What should I eat to gain weight healthily?

People are often concerned about their weight gain, but it can also be the other way around. What should you eat in case of losing unwanted weight to gain weight again?

“I am losing weight quickly, especially during stressful periods, when kilograms fly by unintentionally,” one woman writes. It is not easy for her to reach. What can she eat to gain and maintain her weight responsibly?

Those who want to gain weight eat more calories. You can do this by eating junk food every day, but the question is whether that also makes you feel better. According to nutritionist Carlijn Appel, tipping the scales can also be done in a healthy way. She says that gaining weight can be more difficult than losing weight. Stress or a decreased appetite due to illness are factors that you often have little influence over. “Eating against your will often makes it difficult.”

In recent years, Abel has noticed an increase in people who have lost an unwanted amount of weight due to stress. “They don’t lose weight because of illness. That’s why they aren’t referred quickly by their GP to a dietitian and research it themselves. They are often told, ‘You should be happy,’ when weight loss may be undesirable.” For this growing and research group wanting to gain weight the healthy way – “You quickly come across bodybuilding diets online anyway” – Appel has created the online knowledge base ikwilaankomen.nl on me.

One slice of filling becomes two packages

As a starting step, she recommends looking at what you’re actually eating. “Use that as a rule. Then eat more of everything.” One slice of filling becomes two slices. The meal does not necessarily have to be much larger than that. “It’s a matter of enriching your food with products that contain a lot of calories.” For this, it is best to eat products that contain healthy, unsaturated fats: they contain the most calories, says Appel. Nuts, seeds, avocados, oily fish and olive oil, for example, contain a lot of unsaturated fats. Also choose full-fat dairy products, such as Greek yogurt or full-fat cheese. Abel compares it to lunch at a restaurant. “If you order a sandwich there, you usually get a sandwich with anything and everything on it. Try adding more toppings at home to add extra calories, like nuts in the yogurt or avocado in the sandwich.”

Appel recommends that people prone to weight loss eat six small meals a day. “With only three meals, you can hardly add more calories. So, build in more snack moments. For example, have a couple of crackers with cheese and an egg, a handful of nuts or a smoothie with whole dairy in between.”

If weight loss is associated with appetite issues, Appel advises eating meat, fish, or pasta first, and then vegetables. Vegetables are filling and provide few calories. “If you do this temporarily, you don’t have to worry about getting too few vitamins and minerals. These deficiencies don’t increase so quickly, and if necessary you can take a multivitamin. Being underweight is less healthy than a temporary decrease in vitamins and minerals.”

In addition, do not drink during meals, as it makes you feel full. If weight loss is due to stress, you should also see if you can address the cause and make sure you relax during meals.