effects on the body such as it increases the risk of cancer, heart disease, etc. So, always include fresh red meat to gain weight effectively.

• Say No to Junk Foods

Junk foods are packed with calories and preservatives. They also contain high amounts of added sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats. All these unwanted elements in food will impact the body adversely, so it’s right to avoid junk calories.

• Avoid Sugar Added Drinks

Flavored drinks, such as soft drinks and sodas, are high in added sugar and have no nutritional value. So, instead of drinking these, you should prefer to consume shakes, freshly squeezed fruit juice, and smoothies made from full-cream milk. Also, you can include nuts and seeds in your smoothies and shakes. 

Weight Gain Diet Plan for Female

Here we are sharing a generic one-day weight gain diet plan for females, which you can start with!

Early Morning (7 Am – 8 AM): 1 glass water with honey + 5-6 dry raisins + 3-4 Soaked almonds.

Breakfast (8 AM- 9 AM): 1 Cup Tea/Milk / Coffee + Poha / Upma / Idli / Dosa / Uttapam

Mid-morning (10 AM–11 AM): 1 Fruit / 1 Glass of Carrot & Beetroot Juice / beetroot oats chila or any other seasonal fruit 

Lunch (1 PM–2 PM): 2 Wheat Rotis + Vegetable + Curd + Rice + Dal + any dessert of your choice

Evening Snack (4 PM–5 PM): 1 Cup Tea/Milk / Coffee + Biscuits / Roasted Chickpeas / Peanuts / Cheese Sandwich

Dinner (9 PM–10 PM): 2 Wheat Rotis + Vegetable + Curd + Rice + Dal + any dessert of your choice.

Please Note: This weight gain diet plan for females is very basic. Are you interested in finding out which diet plans to suit you best? Then talk to our experts and discuss preparing a customized weight-gain diet plan for you.  

Health Tips To Include When Following Weight Gain Plan For Females

Only consuming a nutritional diet is not a way to reach your weight management goals. If you want to achieve your results then ensure to follow the following points:

1. Adequate Sleep: The human body rejuvenates during sleep. Also, while sleeping, our muscles recover and grow. If you are on a weight-gain journey, then healthy muscle is also essential. 
2. Stress Reduction: We know that weight gain and stress are inversely related. If females are looking for healthy ways to gain weight, try to eliminate stress from their lives.
3. Try Yoga And Weight Training To Gain Weight: The type of exercise you choose also has a direct impact on how much weight you’ll gain. Start avoiding swimming, cycling, and jogging as they increase the rate of metabolism. Include weight training exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups, squats, yoga, etc.

To Conclude

Unlike weight loss, weight gain is also a happy and cheerful journey as it allows you to eat to your heart’s content. Including your favorites from the list of healthy foods 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How Can A Teenage Girl Gain Weight Fast?

Ans: Consume meals based on starchy carbohydrates, such as brown rice, whole-meal pasta, potatoes, etc. Include at least 5 portions of fruits and vegetables a day.

Q. Is a 2500 Calorie Diet Plan Good For Weight Gain?

Ans:  Yes, 2500 calorie diet plan is perfect for weight gain. So, include this diet plan which is specially designed for healthy weight gain. 

Q: How Females Can Gain Weight From 55 kg to 70kg?

Ans: Start including more calories than your body needs. It will surely help you gain fast.

Q: Which Meal Is Most Important For Weight Gain?

Ans: The most essential meal of the day is ‘Breakfast’ because it gives you much-needed energy for the day ahead.

Q: How To Gain Weight Effectively And Safely?

Ans: You can follow a proper diet plan for weight gain as recommended by your dietitian.

Fun Fact

Did you know white butter is a superfood? Are you interested in finding out how? Click here to find out the answer to this question.

Contact Us Today

Your search to find the right guidance to be a part of all those fat-to-fit stories ends here. So, contact us today if you are looking for a diet plan with cheat meals. Also, we will discuss how we can help you achieve your weight loss goals.

Disclaimer

This blog post was written to help you to make healthy and better food choices altogether. So, be aware and take care. The important thing to consider is your own health before starting a diet that is restrictive. Always seek advice from a doctor/dietitian before starting if you have any concerns.