How can an individual gain weight?

The correct approach for an individual looking to gain weight is to add 3,500 calories to their diet. This is grounded in the principle of caloric surplus, which means consuming more calories than the body expends. To effectively gain weight, one needs to exceed their daily caloric needs, encouraging the body to store the extra calories as fat or muscle, depending on the type of nutrition and exercise regimen followed.

When considering caloric intake, each pound of body weight is approximately equivalent to 3,500 calories. Therefore, by adding this caloric amount to their diet, an individual would create a surplus that can lead to weight gain over time. This method emphasizes the importance of balanced nutrition in conjunction with caloric increases; focusing just on calories wouldn't necessarily ensure healthy weight gain without considering the quality of the diet.

In contrast, decreasing caloric intake or skipping meals would lead to a caloric deficit, causing weight loss rather than gain. Increasing physical activity alone, without also adjusting calorie consumption, might lead to weight maintenance or loss as well, particularly if the activity level is significant enough to burn more calories than consumed.