What (healthy) food to feed my husband to gain weight?

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servilia
servilia Posts: 3,453 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Here I am trying to lose some weight and he's trying to gain. 2 years of marriage have affected us differently. I had gained 20 lbs and he lost some muscle.
I love him no matter what but he's upset that he's now "skinny". He used to be in really good shape with good muscle definition etc. He does physical work and works a LOT. I'm sure he's burning tons of calories at work. He also works so late and gets home too tired to go to the gym to pump iron :(
That's just background. I cook our dinners and I cook him decent dinners but I guess he's not eating well at work. He asked me to pack him sandwiches and other food for work so do you have suggestions for calorie and protein dense but healthy foods?
I'm also going to try to arrange our schedules so he can come to the gym with me to do his thing there. Unfortunately he works long hours 6 days a week and is tired when he gets home but maybe we can go before work and on his one day off?
Thanks

Replies

  • ebert5150
    ebert5150 Posts: 135 Member
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    Nuts! No...really....peanuts have lots of protein and 170 calories for basically an once. Other nuts and seeds are similar if he's allergic.
  • Soulbird81
    Soulbird81 Posts: 86
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    My husband has the same issue....He is an MMA fighter and always trying to gain or lose depending on the fight. He never has a problem losing, only gaining is his issue.....
  • skinnymoomoo
    skinnymoomoo Posts: 202 Member
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    bump - my OH is the same, interested to read any advice you are given x
  • wickedcricket
    wickedcricket Posts: 1,246 Member
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    maybe one of those protein shakes ppl post about? If sodium isn't an issue, make him BLTs? I love em and packed full of good stuff .. add an egg or cheese or both for a nutrition punch (I don't, it adds fat)
    Peanut Butter - Turkey - I'd avoid processed lunch meats, these are just fat & additives. Meatloaf? most guys love a meatloaf sandwich.
    Tuna, of course - same thing, I'd add some hard boiled egg to it for protein.
    Fix him beans - soup beans with ham - some cornbread - Soul Food (as they call it) is healthy but fattening
    If you really love him & want to fatten him up and have the time, you can bake bread. Home made bread, esp whole wheat or rye, is MUCH healthier than processed and just simply fantastic fresh out of the oven.
    When I was a young bride, I used to make & bake country food for my family - I made virtually everything from scratch. My husband gained about 20 lbs in the first few years lol - unfortunately, so did I
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    If he isn't working out he should be trying to gain weight. Without strength training (and a very specific routine) he won't rebuild muscle that he's lost. When he does finally start working out he needs to eat more than his maintenance amount of calories and he needs to eat a lot of protein. Avoid processed foods because it's difficult for the body to process junk, especially when there's a lot coming in.

    As far as his lunches go, sandwiches are great. Make them with a little extra meat, whatever else he likes on them and add some avocado. You can also give him nuts and he may need to add a protein shake to his daily diet for an easy way to add protein and calories. Pasta is great if you add meatballs or chicken. Make sure you get one that uses natural sugar and not artificial sweeteners, which are terrible for you. When my husband was lifting weights he had to eat about 3000 calories a day. He usually ate four big meals and had two or three protein shakes.
  • QueenHanifa
    QueenHanifa Posts: 180 Member
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    sounds like he needs more high protein foods if he's losing muscle since he's working a hard job maybe add a protein drink in his lunch and some baked chicken(which you both can share) instead if cold cuts sandwiches,beans nut boiled eggs are all good to add.
  • lexgem
    lexgem Posts: 163
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    How about homemade egg mcmuffins for breakfast? I know it's yummy and there's lots of protein.
    Other than that I'd make sure he has slightly bigger cuts of meat than you at meals and just generally bigger portions or let him go for seconds?
  • Laura_beau
    Laura_beau Posts: 1,029 Member
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    Nuts- peanuts and macademia nuts are full of good fats

    avocado- healthy and good fats.

    olive oil- add this to his salads/veggies/pasta and cook his food in it.

    Wholewheat pasta, brown rice, quinoa are good complex carbs that will boost energy and cal count.

    Dairy products- make a smoothie with full fat yoghurt or whole milk.

    Cheese- a little snack of cheese, or some sprinkled on foods can add calcium & calories.

    Salmon- high in omega 3 fatty acids, nutritious.

    Peanut Butter

    Beef/Lamb - protein and more fatty.

    Protein shakes for snacks

    Bananas- higher in cals but good for you.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    My husband is training for an endurance mountain bike race and also needs a ton more calories than I do. I feed him lots of cheese (it's easy to add to his food while not to mine). Put bacon on his salad. Lots of protein (big steaks for him, small for me), encourage him to have seconds on the healthy food I cook. I keep hard boiled eggs in the fridge. You could also tell him to start on protein shakes. If he gets a blender bottle he can mix them up with water (not the best but easiest) at work.

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