Tracking fat loss accurately requires regularly body fat measurements with a low margin for error. With many options available, a lot of money can be wasted. Tracking fat loss doesn’t have to mean expensive equipment and if you are chasing appearance-learning goals, there are methods which don’t track the numbers.

Determining the right method for you depends on multiple factors, but if you are young with a body mass index (BMI) less than 30, consider acquiring professional skinfold measurements with calipers.

Mariana Abeid-McDougall,a certified personal trainer suggests a blend of body mass index, waist circumference and a total of 5 skin folds as the best assessment. 

Your body differs from everyone else's body. While we share a number of similarities as humans, what works for you may not work for someone else. Always remember this when reading information about health (including this article).

Thoughtful Weight Gain is Appropriate and Healthy

Gaining weight sounds easy. Just throw caution to the wind, become completely sedentary and shove anything into your mouth and weight gain is easy.

For persons who are thoughtful about how to eat, live an active lifestyle and still want to gain weight, it’s not so easy.

Hard-charging athletes know the truth of this. Cycling their training to increase muscle mass happens a couple times a year and will be tasked with packing on weight. Many female athletes also see a need to raise their bodyweight for performance and preparing for the usual wear and tear brought by their competitive seasons.

No one wants to increase their weight by piling on body fat. Body mass must be increased intelligently. To get to where you want to go, you need to understand where you are and this means more than knowing what the scale says.

To gain body weight where it is, a fairly rigid set amount of calories must be ingested to stay put. Height, current weight, age and level of activity have to be considered before determining calorie thresholds.

Slow and Steady

Gaining weight healthily is a marathon, not a sprint. The smartest way to gain permanent weight is through increasing daily caloric intake by 15-20% of your Total Daily Energy Expenditure, or TDEE. If everything else remains the same an increase of 15-20% will permit the typical person to gain one pound a week. Gain more than a pound a week and a large portion of what you are seeing is fat.

Muscle’s Building Blocks

To gain solid weight, not fat, you must be particular about your protein intake. About 30-35% of caloric intake should come from animal-sourced proteins. 

Chicken, fish, pork, eggs and red meats should be the go-to while building your body. Fattier meats have been demonized by mainstream thinking, but research is showing that extremely lean meats are not the only ones to consider. Anything in excess is bad, but many meats we have been told to avoid are now seen as healthy as their leaner counterparts.

Something many people are faced with when overcoming eating issues is learning how to cook properly, and really enjoy cooking and therefore the dishes they make. 

Food needs to become a pleasurable activity.

If your diet is fairly standard, step up the calories.

Eat like a viking preparing for war, then add some snacks.

Protein shakes etc aren’t really necessary, you can get all you need from proper food. Meanwhile, learn the lifestyle change of eating more too.

Preparing a healthy meal is often a chore, but it has to be done. When you don’t have a meal ready when you want to eat, it is too easy to go to the drive-thru and convince yourself fast food is healthy. Not all calories are equal.

Use one cupped hand to measure out carbohydrates and starch. The carbo/starch should take about 1/4 of your meal prep. One serving (cooked) is one fist, or about 1/2 - 1 cup. Top choices would be quinoa, brown rice, sweet potatoes, whole grain pasta and legumes such as lentils or black beans.

Gaining Weight On a Budget

Try to gain weight slowly — about a pound a week. Eat calorie-rich foods such as nuts, avocados and eggs.

We’ve covered a lot in this article, so if you feel a bit flat-footed, we understand.

There really aren’t that many moving parts, though.

You work out your calories, 

You make a meal plan that you’ll enjoy,

You shop, cook, and store,

You eat, and

And you repeat and learn and improve as you go.

The Takeaway

With a meal prep service the headache is taken out of making sure you are getting exactly what you need.