If those same participants ate only 500 calories above their maintenance calorie needs for the same duration, they would likely gain much less weight. If you maintain your weight on 2,000 calories per day, you will gain weight much quicker on a 3,000-calorie diet than someone who maintains their weight on 2,500 calories per day.įor example, one 8-week study showed that when 25 healthy people ate an additional 950 calories over their weight-maintenance calorie needs, they gained an average of 11.7 pounds (5.3 kg) - 7.7 pounds (3.5 kg) of which was fat ( 16). How fast you gain weight depends on how many calories you need to maintain your weight. What’s more, rapid weight gain can increase your triglyceride levels, which may raise your risk of heart disease ( 14, 15).
If you’re an athlete, these side effects can hinder your performance by negatively affecting your workouts or practices ( 13). Rapid weight gain may lead to uncomfortable side effects, such as bloating, stomach distress, and fluid retention. However, in people with severe undernutrition, weight gain of about 4.4 pounds (2 kg) per week has been accomplished safely ( 12).
While studies on the topic are scarce, an acceptable rate of weight gain is 0.5–2 pounds (0.2–0.9 kg) per week ( 11). In other circumstances, you may have a health condition that increases your calorie needs, such as cancer or infection, or be recovering from major surgery ( 9, 10). Similarly, if you’re a bodybuilder or into powerlifting, you may desire to gain weight for increased muscle size and strength. If you’re classified as underweight according to your body mass index (BMI), your healthcare provider or registered dietitian may recommend that you gain weight.Īlternatively, if you’re an athlete, you may want to gain weight - ideally in the form of muscle mass - to perform better at your sport. There are several reasons for wanting to gain weight. Depending on your activity level and body size, 3,000 calories may be greater than your current calorie needs, causing you to gain weight ( 8). Weight gain occurs when you consistently consume more calories than you burn each day. While many people are aiming to lose weight, others are looking to gain it. Though athletes generally have higher calorie needs than the general public, people with physically demanding jobs, such as farm laborers and construction workers, may also need a high number of calories to maintain their weight.Ĭonversely, if you perform moderate exercise a few days per week with little activity in between, you probably don’t need that many calories, as exercise burns far fewer calories than most people assume ( 5, 6, 7) summaryįactors like gender, age, height, and activity level influence whether you should follow a 3,000-calorie diet. The reference woman is 5’4” (163 cm) tall and weighs 126 pounds (57.3 kg), whereas the reference man is 5’10” (178 cm) and weighs 154 pounds (70 kg).ĭepending on your body size and activity level, you could require 3,000 calories or more per day to maintain your body weight.
These estimates are based on equations using an average height and healthy weight for adult women and men. Exercise and activities like yard work and fidgeting increase calorie needs ( 3).ĭaily calorie needs range from 1,600–2,400 calories per day for adult women and 2,000–3,000 calories for adult men, with the low ends of the ranges being for sedentary people and the high ends for those who are active ( 4). The taller you are, the more calories you need to maintain your weight. The number of calories you burn at rest declines with age ( 2). Women generally burn 5–10% fewer calories at rest than men of the same height ( 1). Your daily calorie needs are based on several factors, including:
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