Do you ever feel like...
It's almost impossible for you to gain weight, either because you hardly have any appetite ...or...
No matter how much you eat, you never seem to put on any weight?
But, what if I told you that the solution to your weight gain struggle boils down to one simple thing!
And NO...
You don't necessarily have to eat (a lot) more, just a lot smarter!
Okay, let's get started right away...
How To Gain Weight on a Nigerian Diet
Before we dive into the diet specifics, there's something crucial you need to understand. Without this key factor, your Nigerian weight gain diet and all your efforts will never work!
So, let's begin with the most important aspect:
The Single Root Factor That Really Causes Weight Gain!
Now, Gaining weight starts and ends with the almighty calories.
Repeat after me C-A-L-O-R-I-E-S! (Out loud, please!)
Calorie is just a unit (kcl) that measures the energy you get from food and drinks.
Just like distance is measured in meters (m) and weight in kilograms (kg), food energy is measured in calories (kcl).
Now, listen:
Everything Foods and drink that goes into your mouth supplies your body calories (Energy).
Meanwhile...
Every single thing you do burns calories (from walking, to brushing your teeth, to shitting, and so on).
As a matter of fact, your body burns calories even if you sit still all day, thanks to basic biological activities like breathing, blood circulation and digesting.
Now, the answer to the almighty question: "How to Gain Weight" boils down to one simple concept. Which is:
Energy Balance
Which simply means...
- If you consume the SAME amount of calories (Know as Caloric Maintenance) your body uses each day , your weight will stay the same because your body is using up all the calories.
- If you consume FEWER calories (Know as Caloric Deficit) than your body needs, you'll lose weight. Your body will use stored fat (or muscle) to make up for the calorie shortage.
- Finally, If you consume MORE calories (Know as Caloric Surplus) than your body needs, you guessed right, you'll gain weight. This is because your body stores the excess calories.
Note This: Being on a Caloric Surplus is the one and only cause of weight gain.
So...
How Many Calories Do You Need To Eat Daily To Gain Weight?
To know the number of calories you need to consume to gain weight, first...
You must know the exact calories your body needs daily (i.e calorie maintenance level ) This is the number of calories your body needs to maintain its current weight.
So the first question you should be asking is …
How To Get Your Daily Calorie Maintenance Level?
Well, your calorie maintenance level depends on different factors like your weight, height, activity level, metabolic rate, age, and so on.
That’s why two people of same weight, height and age can have totally different calorie maintenance number.
Anyway...
To make your life easier and not waste your time doing boring maths, I have provided a daily calorie requirement calculator below.
It works based on Mifflin-St Jeor equation. It uses your weight, age, gender and activity level to estimate your calorie maintenance number.
Now:
All you need to do is fill your details and press "Calculate" and voila! You'll get your estimated calorie maintenance number.
BMR CALCULATOR
*Sedentary means little or no exercise
*Lightly active means light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week
*Moderately active means moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week
*Very active means hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week
*Super active means very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training
*Before using the data obtained using this calculator, please consult with a doctor.
Once you get your estimated calorie maintenance number, the next and most important step is to aim to consume 300 to 500 calories more than that number daily, to create a caloric surplus necessary for weight gain.
For example:
let’s say you found your calorie maintenance level to be around 2500 calories. Consuming 2,800 to 3,000 calories (or more) per day should lead to gradual weight gain
Understand?… Good!
Now, listen carefully, while consuming a caloric Surplus is the key requirement for weight gain, however it's not the whole story because...
Calories Are Not Created Equal
Not all calories are created equal! You see, calories from most highly processed foods (you know, sugary snacks and fast foods that are easy to overeat) are often "empty calories" lacking in nutrients.
If your diet is filled with these empty calories, you can quickly end up at the other end of the spectrum, obese and unhealthy. These low-quality calories are addictive, can damage your teeth, and lead to all kinds of nasty diseases.
On the other hand, calories from whole foods are usually packed with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that benefit your health.
That said, whole foods are usually filling and can make it much more difficult for you to consume enough calories to gain weight.
So that begs the question...
Where should your weight Gain Calories Come from?
You see, calories from different foods affects appetite, hormones and overall health in different ways.
The foods that make up your weight-gain diet can either make your weight gain hell or worth while.
For an easier Weight gain and better health, here's where most of your calories should come from:
- High-Quality Protein: Eating enough high-quality proteins is essential for optimal growth, development, and general health. Protein not only helps you build a great physique but is also crucial for your health because nine of the amino acids are essential, meaning your body cannot produce them. Therefore, it’s non-negotiable to include sufficient protein in your diet. Aim for 1.5 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, mostly from high-quality sources like meats, fish, and eggs, and avoid low-quality sources like processed meats (e.g., hotdogs) and low-quality protein powders. Note that protein may significantly reduce hunger and appetite [1], making it harder to consume enough calories. Incorporating high-quality protein supplements like whey protein can also be helpful if you find it difficult to get enough protein in your diet.
- Minimally Processed Carbs: Carbohydrates are not only important for for providing energy but are also a vital part of a balanced diet. Most of your weight gain diet would come from carbs because they are the easiest to consume. To maintain good health, limit your consumption of highly processed carbs from sources like junk and fast foods. For easier weight gain, most of your carbs should come from minimally processed, high-calorie foods that don’t fill you up too quickly. Good examples include rice, oatmeal, fruits like bananas, and other similar foods.
- Healthy Fats: Fats are the most calorie-dense foods, making them very helpful for weight gain. They are also crucial for regulating hormones. However, some fats are detrimental to your health, particularly artificial trans fats. Avoid foods high in polyunsaturated fats and trans fats like margarine, most vegetable oils, biscuits, cakes, and many processed foods. Instead, consume healthy fats like avocado, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, nuts, and seeds.
Now, even if you're in a healthy caloric surplus by eating nutrient-rich foods, you'll still gain weight in undesirable areas like your like your tummy and waist.
This happens because you can't control which fat cells receive the excess calories you're consuming. There is a way to manage this, leading us to the next topic:
How to Avoid Gaining Weight in All the Wrong Places
While you can't control where fat is stored, you can influence where muscle grows.
How?
Through resistance training.
Resistance training, also known as lifting weights, signals your body to use excess calories to repair and grow the muscles you train. By focusing on resistance training, you can direct those extra calories toward building muscle rather than storing fat.
Now, the basics are out of the way, let's checkout some additional tips that can make your weigh gain journey easier...
Additional Weight Gain Strategies
Here are several additional strategies to help you gain weight more effectively:
- Add Liquid Meals: Consider adding liquid meals like smoothies, shakes, and high-calorie drinks into your diet. These are convenient ways to consume a lot of calories and protein with ease without feeling overly full.
- Use Bigger Plates: Using larger plates can encourage you to consume more food during meals. Smaller plates can potentially lead to under-eating, as our perception of portion sizes can be influenced by the size of the plate or bowl [1].
- Avoid/Limit Fluid Intake Before Meals: Drinking water or other beverages before meals can fill up your stomach, potentially reducing your appetite and making it harder to consume enough calories during the meal itself [2].
- Get Quality Sleep: All the growth magic happens during sleep. So aim for at least 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night, as sleep deprivation can negatively impact your weight gain efforts [3].
- Avoid Too Much Cardio: Too much cardio can kill all your gains. Choose weight training over hours of cardio.
- Meal Prep: Prepare your meals ahead of time to ensure you always have something ready when it’s time to eat. Aim to plan and prepare at least 2-3 days' worth of meals in advance. This strategy not only makes eating on schedule easier but also simplifies your weekly grocery shopping. Meal prep is a powerful tool that can significantly support your weight gain efforts.
- Quit Smoking (If Applicable): Smoking has been associated with lower body weight compared to non-smokers. If you currently smoke, quitting can not only improve your overall health but may also facilitate weight gain [4].
Summary
Here is the summary and checklist of what I have been trying to say since morning are:
- The one and ONLY requirement to gain weight is a calorie surplus! To put it in another way, eat and drink a little more calorie than your body burns/needs daily and you’ll gain weight.
- Get and estimate of your current calorie maintenance number using the BMR calculator above. Then consume 300-500 kcal more than this number each day to start gaining weight.
- You have a better chance of surviving in the weight gain battlefield and sustaining your health if most for your calories come from energy and nutrient dense foods. Such as high-quality Protein (like eggs, chicken, meat etc), Minimally Processed Carbs that are not so filling ( like Rice, oatmeal, Banana, etc) and Healthy Fat (like oil, avocado, nuts etc..)
- Drink your calories. Add liquid meals such as smoothies, shakes and high-calorie drinks to easily and conveniently increase your calories and protein intake.
- Exercise smartly! Choose weight training over hours of cardio to support muscle growth and weight gain.
- Get enough quality sleep. All the growth magic happens during sleep. So aim for at least 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night.
- Meal prepping at least 2-3 days' worth of meals in advance ensures you always have calorie-dense, nutritious options ready, supporting your weight gain efforts by preventing skipped meals and poor food choices.
Remember, anything good, including gaining healthy weight, takes time. So you will need a healthy dose of patience and consistency on your journey. Good luck!