by Sonia22 » Sat Feb 04, 2012 7:00 pm
10 tips to gain weight:
1. Eat more calories : The approximate normal daily caloric requirement for an average male who performs light activity is 2,200; for a female, it is 1,900.You need to eat around 1,000 extra calories per day to gain less than half a kilo a week.
2. Make smart choices: choose dairy products, fish and meat over bread. Choose eggs over vegetables.
3. Protein is important: Increase your protein intake. Your body needs a lot of protein to build new muscle.
4. Snack a lot: Consume a lot of high-calorie snacks (not junk food) such as cheese sticks, milk shakes, muffins, dried fruits, yoghurt and breakfast bars.
5. Fluids help too: Drink a lot of fluids that supply nutrients and calories; milk, fresh fruit juices and energy drinks are good examples.
6. Intensify workouts: You need to exercise really hard and intensely to gain muscle mass.
7. Weights are the way to go: Focus on free weight exercises (which do not require machinery) that target your large muscle groups. For example, you need dumbells, not fancy gym machines.
8. Space out your workouts: If you have a high basic metabolic rate -- which means you expend a lot of energy even at rest -- you need short intense workouts instead of long periods of low-stress activity.
9. Creatine: Creatine supplements can help some athletes gain weight. It is not known if it is because it gives them spurts of energy or because it adds water weight
10. Be consistent: It might take a long time, usually a few months, for the weight to actually show. Some people get frustrated and quit when they fail to see drastic results.