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Healthy Foods to Help You Gain Weight


Overweight and obesity problems plague two-thirds of the American population, but there are also people who have exactly the opposite problem – they are much too thin. Some people are underweight due to medical conditions or eating disorders, while others are just naturally thin. If you are someone who needs to put on some extra pounds, your goal would be to increase your calorie intake every day by eating healthy foods to gain weight and build a more muscled physique.

Being underweight can be a problem but it doesn’t mean that you want to become fat and flabby. You need healthy foods and exercise to help you build strong muscles and a bigger body. Avoid foods that are high in saturated fats; they may make you gain weight quickly but are bad for your health. The following foods will help you gain weight and increase muscle mass while providing the calories, vitamins and minerals your body needs.

Healthy Foods to Help You Gain Weight

Healthy Foods to Help You Gain Weight

Healthy Foods to Help You Gain Weight

Pasta and Other Carbohydrate Sources – Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy and should provide up to 65% of your total caloric intake. One cup of cooked pasta contains approximately 200 calories. Pasta topped with marinara sauce and shredded cheese is a great source of carbohydrates, protein, calcium and lycopene.

Other excellent sources of carbohydrates are bagels, potatoes, oatmeal, whole wheat bread, sweet potatoes and yams. If you are trying to gain weight, you need plenty of carbohydrate-rich foods to supply your body with energy. Provide your body with enough carbohydrates for energy, otherwise it will break down muscle tissue and use it for energy.

Dried Fruits – Raisins and dried berries, apricots, pineapple, cranberries and mango are packed with calories, vitamins and minerals. Dried fruits, without the water content, are more calorie-dense than fresh fruits. A half-cup of raisins has over 200 calories while a cup of fresh grapes has only about 60 calories. Snack on raisins and other dried fruits to help you gain weight more quickly.

Nuts and Seeds – Nuts and seeds are some of the healthiest foods to gain weight. Polyunsaturated fats in nuts and seeds provide healthy calories. Walnuts, almonds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and pecans offer a variety of flavors for a delicious, nutritious and calorie-dense snack.

Lean Meats and Other Protein Sources – Your body needs quality protein to build muscle mass. If you want to gain weight and maintain or add more muscles, you need high-protein foods such as lean meats, poultry, eggs, salmon, tuna, cottage cheese and tofu.

Avocado – Avocados are nutrient-dense and calorie-dense. A single avocado provides over 200 calories of nutrition. Avocados are rich in healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, potassium, B vitamins, and folic acid. Enjoy this wholesome fruit in sandwiches, salads and guacomole.

Healthy Fats and Oils – One of the quickest ways to boost your calorie intake is by adding extra fat to your food. Choose healthy fats and oils, and stay away from saturated fats. Olive oil, canola oil, flaxseed oil, and grape seed oil are rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil on your pasta, salads, vegetables and other foods to gain weight in a healthy and natural way.

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Weight Loss Exercise

Shrinking those fat cells Part 2



In the first part of this article Tom Venuto told us how fat cells are created and live. In this second part Tom tells us how to shrink them and lose weight.

When the FFA’s are released from the fat cell, the fat cell shrinks and that’s why you look leaner when you lose body fat – because the fat cell is now smaller. A small or “empty” fat cell is what you’re after if you want the lean, defined look.

Can You Build More Fat Cells?

Shrinking those fat cells Part 2

Shrinking Fat Cells

It was once believed that the number of fat cells could not increase after adulthood, only the size of the fat cells could increase (or decrease). We now know that fat cells can indeed increase both in size (hypertrophy) and in number (hyperplasia) and that they are more likely to increase in number at certain times and under certain circumstances, such as 1) during late childhood and early puberty, 2) During pregnancy, and 3) During adulthood when extreme amounts of weight are gained

Some people are genetically predisposed to have more fat cells than others and women have more fat cells than men. An infant usually has about 5 – 6 billion fat cells. This number increases during early childhood and puberty, and a healthy adult with normal body composition has about 25 to 30 billion fat cells. A typical overweight adult has around 75 billion fat cells. But in the case of severe obesity, this number can be as high as 250 to 300 billion!

The average size (weight) of an adult fat cell is about 0.6 micrograms, but they can vary in size from 0.2 micograms to 0.9 micrograms. An overweight person’s fat cells can be up to three times larger than a person with ideal body composition.

Fat Cells are just Energy Storage

Remember, body fat is basically just a reserve source of energy and fat cells are the like the storage tanks. Unlike a gas tank in your car which is fixed in size, however, fat cells can expand or shrink in size depending on how “filled” they are.

Picture a balloon that is not inflated: It’s tiny when not filled with air – maybe the size of your thumb. When you blow it up with air, it can expand 10 or 12 times it’s normal size, because it simply fills up. That’s what happens to fat cells: They start as nearly empty fat storage “tanks” (when you are lean), and when energy intake exceeds your needs, your fat cells “fill up” and “stretch out” like balloons filling up with jelly (not a pretty picture, is it?)

So you don’t actually “lose” fat cells, you “shrink” or “empty out” fat cells.

Lessons to Lower Fat Cell Size

1. Calories count –The signal that triggers your body to release adipose from fat cells is an energy deficit… you have to burn more than you eat.

2. Cut calories conservatively – Starving yourself may cause quick weightloss at first, but never works long term because it actually decreases the activity of fat burning enzymes that release fat from the cells. to avoid this “starvation mode” use exercise to BURN THE FAT, not very low calorie crash diets.

3. Get control of your weight now – If you are gaining weight, and especially if your weight is climbing upwards out of control, make a decision to STOP RIGHT NOW. Your fat cells might be multiplying, making it more difficult to burn fat in the future. NOW is the time!

4. If you’ve already lost weight, you must be forever diligent – Your fat cells are not gone, they have merely “shrunk” or “emptied out.” Fitness is not a 12 week program, its a lifestyle. To stay lean you have to eat clean and stay active

5. Genetics are only a minor factor – You may not have control over how many fat cells you were born with, but you do control the major factors that determine how much fat you store: lifestyle, exercise, nutrition, mental attitude.

Genetics are not an excuse. The past is not an excuse. Your present condition is not an excuse. You can either make excuses or get results, but you can’t do both.

So keep educating yourself about the science, read these newsletters, take action every day and go out there and make it happen!

If you need more help, Burn The Fat is the eating plan that turned it all around for thousands of others… why not you? visit:

www.burnthefat.com

About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a natural bodybuilder, certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) and a certified personal trainer (CPT). Tom is the author of “Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle,” which teaches you how to get lean without drugs or supplements using methods of the world’s best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and increase your metabolism by visiting: www.burnthefat.com

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Low Carb Diet Plan Right For You?



I would assert that without a doubt, the low carb diet plan is the most heavily debated weight loss program ever created. In fact, the intensity with which both sides of the argument are expressed is truly incredible. This article will discuss the pros and cons of the low carb diet lifestyle, weighing in on both sides of the argument and helping you determine if this is the best way for you to reach your goals.

What is  Low Carb Diet?

As most of us are well aware, the “king” of this type of eating plan is the Atkins Diet. On this diet, you go through a series of three phases that gradually increase the amount of carbohydrates you are permitted to include in your diet on a daily basis. The first of these phases is called induction, which limits you to virtually no carbs whatsoever. You are permitted to eat all the animal protein you care to consume, but no bread, pasta, potatoes, sweets, or anything else containing carbs are allowed to pass your lips.

Low Carb Diet Plan Right For You?

low carb diet

Supporters of this program claim that the induction phase is where the magic happens, while its opponents will tell you that it’s suicidal insanity. This phase is dependent upon your body being thrown into a state of ketosis, where ketones are being expelled in the urine, indicating that your body’s fat is now being used as its preferred source of energy. The result of this is extremely rapid weight loss, healthy or not.

I can tell you from personal experience that this diet is effective. I lost 18 pounds my first 14 days on this program. And I experienced both the positive and negative effects that both sides of the issue continually argue.

Despite what some people may say, I found that my energy levels and overall sense of well-being were improved. I was eating steak, eggs, cheese, and bunless burgers constantly… and my feelings were not those of death that opponents of the low carb diet try to scare you with. I felt good. But I was really bored with my diet, which I thought was a fair trade-off given the weight loss results I was enjoying.

They also say that carbohydrates are the primary fuel source used by the brain, yet I felt no mental or emotional consequences of this diet. What I didn’t enjoy about the diet was the heaviness of the food. Meat, cheese, eggs, cheese, and meat. It was enough to bring a PETA representative to tears! I guess in my soul, it didn’t feel like the right thing to do.

So here’s my conclusion. If you want to lose a crazy amount of weight in a very short period of time, keep yourself energized, and don’t mind being a straight up carnivore in every sense of the word, then a low carb diet may be right up your alley. There are more lenient variations a person can consider, as well. The South Beach Diet is another popular low carb diet that may be easier for you to stick with. If you are interested in a low carb diet then try it out first for a week and see how you like it.

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