Nutrition Month Ask-A-Dietitian: How do I supplement my workout in hopes of gaining weight?

Question: What’s the best food to eat or drink after a workout?  But more specifically if you could address this to the person who is trying to gain weight? 

Ahhh! Sports Nutrition. The diversity of my career, and the reason I love being able to look at food, nourishment and fuel from so many different angles! Now before you get yourself up in a frenzy, yes, there are people I work with who are looking to gain weight, or are very active with metabolisms that run wild! Ensuring that they have calorie- and nutrient-dense meals and snacks is something I take pride in educating them on, to make sure they are not supplementing their workout with a double cheeseburger with bacon, a pizza to themselves or two poutines to “keep them full”. At the end of the day, depending on the type of exercise you complete here (please recognize the difference in needs from cardio training, strength training and flexibility training), your metabolism will rev differently not only during the exercise, but after as well, AND from person to person. Please sit down with a nutrition professional to go through not only what your nutrition looks like, but also the activity you keep your body moving with.

In a nut shell, we want to consider adding more healthy calories to our diet without adding so much bulk. I mean, I’m not here to make you over-eat and be full, but rather satisfied from one meal to the next, replenished from the fuel you just burned and working with your goals, even if they are to gain weight. We know from research within the sports nutrition world that one size does not fit all, so if you take the time to prioritize activity into your day, please take the time to prioritize a sit-down with a nutrition professional with a sound background in sports nutrition to provide you with the guidance that you need.

So, where do we start? Healthy natural calories is what we want to focus on. Higher fat dairy products (yes, go for that 2% milk, brie or parmesan cheese, full fat yogurt or sour cream) are a good start. Nuts and seeds or their butters are great add-ons as well, as well as homemade granolas are some staples to have on hand. Considering fatty fish more often like salmon or trout will not only give you a boost of Omega-3 (shown to relieve inflammation for athletes), but will add some additional healthy calories — along with avocado, olive oil (drizzle on top of vegetables and salads, sandwich spreads or eggs) — these are just a few other ways to add more calories without the bulk. From a saturated fat perspective, remember we need small amounts of this, so having a steak, or adding a little extra butter to food could be a solution you may want to try.

And then you could consider some more natural sugars, such as a little bit of honey, dried fruit or maple syrup. Yes, we know the deal around sugar, but these are natural sources.  I’m not asking you to add a whack-load, AND, your body is burning things off so much more efficiently! Try some of these suggestions that I have personally incorporated with myself and my clients so that I’m not sticking myself on a constant IV of calories!

• Whole Grain toast with small amount of butter, peanut butter, sliced banana, granola and honey
• Mash egg or tuna with avocado instead of mayo
• Add to your oatmeal: ground flaxseed, unsweetened coconut, nuts/seeds, peanut butter, wheat germ, honey or maple syrup
• Add to your smoothie (especially post workout if you want it to stick with you longer and your next meal is a little far off): high fat milk or yogurt, honey or maple syrup, 2-3 Tbsp oats (will thicken up the smoothie a bit and slow down its digestion rate)

Once again, we are all different. If you have any underlying conditions, it is best to sit down with a registered dietitian to make sure your plan is completely directed to you and your health!