If a fast metabolism is making it challenging to gain weight, there are some things you can try.
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1. Consume More Calories
To gain weight, you need to consume more calories than you burn. Focusing on a calorie surplus will help your body expand and store those calories in fat or muscle. When counting calories, start with a small increase of about 300 to 500 calories daily. This will help promote healthy weight gain.
2. Eat More Often
If you cannot stomach larger meals to help get the extra calories you need, try to eat smaller meals and snacks throughout the day.
Eating at set times daily will help you remember to eat even if your hunger cues are not activated.
3. Focus on Protein-Rich Foods
No matter your preferred taste, there arehigh-protein foodoptions for everyone. These include:
4. Incorporate Healthy Fats
While it is important to consume more fat when trying to gain weight, choosing the right type of fat is important to help combat other health issues like high cholesterol or the risk of heart disease.Healthy fatsinclude:
5. Create an Exercise Plan
Research has shown that exercising—particularly strength training—is one way to help increase appetite and gain weight.
Opt for at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily to help keep your hunger levels activated.
Still Not Gaining Weight?
If you are not gaining weight despite increasing your caloric intake, contact a healthcare provider.
Certain medical conditions can impact a person’s ability to gain orlose weightand may need to be looked into.Hyperthyroidism(an overactive thyroid) is one condition that causes an increase in the body’s metabolism which can make it difficult to gain weight.
Fast Metabolism and Body SizeSomeone with a fast metabolism will burn calories quickly. This means they may be able to consume lots of calories and not gain weight. However, a fast metabolism does not necessarily mean someone is thin or has difficulty gaining weight. People with a fast metabolism can have any body size.
Fast Metabolism and Body Size
Someone with a fast metabolism will burn calories quickly. This means they may be able to consume lots of calories and not gain weight. However, a fast metabolism does not necessarily mean someone is thin or has difficulty gaining weight. People with a fast metabolism can have any body size.
What’s Different Between Females and Males?
Males and females have different metabolic rates.
Men tend to have a higher metabolic rate than women. This is due to fat storage and hormone differences between the two sexes.
Females store body fat between their muscles and skin and their lower body, whereas males then to store fat in their abdomens. Females also have less skeletal mass and moreadipose tissue(body fat) than men. During exercise or increased activity, females tend to use fats as an energy source and men usecarbohydratesas fuel.
A Note on Gender and Sex TerminologyVerywell Health acknowledges thatsex and genderare related concepts, but they are not the same. To reflect our sources accurately, this article uses terms like “female,” “male,” “woman,” and “man” as the sources use them.
A Note on Gender and Sex Terminology
Verywell Health acknowledges thatsex and genderare related concepts, but they are not the same. To reflect our sources accurately, this article uses terms like “female,” “male,” “woman,” and “man” as the sources use them.
Summary
A fast metabolism may be why someone is having a hard time gaining weight. Try consuming an extra 300 to 500 nutrient dense calories per day. If someone cannot gain weight even after consuming extra calories then it’s time to contact a healthcare provider for guidance. The inability to gain weight may be due to a health condition like hyperthyroidism.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Health Service.Healthy ways to gain weight.National Institute of Health.Maintaining a healthy weight.Jafari A, Peeri M, Azarbayejani M, Homai H.Effect of resistance training on appetite regulation and level of related peptidesin sedentary healthy men. Medical Laboratory Journal. 2017;11(4):24-29.MedlinePlus.Hyperthyroidism.Harvard Health.The truth about metabolism.Mauvais-Jarvis F.Sex differences in metabolic homeostasis, diabetes, and obesity.Biol Sex Differ. 2015;6(1):14. doi:10.1186/s13293-015-0033-y
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Health Service.Healthy ways to gain weight.National Institute of Health.Maintaining a healthy weight.Jafari A, Peeri M, Azarbayejani M, Homai H.Effect of resistance training on appetite regulation and level of related peptidesin sedentary healthy men. Medical Laboratory Journal. 2017;11(4):24-29.MedlinePlus.Hyperthyroidism.Harvard Health.The truth about metabolism.Mauvais-Jarvis F.Sex differences in metabolic homeostasis, diabetes, and obesity.Biol Sex Differ. 2015;6(1):14. doi:10.1186/s13293-015-0033-y
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Health Service.Healthy ways to gain weight.National Institute of Health.Maintaining a healthy weight.Jafari A, Peeri M, Azarbayejani M, Homai H.Effect of resistance training on appetite regulation and level of related peptidesin sedentary healthy men. Medical Laboratory Journal. 2017;11(4):24-29.MedlinePlus.Hyperthyroidism.Harvard Health.The truth about metabolism.Mauvais-Jarvis F.Sex differences in metabolic homeostasis, diabetes, and obesity.Biol Sex Differ. 2015;6(1):14. doi:10.1186/s13293-015-0033-y
National Health Service.Healthy ways to gain weight.
National Institute of Health.Maintaining a healthy weight.
Jafari A, Peeri M, Azarbayejani M, Homai H.Effect of resistance training on appetite regulation and level of related peptidesin sedentary healthy men. Medical Laboratory Journal. 2017;11(4):24-29.
MedlinePlus.Hyperthyroidism.
Harvard Health.The truth about metabolism.
Mauvais-Jarvis F.Sex differences in metabolic homeostasis, diabetes, and obesity.Biol Sex Differ. 2015;6(1):14. doi:10.1186/s13293-015-0033-y
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