How to Gain Weight Naturally (A Step-by-Step Guide)
No one ever talks about weight gain in a positive light unless you’re a man trying to put on muscle. It seems to go against what society had been pushing out for so long which is: Thin is in. Up until recently that is.
Ironically my entire life I’ve wanted to get bigger, not thinner, no matter how envied I was for my size.
I wasn’t lucky enough for puberty to help me out. Up until my 23rd birthday I’d been a slim girl averaging around 110 pounds.
But…
In spite of all of that I still managed to not only gain weight but a full 30lbs of mainly muscle (and it does not make me look manly).
The process took tons of research and a lot of trial and error. Most importantly it took me realizing that there is no secret to gaining weight.
I repeat.
There is no secret to gaining weight.
No matter how many ads, syrups, or pills you see online there is nothing that will MAKE you gain weight.
It’s all up to you.
Related posts on gaining weight:
- The Best Weight Gain Tips for Skinny Girls
- Foods I Ate to Gain Weight Naturally in One Year
- 5 Things No One Tells You About Gaining Weight
- 3 Secrets to Gain Healthy Weight Without the Gym
- Everything I Learned On My Weight Gain Journey
To gain weight it takes time, effort and a caloric surplus. Once I had an understanding of that I was able to put in the effort I needed to gain 30 pounds in less than a year, and I did it all naturally. So yes, it’s possible to grow your glutes ladies! You just need the right plan and you need to push yourself to PUT IN THE WORK.
And even though there’s no secret to gaining weight, there are steps that should be followed and taken into consideration when trying to gain weight. Especially if you’re looking to gain muscle, not fat, to have some really nice curves.
(If you are underweight, please consult with a physician to establish a plan to get you to a healthy weight before applying any steps mentioned here. Although I am a certified personal trainer, I am not a doctor and this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.)
How to Gain Weight Naturally
(This post may contain affiliate links to products that I truly recommend, at no extra costs to you, if you decide you’re interested in anything mentioned. Feel free to check out the disclosure for more info.)
Step 1: Research
I don’t know how many times that I’ve had women ask me how to gain weight and this is one of the first things I tell them. In order to do anything and do it right you have to learn about it. Either that or hire someone to teach you. But if you want to do this on your own then here is what you need.
Choose a Training Style.
When I decided to gain weight I knew I didn’t want to just put on fat because who knows where it would go? My stomach? My arms? If I was lucky it would go to my butt but my genetics doesn’t work like that. I needed to build some muscle. So the first thing I did was figure out what type of training style I wanted to start with.
There are plenty to choose from but the ones that focus on growing muscle size are bodybuilding, powerlifting, crossfit, and calisthenics.
Each training style has their pros and cons so I picked the one that best suited my needs and interests which was bodybuilding. It sounds a lot scarier than what it is, so I’ll explain it a little more.
Bodybuilding focuses a lot on aesthetics aka how you look. And I knew that I specifically wanted to focus on not only getting stronger but aesthetics as well (especially building the glutes) so this type of training style was the best choice for me.
Powerlifting focuses primarily on strength and heavy lifting, and not on looks. Since the lifters are focused solely on strength, most of them aren’t concerned about a little extra body fat.
And calisthenics is all about using just your bodyweight to build strength, control, and mobility. People who do calisthenics tend to look a lot leaner than most bodybuilders and powerlifters.
If you’re interested in some of the other training styles definitely look into them. I personally enjoy different parts of all of the training styles mentioned. And they all work well. It just depends on what you like best.
Create a structured workout plan.
Once I decided on my training style I knew I had to come up with a proper workout plan.
Side Note: Because I chose bodybuilding, this is the route I took for that training style. If you chose a different style, it’s all good, just come up with a workout plan that fits that training style. Okay, moving on.
Well I did a lot of research but most of the stuff I found came from bodybuilding websites geared towards men. At the time, I didn’t know any better about the way the female body works versus the male body so the first routine I came up with looked something like this:
Push Day – Chest, Triceps, and Shoulders
Leg Day – All of My Leg Muscles
Pull Day – Back and Biceps
Rest Day then repeat
Later I figured out that this routine wasn’t the best for me because I had 2 arm days and one leg day. My arms were growing faster than my legs and I was becoming top heavy so I switched my plan. Trial and error right?
All of us females want to look thick but definitely not because we have a big upper body. We all know it’s about that glute and leg growth. So I switched my routine to something more similar to the routine I use most often and that is:
Leg Day – Quad and Glute focused
Upper Body – Chest, Triceps, Shoulders
Leg Day – Glute and Hamstring focused
Upper Body – Back, Biceps, Abs
Leg day – Glutes only
This meant I would work out 5 days a week and take 2 days to rest and recover. I worked out Monday through Friday and relaxed on Saturday and Sunday.
This worked well for me since I was determined to make this a lifestyle change and not just something I did for a few weeks. And it was convenient because I could go to the gym right after work, and on the weekends I could still hang out with friends.
Find Exercises that Work Certain Body Parts.
Okay so I had my routine. I knew what days I wanted to workout. But I still had to figure out exactly what I was supposed to be doing once I walked in the gym. I needed a game plan. Otherwise I’d be walking around aimlessly try to figure out what I wanted to do. And that just wastes time.
Related Posts on the Gym:
- The Complete Beginner’s Guide To The Gym
- 12 Beginner Fitness Tips to Help You Reach Your Body Goals
- The Best Leg Day Exercises for Thick Thighs
So I took the time (a lot of time) to figure out which exercises I wanted to do and which days I wanted to do them. I also decided on the sets and reps for each one. That way, when I got in the gym I knew exactly what I was going to do that day.
If someone was already using the equipment that I needed, I would just do a different exercise on my list for that day or substitute it for a different variation of the exercise.
And if I tried out an exercise and it wasn’t working for me or if I couldn’t do it with proper form, I would switch it out for something else that worked the same muscle. For example, if I was having an issue with squatting because of my knees I would substitute it for the leg press since it’s less pressure on the knees and lower back. Form is so important. And if your form isn’t correct when doing the exercise it’s not going to give you the results that you’re looking for. Or you might pull a muscle. So it’s better to find an alternative.
I was meticulous with my workout plan so I could be sure that I’d see the results I wanted. And eventually I put together a full body workout plan much like the full body workout program I have on this site. It was the best thing I could’ve done because it was something I could stick with and consistently see results.
I made sure that I didn’t leave the gym until every exercise that I had written for that day, or some variation of it, was complete.
Here is an actual photo of what my workouts looked like when I started in January 2017. And this was after all of my research on all of those gym bro websites. There wasn’t much to it and I was working my upper body way more than I was working my lower body:
Now here is a picture of one of my leg workouts about 3 months later. It was much more specific and detailed. I made sure to get my body warmed up doing 5 minutes of cardio before exercising. And I made sure to use glute activation ( gotta wake up those cheeks!) before my lifts:
I figured out what worked for me to get me the best possible results in the least amount of time. It’s so important not to jump on the bandwagon of what is popular, just because it’s popular. Make sure what you’re doing actually works for you. And don’t think that the complicated looking exercises are the one’s that work better. When in reality, the simple compound exercises that work more than one muscle at a time are the exercises that help overall growth.
Figure Out your Necessary Calorie Intake.
Everyone’s different. The amount of food that one person might need for their goals can be completely different from the next person even if that person is the same weight and height. So I had to calculate what my caloric intake needed to be to see the results that I wanted.
If you want to gain weight you need to be in a caloric surplus. I always say the simplest way to calculate a caloric surplus is:
your current weight x 20 = your caloric surplus
Realistically speaking, that formula is a rough estimate because it leaves out a lot of variables such as how much weight you’re trying to gain, how quickly you’re trying to gain it, how often you workout, for how long, your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), etc. But it works in a pinch if you don’t feel like calculating all of that.
However, I wanted to be as accurate as possible. Instead of using that formula I found a macro calculator online and came up with my caloric intake and my macros (not that I focused on counting my macros). A really good one that I use all the time is the macro calculator created by Katy Hearn, a popular fitness trainer.
My initial goal weight was 130 lbs so that’s what my intake was based on given my starting weight of 108lbs. Eventually I had to increase my caloric intake once I reached my goal of 130 lbs because I wanted to continue to gain.
Step 2: Eat
This is the most important part about making any gains. Every part is important of course but this takes the cake because you can’t make any muscle gains if you’re not eating enough to fuel your muscles properly. Your diet is everything.
Find High Calorie Healthy Foods.
Typically speaking whole foods tend to have a lot less calories than processed foods. So what I did was lean towards the whole foods that had the highest amount of calories and eat tons of them.
For example, you could always find me eating bananas because one banana has about 100 calories give or take. Find 3 meals and 2- 3 snacks that add up to reach your daily calorie intake goals and stick to eating thoses foods. It’s much easier to know how much you should eat everyday when you’re not constantly switching your meals up.
I know that sounds boring but IT WORKS.
I did my best to eat clean, and again I did not track macros, only calories. It’s just a personal preference seeing as I’m not competing in a professional bodybuilding competition or anything. I just wanted to gain some extra weight. As long as I knew I was eating healthy meals 80% percent of the time I was okay with having a not so healthy meal or snack 20% of the time.
Related posts on Food:
- Foods I Ate to Gain Weight Naturally in One Year
- 4 Easy Ways to Live Healthy on a Budget
- Healthy High Calorie Meals to Help You Gain Weight
In order to keep track of the amount of food/calories I was eating I used an app called MyFitnessPal. Every day I would put in the foods that I ate and it would tell me how many calories I had left to eat to reach my goal for the day. It sent me notification reminders if I forgot to add a meal for the day. And it made life a lot easier to keep up with tracking my food.
I could have ate whatever I wanted whenever I wanted but that would have led to a lot of unnecessary fat. Of course with weight gain you will gain some fat but I didn’t want to let myself go and gain fat in places I didn’t have to.
Likewise, I also could have had a much more strict weight gain process. But let’s be real, that’s not for everybody and it would’ve took the fun out of it for me. It’s much easier to reach your goal when you actually enjoy what you’re eating and what you’re doing.
Find Relatively Healthy Restaurants.
It would be lovely if I were able to cook all of my meals but it just wasn’t realistic for me at the time.
I work a lot and I like to go out with my friends, so I don’t always get to cook every meal. Plus, eating out every once in a while or having a drink or two helped me stay sane during the weight gain process.
So once I had an understanding about how much I should be eating and exactly what meals would help me reach my calorie goals everyday, I didn’t feel the need to track every single meal anymore.
It took a month or two of me tracking my calories to get to the point where I usually could make a pretty good estimate on how many calories a meal contained (give or take a few).
And since I’m a big advocate for eating intuitively and sustainably, I slowly weaned myself off on tracking calories after a couple months once I felt like I had the hang of things. I wanted to be able to enjoy working out and eating well without feeling like I constantly have to track what I’m eating. But I only advise doing this when you feel like you’re really ready. Because I don’t want you to slip into old habits and start eating less. That would defeat all of your hard work.
With that being said, despite popular belief and what you see on social media it’s completely possible to reach your goals without tracking all of your food. As long as you’re still eating about the right amount and it’s relatively healthy, you’ll be fine.
Knowing this made it a lot easier for me to choose my meals when I would go out to eat at a places like Chipotle or Chickfila. Or even some of the bigger fancier restaurants.
Related posts on gaining weight:
- The Best Weight Gain Tips for Skinny Girls
- 5 Things No One Tells You About Gaining Weight
- 3 Secrets to Gain Healthy Weight Without the Gym
Set Up an Eating Schedule.
I have a hard time eating a lot of food at one time. And I know I’m not the only one. The way that I made it possible to consume a large amount of food everyday was by creating an eating schedule so that I could eat more often. Eating more often throughout the day kept me full without making me feel like I was going to be sick.
My schedule consisted of 3 meals and 2 – 3 snacks everyday and looked something like this:
7:00am Meal One
10:00am Snack One
1:00pm Meal Two
3:00pm Snack Two
7:00pm Snack Three/ Protein Shake
9:00pm Meal Three
Now I’m not saying your schedule has to look exactly like this, but it does help to have a schedule and a routine to remind you to eat. And if you still find that hard to remember, set alarms in your phone at all of your meal times to remind you to eat. Don’t be afraid to go the extra mile to reach your goals.
In my case, I knew that this schedule would help me reach my goal and that it fit in with my work schedule. But this specific schedule might not work for you. So you should figure out the best way to fit in 3 meals and 3 snacks into your own schedule.
That way you know with confidence that you’re eating consistently throughout the day.
Step 3: Strength Training
This is the part that I was most interested in because I’d never done it before. Of course I went to the gym before but it was all cardio based. I was always curious about weights but I didn’t know what I was doing. So I wouldn’t dare go to the weight section and make a fool of myself.
But this time, with all of the research that I did to make sure I knew what I was doing (Thanks to STEP 1), I walked in the gym confident and ready to put in work. I followed the full body workout plan that I put together. I used all different types of weights. And I even purchased a resistance band and ankle straps for my workouts that I use to this day.
Related: The Complete Beginner’s Guide To The Gym
Workout 3 to 5 Days a Week.
I could have seen results with only 3 days a week but it would have taken me longer. So I made it a point to make sure I went to the gym 5 days a week. Even if I wasn’t too excited to work out, I wanted to get in the habit of having a routine so that working out would become my new normal.
My workouts were never more than 2 hours max. And that’s with taking breaks and sometimes talking to people. Most of my workouts were between an hour and an hour and a half. Anything more than that isn’t necessary and could actually hurt your progress by over training your muscles.
Life isn’t perfect and sometimes I had other plans get in the way. Or sometimes I was just too tired to workout. So instead of completely skipping a day I would use it as my rest day and go to the gym on the day I was originally supposed to rest. For example if I couldn’t workout on Tuesday for whatever reason, I would skip that day and workout on Saturday.
It’s funny because eventually working out regularly become my new normal. Now not going to the gym for a few days feels weird.
Stay consistent.
This was the most important part of my gym routine. I made sure that not only I was consistent with showing up to the gym but also with pushing myself to do the best I could in each workout.
I cannot emphasize this enough: Working out isn’t going to help if you’re not putting in 100% real effort or if you’re too concerned about looking cute while you exercise. The gym isn’t about looking cute. And you shouldn’t give up just because your muscles start hurting a little while you’re exercising. Suck it up and put in work. That’s how you see results!
I gave 110% and would sometimes leave with my body super sore. My goals were always in my mind and I stayed motivated by having fitness inspirations that I followed on social media. Looking at them and the exercises that they would post gave me new ideas to get up and try at the gym. And whatever exercises worked I kept in rotation.
Be Patient.
This is the end all be all right here. If there’s anything that I would’ve needed to know in the beginning it would’ve been to be patient. Gaining weight is simple. Eat anything and everything. Gaining muscle is harder and takes more time.
It took 3 months to see really significant results and for some that’s fast. For others it takes longer to see the results that they want. You can’t compare your journey to anyone else’s because everybody is different. As long as you see changes in photos and how you look and feel then you’re headed in the right direction.
If you liked this post, it’s suuuuper helpful if you…
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Love the message you’re sending!! I am in the same boat: I’ve always been tall & lean, then packed on some pounds in high school then after taking my first nutrition course became slim again. Now I’m getting on the road to curvy! I’ve been eating more and feel like I’m getting leaner!! I guess I should try eating even more and upping the number of times I train a week.. being a midnight ER nurse creates holes in plans sometimes. 😛 Thanks again! Keep doing what you’re doing.. it’s working!!
Thanks! I really appreciate it. And trust me I know it’s tough. It’s always hard for people who are naturally slim to keep the weight on. Add on a job and/or a family and you really have to work for it. If you can manage 3 workouts a week, that’s much better than nothing. And always remember that a proper diet for your goals key. You got this! I believe in you.
This was very positive, and such great advice for me! Im so glad that you decided to share your journey with the world, so people like me could be more inspired. I was a skinny girl too and I have been working out for years, but I found myself stuck and not being as consistent as I should be. This post really gave me that push I needed to get back to it to receive the gains I desire. Thank you for sharing this!
I’m glad you liked it a got something from! Consistency is so key so keep it going girl!!
Wow I am so happy that I stumbled upon your blog. It is so hard to find people who are actually trying to gain weight. I have been around 100 lbs my entire life and right now I am at 105. I’ve always wanted to gain weight but my fast metabolism prevented that. An area on my body that shows how skinny I am is my chest. You can actually see my upper ribs and I was always self conscious of that. Anytime I tell people I want to gain weight, they look at me crazy and I feel like they’re judging me cause they think I’m already perfect. Coming to your site and seeing that there are actually people out there like me make me feel so much better. Glad I came across your site and looking forward to this journey with all your tips in mind.
Thanks so much! If it’s something you really want to do just remember that you can’t just wing it. You need a plan and you need to stay consistent. Good luck!
Thank you! This is so inspiring and very well written.
You’re welcome!
Hello! I came across your site through Pinterest and I am so thankful. I just started my journey with weight gain two weeks ago. However, this week because I worked so much I missed all of my eating times and felt unmotivated when I looked in the mirror this week. I am back meal prepping and will take all of your pointers into consideration, thank you so much!
Awesome ! Thank you for this. New job ,5 children and still no more than 115 pounds. 130 is my goal!
Your welcome! 130? You can definitely do that. You got this!
This is very inspiring. I am a slender lady myself and devoted to gym amd exersicing. And I find that alot of people dont understand that going to gym is not about loosing weight only. I am so excited they is such programme and cannot wait to incorporate it with my exercise schedule.
That’s awesome, I’m excited for you.
Is it okay to use protein shakes in the morning? I can’t get myself to eat anything that early (7 ish or earlier). And which
do you recommend?
I’ve always had difficulty gaining weight since high school and I can’t really lift weights because of a surgery I had as a kid so I’m kind of in a rut.
Yeah, Protein shakes are good in the morning. Even better, you can make a protein smoothie with fruits and a protein powder like for a little more substance. I still recommend snacking on healthy foods throughout the day.
I do not even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was good. I do not know who you are but certainly you’re going to a famous blogger if you aren’t already 😉 Cheers!|
Thanks! Maybe one day I will!
Just out of curiosity about how long did it take you to reach your goal? I know you said everyone isn’t the same, I figure it’ll take me a while. My metabolism is extremely high, I’ve been 112lbs since I was 11 & I’m almost 22 now.
It took me 3 months to reach my initial goal, but of course my goals changed after that.
Hey thanks for this article
I’m a mother of a year old baby
N just 36kg in wt
Need to gain weight in positive n healthy way
But it z v tough for me to handle my laziness n super busy schedule with my chilf
Hi, I’m really motivated, I have 3 children and yet very thin but with a visibly big mummy tummy. I really need to gain weight and still loose the mummy tummy
Would you mind giving some examples of the types of snacks you eat during snack time?
I usually eat lots of fruits, granola bars, or yogurt. But there are more snacks that you can eat if those don’t work for you.
Hey ,
So i‘m not skinny but i’m also not very curvy.I actually have big boobs and a toned butt.But i want to gain weight and gain muscles.The problem i can’t go to the gymbecause i am in my last high school year .It would be very stressful and i can’t efford the money for it.I have some equipments like dumbbells and resistance bands.Is ist possible to gain weight and gain muscles if i go jogging,swimming and do a lot of workout at homewith the equipment that i have ? It would be great if you have some advices for me :))?
Girl work with what you got! The dumbbells and resistance bands are going to help you. I will say be careful with the amount of jogging and swimming that you do because you have to make sure that you’re eating more calories than you’re burning. So if you’re going to continue to do those things just make sure that you’re eating enough food to make up for the calories you burned with swimming and jogging. But it’s definitely possible to gain weight while doing all of those things. You just have to have a good meal plan/routine and workouts.
hi, thank you for this post. i’m currently 131lbs but still look super skinny. I have struggled with gaining weight all my life. Would you mind telling me what type of meals you would eat? that’s one of the most tricky parts for me since my weight usually goes to my stomach. i need to lose some weight around my stomach but gain muscle so i really don’t know what i should be eating to slim down but gain leg muscle. Thanks again for the post:)
I just uploaded a post on the blog this week about the foods I ate while I was gaining weight. You should check it out.
Hi, this guide is great. My story is a little different tho. I was 110lbs then I went to 225lbs now I’m losing weight and I’m down to 210lbs . But I’m too heavy and my legs are slim I’m out of shape. I just want my thick thighs and butt back and seems like nothing is working for me. However I’m going to try your guide I hope this works for me. You look great girl.
Hi did you do any stomach exercises?
Hey! I always did a couple of exercises for my core before I did my workouts 🙂
Thank you so much! This was definitely helpful❤️
Hey, so I have a question. Should you eat red meat? I have tried to research this, and I get a bunch of different answers, so I don’t exactly know.
You’re always going to get a bunch of different answers because it’s an issue that’s personal to each individual. So I cannot tell you whether you should or shouldn’t. The short answer is you don’t have to. There are plenty of other ways to get the same nutrients without eating it.
Thank you so much for posting this!
You look amazing! I would love to have a body like yours. Your blog has such helpful and realistic information for anyone trying to gain weight healthily. Did you start the diet and your work out routine at the same time? Or build the gym habit first? Your blog has made me feel hopeful. Thank you for your help!
Thanks! I started everything all at once, no need to wait 🙂
Your article was well written!
I have always struggled to put on weight my whole life. Were you able to maintain the weight ?
Reply I maintained most of it. I did decide to lose some weight because I wasn’t satisfied with how it looked but it wasn’t because I couldn’t maintain it.
Hey. I’m 19 years old but I’m just 37kg. Went through a depression all period and losing weight like crazy. I wanna get fat and have a toned body but my parents aren’t okay with me going to gym. Any suggestions on what I should do?
You should focus more on food and make sure that you’re eating enough. And then if you want to workout you can do workouts at home. See if your parents will but you some dumbbells. If not you can still do body weight workouts.
Hey….I have been struggling skiny since I was a kid….tried gaining some weight but seem I wasn’t doing it right…I often lose so much weight till am too skiny to fit into the smallest clothes….the is really a problem…came across this blog and I feel am ready to start a consistent journey to gain weight…thank you so much…. please advice me on a meal plan and the type of exercise …thank you…. you’re Changing lives?
Best advice I’ve read since my weight gain challenge, I’d gain 2kg in a week and loose it in 2 days due to my super fast metabolism.
I’m eager to start this challenge and gain 8 kg in the next 4 months.. ????
Wow that’s good keep it up?
What is your height?
I’m 5’3
Is it important to eat a lot of healthy foods when weight gaining or it can be unhealthy?
It’s definitely important to eat a lot of healthy foods no matter what. It helps your body to function at its best, keeps you energized, and helps you minimize fat gain. It’s really good to do for weight gain so that you don’t gain a lot of unwanted fat.
Omg you are AMAZING can you help me plzzz I am a 13 year old girl and I struggle with my butt and constantly every day I get ridiculed for it I know that your not a personal trainer but could you help me find a decint workout I’m so lost.
Check out my 20 minute workouts on the site! They’ll be super helpful.
Yesss! you look great!
It is so hard for me to keep my weight once gained. Once, I get sick its over. I know that, I have the ability to get curves, I’m not sure on how to do it with exercise, nor the right foods to eat. You have given me much more motivation, cause I look how you did on your tb pics. My one question is, do you think I can achieve a similar outcome with Yoga?
Thank you so much for sharing!!
Zen.
Hey! Yoga is more cardio based so I would say no. Yoga is great for your body and can even build great strength and control in a much different way than weights. I love yoga. But if you’re looking to build your body you’re going to need weights because you need to build size and and not just strength.
Hi! Thanks so much for this post. It will be really helpful once I start trying to gain weight. I was wondering if whilst gaining weight, your face got bigger/fuller? If so, was it a lot or just a bit? I want to gain weight but I’m anxious about gaining weight in my face since I much prefer my face being slim like it is right now. Thanks!
Yes I did. Everyone gains weight everywhere including their face. For me it wasn’t a lot but it’s different for everyone. So it’s a risk you have to take.
This is really inspiring. I’m going to be 15 this year and I’m extremely skinny. Only 83 lbs. I really really hope I gain weight in a year because it really sucks being skinny. Also I’m starting to workout pretty seriously, is that too much? Will I lose weight? I’m consciously trying to eat more food. Any tips? Thanks for this post, it made me realize I’m not alone <3
At 15 you’re not even fully developed yet. Don’t stress about your weight and exercising. At this point I would only suggest trying to eat a little more and more often. And just enjoy being 15.
Just so much motivated…. we all know the way to gain wait but often get bored of eating especially when you don’t want to eat. I am going to try whatever you said and going to follow religiously. Thank you so much
You got this. You just have to be able to stick to a routine and make it a habit.
Thank you so much. I just started working out a month ago, and every now and then I keep reaching for the scale to see if I gained any weight. But that just unmotivated me. Your advices helped me alot and gave me a clearer view of what I should and should not be doing. ❤
Yeah it happened to me too. If it’s messing up your motivation then definitely avoid it for a while. It’s hard not step on the scale but it’s not the only way to determine your progress 😊 I didn’t even purchase a scale until months after I started
You are helping me start my journey!! Im currently 126lbs and my goal is around 140-145 I just want to gain the booty and tone my legs, stomach and arms. Your page has helped get start and motivated!!
That’s great! I’m glad I could help, just remember to keep going and don’t get discouraged. It’s a process.
Thank you so much for creating this guide and for going so in depth! BTW you’re so pretty! I’m planning on gaining weight one day and want my gains to be mainly muscle (like you) and to grow a butt whilst also getting abs. I’ve heard that it’s hard to do this because in order to grow a butt, you need to eat more and to get abs, you need to eat less. So therefore, you need to bulk and cut. This is quite confusing and I was wondering if you could explain it to me? Also, would you be able to create a fitness program that doesn’t require the gym but includes equipment like dumbbells and resistance bands etc.? Or can your program that requires the gym be altered so it can be done at home? Thanks again! ☺️
Hey!! Thanks for the compliment. It sounds like you got the right idea. In order to gain the weight and the muscle you want you will have to bulk. Bulking allows you to make a lot of strength gains and build a lot of muscle because you’re eating more and you have more energy. Most people bulk past the weight/size that they want to be at, so that way when they start to eat less and cut fat they will be able to see their muscles and abs even though they weigh more than they did when they first started. It’s a long process but it leads to really nice results.
I’d love to create a home fitness program that doesn’t require the gym, I just have to make time for it.
I’m literally in tears because this is the motivation I needed. I’ve always struggled with gaining weight I can not pass 108lbs. Even after 2 kids my body will not gain weight. And it’s so frustrating hearing people tell me just eat. But I do and nothing. Thank you for making this!
I said the same thing in the beginning, because in my mind I WAS eating a lot. But it turns out it wasn’t enough for my body to gain weight. You have to be strategic about your weight gain process if you want it to work, you can’t just wing it unfortunately. If you have a good plan and stick to it fully you will grow.
I have been winging it and I am officially over no results. Thank you for sharing your journey! I look forward to following your advice and entering the body building space 🙂
Thanks for your detailed advice! I was curious how much weight you typically started off with and at what point did you increase and by how much? I know it’s not exactly the same, but I’m trying to work out from home and will be using free weights. Also, do you have a workout plan for your entire week? I’d love to find a good workout routine to get started with. I don’t really have a set plan but typically do free workout routines from YouTube or Instagram videos (such as Whitney Simmons), but it would be great to be able to have the workouts planned out for the entire week. Thanks again!
To be honest I’m not sure how much weight I started off with, but I know it was light. Depending on the exercise I chose weights that were difficult but still doable. And no, I don’t have a weekly workout plan. I do follow a loosely scheduled routine where I choose specific days to work on certain muscles but I don’t always do the same exercises each week. I like to switch it up so I don’t get bored. But if you find a weekly routine helpful definitely plan one out. If you want to see my schedule check out My Current Slim Thick Workout Routine.
This is the best gaining weight step by step explanation I’ve ever read. Thank you so much for sharing your story! It’s not easy for us slim girls to get thick & reading this motivated me to start my gaining weight journey! I lost so much weight recently due to having colitis so I’m ready to really get healthy, gain weight, & workout. Thank you again for sharing your tips & secrets; I felt like you were literally in my head. Can’t wait to take what I learned & start 😄
Hello. Thanks a lot for this inspiring and informative post. May I ask, how much calories do I target for daily diet?
Hey!! Everyone’s calorie intake is different depending on what your activity level is, your weight, height, how often you exercise, and what your goal is. It’s best to use a macro calculator to determine what your calorie intake should be.
Thank you so much for this, great to see so many people in the same boat!
I recently got back into working out (focused on lifting) over the last few months and have been following some of the FitnessBlender programs (currently not at a gym/not ready to design my own workout schedule).
I can feel myself getting stronger which is great and I love lifting heavy. I just find the counting calories part quite arduous. I eat pretty clean and try to eat regularly but I’m not quite sure if I’m doing enough, if you know what I mean?
Anyway, I really appreciate your blog and look forward to reading more xx
I completely understand. Even now I feel like I’m not doing enough and like I’m not making progress until a see a video of myself and I’m like “woah, that’s me?” You got this. Take lots of pics and videos. The calories don’t have to be perfect. And once you get the hang of it you shouldn’t need to track everything.
This is the best post that I found in google. U give me so much of motivation . u r just different from other explaining their tips to gain muscle. It is difficult but all is I can do is try my best. It hurts when people say u r skinny . but I afraid if i can’t gain muscle nd be like this all life.
I’m glad I could help! It’s definitely possible to make a change you just have to really put in the work to see results.
I am so happy that I found people who struggle to gain weight like me. It is sooooo hard but I will try again.. question, if I gain muscles weight after workout journey do I lose my “muscles” or muscles weight if I neglect it because of life or stress? Hope you understood the question.
Yeah its great to have a little community of women trying to do the same thing. To answer your question, yes, you will lose muscle if you neglect to train them. It’s definitely a lifestyle you have to keep up with. You won’t lose them completely but you will look noticeably different.
Hey Jazmin, thank you for this post.
I’m doing a research on how to gain weight now and I found myslef on your blog.
Bravo, It was the best one I’ve read since I’ve started with the research.
Can you please tell me your Excercise Routine details like you posted the picture of Leg Day?
I really want to start Excerising but I don’t know with what to start, since I’m scared I’ll loose weight.
Best,
Zana
Hey! Here’s my current workout routine My Current At Home Workout Routine
Hey Jazmin, thanks for this awesome post. I’m too skinny and I would love to gain weight but I don’t want to be fat. I’ve been the thinnest girl in my class since when I was 11 and I really hate that and it seems I haven’t seen anyone as skinny as me. I have tried to take in more calories than my body burn but I felt bloated. Your post is very inspirational and has motivated me to strive harder in order to reach my weight goal. I’m so happy for this blog. Thank you.
Thank you so muchhh for your tips. I’m really motivated 😌. But without equipments can these be achieved?
Like with only diet?
Because I have no access to a well equipped gym. Or what excercises can still be done without or with minimal equipment.
There are plenty of no equipment workouts that you can do to help build some muscle or if you can get some dumbbells that you can use at home you can add them into your workouts. Feel free to check out my 20 minute workouts, none of the require any equipment.
You got it. Those who want to gain weight also need workouts. Great piece!
Did you use any kind of like protein powder or anything to help build your muscles? If so, what kind?
I did use Syntha6 protein power every once in a while but I tried to get most of my protein and nutrients from my food.
Hi,
After we reach our ideal weight do we continue to consume the same amount of calories? I would just hate to do all the work and lose all that weight slowly..
THANKS for sharing your personal experience and building a trust to believe that it’s possible to gain weight easily. I have tried a lot of things to gain weight but failed to do so. And this might help me to find a way.
I love your advice I’m going on 23 I’m 115 and I’m ready to stay consistent with it I can’t wait to follow your steps girl your awesome and congratulations on all of your hard work you put it stay beautiful
I dont know how many times I have tried and fallen off the wagon with this goal. But after reading this it made sense with the points you laid out. Thank you for sharing. I am starting again. With a better understanding this time. Wish me luck.