A common goal for athletes is to get stronger and increase muscle mass. Nutrition can be a key player in helping athletes reach their weight goals. High school athletes and sport parents are BUSY so you need easy nutrition tips that you can implement right away. Well, I got you!
The misconception when it comes to weight gain is the importance of protein. Don’t get me wrong, protein IS crucial to increase muscle mass. However, muscles need calories to grow! Eating adequate amounts of protein throughout the day (with an emphasis on post-workout) can help muscle recovery and growth. Complex carbohydrates and healthy fats should also be prioritized. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats all work together to fuel muscles and lead to weight gain.
When to focus on weight gain
Performance goals for in-season vs off-season should be very different. Athletes focus during the season should be staying healthy, free from injury and weight maintenance. Whereas in the off-season the focus should be agility, strength, and skills. It is best to focus on weight gain during the off-season. The off-season is when athletes can prioritize strength training and nutrition instead of practice, games and competition. The off-season is typically when athletes have the most flexibility in their training regimen and nutrition. This period allows for an emphasis on gaining muscle mass and improving overall strength without the stress of maintaining competition-level performance. During the off-season, athletes can increase their calorie intake (especially from protein and healthy fats) to build lean muscle. Strength training should be the primary focus, with an emphasis on muscle growth. 1-2 pounds per week is normal weight gain progress.
Weight gain for Male Athletes
It is common for teen athletes to have difficulty with weight gain. A few things to consider is the tanner stages of puberty. For males specifically, muscle gain does not occur until the final stage of puberty has been reached. The final stage of puberty is when puberty concludes. The stage prior is when males see a large growth spurt, acne, and increase hair growth. Puberty is part of normal growth and development, but male athletes can feel defeated when their teammates are further ahead than they are.
3 Easy weight gain tips
1.Don’t skip meals:
To ensure maximum energy levels, all athletes should be eating every 2-3 hours. But this is increasingly important for athletes looking to gain weight. Every meal and snack is an opportunity to increase overall calorie intake. Identifying gaps in the day where meals and snacks may be skipped should be step one. Athletes can do this by conducting a food journal. To get started, use this free template!
After you have completed a food journal, review the day and ask yourself “Where can I add food?” or “Are there certain times in the day where meals and snacks are missing?” Answering these questions will get you one step closer to adding in calories and reaching weight gain goals.
Minimally, athletes should consume 3 meals and 2 snacks per day. Depending on school and training schedules this could lead upwards to 4 meals and 4 snacks per day. Each athlete’s food plan will be unique to their day and training regimen.
When it comes to meal planning for weight gain athletes, follow the Hard Training plate. This visual provides an idea of how meals should be composed. *link to blog post*
2. Add high calorie, low volume foods
Typically the thought of adding calories means increasing portion sizes…and this is absolutely true! However, this also may come with an upset stomach and feeling blah due to the body digesting such a large amount of food. Higher fat foods are higher in calorie for a smaller portion. Almonds are a great example. 23 almonds, or ¼ cup, is 165 calories. I would estimate that to be two small handfuls. This is a very easy way to quickly add calories without adding volume. For athletes that have sensitive stomachs, are slow eaters, or lack time, incorporating high fat foods throughout the day can go a long way. Examples of foods higher in fat, that are easy to incorporate throughout the day include:
- Nuts
- Trail mix
- Avocado
- Oils
- Sauces (teriyaki sauce, pesto, marinara)
- Salad Dressings
- Dips (hummus, salsa, guacamole)
Dried fruits are another example of high calorie, low volume food. Think of raisins or dried mango. These foods are higher in sugar which contributes to the calories. Dried mango, apricots, and raisins are all popular options.
3. Include liquid items
Liquids are another great option to increase calories but not increase fullness. Liquids are also helpful when athletes are experiencing a decrease in appetite but calories are still necessary. Adding calorically dense liquids to meals and snacks are easy and effective; just a small 8ounce glass of juice is 110 calories.
- Smoothies -smoothies are packed with essential nutrients from fruits and veggies and the options are endless when it comes to variety.
- Juice (apple, orange, cranberry, pineapple, etc)
- Sports drink or powder. There are many types of sports drinks and electrolyte options on the shelves. Look for sports drinks that have carbohydrates and calories as these will have the most calories. Gatorade, Powerade, Skratch and tailwind. *please note that in this example, we are focused on overall calories not about replenishing electrolytes*
- Milk. As a rule of thumb skim milk will have the lesser amount of calories where as 2% and whole fat will have more calories. So an 8 ounce glass of whole milk is 120 calories whereas an 8 ounce glass of skim is 80 calories.
Conclusion
As a reminder, don’t forget to keep track of progress! Keep track of changes in strength, body composition, and overall performance to make sure weight gain is trending in the right direction. I recommend weighing oneself on a weekly basis in the morning. Weight fluctuations happen daily so you may see higher one day and lower the next. Don’t let this be defeating; when implementing the tips above, weight will trend upward. Aim for 1-2 pounds per week.
Many athletes come to me with the goal of weight gain and increase in muscle mass. When paired with the right strength training, nutrition can make a big impact in achieving this goal. By incorporating a few of the tricks listed above, athletes can increase their calories by 500-1000 in no time.
What worked for your athlete during their weight gain journey? Share over on the Facebook page!