Ashley’s answer: This is such an important question, thank you for asking it. The most important thing to focus on is your health, so you’ll want to make sure that how you gain weight doesn’t compromise it. I am so glad that the Paleo diet is helping you. I’ve had many clients who have interpreted the diet differently, so keep in mind that you don’t have to eat any of the foods I recommend that you don’t like. Following an anti-inflammatory approach as you work to gain weight can be really important to keep your health improvements at the center of your goals. Choose foods like wild salmon, wild sardines, and buffalo meat, as well as plant-based options like hemp hearts, hemp seed oil, and hemp protein powder. These provide important essential fatty acids. If you are a meat eater, then it’s really important to make sure that the quality of what you consume doesn’t compromise your health. I consulted on the Environmental Working Group’s Meat Eater’s Guide, which highlights healthy meat choices. Healthy fats, in addition to the protein sources listed above, will enable you to gain weight healthfully. These include avocado, olives, unrefined organic oils like coconut, flax, and olive, and even grass-fed organic raw butter (in moderation). Avoiding carbohydrates entirely won’t help you with your weight or health goals, so you will want to choose organic fruits and vegetables. Make sure that you get at least one serving of carbs per eating occasion (not per day). To eat optimally for weight gain, you don’t want to overwhelm your system. Aim for an eating occasion every 2½-3 hours. This may seem a lot, but even a small smoothie, an organic Paleo cookie (there are even new ones that harness theprotein power of crickets!) or wild salmon salad lettuce cups and half a sweet potato can be great options for small eating occasions. If you notice you aren’t gaining weight after a week of eating this way, you may need to increase your fat intake by 1-2 more servings daily until you see weight gain, or add an eating occasion before bed. Chewing over a food quandary? Send it to AskAshley@Prevention.com Ashley Koff is a registered dietitian, Qualitarian, nutrition expert, and
