How to Gain Weight in Two Weeks

While most people want to prevent weight gain, there are some who want to put weight on. The key to gaining weight is to stick to a nutritious diet and eat more calories. Rather than eating high-sugar, high-fat foods to pack on the pounds, opt for energy-dense foods that are high in calories and nutrient-rich. That way, you'll achieve your goal of gaining weight in two weeks without sacrificing your health.

Avocado is a nutrient-rich, energy-dense food.

 

 

Step 1

Increase your caloric intake. One pound of body weight is equal to 3,500 calories. That means, to gain 2 pounds in two weeks, you need to increase your daily caloric intake by 500 calories.

Step 2

Eat more often. It's hard to take in enough calories when you limit yourself to three meals a day. Eat three to four meals a day, plus three to four substantial snacks.

Step 3

Snack often. Keep nuts, dried fruit, containers of yogurt and cottage cheese and protein-rich smoothie ingredients on hand.

Step 4

Increase portion size. At each meal, eat more than you normally would. Have an extra serving of lean chicken breast, another slice of whole-grain bread or an extra serving of your morning oatmeal.

Step 5

Choose nutritious, energy-dense foods. Energy-density is a measure of how may calories a food has per gram or other measurement. The more calories it has, the more energy dense it is. With 9 calories per gram, fat is the most energy-dense food. But not all fats are equal. Choose heart-healthy unsaturated fats such as olive and canola oil, rather than saturated fats such as butter. Nuts and nut butters and full-fat dairy are other energy-dense foods. To increase the energy-density of your meal, drizzle olive oil over lightly steamed green beans, blend cashews into a smoothie, dip apple slices in nut butter and drink a glass of whole milk with each meal.

Weight Gain Diet Plan

Here is an example of a diet that will provide you with sufficient energy to assist with weight gain:

Foods that should be included every day:

• Full-cream milk: 750 - 1000 ml (3 to 4 cups)
• Meat, fish, eggs and other protein foods: 3-5 servings (90 to 150 g)
• Bread and cereals: 8-12 servings (e.g. up to 6 cups of starch a day)
• Fruit and vegetables: 3-5 servings
• Fats and oils: 90 g (6 tablespoons)
• Healthy desserts: 1-2 servings

Menu

Before breakfast:

1 cup of tea or coffee with full-cream milk, 2 t of sugar and 2 biscuits

Breakfast:

Fruit or fruit juice (1 orange or 1 glass of orange juice)
Cereal with milk and sugar (1/2 cup of breakfast cereal or porridge, with ½ cup of full-cream milk and 2 t of sugar or honey, or 1 tablespoon of raisins)
Boiled egg or bacon or sausage (fry bacon or sausage in non-stick pan)
Wholewheat toast or roll with butter and jam (1-2 slices of toast or rolls with 30g polyunsaturated margarine and 1-2 tablespoons of jam, honey or marmalade)
Beverage (1 cup of coffee or tea with full-cream milk and 2 t of sugar)

Morning tea:

Milky drink (cappuccino made with ½ cup of full-cream milk and 2 t sugar)
or
Smoothy (process full-cream milk with fruit and honey in 1 glass – see recipe tips below)
or
Fruit juice with snack (1 glass of fruit juice with 30 g peanuts or dried fruit or an energy bar)

Lunch:

Soup (1/2 cup)
Meat, fish or poultry (120 g portion)
Potato (1 large potato or sweet potato, or rice or pasta)
Vegetable or salad with dressing (1/2 cup of cooked vegetables or ½ cup of salad with 1 T of salad dressing or mayonnaise)
Pudding (1/2 cup of boiled, sweetened or canned fruit with 1 scoop of ice cream or ½ cup of custard)
Roll with butter and cheese (1 whole-wheat roll or 2-3 whole-wheat biscuits with 2 t polyunsaturated margarine and 30g of cheese)
Beverage (1 cup of coffee or tea with full-cream milk and 2 t of sugar)

Afternoon tea:

Sandwiches with filling (2 slices of whole-wheat bread with 2 t polyunsaturated margarine and 2 T peanut butter or cream cheese with chopped nuts or egg mayonnaise)
or
Cake or biscuits (1 slice of cheese cake or 2-3 chocolate digestive biscuits)
Tea with milk and sugar (1 cup of tea with full-cream milk and 2 t of sugar)

Supper:

Fruit juice (1 glass)
Meat or fish or cheese or eggs (90 g portion or 1-2 eggs)
Vegetable or salad with dressing (1/2 cup of cooked vegetables or ½ cup of salad with 1 T of salad dressing or mayonnaise)
Starch (1/2 cup of cooked rice or pasta or potato)
Pudding (1/2 cup of rice or tapioca pudding or ready-to eat puddings or 2 scoops of ice cream)
Beverage (1 cup of coffee or tea with full-cream milk and 2 t of sugar)

Bedtime:

Milk drink (1 cup of Milo or Ovaltine made with full-cream milk) Biscuits (2-3 biscuits)

Nutrient composition

The diet outlined above should provide 12 600 to 14 700 kJ or 3000 to 3500 cal a day, and 100 to 120 g of protein. All other nutrients are provided.

It is estimated that a person eating this diet would gain 1 to 1,5 kg per week.

Tips for making smoothies

• To make delicious smoothies, use the following:
• 1-2 fruits (peeled apples or mashed bananas, mixed with 1 T of lemon juice to prevent fruit from discolouring, or apricots, mangoes or fresh berries, or any other fruit in season)
• 1 cup of full-cream milk
• 2 T whole-milk powder
• 2 t sugar or honey
• Place ingredients in blender. Blend till smooth and serve ice cold.

My favourite smoothy:

• 1 ripe avocado (peel, remove pip and mash with 1 T lemon juice to prevent discolouration)
• 1 cup of full-cream milk
• 2 t honey
• Place ingredients in blender. Blend till smooth, chill till ice cold and serve with a pinch of nutmeg on top.

References: (Passmore R & Eastwood MA (1986) Davidson & Passmore Human Nutrition & Dietetics, 8th Ed. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh.; Krause's Food, Nutrition & Diet Therapy, 10th Ed. WB Saunders Co, USA)