How Many Calories Do I Need To Gain 10 Pounds?

By / beauty

Not everyone wants to lose body weight, we would say that sometimes it is even healthier to gain some additional body fat to be healthier. In the modern world, there is a common belief that losing weight is something that we should strive for. But sometimes it is far from true, and if you are wondering “How many calories do I need to gain 10 pounds” then don’t worry because we will explain it all in a detail.

It is hard to calculate the exact amount of calories needed to increase your body weight because every single body is different from each other, but a lot of dieticians and people connected with sports are telling others that to gain one pound of body mass you need to intake 3500 calories so for 10 pounds you will need 35000 calories, but how accurate is that and how can I increase the intake of calories? Let’s talk about the basics before we will explain harder things.

Will increasing body fat have a negative impact on my health?

Increasing your body fat level is almost always considered something bad for your health from the perspective of normal people around you, but the truth is a bit different.

It all depends on your current BMI level and how big of a percentage your body fat is in comparison to your total weight. So if your body fat level is very low, for example, something around 15% percent then that means that you are below the average percentage.

If you are a woman in age between 20 and 40 a normal body fat percentage should be around 21% to 31% of total body mass. If you are between 41 and 60 years old then that percentage can be higher from 23% to 34%, so as you are older you can be heavier.

Men are similar but unfortunately for them, their body fat percentage should be lower than we could see in women. Men should have around half the amount of average woman’s body fat, in terms of percentages.

In terms of BMI, you should always aim to be in a healthy range of weight which is called “normal”. So to make it for you we have a graph that will tell you if you are too skinny or too heavy.

How many calories do I need to gain 10 pounds?
How many calories do I need to gain 10 pounds?

Why do people strive to lose weight?

We live in a society that forces us to look good no matter what, that’s why we often see people on social media who are looking fit and strong but no one tells you that maintaining this state of the body is what they do for a living. So they are spending 8 hours every single day to keep their weight intact and they are getting paid for it.

Also, it is important to note that in 2022 there is a lot more people who are above normal levels of BMI than people who are under, and if there are more people who are overweight then the community, social media, and ads will try to focus on that issue more because it is a more common problem nowadays.

We have a great article about how society sees people who are too skinny so if you would like to learn more about this issue then check it out here “My Boyfriend Left Me Because I Am Too Skinny – How Probable?“.

How to eat more?

It is not as easy as many people think, so saying “Just eat more” won’t solve anything here. That problem is deeply rooted in our brains, and it is hard to overcome, that is why there are people who help others with that problem, and they are called dieticians.

So if you think that you are not able to do it on your own then we would suggest you visit a dietician and talk about your problem, but if you have enough courage to try and solve it on your own then we have some good tips for you.

Think about dishes that you like to eat more than others, and even write a list of those dishes, then try to mix them in a way that will give you enough protein and vitamins, and that way you will be more likely to eat more.

How can I calculate how many calories I need to gain weight?

As we have said before, your calorie intake should be based on your height, weight, and also what your goal is. If you want to lose weight then you should think about eating about 10% percent fewer calories on a daily basis and if you want to gain weight then make sure to eat at least 10% percent more calories on a daily basis.

The average intake of calories a day for women is around 2000 and for men, it is around 2500 calories. We recommend you to not do any easy and quick things like eating two times more because that can have a negative impact on your health, and we recommend you to start lower for example with 10% more calories daily.

Should I feel ashamed of overeating?

Eating is a pleasant feeling for most of us but overeating can lead to consequences like feeling numb, headaches, stomach pain, and even bad skin condition.

That’s why you should aim for slower progress, so if you want to gain mass do it slowly but steadily, for example by eating 10% more calories per day.

You should not feel ashamed if you are eating too much, the only things that could make you feel ashamed from others’ perspectives can be your poor behaviors while eating. So as long as you keep your good manners while eating then no one should be looking at you in a different way.

Let’s summarize it – How many calories do I need to gain 10 pounds?

To gain a single pound of body mass you should eat additional 3500 calories. Remember that you as a female on average are burning 2000 calories so you should eat additional 3500 calories to gain one pound. So for 10 pounds, you will need additional 35000 calories.

Note that you should not do this in a single day or a week, rather you should aim for a longer period goal. For example, by eating 10% more calories daily you should reach your goal after a few months. That will also be in a healthy way! If you are not sure how you can eat more or how to make it healthier then you should consult with a dietician about your case.

If you want to know more about changing your body weight while staying healthy then make sure to check out this article “Can You Lose Body Fat Without Losing Weight? – (Fast Results)“.

Stacy Reed
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