A healthful way to GAIN weight (Difficulty Level: Basic/Introductory)

A healthful way to GAIN weight (Difficulty Level: Basic/Introductory)

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Unplanned, uncritical weight gain can be unhealthy. Some evidence suggests that obesity plays a deciding factor in about 300,000 premature deaths each year. A person's body weight can often (but not always) give us an indirect view into what types of food they've been consuming. In the population at large (pun intended), this often means unhealthy food choices, which are recently in the process of being redefined with qualifying terms such as "glycemic load" (the type and total carbohydrate we now eat) and "good fats vs. bad fats" (the type and total fat we now eat).

Technology is wonderful and should never be shunned, but one aspect and consequence of food technology is to be able to make foods with broad characteristics that are outside of the range found in any unadulterated food in nature (what you'd get by hunting & gathering). For the first time in history, humans have access to foods with high levels of trans fatty acids (a "bad" fat). Something even our great-grandparents did not have to deal with.

We have also, in general, dramatically increased the glycemic load of the "usual" diet, which can be evidenced by the fact that our current daily blood glucose and insulin readings are often twice the average value found in low-technology indigenous societies. Readings so high that they would be not even be found in 1% of indigenous peoples around the globe, are often found in most (>50%) of a given group of those tested in Western societies.

Though obesity is increasing globally and, along with it's physiological cousin: diabetes, will be the biggest dual-issue (in human health) of the 21st Century, some folks are working to gain a few pounds (athletes, frail elderly, etc). Below is a guideline for them to consider.

To my knowledge, there is not much information on how to gain weight in a healthy way, and this guide serves to break new ground (or break old ground "better" than others have done). As usual, it is meant as a suggestion which folks are invited to consider, rather than as a type or kind of medical advice, such as that which one would receive from their health care professional.

Approximate Weekly Grocery List:


A) Protein sources:

2-3 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken or turkey breast
2-3 cans or foil-packs of tuna or salmon (water packed)
2-3 dozen eggs (for veggie omelettes or hard-boiled eggs)
2-3 pounds of lean beef
 

B) Whole-food carbohydrate sources:

2-3 boxes of brown rice (Minute Rice is best for weight gain, but slightly less healthy)
2-3 cans of Quaker Oats (Quick Oats are best for weight gain, but slightly less healthy)
One (3 lb - 5 lb) bag of white potatoes (but sweet potatoes or yams are healthier)
 

C) Low-carb vegetable sources:

1-2 bags frozen mixed veggies (ones containing veggies of at least 3 different colors - green, red, yellow, orange, etc)

1-2 bags of fresh pre-mixed salad greens (ones containing veggies of at least 3 different colors - green, red, yellow, orange, etc)

*other prominent, single-veggie choices include: red & green pepper, onion, tomato, mushroom, asparagus, spinach, broccoli

 

D) Fruits:

economy-size box of raisins

1-2 dozen bananas

1-2 lbs of grapes

 

E) Miscellaneous:

1 container of brown sugar

1 shaker of cinnamon

1 small bottle of extra-virgin olive oil

1 shaker of either Butter Buds or Molly McButter

1 aerosol can of Pam Butter spray

1 squeeze-bottle of lemon or lime juice (or 2 whole lemons or limes –  to squeeze juice from)

1 bottle Mrs. Dash Salt-Free Seasoning (the "Table Blend" is suggested)

2-3 gallons of spring water (or distilled "drinking water" - with the added minerals)

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Very Rough Outline of Daily Meal Plan:

 
-more than 2 meals per day

-more than 500 total kcal per meal

-more than 25 grams of protein per meal (more than 100 kcal)

-more than 50 grams of carbohydrates per meal (more than 200 kcal)

-more than 10 grams of fat per meal (more than 90 kcal)

-green veggies with at least 1 of the daily meals

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Sample Day:

 
Meal #1:
4-egg (2 whole eggs + 2 egg whites) veggie omelette (w/green pepper, onion, tomato, mushroom) & 1 cup of oatmeal (w/cinnamon, brown sugar, raisins, and sliced banana)

Meal #2:
Chef salad (w/chicken, beef, turkey, or tuna) & 1-2 large baked potatoes (or 2-4 small ones)

Meal #3:
Meat/egg on 1-2 cups brown rice

Meal #4:
Steamed chicken breast AND steamed mixed veggies AND potatoes

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