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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    What is the healthiest way to gain weight?

    Related Topic
    Weight Management
    i am a very active person(surfing, free diving, football, running) and I weigh about 70kg (I'm 5'10). The last 9-10 months ive lost about 7kg due to stress from hard times and i don't have any consistent healthy eating diet, finding myself skipping meals at work and saying that will do for dinner tonight (being toast or something like that) Any tips on where to start? i know its all up to me to actually buy what im going to eat from the super market, i just need a point in the right direction, so i get back to my target weight of 75kg.
    Any feedback will be massively appreciated.
    Cheers
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  • Joanna Baker

    Nutritionist, Registered Nurse

    Everyday Nutrition founder Joanna Baker has been working in healthcare for 2o years. As an Accredited Practicing Dietitian and a Registered Nurse, she has seen … View Profile

    Hi great question, not everyone wants to lose weight and gaining weight can be just as difficult and frustrating. Sounds like the solution for you however is multifaceted. You say you have had some stress in your life which is affecting your weight, I think that needs to be attended to as well as what you are eating in the long term.

    In regards to food, its important to eat, and eat regularly. Opt for energy dense and nutrient dense foods such as nuts, avocado, full fat dairy and so on. try to make your portions a little larger and add toppings of cheese, nuts, honey, avocado and so on to each meal. You can also carry snack packs of nuts and dried fruit with you to nibble on during the day.

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  • Anonymous

    thanks for your advise. Much appreciated

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  • Chris Fonda

    Dietitian, Nutritionist, Sports Dietitian

    As an Accredited Sports Dietitian, APD and athlete (springboard diver), Chris has both professional and personal experience in sport at the sub-elite and elite level.Chris … View Profile

    Hi there,

    Many factors influence the growth of muscle mass in individuals. Genetics, testosterone, muscle fibre types, training history a good training program, supplementation and a high energy diet providing adequate protein, can be incorporated together to enhance muscle mass and size. If all are optimized gains of 0.25-0.5 kg per week can be achieved initially but will depend on genetics and training history. If you follow my tips below I would expect you to gain weight

    Tip 1 - Increasing energy intake
     
    ·         In order to gain muscle effectively, a positive energy balance needs to be achieved. This means that what you put into your body must exceed its BMR and physical activity level. Any excess energy available can then be used for muscle growth. Focus should be on good quality carbohydrates and protein together with plenty of fruit and vegetables for vitamins and minerals and dairy.
     
    Tip 2 – Increase your meal/snack frequency
     
    ·         This will help you to increase your energy intake without having to bulk up your main meals. By increasing your frequency of meals to 5-6 per day you will achieve a steady flow of nutrients/fuel to keep up your energy levels.
     
    Tip 3 – Make sure your getting high quality protein
     
    ·         You need to be getting in all the essential amino acids. These amino acids are found in most animal products such as lean meats, dairy and eggs. You need to include high quality protein in each meal, everyday.
     
    Tip 4 – Nutrient timing
     
    ·         Pre- and post-workout nutrition is crucial for muscle growth and recovery. Pre-workout snack should consist of moderate to high GI carbohydrates + protein to give you the fuel to get through the session. Post-workout snack needs to contain both carbohydrates and protein to aid in recovery and muscle growth (20-30 g carbohydrates & 10-20 g protein (e.g. tub of yoghurt + fruit; bowl of cereal + milk; sandwich with lean meat & salad).
     
    Tip 5 – Be consistent
     
    ·         Try not to skip or miss your meals or snacks as this will reduce your energy intake which will lead to a decline in muscle mass and growth.

    If you are still having trouble, I would recommend a visit to a local Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) or Accredited Sports Dietitian who can help you formulate a diet that suits you and your training needs. To find an APD log onto the Dietitians Association of Australia's website (www.daa.asn.au) or www.sportsdietitians.com.au 


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  • Anonymous

    Thanks mate, appreciate it, I'll start following those steps as of this morning. I've been getting back into my training routines the last couple weeks so by the sounds of it I'm going to have to start eating alot more, and alot more at work too (got a bad habit of working through lunch so I can knock off early and eat when I get home) so that will stop because when I do get home I have no energy and won't end up eating a substantial meal till dinner. Cheers for the advise, I'll stick to it

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