Nutrition Strategies for Weight Gain

It is not uncommon for competitive athletes to struggle with gaining weight and increasing muscle mass. Often athletes are unaware of how many calories they are burning through both structured physical activity and everyday living. If you find yourself having a difficult time putting on weight, the tips below for adding healthy calories to your day can help support your weight gain goals.

• Eat on Schedule – Just as a competitive athlete has a detailed schedule for practice, lifting weights, and cardio activity – it is important to create a scheduled routine for eating. Plan ahead to allow for three meals and several snacks throughout the day. Make sure you stick to your plan on the weekends – sleeping in and skipping breakfast on the weekend is an easy way to miss out on important nutrition to fuel your day.
• Drink beverages with your meals that contain calories – whole milk or 100% fruit juice are both great choices. To avoid filling up on the beverage, eat your meal first and then consume your beverage. Drinking nutritious beverages with your meals is a simple way to add vitamins, minerals, and calories to your daily intake.
• Choose calorie dense foods and spreads – granola, nuts, nut butters, trail mix, avocados, mayonnaise, and salad dressing are all easy ways to add extra calories to your day without filling you up.
• View snacks as an important part of your performance meal plan – aim to include a snack between each meal and before bed. Make sure each snack contains a good source of protein and food from at least one other food group (i.e. apple + peanut butter; hummus + pita chips).
• Don’t neglect recovery nutrition following a workout – include a post-workout snack that contains carbohydrates to replenish your glycogen stores, protein to build and repair muscles, and fluid to rehydrate. A post-workout snack is especially important if it is going to be more than an hour after your workout until your next meal. For more information on recovery nutrition, read my recent blog post:?Recovery Nutrition
• Pack Your Snacks – Don’t let lack of food be an excuse for not eating; pack snacks in your gym bag, locker, the glove box of you car, and desk drawers. Having the right food available at the right time can help keep you on track with your sports nutrition meal plan.
• End the day with a high protein bed-time snack containing 40-50 grams of protein. Try to consume this within the hour before bed, as this will provide your muscles with the fuel needed to promote recovery during the night.

Remember – a quality sports nutrition meal plan is only half of the equation when it comes to building muscle mass. Make sure to complement your sports nutrition plan with a well-planned strength training program – eating right provides the fuel and the strength training program provides the stimulus for muscle growth.

For a customized sports nutrition meal plan meet with a Registered Dietitian to help develop an eating routine to meet your specific needs.