HOW TO INCREASE WEIGHT HEALTHILY

Planning to do his first full triathlon in 2017, Edd Watton first needs to gain some healthy weight. The key is regular eating and energy-dense snacks, says

Weight maintenance is a balancing act of

calories in versus calories out. Weight loss requires an energy deficit, but for weight gain an energy surplus is required. This all sounds simple but, in practice, it can be difficult to achieve, especially if you’re on the lower end of the normal weight range and training several times a week.

In addition, maintaining a nutritional balance should still be a key priority, as the temptation will be to increase dietary intake through empty calories. Ensuring your body receives the macro and micronutrients needed will help fuel your triathlon training and preparation.

One of the best ways to encourage weight gain is to have a regular eating pattern of three meals and three energy-dense snacks a day. For Edd, only a few changes are needed to achieve this:

If Edd plans on doing a treadmill run at a higher intensity, I’d encourage him to take on some easily digestible carbs prior to this session. Perhaps a couple of slices of malt loaf or a banana, or even a homemade energy drink (300ml orange juice, 300ml water and ¼tsp salt). This can be drunk throughout the session. If this session is at a lower to moderate intensity, then this can be done in a fasted state.

Ensuring a good night’s sleep is important for recovery and optimal immune function. A bedtime snack provides one last opportunity to take on nutrition; snacks containing oats or dairy, which are high in tryptophan, can encourage the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps sleep. Try a porridge pot or a hot chocolate made with milk and a slice of toast. 220