Honestly, it’s frustrating. Most people are obsessed with losing weight, so when you’re the one trying to figure out what can i take to put on weight, the advice you get is usually garbage. Someone tells you to just eat a cheeseburger. Or they suggest "GOMAD"—the old-school bodybuilding advice of drinking a Gallon Of Milk A Day—which mostly just leads to a very upset stomach and a lot of time spent in the bathroom. Gaining weight healthily is actually harder than losing it for many people. You’re fighting a fast metabolism, a small appetite, or maybe just a lifestyle that doesn't leave room for constant snacking.
If you’re "hardgainer" status, you know the struggle. You eat until you're full, but the scale doesn't budge. You need strategies that go beyond just "eating more." You need calorie density. You need to understand how supplements actually work versus how they’re marketed. It’s about more than just stuffing your face; it’s about biological leverage.
The Liquid Gold Strategy
When you can't stomach another bite of chicken or rice, liquids are your best friend. Why? Because your brain doesn't register liquid calories the same way it does solid ones. Research from institutions like Purdue University has shown that liquid carbohydrates and proteins don't trigger the same "fullness" signals as solid food. This is the ultimate "hack" for the skinny person.
You should be looking at high-calorie smoothies. But don't just buy those pre-made ones full of corn syrup. Make them. A single shake can easily hit 800 to 1,000 calories if you do it right. Toss in two tablespoons of peanut butter (about 190 calories), a cup of oats (300 calories), a scoop of whey protein (120 calories), a banana (100 calories), and some whole milk or full-fat coconut milk. Suddenly, you've consumed a third of your daily caloric needs in five minutes.
It’s easy. It’s fast. It works.
Supplements That Actually Move the Needle
When people ask what can i take to put on weight, they usually want a pill. There is no magic pill. However, there are specific supplements that assist the physiological process of building mass.
Creatine Monohydrate is the most researched supplement in history. It doesn't make you "fat," but it does draw water into the muscle cells (intracellular hydration). This increases your weight almost immediately—usually by 2 to 5 pounds—and provides the ATP (adenosine triphosphate) needed for explosive lifts. If you’re lifting heavy to gain weight, creatine is non-negotiable. 5 grams a day. Every day. No need to "load" it like the guys on the forums say.
Then there are Mass Gainers. Be careful here. A lot of mass gainers are just cheap maltodextrin—basically sugar—sold at a premium. Look for brands like Transparent Labs or Optimum Nutrition Pro Gainer that use better carb sources. If the serving size is four giant scoops, just take two. You want to supplement your diet, not replace it with a powder that makes you feel like a balloon.
The Role of Digestive Enzymes
Sometimes the problem isn't that you aren't eating enough; it's that your gut is overwhelmed. If you've suddenly ramped up your intake of protein and fats, your gallbladder and pancreas might be struggling to keep up. This leads to malabsorption. Taking a broad-spectrum digestive enzyme that includes protease (for protein), lipase (for fats), and amylase (for carbs) can help ensure those extra 500 calories you're eating actually get used rather than just passing through you.
✨ Don't miss: Sunscreens for Acne Prone Skin: Why Your SPF is Probably Breaking You Out
Don't Fear the Fat
Fat has 9 calories per gram. Protein and carbs have 4. If you're wondering what you can take to put on weight, the answer is often "more oil."
Olive oil is a cheat code. Seriously. You can drizzle two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over almost any savory meal. You won't even taste it that much. That's an extra 240 calories. Do that twice a day and you've added nearly 500 calories without feeling any fuller. Avocado oil works too, and it has a higher smoke point if you’re cooking with it.
Nuts and seeds are also calorically dense powerhouses. Walnuts, macadamia nuts (which are incredibly high in fat), and pumpkin seeds are easy to graze on. Keep a jar on your desk. Don't think about it as a meal. Just eat a handful every hour.
The Anabolic Window and Meal Timing
We used to think you had to eat 30 minutes after the gym or your muscles would wither away. That’s been mostly debunked. However, for weight gain, meal frequency does matter because of "gastric clearing." If you eat three massive meals, you're going to feel stuffed and lethargic. If you eat five smaller, calorie-dense meals, you keep your insulin levels steady and you're never so full that you skip the next meal.
Try the "Mechanical Eating" approach. Don't wait until you're hungry. If the clock says 2:00 PM, you eat. Hunger is a lagging indicator for people with fast metabolisms. You have to treat eating like a job for a few months until your stomach capacity expands.
Micronutrients and the "Dirty Bulk" Trap
You’ve probably seen people go on a "dirty bulk" where they eat nothing but pizza and ice cream. Sure, the scale goes up. But you’ll feel like garbage. Your skin might break out, your sleep will suffer, and you’ll put on a disproportionate amount of visceral fat.
Zinc and Magnesium are crucial here. Zinc plays a massive role in testosterone production and protein synthesis. Many people who struggle to put on weight are slightly deficient in zinc, especially if they’re sweating a lot during workouts. Magnesium Glycinate helps with muscle recovery and sleep. You grow when you sleep, not when you’re at the gym. If you’re under-slept, your cortisol levels rise, and cortisol is catabolic—it literally breaks down muscle tissue.
Resistance Training is the Catalyst
If you take all the supplements and eat all the calories but sit on the couch, you’ll just get a belly. To ensure the weight you’re putting on is functional mass, you have to give your body a reason to keep the calories.
Focus on compound movements:
- Squats
- Deadlifts
- Bench Press
- Overhead Press
- Rows
These exercises recruit the most muscle fibers and trigger the greatest hormonal response. Keep the reps in the 6 to 10 range. You don't need to do cardio five days a week right now. In fact, if you're struggling to gain, cut the cardio down to a couple of light walks. Save that energy for the heavy lifting.
Real Talk on Appetite Stimulants
Some people look into things like Vitamin B12 injections or even over-the-counter herbs like Fenugreek or Blessed Thistle to boost appetite. While B12 is great for energy metabolism, it’s not a magic hunger trigger for everyone. Fenugreek can help, but it also makes you smell like maple syrup (literally).
Actually, the best "appetite stimulant" is often just staying hydrated and moving your body. Paradoxically, a little bit of light movement can jumpstart your hunger if you've been sedentary.
High-Calorie Swap Ideas
Instead of making small changes, look for high-impact swaps. They don't require more chewing, just better choices.
- Instead of: Egg whites | Use: Whole eggs (The yolk has most of the nutrients and half the protein anyway).
- Instead of: Chicken breast | Use: Chicken thighs (Juicier, tastier, and more calories).
- Instead of: White rice | Use: Rice cooked in bone broth instead of water (Extra protein and minerals).
- Instead of: Black coffee | Use: Coffee with heavy cream or collagen peptides.
Consistency is Where Everyone Fails
Most people try to gain weight for two weeks, get bloated, don't see a massive change in the mirror, and quit. They go back to their old habits.
Your body wants to stay at its current weight. It’s called homeostasis. To break that, you have to be relentless. It takes about 3,500 calories above your maintenance level to gain one pound of weight. If your maintenance is 2,500 and you only eat 3,000, it’s going to take you a full week to gain one pound. That’s slow. It’s a marathon.
Track your calories for at least two weeks using an app like Cronometer or MyFitnessPal. Most people who think they "eat a lot" are actually only hitting 2,000 calories. You can't manage what you don't measure. Once you realize you're actually under-eating, it becomes a math problem, not a mystery.
Actionable Steps to Start Today
Start by calculating your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). There are plenty of online calculators for this. Add 500 calories to that number. That is your new "floor."
Go to the grocery store and buy a high-quality olive oil, a bag of raw macadamia nuts, and some full-fat Greek yogurt. The yogurt is a secret weapon—it’s high in protein and the probiotics help your gut handle the extra food load.
Tomorrow morning, don't just have toast. Have three eggs scrambled in butter with a side of yogurt and fruit. Drink a glass of whole milk or a calorie-dense milk alternative like oat milk.
If you find yourself hitting a wall by mid-afternoon, that's when you use the liquid calories. Blend that shake we talked about. Drink it slowly over an hour while you work or study.
🔗 Read more: Why I Am Constantly Hungry: The Science Your Body Isn’t Telling You
Stop checking the scale every six hours. Your weight fluctuates based on salt, water, and even the weather. Weigh yourself once a week, first thing in the morning, after using the bathroom. If the number hasn't moved in two weeks, add another 200 calories to your daily intake.
Focus on the "Big Three" lifts at the gym. Don't worry about "toning" or "definition" right now. You can't carve a marble statue if you don't have a big enough block of marble. Build the block first. The definition comes later.
Lastly, check your stress levels. High stress equals high cortisol, and high cortisol makes it incredibly difficult to put on muscle. Take your magnesium, get your eight hours of sleep, and stay the course. Putting on weight is a slow build, but once the momentum starts, your body will adapt to the new "normal."