12-Week Weight Gain Meal Plan + Workout Routine (with PDF)

Weight Gain Meal Plan Summary

If you want a comprehensive weight gain meal plan that properly outlines each meal from breakfast to dinner for every day of the week, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, I’ll share a complete 12-week meal plan for gaining weight. I’ll also hand out a free weekly exercise plan that complements your diet and helps you gain muscle and strength.

About This Weight Loss Meal Plan

Diet Plan GoalWeight Gain
Daily Calorie Range3000-4000
Meals/Day5 (3 Main & 2 Light)
Target GenderMale & Female
Food TypeVeg & Non-veg
Plan Duration12 weeks
Expected Weight Gain4-8 kg (9-17 lbs)

The plan includes 3 main meals and 2-3 snacks. Each week includes daily meal suggestions with calorie estimates.

I’ve added mainly calorie-dense foods (such as peanut butter, whole milk, cheese, chicken, beef, avocados, and nuts), focusing on macronutrients (carbs, proteins, fats) in this diet plan.

It’s flexible, so you can adjust portion sizes or swap foods (preference and pocket-wise) to hit your target (closer to 3000 or 4000 calories) based on activity level, and pair with resistance training for muscle gain.

Examples of Foods You’ll See In this Program

This meal plan includes a good mix of protein, carbs, and fats, making it ideal for healthy weight gain. Let’s explore the foods you’ll have during this plan:

  • Proteins: Eggs, chicken breast, ground beef, bacon, salmon, Greek yogurt, whey protein.
  • Carbs: Bread, bagels, oatmeal, rice, pasta, potatoes, bananas, apples, berries.
  • Fats: Peanut butter, almond butter, avocados, nuts, cheese, butter, mayo.
  • Other: Milk, orange juice, chocolate milk, granola, protein bars, trail mix.

The Complete 12-Week Weight Gain Meal Plan

Meal Plan for Weight Gain


This plan is divided into three parts, 4 weeks each.

The first phase will build your habit of consuming calorie-dense meals.

The second phase will have a variety of meals that prevent boredom and motivate you to keep eating high-calorie meals.

The last phase involves increasing calorie intake (3600-4000) with larger portions and denser foods to push for further gains.

Weeks 1-4

The Foundation Phase is designed to ease you into a high-calorie diet, especially if you’re not used to eating 3000+ calories daily or have a smaller appetite. It is important because the digestive system and appetite need time to adjust to increased food volume.

The focus is on creating a routine of 3 meals and 2-3 snacks every 2-3 hours to hit a moderate surplus (3000-3400 calories), which supports a weight gain of 0.5-1 lb per week, primarily muscle, when paired with resistance training.

MealMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday
Breakfast (800 cal)3 scrambled eggs with cheese, 2 slices of toast with peanut butter, 1 banana, 8 oz of milkOatmeal with honey, walnuts, 1 cup Greek yogurt, 8 oz OJ2 pancakes with syrup, 2 sausage links, 1 avocado, 8 oz milk3 egg omelet with bacon, 2 toast with butter, 1 cup berries, 8 oz OJBreakfast burrito (eggs, sausage, cheese), 1 apple, 8 oz milkFrench toast with maple syrup, 1 cup yogurt, 8 oz OJBagel with cream cheese, 2 boiled eggs, 1 banana, 8 oz milk
Snack 1 (400 cal)Protein bar, 1 oz almonds1 apple with 2 tbsp of peanut butter1 cup trail mixProtein shake (milk, banana, PB)1 oz cashews, 1 granola bar2 rice cakes with almond butter1 cup Greek yogurt with granola
Lunch (800 cal)Grilled chicken sandwich (bun, mayo, cheese), 1 cup fries, 12 oz milkTurkey sub (6”, cheese, mayo), 1 cup coleslaw, 12 oz milkBeef burger (bun, cheese), sweet potato fries, 12 oz milkBBQ chicken wrap, 1 cup macaroni salad, 12 oz milkTuna melt sandwich, 1 cup potato salad, 12 oz milkPulled pork sandwich, 1 cup baked beans, 12 oz milkRoast beef sandwich, 1 cup chips, 12 oz milk
Snack 2 (400 cal)Protein shake (milk, whey, banana)1 banana with 2 tbsp PB1 cup cottage cheese with pineapple1 oz mixed nuts, 1 protein bar2 boiled eggs, 1 apple1 cup yogurt with honeyProtein shake (milk, whey, PB)
Dinner (800 cal)8 oz grilled chicken, 1 cup mashed potatoes, 1 cup broccoli, 12 oz chocolate milk8 oz steak, 1 cup rice, 1 cup green beans, 12 oz milk6 oz salmon, 1 cup pasta with Alfredo, 1 cup peas, 12 oz milk8 oz pork chop, 1 cup sweet potato, 1 cup corn, 12 oz milk6 oz ground beef tacos (2), 1 cup rice, 12 oz milk8 oz chicken Alfredo pasta, 1 cup carrots, 12 oz milk8 oz meatloaf, 1 cup mashed potatoes, 1 cup asparagus, 12 oz milk
Optional Snack (300 cal)1 slice of pizza1 cup ice cream2 cookies, 8 oz milk1 granola bar, 1 oz nuts1 cup trail mix1 slice cheesecake1 protein bar

Weeks 5-8

This period includes some new meals in this diet to keep the plan engaging and nutritionally diverse.

It also involves increasing calorie intake slightly (400 calories higher than the previous month).

Your metabolism may increase slightly due to added muscle mass and training intensity. The additional calorie intake (compared to the last month) maintains a surplus as your energy expenditure rises.

MealMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday
Breakfast (900 cal)3 egg omelet with ham, cheese, 2 toast with avocado, 8 oz of milkWaffle with peanut butter, 1 cup yogurt, 1 banana, 8 oz OJBreakfast tacos (eggs, chorizo, cheese), 1 apple, 8 oz milkOatmeal with almonds, raisins, 2 boiled eggs, 8 oz OJ2 pancakes with bacon, 1 cup berries, 8 oz milkBagel with lox, cream cheese, 1 banana, 8 oz milk3 scrambled eggs with sausage, 2 biscuits, 8 oz OJ
Snack 1 (500 cal)Protein shake (milk, whey, PB, oats)1 cup trail mix, 1 protein bar2 tbsp PB on celery, 1 oz walnuts1 cup Greek yogurt with granola, honey1 granola bar, 1 oz cashewsProtein shake (milk, banana, PB)1 apple with 3 tbsp almond butter
Lunch (900 cal)Philly cheesesteak (6”), 1 cup onion rings, 12 oz milkChicken Caesar wrap, 1 cup pasta salad, 12 oz milkBBQ pork ribs (6 oz), 1 cup cornbread, 12 oz milkGrilled turkey burger, 1 cup tater tots, 12 oz milkChicken quesadilla, 1 cup guacamole, 12 oz milkBLT sandwich, 1 cup chips, 12 oz milkFried chicken sandwich, 1 cup coleslaw, 12 oz milk
Snack 2 (500 cal)1 cup cottage cheese with peaches, 1 oz almondsProtein shake (milk, whey, berries)2 boiled eggs, 1 banana1 cup trail mix1 protein bar, 1 oz peanuts2 rice cakes with PB, 1 apple1 cup yogurt with granola
Dinner (900 cal)8 oz grilled steak, 1 cup loaded baked potato, 1 cup zucchini, 12 oz chocolate milk6 oz baked cod, 1 cup quinoa, 1 cup spinach, 12 oz milk8 oz chicken parmesan, 1 cup spaghetti, 12 oz milk6 oz turkey meatloaf, 1 cup sweet potato mash, 1 cup green beans, 12 oz milk8 oz beef stir-fry, 1 cup rice, 12 oz milk6 oz shrimp pasta (creamy), 1 cup broccoli, 12 oz milk8 oz pot roast, 1 cup mashed potatoes, 1 cup carrots, 12 oz milk
Optional Snack (400 cal)2 slices of pizza1 cup of ice cream with nuts1 brownie, 8 oz milk1 cup trail mix1 slice of pie2 cookies, 8 oz milk1 protein bar, 1 oz nuts

Weeks 9-12

This period involves increasing calorie intake with larger portions and denser foods to keep gaining weight and avoid plateaus.

MealMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday
Breakfast (1000 cal)4 scrambled eggs with bacon, 2 slices of toast with PB, 1 avocado, 12 oz of milk2 waffles with syrup, 2 sausage patties, 1 cup yogurt, 12 oz OJBreakfast burrito (eggs, chorizo, cheese, potatoes), 1 banana, 12 oz milkOatmeal with PB, walnuts, 3 boiled eggs, 12 oz OJ3 pancakes with bacon, 1 cup berries, 12 oz milkBagel with cream cheese, lox, 1 avocado, 12 oz milk4 egg omelet with ham, 2 biscuits with butter, 12 oz OJ
Snack 1 (600 cal)Protein shake (milk, whey, PB, oats), 1 oz almonds1 cup trail mix, 1 protein bar2 tbsp PB on toast, 1 oz walnuts1 cup Greek yogurt with granola, 1 banana2 granola bars, 1 oz cashewsProtein shake (milk, whey, banana, PB)1 apple with 4 tbsp almond butter
Lunch (1000 cal)Double cheeseburger (bun, mayo), 1 cup fries, 16 oz milkChicken bacon ranch wrap, 1 cup potato salad, 16 oz milkBBQ brisket sandwich, 1 cup baked beans, 16 oz milkGrilled chicken club (bacon, cheese), 1 cup tater tots, 16 oz milkSteak fajitas (2), 1 cup guacamole, 16 oz milkMeatball sub (6”), 1 cup chips, 16 oz milkFried chicken (2 pieces), 1 cup macaroni salad, 16 oz milk
Snack 2 (600 cal)1 cup cottage cheese with pineapple, 1 oz peanutsProtein shake (milk, whey, oats, berries)3 boiled eggs, 1 banana1 cup trail mix, 1 protein bar2 rice cakes with PB, 1 apple1 cup yogurt with granola, 1 oz almondsProtein shake (milk, whey, PB, banana)
Dinner (1000 cal)10 oz ribeye steak, 1 cup loaded mashed potatoes, 1 cup asparagus, 16 oz chocolate milk8 oz grilled salmon, 1 cup creamy pasta, 1 cup spinach, 16 oz milk10 oz chicken thighs, 1 cup fried rice, 1 cup broccoli, 16 oz milk8 oz pork ribs, 1 cup cornbread, 1 cup green beans, 16 oz milk10 oz beef lasagna, 1 cup zucchini, 16 oz milk8 oz shrimp scampi, 1 cup linguine, 1 cup peas, 16 oz milk10 oz pot roast, 1 cup sweet potato mash, 1 cup carrots, 16 oz milk
Optional Snack (400 cal)2 slices of pizza1 cup of ice cream with chocolate syrup1 slice cheesecake, 8 oz milk1 cup trail mix2 brownies3 cookies, 8 oz milk1 protein bar, 1 oz nuts

Best Weight Gain Exercise Plan (5-day Split)

  • Day 1: Chest, Triceps, & Calves
  • Day 2: Back, Biceps, & Glutes
  • Day 3: Quads & Shoulders
  • Day 4: Rest
  • Day 5: Chest, Triceps, & Abs
  • Day 6: Back, Biceps, & Hamstrings
  • Day 7: Rest

Perform warm-up exercises for 5-10 minutes and stay hydrated throughout the training.

Day 1 – Chest, Triceps, and Calves

ExercisesSetsReps
Incline DB Bench Press410-12
Bent-over Cable Fly410-12
Dips (weighted, if possible)4Failure
Overhead Cable Triceps Extension412-15
Smith Machine Standing Calf Raises415-20

Day 2 – Back, Biceps, & Glutes

ExercisesSetsReps
Pullups (weighted, if possible)4Failure
Lat Pulldown (Palms down)410-12
Seated Row (Neutral Grip)412-15
Bayesian Cable Curl410-15
Barbell Hip Thrust410-12

Day 3 – Quads and Shoulders

ExercisesSetsReps
Barbell Back Squat410-15
Smith Machine Lunges310 per leg
Leg Extensions412-15
Overhead Press410-12
Seated FDL Raises36-8
Reverse Pec Deck Fly412-15

Day 4 – Chest, Triceps, & Abs

ExercisesSetsReps
Flat Bench Press48-12
Seated Pec Fly412-15
Incline Close-Grip Bench Press412-15
Cable Bar Triceps Pressdown315-20
Hanging Knee Raises310-15
Landmine Oblique Twist310/side
Forearm Plank360-sec

Day 5 – Back, Biceps, & Hamstrings

ExercisesSetsReps
Bent Over Row or Deadlift410-12
Straight-arm Lat Pullover312-15
Lat Pulldown (Neutral grip)412-15
Preacher Curls412-15
Barbell RDL36-8
Seated Leg Curls415-20

You can also try the other muscle-building training plans:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who is this meal plan for?

This plan is suitable for non-vegetarian, lean, and skinny individuals looking to gain weight and muscle mass. If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, I suggest adjusting it according to your dietary preferences.

How do I know if I’m eating enough calories?

Weigh yourself weekly. If you see consistent gains of 0.5-1 lb, then you’re in a calorie surplus. If weight stalls, add 200-300 calories (such as an extra protein shake or larger portions). You can also track your intake using online diet apps.

Can I include fast food or restaurant meals?

Yes, fast food like cheeseburgers, pizza, or fried chicken can help hit calorie goals, so you can have it occastionally when calorie needs are higher. However, I recommend prioritizing whole foods for better nutritional value.

Do I need supplements?

Yes, I recommend only whey protein supplement for both mass gain and weight loss. Whey protein can increase calorie intake and help recover muscle faster. Prefer whole foods over mass gainers to gain weight safely.

What if I’m not gaining weight?

Check how many calories you’re consuming and how many of them your body burns every day. Always stay in calorie surplus. If you’re not gaining 0.5-1 lb per week despite taking higher calories, I suggest consulting with a nutritionist.

What if I have a small appetite?

Feeling not hungry is normal. But you should push yourself to eat more if you want to gain weight. You can include more liquid meals, such as shakes or smoothies, and calorie-dense items like peanut butter (100 cal/tbsp), nuts, or avocado. Walking after a meal can also enhance your digestion, so you should also try this. (Source)

How do I transition after the 12 weeks?

If you’ve reached your target weight, good. It’s time to cut calories and have a typical 2500-3000. Continue resistance training and keep protein high (1.6-2.2g/kg body weight). If more weight gain is needed, you can extend the plan with new recipes for another 4-8 weeks.

Share This Blog

Picture of Murshid Akram

Murshid Akram

I’m a personal trainer, fitness blogger, and founder of thefitnessphantom.com. I help people achieve their best shape through my science-based and practical workout programs.
Picture of Murshid Akram

Murshid Akram

I’m a personal trainer, fitness blogger, and founder of thefitnessphantom.com. I help people achieve their best shape through my science-based and practical workout programs.
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

About Me

Murshid Akram, Author at The Fitness Phantom

I’m Murshid Akram, a personal trainer, fitness blogger, and founder of thefitnessphantom.com. I primarily design workout plans and share science-based and practical information that can help you become stronger, functional, and healthier.

Recent Posts

Sign up for our Newsletter

Sign up for practical, helpful, and unique content that can help you elevate your fitness.

SEARCH YOUR WORKOUT​

You can also use this search box to find your workout​

Search