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How Fast to Gain Weight

The pace of weight gain in recovery, and how to increase your intake in a way you can actually sustain.

Quick vs Slow

One of the most common questions in recovery is how much you should eat at the start, and how quickly you should increase. There are two main approaches: starting low and going slow, or going all in as fast as possible. The answer might surprise you — while the start-low-and-go-slow approach is still widely used, the limited research out there paints a different picture.

The faster approach may actually have more benefits. You want to get your body to a healthy state as fast as possible, and leave the eating disorder behind as fast as possible. That's true for physical reasons, but also for mental and psychological ones: the less time you spend in restriction, the less time disordered thoughts and behaviours have to become super ingrained. Even if you feel like they already have, following this approach is worth it.

Key insight: Go as fast as you possibly can — while keeping it sustainable enough not to freak the eating disorder out. The longer you stay in restriction, the longer your body stays in survival mode and the more time the ED has to dig in. Fast is better.

What I Did

I gained over 40 pounds — 20 kilos — during my recovery, and it didn't happen by accident. I used meal plans and guidelines to make sure I was eating enough, and I found that structure genuinely helpful. The right plan gives you the framework, and then you adapt it to make it work for you so it stays sustainable and fun.

I did eventually reach a point where I was eating around 5,000 calories a day, including plenty of meal replacement shakes. That isn't a target for everyone — it's an example of what a body in recovery can need. The principle is the same at every intake: if you're not gaining, you need more energy in, and there are practical ways to get there without making yourself miserable.

How to Increase Your Intake

  1. Don't overcomplicate things. You don't want to burn out after day one. Small, attainable, sustainable swaps beat dramatic overhauls every time.
  2. Meal prep. Make several meals in one go so you're not constantly in the kitchen. It removes friction on the days you're busy or tired.
  3. Let convenience be okay. Find your own balance between cooking from scratch and convenience food. Both are legitimate.
  4. Add energy density. What small change could you make to a favourite meal? Full-fat instead of low-fat products, cooking with oils, and a bit less vegetable bulk in favour of complex carbs all add up.
  5. Get rid of diet food fillers. Be honest with yourself: are lower-fat or 'diet' products still sneaking into your day? Swap them for the real versions.
  6. Use drinkable calories. Smoothies, juices and banana milkshakes are your friend. At one point I got through a lot of them — it's much easier than trying to chew your way to the same number.
  7. Consider shakes. Meal replacement shakes were a really important part of my recovery. They need no prep, and you can have them in addition to meals and snacks. They're designed exactly for people struggling to get enough in.
Important: If you have a medical condition, are severely underweight, or are being medically monitored, your treatment team should guide the pace and method of weight gain. Gaining weight quickly is generally right, but it should still be done under the supervision of professionals who know your situation.

How Much Do You Need to Gain?

There is no set amount that makes you recovered. I get asked what BMI you need to be, and honestly I think BMI is a fairly flawed measure — it doesn't distinguish between muscle and fat, and it says nothing about your individual body. What matters is reaching your set point weight: the weight your body naturally defends. Once you're there, your metabolism catches up, and the amounts you're eating become the amounts you maintain on.

The gaining phase does end. I was convinced I'd have to restrict forever to maintain my weight once I reached my goal — I never did. You can gain weight on any diet, vegan or otherwise, and meal planning can make it far easier. The goal is not a number; it's food freedom.

Common Questions

How fast should I gain weight in recovery?

As fast as you possibly can, while still keeping it sustainable. The research points to a faster approach having more benefits than starting low and going slow. You want to get your body to a healthy state as quickly as possible, both for physical reasons and so that disordered thoughts and behaviours don't have as much time to become ingrained.

Should I gain weight quickly or slowly?

Quickly, without freaking the eating disorder out so much that you take one step forward and two steps back. Going all in early on is better than gradually increasing, because the longer you stay in restriction, the longer your body stays in a stressed, starved state and the more time the ED has to dig in. Fast is better.

What should I eat to gain weight?

Focus on energy density rather than volume. Add full-fat products, cook with oils, and swap lower-fat or 'diet' foods for the real versions. Smoothies and drinkable calories are your friend, and meal replacement shakes can be a convenient way to add calories. Make small, sustainable swaps to meals you already enjoy.

How much weight do I need to gain to recover?

There is no set amount. I gained over 40 pounds in my recovery, but what matters is reaching your own set point weight — the weight your body naturally defends. BMI is a very limited measure and says little about an individual body. Work with your treatment team, and keep going until your body, hunger and health signals tell you you're there.

Are weight gain shakes helpful?

They can be a really useful tool. I had a love-hate relationship with them — they're convenient, need no prep, and can be added on top of meals and snacks. Some don't taste great and they can be filling, but as a way to get extra energy in without more chewing, they helped me a lot early in recovery.

Will I keep gaining weight forever?

No. Once you reach your set point weight and your metabolism speeds back up, the amounts you eat are the amounts you maintain on. Your body defends the weight range it likes to stay in, cranking your metabolism up if you go overboard and increasing hunger if you restrict. The gaining phase ends.