I quizzed Jason about his genetics, asking what other family members looked like. "My Dad syas I look just like he did at this age." Clearly, genetics plays a powerful role in a person's physique. But so does "the fidget factor." That is, Jason constantly fidgeted. Not only was he active with sports, but he was also active when sitting. He constantly squirmed and moved around in his chair - all of which burned off calories. (A dedicated fidgeter can easily burn an addition 700+ calories per day, the equivalent of one or two more meals.) I suggested that Jason mellow out, and also try some of the following weight gain tips.

Weight Gain Tips

Theroetically, you have to eat an extra 500 to 1,000 calories per day to gain one or two pounds per week. But nature often confounds this mathematical approach. Without question, some people do gain weight more easily than others. For example, in a weight gain study where the subjects were overfed by 1,000 calories per day for 100 days, some people gained only 9 pounds, whereas others gained 29 pounds. Why the big difference? Perhaps some of the subjects fidgeted more than others; perhaps some were genetically predisposed to obesity.

Keep in mind your genetics and your tendency to fidget, here are five important rules to help you with your quest for bulk.

1. Eat consistently. Every day, have three hearty meals plus one to three additional snacks. Do NOT skip meals! You'll miss out on important calories that you need to accomplish your goals.
2. Eat larger than normal portions. Instead of having one sandwich for lunch, have two. Eat three potatoes at dinner, instead of only two. Have a taller glass of milk, bigger bowl of ceral, larger piece of fruit.
3. Select higher calorie foods. Read food labels to determine which foods have more calories than an equally enjoyable counterpart. For example, cran-apple juice has more calories than does orange juice (170 vs. 110 calories/8 ounces); granola has more calories than Cheerios (700 vs. 100 calories/cup); corn more than green beans (140 vs. 40 calories/cup).
4. Drink lots of juice and milk. Beverages are a simple way to increase your caloric intake. Instead of drinking water, quench your thrist with calorie containing fluids. One high school soccer player gained 13 pounds over the summer by simply adding six glasses of cranapple juice (1,000 calories) to his standard daily diet. A baseball player made a weight gain drink by mixing one quart of 2 percent milk with four packets of Instant Breakfast and one-half cup of powered milk (1,000 calorie total). He mixed it in the blender each morning, the he drank half at breakfast and the rest before bed.
5. Do strengthening exercises to stimulate muscular development so you bulk-up, rather than fatten up. Some underweight people are afraid exercise will result in weight loss rather than weight gain. If that's your case, remember that exercise tends to stimulate the appetite; you'll want to eat more. (Yes, exercise temporarily "kills" your appetite right after a hard workout, but within a few hours, you'll get hungry.) Exercise also increases thirst, you'll easily be able to drink extra juices.

By following these rules, you should see progress. But honor your genetics. If your father was slim until age 40, then you might follow the same footsteps. Most people do gain weight with age as they become less active, more mellow, and have more time to eat. Granted, this information doesn't help you today, but it offers optimism for your future.

Among very serious athletes who need to gain weight for bulk (football players, hockey players, etc.), questions about creatine commonly arise. Creatine is a natural compound found primarily in meats. It is needed for immediate energy during short, intense exercise such as weight lifting and sprinting. To date, it is seemingly harmless when taken in the recommended doses, but it has yet to pass "the test of time."

Athletes who take creatine commonly gain weight. Is this because they are able to train harder and that stimulates muscular growth? Or are they simply gaining water weight? Research has yet to define the entire process, but we do know that some people gain to their desired weight with creatine and some don't.

If you are tempted to try creatine, I first recommend you pay attention to the above Weight Gain Tips. That is, you need to consistently eat more calories, drink more juices, and do strength training. No magic pill is going to replace these key steps.

Nancy Clark, MS, RD is a nutrition counselor at the Boston area's Sports Medicine Brookline. She has written the very popular book, Nancy Clark's Sport Nutrition Guidebook.