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 Goal | Weight Gain |
| Daily Calorie Range | 3000-4000 |
| Meals/Day | 5 (3 Main & 2 Light) |
| Target Gender | Male & Female |
| Food Type | Veg & Non-veg |
| Plan Duration | 12 weeks |
| Expected Weight Gain | 4-8 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
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.
| Meal | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast (800 cal) | 3 scrambled eggs with cheese, 2 slices of toast with peanut butter, 1 banana, 8 oz of milk | Oatmeal with honey, walnuts, 1 cup Greek yogurt, 8 oz OJ | 2 pancakes with syrup, 2 sausage links, 1 avocado, 8 oz milk | 3 egg omelet with bacon, 2 toast with butter, 1 cup berries, 8 oz OJ | Breakfast burrito (eggs, sausage, cheese), 1 apple, 8 oz milk | French toast with maple syrup, 1 cup yogurt, 8 oz OJ | Bagel with cream cheese, 2 boiled eggs, 1 banana, 8 oz milk |
| Snack 1 (400 cal) | Protein bar, 1 oz almonds | 1 apple with 2 tbsp of peanut butter | 1 cup trail mix | Protein shake (milk, banana, PB) | 1 oz cashews, 1 granola bar | 2 rice cakes with almond butter | 1 cup Greek yogurt with granola |
| Lunch (800 cal) | Grilled chicken sandwich (bun, mayo, cheese), 1 cup fries, 12 oz milk | Turkey sub (6”, cheese, mayo), 1 cup coleslaw, 12 oz milk | Beef burger (bun, cheese), sweet potato fries, 12 oz milk | BBQ chicken wrap, 1 cup macaroni salad, 12 oz milk | Tuna melt sandwich, 1 cup potato salad, 12 oz milk | Pulled pork sandwich, 1 cup baked beans, 12 oz milk | Roast beef sandwich, 1 cup chips, 12 oz milk |
| Snack 2 (400 cal) | Protein shake (milk, whey, banana) | 1 banana with 2 tbsp PB | 1 cup cottage cheese with pineapple | 1 oz mixed nuts, 1 protein bar | 2 boiled eggs, 1 apple | 1 cup yogurt with honey | Protein shake (milk, whey, PB) |
| Dinner (800 cal) | 8 oz grilled chicken, 1 cup mashed potatoes, 1 cup broccoli, 12 oz chocolate milk | 8 oz steak, 1 cup rice, 1 cup green beans, 12 oz milk | 6 oz salmon, 1 cup pasta with Alfredo, 1 cup peas, 12 oz milk | 8 oz pork chop, 1 cup sweet potato, 1 cup corn, 12 oz milk | 6 oz ground beef tacos (2), 1 cup rice, 12 oz milk | 8 oz chicken Alfredo pasta, 1 cup carrots, 12 oz milk | 8 oz meatloaf, 1 cup mashed potatoes, 1 cup asparagus, 12 oz milk |
| Optional Snack (300 cal) | 1 slice of pizza | 1 cup ice cream | 2 cookies, 8 oz milk | 1 granola bar, 1 oz nuts | 1 cup trail mix | 1 slice cheesecake | 1 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.
| Meal | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast (900 cal) | 3 egg omelet with ham, cheese, 2 toast with avocado, 8 oz of milk | Waffle with peanut butter, 1 cup yogurt, 1 banana, 8 oz OJ | Breakfast tacos (eggs, chorizo, cheese), 1 apple, 8 oz milk | Oatmeal with almonds, raisins, 2 boiled eggs, 8 oz OJ | 2 pancakes with bacon, 1 cup berries, 8 oz milk | Bagel with lox, cream cheese, 1 banana, 8 oz milk | 3 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 bar | 2 tbsp PB on celery, 1 oz walnuts | 1 cup Greek yogurt with granola, honey | 1 granola bar, 1 oz cashews | Protein shake (milk, banana, PB) | 1 apple with 3 tbsp almond butter |
| Lunch (900 cal) | Philly cheesesteak (6”), 1 cup onion rings, 12 oz milk | Chicken Caesar wrap, 1 cup pasta salad, 12 oz milk | BBQ pork ribs (6 oz), 1 cup cornbread, 12 oz milk | Grilled turkey burger, 1 cup tater tots, 12 oz milk | Chicken quesadilla, 1 cup guacamole, 12 oz milk | BLT sandwich, 1 cup chips, 12 oz milk | Fried chicken sandwich, 1 cup coleslaw, 12 oz milk |
| Snack 2 (500 cal) | 1 cup cottage cheese with peaches, 1 oz almonds | Protein shake (milk, whey, berries) | 2 boiled eggs, 1 banana | 1 cup trail mix | 1 protein bar, 1 oz peanuts | 2 rice cakes with PB, 1 apple | 1 cup yogurt with granola |
| Dinner (900 cal) | 8 oz grilled steak, 1 cup loaded baked potato, 1 cup zucchini, 12 oz chocolate milk | 6 oz baked cod, 1 cup quinoa, 1 cup spinach, 12 oz milk | 8 oz chicken parmesan, 1 cup spaghetti, 12 oz milk | 6 oz turkey meatloaf, 1 cup sweet potato mash, 1 cup green beans, 12 oz milk | 8 oz beef stir-fry, 1 cup rice, 12 oz milk | 6 oz shrimp pasta (creamy), 1 cup broccoli, 12 oz milk | 8 oz pot roast, 1 cup mashed potatoes, 1 cup carrots, 12 oz milk |
| Optional Snack (400 cal) | 2 slices of pizza | 1 cup of ice cream with nuts | 1 brownie, 8 oz milk | 1 cup trail mix | 1 slice of pie | 2 cookies, 8 oz milk | 1 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.
| Meal | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast (1000 cal) | 4 scrambled eggs with bacon, 2 slices of toast with PB, 1 avocado, 12 oz of milk | 2 waffles with syrup, 2 sausage patties, 1 cup yogurt, 12 oz OJ | Breakfast burrito (eggs, chorizo, cheese, potatoes), 1 banana, 12 oz milk | Oatmeal with PB, walnuts, 3 boiled eggs, 12 oz OJ | 3 pancakes with bacon, 1 cup berries, 12 oz milk | Bagel with cream cheese, lox, 1 avocado, 12 oz milk | 4 egg omelet with ham, 2 biscuits with butter, 12 oz OJ |
| Snack 1 (600 cal) | Protein shake (milk, whey, PB, oats), 1 oz almonds | 1 cup trail mix, 1 protein bar | 2 tbsp PB on toast, 1 oz walnuts | 1 cup Greek yogurt with granola, 1 banana | 2 granola bars, 1 oz cashews | Protein shake (milk, whey, banana, PB) | 1 apple with 4 tbsp almond butter |
| Lunch (1000 cal) | Double cheeseburger (bun, mayo), 1 cup fries, 16 oz milk | Chicken bacon ranch wrap, 1 cup potato salad, 16 oz milk | BBQ brisket sandwich, 1 cup baked beans, 16 oz milk | Grilled chicken club (bacon, cheese), 1 cup tater tots, 16 oz milk | Steak fajitas (2), 1 cup guacamole, 16 oz milk | Meatball sub (6”), 1 cup chips, 16 oz milk | Fried chicken (2 pieces), 1 cup macaroni salad, 16 oz milk |
| Snack 2 (600 cal) | 1 cup cottage cheese with pineapple, 1 oz peanuts | Protein shake (milk, whey, oats, berries) | 3 boiled eggs, 1 banana | 1 cup trail mix, 1 protein bar | 2 rice cakes with PB, 1 apple | 1 cup yogurt with granola, 1 oz almonds | Protein shake (milk, whey, PB, banana) |
| Dinner (1000 cal) | 10 oz ribeye steak, 1 cup loaded mashed potatoes, 1 cup asparagus, 16 oz chocolate milk | 8 oz grilled salmon, 1 cup creamy pasta, 1 cup spinach, 16 oz milk | 10 oz chicken thighs, 1 cup fried rice, 1 cup broccoli, 16 oz milk | 8 oz pork ribs, 1 cup cornbread, 1 cup green beans, 16 oz milk | 10 oz beef lasagna, 1 cup zucchini, 16 oz milk | 8 oz shrimp scampi, 1 cup linguine, 1 cup peas, 16 oz milk | 10 oz pot roast, 1 cup sweet potato mash, 1 cup carrots, 16 oz milk |
| Optional Snack (400 cal) | 2 slices of pizza | 1 cup of ice cream with chocolate syrup | 1 slice cheesecake, 8 oz milk | 1 cup trail mix | 2 brownies | 3 cookies, 8 oz milk | 1 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
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Incline DB Bench Press | 4 | 10-12 |
| Bent-over Cable Fly | 4 | 10-12 |
| Dips (weighted, if possible) | 4 | Failure |
| Overhead Cable Triceps Extension | 4 | 12-15 |
| Smith Machine Standing Calf Raises | 4 | 15-20 |
Day 2 – Back, Biceps, & Glutes
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Pullups (weighted, if possible) | 4 | Failure |
| Lat Pulldown (Palms down) | 4 | 10-12 |
| Seated Row (Neutral Grip) | 4 | 12-15 |
| Bayesian Cable Curl | 4 | 10-15 |
| Barbell Hip Thrust | 4 | 10-12 |
Day 3 – Quads and Shoulders
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Back Squat | 4 | 10-15 |
| Smith Machine Lunges | 3 | 10 per leg |
| Leg Extensions | 4 | 12-15 |
| Overhead Press | 4 | 10-12 |
| Seated FDL Raises | 3 | 6-8 |
| Reverse Pec Deck Fly | 4 | 12-15 |
Day 4 – Chest, Triceps, & Abs
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Flat Bench Press | 4 | 8-12 |
| Seated Pec Fly | 4 | 12-15 |
| Incline Close-Grip Bench Press | 4 | 12-15 |
| Cable Bar Triceps Pressdown | 3 | 15-20 |
| Hanging Knee Raises | 3 | 10-15 |
| Landmine Oblique Twist | 3 | 10/side |
| Forearm Plank | 3 | 60-sec |
Day 5 – Back, Biceps, & Hamstrings
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Bent Over Row or Deadlift | 4 | 10-12 |
| Straight-arm Lat Pullover | 3 | 12-15 |
| Lat Pulldown (Neutral grip) | 4 | 12-15 |
| Preacher Curls | 4 | 12-15 |
| Barbell RDL | 3 | 6-8 |
| Seated Leg Curls | 4 | 15-20 |
You can also try the other muscle-building training plans:
- 6-Month Bodybuilding Workout Plan for Skinny Guys
- 12-Week Upper Lower Split for Beginners
- Push Pull Legs 12 Week Program with PDF
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.
