| Who's sexier - Jennifer Lopez or Olive | | | | fish oil, and corn, soy, safflower and |
| Oyl from the old Popeye cartoons? Most | | | | sunflower oils are high in |
| people would emphatically reply, "J-Lo!" | | | | polyunsaturated fats. Dip your |
| Some of us are naturally endomorphs, and | | | | whole-grain bread from a local baker in |
| have difficulty losing weight. At the | | | | gourmet olive oil! Make a big, creamy |
| other end of the spectrum are | | | | batch of guacamole from hearty |
| ectomorphs, who are thin and actually | | | | avocados--throw in some chunks of tomato |
| have trouble gaining weight. Being | | | | and onion. These are delicious, healthy, |
| skinny can be emotionally difficult. | | | | high-calorie foods for weight gain! |
| That may be hard to believe, especially | | | | Avoid bad fats, as they instigate heart |
| for women, given our current | | | | disease and certain types of cancer. The |
| "thin-is-in" culture of beauty. Others | | | | bad guys are saturated fats and trans |
| who may want to gain weight include body | | | | fats. Saturated fats raise LDL and total |
| builders and those who are overcoming | | | | cholesterol; they're found primarily in |
| eating disorders. | | | | animal products, including meat, dairy |
| The idea behind gaining weight is not to | | | | and eggs. Trans fats come from |
| become obese of course - so fast food is | | | | hydrogenated oils. Scientists whip |
| definitely out of the question. That's | | | | hydrogen into any type of oil, even |
| because obesity is accompanied by | | | | originally healthy oils, to give |
| serious health risks such as heart | | | | processed foods a longer shelf life and |
| disease and diabetes. Rather, people who | | | | a creamier "mouth feel." French fries |
| want to gain weight need healthy | | | | and buns, stick margarine, vegetable |
| high-calorie foods for weight gain. The | | | | shortening and countless packaged foods |
| healthy way to gain weight naturally is | | | | contain partially hydrogenated oils. |
| with high-protein foods - which will | | | | Read the labels, and avoid them. |
| also build attractive, lean muscle. | | | | If you're going to eat animal products |
| The three primary nutrients for the | | | | occasionally, protect your health by |
| human body are protein, which supplies | | | | doing it the right way. If you want to |
| amino acids; fats, which supply fatty | | | | enjoy some red meat and dairy products |
| acids; and carbohydrates, which supply | | | | as part of your healthy plan to gain |
| glucose. These three primary nutrients | | | | weight, here are some tricks to keep bad |
| are also the foods to gain weight with! | | | | fats in check. Opt for meat and dairy |
| Here's a snapshot of how to optimize | | | | products that come from grass-fed |
| your diet with healthy high-calorie | | | | animals, preferably from local small |
| foods for weight gain. | | | | family farmers in your area. Now, |
| Protein should be the building block of | | | | organic and grass-fed meat is available |
| every meal and snack. Protein builds | | | | at most supermarkets. Not only are these |
| lean muscle. This does not mean | | | | products vastly superior in flavor, but |
| fast-food burgers! Be sure that your | | | | also contain more good fats, especially |
| protein sources are lean: chicken, fish, | | | | omega 3 fatty acids, than bad fats. They |
| or vegetarian alternatives such as beans | | | | also have conjugated lineolic acid, and |
| and tofu. Red meat and dairy products | | | | are high in beta-carotene. These |
| are not generally recommended because | | | | nutrients plummet in ordinary |
| they're high in saturated fat. However, | | | | mass-produced meat and dairy products, |
| there are healthy ways to eat red meat | | | | because the animals are fed corn, which |
| and dairy products, which we'll discuss | | | | is less expensive and makes animals |
| shortly. Your serving of protein should | | | | larger. You might also be shocked to |
| be the largest portion on your plate. | | | | learn that the animals are often fed |
| Lean protein snacks include hummus, | | | | truckloads of stale or ruined junk food |
| nuts, low-fat cheese and yogurt. | | | | such as snack cakes from bakery outlets |
| Enjoy hearty whole-grain carbohydrates. | | | | because it's so cheap. |
| This does not mean white, highly | | | | Another method you can use to supplement |
| processed carbs such as potato chips, | | | | healthy foods to gain weight is by |
| white bread and bagels! Think brown. | | | | focusing on anaerobic exercise rather |
| Whole-grain carbs include items such as | | | | than aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise |
| multi-grain crackers, whole wheat bread | | | | is moderate activity performed over an |
| and basmati rice. People who are | | | | extended period of time, such as running |
| watching their weight avoid highly | | | | and bicycling. Aerobic exercise burns |
| processed carbs and reduce their intake | | | | fat. However, if you're trying to gain |
| of whole-grain carbs to one or two | | | | weight, retain a little fat to sculpt |
| servings per day. Since your goal is to | | | | into lean, attractive muscle, and turn |
| gain weight, feel free to eat | | | | to anaerobic exercise. Anaerobic |
| whole-grain carbohydrates with every | | | | exercise is high-intensity with short |
| meal. Seven-grain crackers dipped in | | | | bursts of action, such as weight |
| hummus makes a hearty snack! | | | | lifting, sprinting and jumping. Weight |
| Eat at least five servings of fresh | | | | lifting is the perfect anaerobic |
| fruits and vegetables every day. You can | | | | exercise for someone who's trying to |
| boost your serving intake by also | | | | gain weight. Body builders use this type |
| drinking 100 percent natural fruit | | | | of anaerobic exercise to build muscle |
| juices. Also, be sure to add a fruit or | | | | mass, and non-endurance sports athletes |
| vegetable to every meal. We could change | | | | use it to build power. Weightlifting |
| that old saying "An apple a day keeps | | | | creates a hard body for men that women |
| the doctor away" to "Five servings a day | | | | love, and it sculpts those curves on |
| keeps sickness at bay!" | | | | women that men appreciate! Once you |
| Enjoy healthy fats. Fats encourage | | | | attain your desired weight, you can |
| nutrient absorption, facilitate nerve | | | | supplement anaerobic exercise with |
| transmission, and maintain cell | | | | aerobic exercise for overall |
| integrity. This does not mean eating | | | | cardiovascular health. |
| greasy french fries! Not all fats are | | | | In addition to these diet tips, you can |
| created equal. There are good fats and | | | | supplement your healthy diet with |
| bad fats. The good guys are | | | | protein supplements. It is often |
| monounsaturated and polyunsaturated | | | | difficult to eat enough protein each |
| fats. Monounsaturated fats lower LDL, or | | | | day, so supplementing with a soy or whey |
| bad, cholesterol and they also increase | | | | protein shake can help increase overall |
| HDL, or good cholesterol. Tasty examples | | | | intake. Everyone who is too skinny wants |
| are nut, canola and olive oils. | | | | to gain weight, look great, and build |
| Polyunsaturated fats lower LDL and total | | | | strength. Take the next step today, and |
| cholesterol, too. Those healthy omega 3 | | | | enjoy the benefits of a fit, healthy |
| fatty acids that you're always hearing | | | | body. |
| about are polyunsaturated fats. Salmon, | | | | |