While unhealthy diet habits can cause some to have an impossible time keeping the weight off; oddly enough that very same diet could potentially be stopping others from putting some much needed weight on!

I know how hard it is to gain weight for some. Here’s a small guide to help you gain without the use of protein bars, shakes, or any other type of supplement and lead you to a better lifestyle that will give you more energy throughout the day and help keep you healthy more days of the year!

Grains
Whole wheat or whole grain
Cereals, breads, rolls, pasta, muffins, pancakes, oatmeal, rice, crackers
TIP: Don’t be scared to go all out and spread something tasty on anything in the grains. Peanut butter is excellent.

Vegetable
Starchy vegetable
Corn, peas, potatoes, carrots, beets, squash
TIP: Fresh, frozen, canned, or juiced-- these can really help! Just remember that if it has a lot of water in it, then it probably isn’t going to help you very much in terms of weight gain. And of course, any kind of dip or flavoring is going to help.

Fruits
High density fruits
Bananas, pears, pineapple, raisins, apricots
TIP: Fresh, frozen, canned, juiced or dried fruits make fantastic snacks! The more watery the fruit however, the less beneficial they are. Fruit juices and smoothies are very good!

Dairy
Milk, yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese, ice cream
TIP: Stick to low fat milk, its just a better choice. Don’t worry, you’ll still gain weight.

Meat
Here’s the protein!
Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dried beans and peas, nuts, tuna, cashews, almonds
TIP: No need to go too crazy with the meat; trail mix or assorted nuts will be plenty good. If you’re looking for muscle then chicken and tuna is the way to go.

Things to Enjoy: Condiments, fatty spreads, sauces, healthy snacks and healthy oils when you cook.
Things to Avoid: Caffeine, nicotine, and mountains of junk food.

Eat five meals a day (big breakfast) and feel raid the fridge for a late night snack if it doesn’t effect your sleep.
Exercise is a big part of weight gain, it ensures that you add muscle and not just fat.
A healthy gain is about 1-2 pounds a week