How Many Calories Are Necessary Per Day to Gain Weight?
While people always discuss the health hazards of obesity, being underweight is equally unhealthy. People suffering from being underweight usually burn more calories than they consume. A probable reason can be a lack of high-calorie foods for weight gain in their daily diet.
Before moving forward about the accurate methods to put on weight safely, let us know what calorie is and its role in human bodies.
What Are Calories?
Calorie is a unit for measuring energy. In terms of nutritional value, calories denote the energy human bodies receive from foods and drinks to conduct day to day activities.
In simple words, calories are the amount of energy our body releases during food digestion and absorption. Therefore, the more calories an individual consumes, the more energy he/she derives.
What Is the Role of Calories in the Human Body?
The basic role of calories is to provide our bodies with energy needed to survive. In this regard, it is important to understand the results of insufficient calorie consumption to realise their significance in body functions. A lack of calories may lead to -
- Premature cell death
- Heart issues
- Lungs malfunctioning
Individuals should track the number of calories present in the food items they consume to know about how much calories one should take to gain weight in a healthy manner.
How Much Calories Do You Need to Gain Weight?
Calorie intake capacity is determined based on age, weight, sex, metabolism, working capacity and other factors. People trying to put on weight must be conscious of the kind of calories he/she consumes.
In this respect, experts recommend food items that are rich in calories and contain a high amount of proteins, vitamins, minerals, fibre, and other nutrients. Nevertheless, the calorie intake capacity is indicative and varies from person to person.
Let us cite an example to understand how many calories are needed to gain weight.
Suppose a man of 23 years old and 5 feet 10 inches height who follows a moderate exercise routine, that is, 4 to 5 times each week requires-
Weight Gain Type | Calories Required Per Day (cal) |
---|---|
Mild | 2813 (110%) |
Moderate | 3063 (120%) |
Fast | 3563 (139%) |
Once you get the answers, continue looking for ways to improve your calorie intake capacity.
How Many Calories Do Men and Women Need to Gain Weight?
Increasing 500 to 1000 calories every day helps a man to gain 1 pound body weight every week. Whether this strengthens his muscles or leads to fat deposition, depends on the exercise regime and his intake capacity of macronutrients.
The following chart of calories for weight gain will provide information based on how many calories a man requires to gain 160 to 180 pounds of weight at a rate of 1 pound every week.
Age | Calories Per Day to Gain Weight (cal) |
---|---|
20 years | 3230 |
30 years | 3153 |
40 years | 3075 |
50 years | 2998 |
Individuals can follow the caloric surplus regime to put on weight in a healthy way. An adequate caloric surplus of up to 20% is necessary for individuals trying to increase weight. Additionally, dirty bulking (consuming more calories) and a routine resistance training schedule significantly contribute to adequate muscle and strength improvements.
However, caloric surplus does not fit every approach. It is indicative, and the size depends on age, sex, weight, exercise regime and more.
Now, when it comes to women, the caloric surplus amount may vary. The probable reasons are less muscle mass and shorter heights than men. In fact, men have more lung capacity, and that is why they require more calories to perform exercises and other physical activity.
Individuals can use a calorie calculator to determine the ideal calorie intake capacity based on their age, gender, weight, and other factors for best results.
How to Calculate Calories for Weight Gain Using a Calorie Calculator?
Individuals can estimate the ideal number of calories their bodies need per day using a calorie calculator. For that, one can look for a calorie calculator online. The tool asks for a few vital inputs to calculate the daily calorie intake to gain weight.
Step 1: Visit any preferred website offering an online calorie calculator.
Step 2: Set the measurement unit as per your preferences.
Step 3: Enter details like-
- Age
- Gender
- Height
- Weight
- Activity
Step 4: Click on ‘Calculate’.
Provide all the data correctly to get accurate results.
How to Increase Calorie Intake to Gain Weight?
While some methods to gain weight serve for a more extended period, some offer short-term progress. This poses a challenge for people looking for healthy ways to gain weight and build muscle.
Increasing the number of meals a day substantially helps in gaining weight. However, individuals need to take care of the foods they consume in the process.
Here are some of the high-calorie foods to gain weight.
List of High-calorie Foods to Gain Weight
Group | Food Items | Calorie Content (cal) |
Nuts and Nut Butter | Roasted chestnut (10 kernels) | 206 |
Walnuts (14 halves) | 186 | |
Dry roasted almonds (22 whole kernels) | 170 | |
Almond butter (1 tablespoon) | 98 | |
Oil roasted cashew s (18 kernels) | 165 | |
Fish | Bluefin tuna (6 oz fillet) | 313 |
Canned sardines (1 cup, drained) | 310 | |
Cooked tilapia (6 oz fillet) | 218 | |
Cooked trout (1 fillet) | 215 | |
Atlantic Mackerel (1 fillet, raw) | 230 | |
Meat | Pork chops (1 chop, with fat) | 525 |
Roasted chicken leg (1 piece) | 475 | |
Raw chicken thigh (1 piece) | 427 | |
Roasted ham (1 Cup) | 369 | |
Cooked ground pork (6 oz) | 505 | |
Grains | Uncooked oats (1 cup) | 607 |
Buckwheat (1 cup) | 583 | |
Cooked amaranth (1 cup) | 259 | |
Brown rice (1 cup) | 248 | |
Medium grain white rice (1 cup) | 242 |
Individuals looking for high-calorie foods for weight gain in vegetarian options may take a look at the chart below.
Food Items | Calorie Content (cal) |
---|---|
Granola (1 cup, homemade) | 597 |
Eggplant (1 piece, cooked with oil) | 413 |
Potato baked peel (1 small piece) | 367 |
Carrot (1 cup, raw) | 364 |
Raisins (1 cup, seeded) | 488 |
Apple (1 small piece, candied) | 255 |
High-fat milk (16 oz glass) | 312 |
Whole milk (16 oz glass) | 298 |
Boiled sweet potato (1 cup, mashed) | 249 |
Baked potato (1 medium size, with skin) | 161 |
Avocado (1 piece) | 322 |
Tofu (1 cup, firm) | 363 |
Split peas (1 cup) | 231 |
Lentils (1 cup, cooked) | 230 |
Moong beans (1 cup, cooked) | 212 |
Apart from these, you can also consume high calories to gain weight through different healthy drinks and shakes healthily. Take a look at the chart below to know about them.
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List of High-calorie Shakes and Drinks for Weight Gain
Drinks and Shakes | Calorie Content (cal) |
---|---|
Chocolate syrup with whole milk (1 cup) | 254 |
Orange soda (1 can/bottle) | 238 |
Kiwi and strawberry juice (16 fl oz) | 222 |
High alcohol beer (1 bottle) | 206 |
Coffee with milk (1 cup, sweetened) | 186 |
In addition, low weight is a common issue found among kids in India. In a study conducted by the Egyptian Pediatric Association Gazette, around 21.49% of infants were born underweight in India.
Parents must consult a professional paediatrician and revise the diet chart of their kids accordingly. The diet must include foods rich in calories to gain weight. However, the following chart consists of high-calorie foods for weight gain.
List of High-Calorie Foods for Weight Gain in Babies
Food Items for a Baby | Calorie Content (cal) |
---|---|
Multigrain whole grain cereal dry (100 gm, fortified) | 407 |
Vegetables and beef (1 cup, strained) | 197 |
Vegetables and brown rice (1 cup, strained) | 159 |
Cereal Nestum (1 cup, cooked) | 157 |
Vegetables and chicken (1 cup) | 136 |
Combining intense strength training with high-calorie foods for weight gain will accelerate the entire process. Apart from these, individuals must eat three to five times a day and include additional snacks whenever possible.
Most importantly, they need adequate sleep to promote muscle growth and improve body weight effectively. Additionally, individuals must refrain from consuming food items rich in unsaturated or trans-fat. Though such things may ensure quick weight gain, the after-effects can be severe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which food items should individuals consume to gain weight?
Some of the healthy foods that can help to gain weight are milk and other dairy products. Further, meat, fish and eggs are also effective when included in daily diet. Vegans can include various pulses, grains, vegetables and fruits in their diet that can help them to gain some healthy weight.
Is dark chocolate among high-calorie foods for weight gain?
Yes, dark chocolate is high in calories. One gram of dark chocolate contains 9 calories.