How to Gain Weight Fast (for Men)

Co-authored by Claudia Carberry, RD, MS

Lots of people struggle to lose weight, but gaining weight can also be a challenge. The key to gaining weight fast is eating more every day and sticking to a workout routine. By being persistent and committed, you can achieve your weight goals and improve your self-confidence.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Eating to Gain Weight

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Eat more than three meals a day. If you naturally have a really fast metabolism, eating three meals a day, no matter what’s in them, isn’t going to help you bulk up.^{[1]
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Research source} Your body burns calories fast, so you need to feed it more than it can use up right away. That means eating not just when you’re hungry, but throughout the day. Aim to eat five meals a day to gain weight.
- Don’t wait until your stomach starts to growl to eat. Plan out five meals so you never have time to get hungry.
- Eating this much can take a lot of effort, since you need to stock up on enough food to feed yourself more often. Pack calorie-rich snacks you can eat on the go, like bananas and peanut butter or dense granola bars.
2
Eat plenty of calories at every meal. Eating five small, low-calorie meals isn’t going to cut it; they’ve got to be big and rich in calories. Load up on a restaurant-sized meal each time, with big portions of meat, vegetables, and a carbohydrate. Eating this much might not exactly feel comfortable, but it’s the best way to gain weight fast.^{[2]
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Research source}
- A large enough breakfast might consist of a three-egg omelet, two slices of bacon or sausage, a cup of roasted breakfast potatoes and a glass of orange juice.
- For lunch, try a fully dressed turkey club on whole wheat bread, two bananas, and a salad.
- Dinner could be a grilled steak, loaded baked potato and a few cups of grilled veggies.
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Stick to whole foods loaded with nutrients. To gain healthy weight, eat food that’s nutrient-rich and nourishing.^{[3]
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Research source} While you could easily gain weight by drinking sugary sodas and eating large pizzas every day, this can wreck your metabolism and cause you to gain fat instead of muscle. When you’re choosing food to eat, try the following:
- Look for foods that are relatively unprocessed. For example, choose old-fashioned oatmeal instead of instant, and go for fresh chicken as opposed to processed lunch meat.
- Cook as many meals from scratch as you can. Avoid getting frozen dinners, fast food and snack foods, which contain a lot of salt, sugar and other fillers that aren’t nutritious.
4
Focus on protein, fats, and carbohydrates. These are the three macronutrients that will help you gain weight, and you need plenty of each of them to stay healthy. Focus on incorporating protein, fats, and carbohydrates into every meal you eat so your diet stays balanced. Here are some examples of good choices in each category:
- Proteins: eggs, salmon, tuna, and other fish; pork roast, pork chops, and ham; chicken breasts and thighs; lean beef burgers and steaks; and bison.
- Fats: olive oil, safflower oil, canola oil, coconut oil, and grapeseed oil; avocados, walnuts, almonds, flaxseeds.
- Carbohydrates: fruits and vegetables; beans, lentils, peas; brown rice, whole grain bread, whole grain pasta, and other whole-grain products; and honey.
5
Make sure you drink plenty of water. Water will help your body process the extra protein and calories you’re taking in. Drink several glasses with every meal to avoid getting dehydrated. Since you’ll be exercising more to gain mass, aim to drink 10 glasses of water every day.
- You can also drink unsweetened tea, 4 to 8 ounces of fruit juice, flavored water, and other healthy beverages.
- Avoid drinking Gatorade and other sports drinks in excessive amounts, since they contain a lot of sugar.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Building Muscle Mass

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Focus on weight training. Bodybuilders know that the way to get bigger is through weight training. It’s a form of exercise designed to make muscles larger and stronger.^{[4]
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Research source} You can practice weight training at a gym or get the equipment you need to do it at home. Since this is an integral part of gaining weight, make plans to do it several times a week.
- If you don’t want to pay to join a gym, see if you can obtain a barbell and a set of weights so you can work out at home.
- You can also try resistance exercises, which work your muscles without using weights. Push-ups are an easy way to get started right away. You can also install a pull-up bar in a doorway so you can work out your arms and chest.
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Work out different muscle groups. There may be one part of your body you want to bulk up, but you’ll benefit from working all of your muscle groups instead of just one area. Spend equal time working out your arms, back, chest, abdomen, and legs.^{[5]
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Research source} Rather than working out all of the muscle groups on the same day, rotate between them so each group gets a chance to rest in between sessions.
- Plan out your week so you’re able to target each muscle group evenly. For example, you might want to work out your arms and chest one day, focus on your legs and abs the next day, then do your back and chest the third day.
- Work with a personal trainer to come up with a schedule and exercise plan that meets your needs.
3
Exercise to build muscle without causing injury. Muscle mass is built when you put stress on the fibers in your muscle tissue by pushing them past their everyday limit. This is done by lifting enough weight and doing enough repetitions to make your muscles feel tired and sore, but not so painful that you injure yourself. Find the right weight for any given exercise by figuring out how much you can lift for eight to 10 reps before you have to stop. If you can easily do more than 10 reps, add more weight. If you have to stop after 5, subtract some weight.
- Compound exercises are your friend. Concentrate on complex, compound exercises that recruit as many muscles as possible: bench presses, dumbbell presses, squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, chin-ups, and dips.
- It doesn’t matter if you can only bench press 10 lb dumbbells right now. Wherever you’re starting out, concentrate on being stronger each and every time you exercise. Push yourself, get stronger, lift more, and before you know it you’ll be ripped.
- When exercising, keep your rest between sets to a minute or less, and don’t do more than 12 reps in a set.
4
Have a protein shake immediately after each workout. According to a study carried out at the University of Birmingham, energy shakes will help you improve your endurance while exercising. Have a banana, a handful of dried fruit or a sports energy shake immediately after you work out.
- You can include shakes at other times during the day as well. For example, you could have a Boost or Ensure meal replacement shake along with your breakfast. Or, you can make yourself a protein smoothie with some whole milk, a banana, and a scoop of protein powder.
- Fortifying meals in other ways may also help you to gain weight. For example, you can include high fat, high calorie, or high protein add-ins in your diet, like cheese, whole milk, full-fat sour cream, and avocado.
5
Rest up. Let your muscles rest between exercise sessions. This is an important way to help your muscles get bigger and stronger. Your muscles rebuild during your days off, so never exercise the same muscle before it’s ready, and never exercise the same muscle group two days in a row. Wait at least 48 hours before working the same muscle again.
- In addition, it’s important to get eight to nine hours of sleep every night for maximum gains. If you are only getting six hours or less, you’re not going to get all the benefits of your exercising and diet.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Knowing What to Avoid

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Don’t get stuck in a rut. Your body has the ability to adapt quickly, so if you don’t alter your exercise routine occasionally, you will hit a plateau. Once a week, change up your routine. You can increase or decrease the number of reps or sets, or simply change the order in which you normally do your routines.
2
Limit cardio sessions. When you run, bike, swim and do other cardio exercises, you’re using up energy that could be instead funneled toward muscle growth.^{[6]
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Research source} Limit your cardio to 20 to 30 minutes daily when you’re trying to gain weight. You can also choose lower-intensity exercises like walking, hiking or short bike rides in flat areas.
3
Move around instead of being sedentary. There’s another method for gaining weight fast: eating whatever you want and moving as little as possible. However, gaining weight this way isn’t likely to give you the appearance you want, and it will make your body weaker instead of stronger. Putting in the hard work to gain weight by building muscle will result in improved health and a built appearance.
4
Don’t ignore signs you’re gaining too fast or training too hard. In your eagerness to gain weight as soon as possible, you might be putting a lot of stress on your body. You shouldn’t feel exhausted and sore all the time. In fact, your improved diet and workout routine should help you feel more virile than ever before. If your body seems to be telling you that something’s wrong, listen to it.
- Consider hiring a personal trainer. Within a few sessions, you'll have a great idea of scheduling, form, intensity, and duration of workouts and excellent insight into tweaking your diet.
- Ask your physician before taking any supplements, and see a doctor right away if you experience an injury during a workout.

Expert Q&A

Question

I am tall and thin and I feel hungry about 30 minutes after eating no matter how much I eat! What can I do?

Claudia Carberry, RD, MS
Master's Degree, Nutrition, University of Tennessee Knoxville
Claudia Carberry is a Registered Dietitian specializing in kidney transplants and counseling patients for weight loss at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. She is a member of the Arkansas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Claudia received her MS in Nutrition from the University of Tennessee Knoxville in 2010.

Claudia Carberry, RD, MS

Master's Degree, Nutrition, University of Tennessee Knoxville

Expert Answer

First, make sure you are eating enough at your meals. If you are still hungry in 30 minutes, you may not have had enough protein and fiber at your last meal.
Question

I am eating five meals per a day, but I am losing weight. What is happening?

Claudia Carberry, RD, MS
Master's Degree, Nutrition, University of Tennessee Knoxville
Claudia Carberry is a Registered Dietitian specializing in kidney transplants and counseling patients for weight loss at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. She is a member of the Arkansas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Claudia received her MS in Nutrition from the University of Tennessee Knoxville in 2010.

Claudia Carberry, RD, MS

Master's Degree, Nutrition, University of Tennessee Knoxville

Expert Answer

If you are eating five meals per day and still losing weight, make an appointment to see your doctor. This may be a sign of an underlying condition. He/she may refer you to see a registered dietitian for closer monitoring.

Warnings

If your goal for weight gain is to combat weight unintended weight loss, then seek professional guidance from a doctor and registered dietitian, especially if you are over the age of 65. Unintended weight loss can be detrimental to your health, so it is crucial to tell your doctor about it.

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Consult your doctor before initiating significant changes in your diet or exercise routine.

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