Strategic Weight Gain

Question
Hello, there!  I am so thankful to have finally  found an expert I can discuss my concerns with!  You see, I am a very healthy, active young woman who wants to gain a little weight.  I am 5'6'' and weight 115 lbs.  I am in excellent physical shape as far as endurance and muscle tone go.  What I am looking for is a bit more in the "curve" department.  I miss my more womanly attributes (mainly my chest, hips, and buttocks) that I had prior to becoming so fit.  Are there certain foods that I should eat in order to gain what I assume would be fat in these areas?  I want to avoid gaining pudge in my middle section, as this is where I tend to put weight on first.  Please help!  I would appreciate any advice you have!

Answer
Hello Julie!

  Thank you for your nutrition question.  Theoretically, you have to eat 500 to 1,000 calories per day to gain one to two pounds per week. Without question some people do gain weight more easily than others. Controlled weight gain studies have shown 20 lbs differences in subjects who were overfed the same amount of calories for the same time period. Why the difference? Maybe its fidgeting and perhaps its genetics. Keeping those factors in mind, here are five important rules to help with your quest for bulk.

1. Eat Consistently- Every day , have three hearty meals plus one to three additional snacks. Do NOT skip meals. You miss out on important calories that you need to accomplish your goals.

2. Eat larger then normal portions. Instead of having one sandwich for lunch, have two. Eat three potatoes at dinner, instead of only two. Have a taller glass of milk, bigger bowl of cereal, larger piece of fruit.

3. Select higher calories foods. Read food labels to determine which foods have more calories than an equally enjoyable counterpart. For example, cran-apple juice has more calories than does orange juice (170 vs. 110/8 ounces); granola has more calories than Cheerios (700 vs 100/cup); corn more than green beans (140 vs 40/cup).

4. Drink lots of juice and milk. Beverages are a simple way to increase your caloric intake. Instead of drinking water, quench your thirst with calorie containing fluids. One athlete gained 13 pounds in 3 months simply by adding six glasses of cranberry juice(1,000 calories) to his standard diet.

5. Do strengthening exercises (weight lifting, push-ups etc.) to stimulate muscular development so that you bulk up instead of fatten up. Some underweight people are afraid exercise will result in weight loss rather than weight gain. Remember, exercise tends to stimulate the appetite; you?ll want to eat more. Exercise also increases thirst; you?ll easily be able to drink extra juices.

For more answers to your nutrition questions check out "Ask the Nutritionists" by George Rapitis at www.authorhouse.com or your favorite bookstore.

-George Rapitis, Bsc. Nutritionist
www.juiceblend.com

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