Diet and exercise for weight gain
WHEN you think of exercise, naturally the first thing that comes to mind is weight loss. But, in fact, many people exercise for quite the opposite. Gisel Harrow, personal trainer at Express Fitness, Liguanea, said that some people — particularly underweight adults, teenagers and those who participate in sports — struggle with gaining healthy weight as much as others struggle to lose it.
“In the fitness industry, one mostly hears about weight loss programmes and regimens. The web is full of ideas about weight loss do’s and don’ts, but one hardly hears of gaining weight through fitness, though there are more requests than we think. Weight gain through fitness is very possible and can be achieved through consistency in exercise and proper eating habits,” Harrow said.
She noted that while the work done in the gym is important, the first thing that should be considered when exercising for weight gain is nutrition.
“Nutrition is a very big part of gaining weight, and while we encourage people to eat foods richer in calories, and not necessarily more, we want them to still make healthier food choices. So we encourage nutrient-dense foods — protein-dense foods, carbohydrates, vitamins and even mass- building supplements in addition to lots of water.”
Foods such as fats and oils, nuts and seeds, avocado, red meat, whole eggs, full-fat dairy and oily fish are great choices for getting a lot of calories without having to become a slave to fast foods and other unhealthy sodium-packed choices.
Harrow said once you have had your nutrition figured out, then you can commit to an exercise routine.
“Someone who’s trying to gain weight will have to lift heavier and do more compound movements using more sets, less repetition, and increased rest time. This will build the major muscles, and putting in single joint movements to target the minor muscle groups will make it a balanced programme,” she advised.
She noted that compound exercises — which are integral to recruiting as many muscles as possible — include, but are not limited to squats, deadlifts, bench presses, rows, shoulder presses, dumbbell presses, pull-ups, and dips.
She said once you have reached your desired weight, then you will need to focus on maintaining that weight — by assessing the number of calories required so that you will not end up eating more than necessary. Harrow also noted that the same assessment should be done in the initial stages so that each individual can know how many calories are required for their desired weight.
Harrow recommends that this assessment be guided by a healthcare professional. Also, as with all other fitness programmes, she advises that medical clearance is important before commencing.
