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Gain Weight Healthily Using This Nutritious Plan

21st February 2022

21st February 2022

By Beth Shelper

If you’re underweight or are looking to gain weight; perhaps in the wake of an upcoming competition, perhaps to make a certain weight category, this is the article for you.

Whilst many people turn to a fitness journey to lose weight, tone up or increase their stamina, many also look to alter their diet and lifestyle in order to gain weight healthily. It’s important to make sure you’re at a healthy weight to maintain a strong immune system to ensure that you can fight off any infections and maximise your performance both physically and mentally.

If you’re embarking on a weight gain journey, we’re sure that you have a lot of very valid questions circling round your mind, such as “how long does it take to gain weight?”, “how many calories do I need to gain weight” or maybe even perhaps “how can I gain weight healthily?”.  If that sounds familiar, we’ve got all the information you need to help you on your weight gain journey.

How to gain weight healthily

Here at Innermost, when members of our community approach us with a particular fitness goal, our main concern is ensuring that the methods you employ to reach this goal is healthy – and when gaining weight, that goal is no different.

Gaining weight healthily is all about tailoring your diet and lifestyle to maximise your potential in this area. We’re talking a tailored diet plan, nutritious food groups to target, and of course, a good exercise routine.

Some people may be fooled by the idea that you’d want to avoid exercise when trying to gain weight – and we can of course forgive you for thinking this. The reality is, in fact, that partaking in regular exercise, particularly weight and strength training, is a vital area of weight gain and a real area of focus when it comes to gaining weight healthily.

Our top tips: here’s how-to put-on weight

There are a range of ways to put on weight, but if you follow the below tips and tricks and implement these into your lifestyle, you’ll definitely start to see a difference.

  • Eat more frequently (and don’t forget to snack!)
  • Don’t forget to exercise
  • Introduce smoothies and shakes to your diet
  • Include strength training to your routine
  • Ensure you’re getting the right nutrients in your diet

Is protein good for weight gain?

Absolutely. Protein is potentially the most important nutrient that you need to be getting into your diet if healthy weight gain is your goal. We’re talking meats, eggs, legumes, fruits, vegetables, and all those other goodies. You might be surprised to hear that baked beans are a really great source of protein, too!

What are the best foods for healthy weight gain?

There are a range of healthy foods you should be including in your diet to maximise your potential when it comes to gaining weight healthily.

To guide you on your journey, we’ve listed some of our favourite examples below:

  • Nuts, legumes and seeds
  • Cheese and dairy products
  • Peanut butter
  • Dried fruits
  • Avocados (these are a great source of healthy fats)
  • Portions of lean meat
  • Cows milk
  • Fish and seafood
  • Eggs
  • Smoothies

And at last, but by no means least… protein shakes. If you're not already including a high quality protein powder into your diet, now is the time to start. That’s where The Strong Protein comes in.

The aim of the game here is to up your intake of healthy calories. Whilst you may think that high-carb, high-sugar foods and snacks are the way to go, remember, we want to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle. So, whilst you can still eat these food types in moderation, remember that these types of foods are still bad for you, and whilst they will inevitably make you put on weight, that’s not a healthy way to do so.

How long does it take to gain weight?

This question is one that we can’t really answer, and it’s important not to become discouraged if others are seeing results quicker than you are. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. There is no real way to gain weight healthily if your primary goal is to gain weight fast.

Our advice here is to gradually start adding additional calories to your day, with a good ball-park being around 500 extra. Again, whilst everyone is different, implementing this extra amount daily can amount to someone gaining up to nearly 7kg within 6 months, which is a great rate of growth.

Summary

Whatever your fitness goal, there is always a solution, plan and strategy that can be put in place to help you get there.

That being said, If you feel like you are struggling with your weight, your relationship between your weight, or that with food, please know that you are not alone. There are a range of organisations and charities that you can get in touch with to assist you with this, and it’s a lot more common than you think.

You can find help with weight gain, weight management and more from the following organisations:

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Let's talk about gut health tests – you know, those trendy kits that promise to analyze the bacteria in your gut and give you ALL the answers. Seems like everywhere you turn these days, someone's pushing them on you, asking you to mail off your poo for a pricey test. I teamed up with one of Innermost's resident nutritionists, Sophie Gastman, to dig into the truth behind these tests First things first, what are gut health tests? Essentially, they’re marketed as a way to assess the balance of bacteria in your gut. All you have to do is collect a stool sample, ship it off, and wait for your results to roll in. Companies who offer these tests will most likely offer to sell you a ‘'personalised’' probiotic or prebiotic based on your results, along with some ‘'personalised'’ (but what definitely looks like generic) dietary and lifestyle recommendations. It all sounds simple enough, but here's where things get murky. Sophie has been looking into the validity of these tests, and she’s a bit skeptical.  "HERE'S WHY" Accuracy: These tests only give you a snapshot of your gut microbiome at one point in time. Your gut bacteria can change in as little as 24 hours based on what you eat and how you live, so by the time you get your results, they might already be outdated. Plus, different methods to study the same samples can also give wildly different results. So, if you sent your sample off to two different companies, one might say you have a lot of one type of bacteria, while the other says it’s barely there. Lack of Evidence: Despite years of research, we're still in the dark about which gut microbes are linked to specific health outcomes. So, any test claiming to have all the answers is just too good to be true. For example, scientific studies suggest that knowing what’s in your gut might not actually help with understanding or treating diseases like IBS. Lack of Actionable Insights: Even if these tests could accurately assess your gut, the recommendations they provide are often based on shaky science. Plus, they're so complex that even the experts struggle to make sense of them. Lack of Knowledge: Let's face it, most of us aren't microbiologists. So when these tests dump a ton of complicated info in our laps, it's more likely to leave us scratching our heads than feeling empowered. To make matters worse, these tests can cost a lot of money. We think rather than blowing your hard-earned cash on a gut health test, why not focus on some tried-and-true strategies to support your gut? Cue Sophie with her top six tips to better gut health Diet: Fill your plate with a rainbow of fruits, veggies, whole grains, and legumes to keep your gut happy. Aim for 30 plant points a week (a point for every new plant you eat) - this number seems to be the sweet spot for making the most difference to your gut health. Chill: Stress can wreak havoc on your gut, so find ways to unwind, whether it's through meditation, exercise, or just shooting the breeze with a friend. Hydrate: Keep the water flowing to keep things moving smoothly in your digestive system. Sleep: A good night's sleep does wonders for your gut, so aim for 7-9 hours of shut-eye each night. Ferment: Add some fermented foods like yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut to your diet for a boost of gut-friendly probiotics. Supplement: Innermost's The Digest Capsules contain prebiotics and probiotics to keep your gut bacteria thriving, along with digestive enzymes and ginger. Combine them with all the points mentioned above to help your gut bacteria thrive. So there you have it – supporting your gut health doesn't have to be complicated or break the bank. Just focus on the basics and make some small lifestyle tweaks, and you’ll be well on your way to a healthier gut for a fraction of the price, and without the need to mail your poo off to some complete stranger. Read more
The Real Deal on Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs)
Imagine a gadget that gives you real-time insights into how your body reacts to every meal, promising to boost your athletic performance and improve your eating habits. Sounds amazing, right? But is there enough scientific research to back these claims? I recently sat down with one of Innermost's resident nutritionists, Isabelle Spellissy, to cut through the hype and see what CGMs are really all about and what they’ve actually been proven to achieve.  "What Are CGMs?" Continuous Glucose Monitors track your blood sugar levels around the clock. They use a small sensor typically attached to your arm, and allow you to check your glucose levels on your phone. This tech provides info on how your glucose levels fluctuate based on what you eat, your exercise routines, stress, and sleep patterns.For diabetics, CGMs are a game-changer, helping them maintain their glucose levels within a target range and improving their health outcomes. But now, manufacturers are marketing CGMs to everyone, not just diabetics, with promises of optimising blood sugar for peak physical and mental performance. This trend, pushed by personalised nutrition companies, has sparked a surge in interest from non-diabetics who are eager to try them out. "The Promises of CGMs" For those without diabetes, CGMs are touted with several shiny benefits, all aimed at boosting health, wellness, and performance: Metabolic Health Monitoring: Get a grip on how food, exercise, and lifestyle choices impact your glucose levels. Nutritional Guidance: See how different foods affect you, helping you choose meals that keep your blood sugar stable. Stress and Sleep Insights: Understand how stress and sleep affect your glucose levels, helping you manage both better. Early Detection of Insulin Sensitivity Issues: Spot early signs of insulin resistance or prediabetes, giving you a chance to make changes before it’s too late. 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Instead of parting with your hard earned cash and jumping on the CGM bandwagon, here are some proven alternative strategies to boost your health: Dietary Modifications: Eat whole, nutrient-rich foods. Balance your meals with carbs, proteins, and fats to maintain steady energy levels. Meal Routine and Portion Control: Stick to a meal schedule and watch your portion sizes to avoid energy crashes. Keep Tracking: Use a food journal or app to track what you eat and how it affects you. This can help to make informed choices about your food intake and adjust as needed. Regular Exercise: Mix in cardio, strength training, and flexibility exercises to improve your fitness and mood. Gut Health: Eat fiber-rich and fermented foods to support your gut. Consider prebiotics and probiotics for an extra boost. Feel free to check out The Digest Capsules. Hydration: Drink plenty of water. Proper hydration is essential for overall health, energy levels, cognitive function, and athletic performance. We’ve got something coming soon that could help with that. Watch this space. By focusing on these holistic lifestyle changes, you can enhance your diet, performance, gut health, mood, and stress levels without needing a CGM. To wrap it up, the buzz around CGMs for non-diabetics is growing, and we might see more benefits and guidelines with further research. But for now, if you’re living a healthy lifestyle, you probably don’t need one of these gadgets. Some people are excited about their potential, but it’s best to approach CGMs cautiously and consult healthcare professionals to make sure you’re using them safely and effectively. Stay smart and keep it simple. References: Beck, R. W., Riddlesworth, T., Ruedy, K., Ahmann, A., Haller, S., Kruger, D. F., ... & Bergenstal, R. M. (2017). Continuous glucose monitoring versus usual care in patients with type 2 diabetes receiving multiple daily insulin injections: a randomized trial. Annals of Internal Medicine, 167(6), 365-374. Basu, A., Dube, S., & Basu, R. (2019). Continuous glucose monitoring: a powerful tool for the non-diabetic population. Expert Review of Medical Devices, 16(11), 903-913. Pettus, J. H., Edelman, S. V., & Price, D. A. (2020). How Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Use Continuous Glucose Monitoring Data and Make Insulin Dosing Decisions. Endocrine Practice, 26(6), 625-630. Read more