How do you get extra calories ?

Eating more, fatty, carbohydrate, protein based, sugary foods or drinks tends to be the first recommendation most people hear. Go into most shops and the assistant (usually without any training) will recommend a weight gain drink with the most calories.

The key to your weight gain success will be to take in the right level of calories for you to gain weight - and source these from the right products for you.

There is a huge difference in how to gain weight depending on your individual circumstances :

• Are you 'skinny' because you are skipping meals / not eating enough ?

  In which case you need a plan which will provide you with those extra calories which are easy take on a regular basis.

• Are you eating lots and still don't gain weight ?

  Yes you need more calories, but you also need to know your energy balance (how much you are burning compared to taking in) and concentrating on absorbing might be more effective.

• Do you want to gain  weight and build muscle ?

  If you are doing weights then you need a plan which will not only help you gain weight during the day - but specifically you need one which will help protect your 'reserves' when training and the right diet to boost muscle growth.

The starting point to your plan has to be to know exactly how many calories you need to eat.

Following on from this you need a plan to get the right foods and drinks for you. For example - if you don't do much sport or have a physically demanding job then lots of the weight gain drinks will be wrong for you! Many tend to be protein based, which will help your muscles work at their best = raising your metabolic rate leading to weight loss not weight gain.

We speak to many people every day who can't understand why all that money they have spent in the past on weight gain drinks has been wasted.  Simple reason is you need the right foods and drinks to work for you.

What foods and When

At the Cambridge Weight Gain Centre we have been helping many, many people gain weight for many years.

What you need to eat and when will depend on your own individual circumstances.

For example if you are male or female, 5 ft or 7 ft, weigh 49 kg or 11 stone. a mum, work in an office or building site or if you do sport, go to the gym or don't have time for any then the plan you use has to be tailored for you.

However there are 2 key golden rules:

1. You need to gain weight in a balanced way - i.e. your meals need to be healthy and contain all the essential nutrients. For example a blend of carbohydrates, protein, fats minerals and vitamins. 

2. More smaller meals during the day are better than a few large ones