Here are some useful tips for skinny guys to put on more weight:

How to Gain Weight

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Photo: Stay Super Fit

This section will provide you with a step by step process on how to gain weight in a healthy manner. If you have any questions regarding diet and nutrition, please don't hesitate to leave them in the comments section below.

Step 1 - Analysis of Your Existing Diet

This is an essential step of the process, so do not skip it, and guess at your average calorie intake.

The truth is this...most skinny guys think they are eating enough food, but when you ask them to tell you how many calories they are eating on a daily basis, they aren't certain. This uncertainty is a major part of the problem.

If you can't gain weight, something must be done. You need to take control over the situation, learn what you are eating, make necessary changes, and set a minimum daily calorie goal.

Obviously, the second option is our only option. So, with that said, let's get started.

Grab a notebook, computer, an iPad, iPod or phone. You will need to write down everything you eat and drink this week - no exceptions. If you are not sure of the exact quantities, notate things in a manner that makes sense to you.

Next, head over to Calorie King and calculate how many calories you've eaten this week. Some of this will be guess work, but that's part of the learning process. Don't fret if you feel like this may not yield 100% accuracy. That's not the point. The point is to start learning about foods, their calorie content, etc.

Now, calculate a daily average. How many calories are you eating per day? 2,200? 2,500? Is this number lower or higher than you expected?

Step 2 - Make Dietary Adjustments

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Photo: Nutrionist Resource

It's time to structure some form of eating plan, and add calories. Use this as a starting point:

  • Calories. Add 500 daily calories to the average you calculated above.
  • Protein. Make sure you are eating at least 180 grams of protein per day.
  • Fats. Make sure at least 20% of your daily calorie intake comes from healthy fats.
  • Carbs. With your protein and fats in place, fill in the rest of your daily calorie intake with quality carbs - fruits, veggies, grains, etc.

It is certainly ok to eat more than 180 grams of protein per day. While studies indicate you may only need 150 grams per day for muscle growth, you have to consider the reality that you are currently underweight, and your body may gain muscle at a relatively rapid pace. Because of this, it's better to eat a little more daily protein, rather than a little less.

High protein intake is perfectly safe to those of you without pre-existing kidney issues. Eating more protein can also help to balance out your eating plan, so that you don't have to be so carb reliant. It can be hard to force feed yourself heavy carb meals when you aren't feeling overly hungry, according to muscleandstrength.

The recommended 20% fat intake should also be considered a minimum. Fat is calorie dense, holding 9 calories per gram, compared to proteins and carbs which only have 4 calories per gram. What does this mean? It's easier to get in your daily calories if you increase your fat intake. You won't feel as full, because fats are more calorie dense.

If you are having a hard time enough enough food, you may want to increase your fat intake as high as 40% daily. This will make reaching your daily calorie goals much easier.

Step 3 - Weight Gaining Goals

Aim for about a 2 pounds per month. Some will consider this rate "slow", but it does add up to nearly a 25 pound bodyweight gain over the course of a year, and almost 50 pounds in 2 years.

If you follow this approach, and work hard to get a lot stronger than you are now using the workout plan below, your weight gain will be a quality weight gain. You will build a lot of muscle mass, and look great after 2 years.

Some of you may prefer to gain weight more rapidly than this. While more rapid weight gain can work for some, usually it's a recipe for fat gain. The human body can only add so much muscle mass per day, week and month. The faster (more aggressive) you push your weight gain, the more likely you are to accrue a higher body fat percentage.

Follow this instructions to gain muscles

Tip 1: Eat More Meals

This one can make a HUGE difference for you. Eating 6 smaller meals of 500 calories and 25 grams of protein a day is far EASIER to accomplish that eating 3 large 1,000 calorie 50 grams of protein meals from a hunger and getting full standpoint. Eating small meals takes more structure and planning, but it is easier to eat more frequently, than to feel like you are force feeding yourself three times a day. Trying to eat big meals can be such a grind when your appetite is satisfied and you feel stuffed. Small meals are easier to digest and don’t take as long.

Tip 2: Drink Shakes

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Photo: Healthline

Drinking high calorie-high protein shakes, can be a game changer when you are struggling to eat the right number of calories. If your goal were to eat six 500-calorie meals each containing 25 grams of protein, you could significantly LOWER this number by drinking one shake in between meals and another before bed. If you had two shakes a day with each of them containing 250-calories and 25 grams of protein, now your six meals only need to contain roughly 415 calories and 16 grams of protein. This makes things MUCH easier.

Tip 3: Eat Foods That are Easily Digested

Stay away from foods that make you feel bloated, stuffed or that kill your appetite for hours. One of the worst feelings in the world is to feel stuffed and bloated from a previous meal while trying to eat your next. Force feeding yourself is not a healthy eating practice, and no one lasts long doing this.

Foods that skinny ectomorphs should probably stay away from due to bloat and digestion include greasy fast food, fried foods, gluten containing grains, candy, and heavily processed foods. Foods that tend to be easy to digest that allow you to eat again later include white rice, fruit, natural meats and fowl, eggs, dairy (if you are dairy tolerant), nuts and starchy veggies.

Tip 4: Always Have High Calorie and High Protein Snacks Around

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Photo: Medical News Today

During this mass gaining process, you will inevitably be caught in a situation where food or optimal food is not available. Maybe you are out with your friends or you are in class. Skipping a meal can make catching up extremely difficult. Therefore, I always recommend that you have easy to eat snacks for quick calories and protein in stock or on you. My favorites are nuts, beef jerky and dried fruit. Those three things give you the fats, proteins and carbs you need to pack on some size, cites mindpumpmedia.

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