Trying to gain weight can be just as difficult as losing weight for some people. Whether because of an illness or behavioral issue, high levels of physical activity, or simply a strong genetic predisposition for thinness, people frequently make changes to their diets and lifestyles so that they be the weight that brings optimal health for them.

Nutritional shakes are a good supplement for people trying to gain weight. They can provide extra calories without making people feel uncomfortably full, all while offering a complete nutrient profile. However, there are a number of other factors to consider beyond the calorie count and nutritional content when trying to gain weight in a healthy way. Read on to learn about how ENU’s nutrition shakes can help you gain weight.

How to Gain Weight Healthfully

Gaining weight the “right way” is different for every person, but there are some universal factors to consider. Gaining weight in unhealthy ways can lead to malnutrition if a person is consuming empty calories, and a sudden increase in food intake can lead to physical symptoms including gas, bloating, constipation, and stomach pain and discomfort. Weight gain should be done as tactfully as possible for maximum health benefits and lasting results.

The first thing to keep in mind when gaining weight is that you shouldn’t just consume more calories; you should be consuming the right types of calories. The quality of the calories you take in is just as important as the number of calories. When trying to gain weight, make sure that you eat foods with lots of nutrients, not only calories—this includes food that have a good amount of healthy fats, lean and easily absorbed proteins, and complex carbohydrates.

It’s also a good idea to stay away from foods that are labelled as ‘light’ or that are modified to be low-fat, low-sugar, or low-carb. These foods usually have high levels of fillers to compensate for the element they lack and to add flavor back in. It’s much healthier and better in the long run to eat whole foods or protein shakes that contain a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals to help your body get what it needs—not just increased calorie counts.

The second most important thing to remember when you’re trying to gain weight is that exercise can help you out. Exercise will help ensure that the weight you gain will be muscle and not fat. A pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat, but muscle is denser and healthier to have in place of excess fat from excessive sugar and empty calories. Adding strength training to your exercise routine, with less of an emphasis on cardio, can help you gain weight. Exercising as part of a nutrition plan can also help stimulate your appetite so that you can accommodate more calorie intake. Just be sure to supplement your diet with extra protein to help repair your muscles after working out.

Tips for Gaining Weight the Right Way with Protein Shakes

When gaining weight, there are certain practices that can help you gain weight as steadily and healthily as possible. Keep the following tips in mind while trying to gain weight:

Eat More Frequently and Eat Between Meals

The only way to add calories to your diet is to eat more food. Instead of bingeing on unhealthy foods, the best way to add calories to your diet is to increase the portion sizes of your meals. You can do this by adding more toppings and sides (e.g., extra cheese, extra bread, more protein, etc.) for more nutrient-rich meals. You can also eat more between your meals, either by snacking more often or by drinking nutritional shakes more often.

Gradually Increase the Number of Calories You Eat Per Day

This will be much better for your health and metabolism than increasing your daily intake suddenly. Start with a little bit of extra food per day and add more as you get more comfortable with it.

Listen to Your Body

Your goal is to gain weight without suffering any unhealthy side effects and to gain weight as muscle, not fat. Know which foods make you feel full and satisfied or overly stuffed and which times of day you feel most hungry, and then eat accordingly.

How to Use ENU Nutritional Shakes to Help You Gain Weight

Nutritional shakes are a good addition to a weight gain diet because they can easily add more calories to your diet, whether they’re consumed with a meal or between meals. You can drink a nutritional shake after eating a meal if you’re still hungry and feel like you need more calories. If you’re trying to eat more calories between meals, you can drink a nutritional shake then instead.

Either way, you’re increasing your caloric intake while getting all of the nutrients you need. Nutritional shakes are also a great addition to an exercise regimen because they give your body the energy it needs to complete a good workout while replenishing your energy reserves after you’ve finished exercising.

Nutritional shakes are easily incorporated into anyone’s weight gain plan due to their portability and convenience. All of the ingredients are monitored and precisely controlled, which makes it easy to keep track of the number of calories and nutrients that are consumed each day.

Nutritional Shakes Help You Gain Weight Healthily

Nutritional shakes are excellent for helping you create the energy surplus you need to gain weight without compromising your well-being. Nutritional shakes can provide an extra boost of calories to a person’s diet, as long as it’s done as part of a balanced diet and exercise plan. Call us at (855) 266-6733 or visit our website for more information about how you can incorporate nutritional shakes into your diet today.