Liquid Diet For Weight Gain

Last Updated on November 7, 2022 by

Are you looking to gain weight? Did you know that consuming the right foods and taking care of your body can help you do just that?

A liquid diet really is an effective way to help you gain weight. These diets come with a variety of nutrients and ingredients that are created to help you put on pounds in a healthy way. But, be very careful what shakes you decide to use when starting your liquid diet routine. Many of the shakes out on the market are high in sugars, not the most nutritious and some are even totally void of any nutritional value. It’s important to do your homework before deciding which shake is right for you. If you want to know more about Liquid Diet For Weight Gain, make sure you read this article.

Liquid Diet For Weight Gain

Liquid food for weight loss

Because we make liquid food products, we get a lot of questions about liquid diets. And one of the questions we get frequently is: “Can Plenny Shake help me lose weight?”

We could give a quick and witty answer, but truth is, there are a few things to consider. So we sat down to write a proper response that hopefully gives you the info you need, in a way that’s simple and easy to understand. Because simple and easy is who we are.

Liquid diet shakes for weight loss

One of the key aspects of weight loss is making sure that you consume carbs, fat, protein, and fiber in the right proportions. Too much carbs than your body can use, and your body stores excess energy as fat. Too much protein, and the body won’t be able to absorb it readily, and use it to build muscle (which helps you burn fat).

So how can liquid food substitutes like Plenny Shake help?

  • Plenny Shake contains the recommended daily amount of protein and fiber. Protein and fiber keep you fuller for a longer period of time than carbs.
  • When consuming carbs, you also need protein and fiber along with it to prevent a sudden spike in insulin levels. High insulin levels make you store fat instead of losing it. And that’s definitely something you don’t want when you’re on a weight loss regimen.
  • The calorie count you need for weight loss varies for everyone, depending on your body mass and lifestyle. For example, a couch potato and an athlete will need different amounts of calories per day. Plenny Shake contains 200 kcal per 50 grams, or one scoop. This level of precision makes it easy to control and track your calorie intake per meal, per day, and tailor it to your personal needs. No guesswork needed.

Now, the flip side of the coin. Can a liquid diet help you gain weight?

To help us answer this question, we consulted licensed dietician Dascha Willemsen. The answer: yes! Plenny Shake can definitely help you gain weight if you need to.

Why would weight gain be a good thing?

  • People who are underweight, such as those recovering from an eating disorder, need to gain weight in the easiest, healthiest, most balanced way possible.
  • People who have a hard time chewing—post-surgery, for example, or due to a broken jaw—also need to maintain or gain weight while being unable to chew or digest solid food.
  • Or you might just think you look better with more meat and muscle on your bones.

Extra calories and nutrients with Plenny Shake

Plenny Shake makes it easy to gain weight the healthy way, by giving you a balanced amount of carbs, fat, protein and fiber with a minimum of time and effort. No more spending hours preparing huge quantities of food or sitting through a painfully long meal to get the extra calories you need to bulk up.

Just scoop, shake, and slurp your way to a nutritionally complete, calorie-heavy meal in a matter of minutes. You’ll also stay fuller, longer thanks to the proteins and fibers that help you avoid insulin spikes.

Won’t oatmeal shakes give me the same results?

Not quite. Plain oatmeal shakes are heavy on the carbohydrates in proportion to the protein and fiber your body needs. Going fat- or carb-heavy will also help you gain weight, but you’ll find that most of the mass you’ll gain will be fat. Not to mention, oatmeal by itself isn’t exactly the most exciting flavor.

How a full liquid diet works

As mentioned above, you may eat foods that are liquid or turn liquid at room temperature on a full liquid diet. These foods contain little to no fiber or protein, so they give your digestive system a break.

You may need to eat more than the three standard meals a day to get in all your calories and nutrients on a full liquid diet. Try eating six to eight times throughout the day with a variety of liquids and strained or blended foods. To increase your caloric intake, incorporate full-fat dairy, such as butter or whole milk, or high-calorie supplement shakes.

A liquid multivitamin is another good option if you’re worried about getting full nutrition on this diet.

A day’s menu might include:

Breakfast

  • 1 cup of hot cereal (like Cream of Wheat) thinned with whole milk
  • 1/2 cup fruit juice

Morning snack

  • 1/2 cup supplement beverage, like Boost or Ensure
  • 1/2 cup custard-style yogurt

Lunch

  • 2 cups of soup
  • 1/2 cup tomato juice
  • 1 cup chocolate pudding

Afternoon snack

  • 1/2 cup supplement beverage
  • 1/2 cup fruit juice

Dinner

  • 2 cups soup
  • 1/2 to 1 cup blended oatmeal thinned with milk
  • 1/2 cup lemonade

Evening snack

  • 1 cup supplement beverage
  • 1/2 cup vanilla ice cream
TAKE THE QUIZ

What foods can you eat?

Compared to a clear liquid diet, there are a variety of foods you may eat on a full liquid diet.

Fruits and vegetables

  • all fruit or veggie juices (avoid pulp unless your doctor says otherwise)

Soups

  • bouillon
  • clear broths (beef, chicken, vegetable)
  • strained and pureed vegetable soup
  • strained meat- or cream-based soups (may contain pureed veggies or meat)

Dairy

  • all types of cow’s milk (whole, low-fat, reduced fat, fat-free)
  • lactose-free milk products, such as soy, almond, or flax milk
  • half-and-half
  • butter
  • sour cream
  • custard-style yogurts

Grains

  • Cream of Wheat
  • Cream of Rice
  • grits
  • other cooked cereals made from refined grains and thinned with milk

Fats

  • butter
  • margarine
  • mayonnaise
  • creamy peanut butter, or nut butter of choice

Beverages

  • coffee and tea
  • hot cocoa
  • artificially flavored fruit drinks
  • lemonade
  • sports drinks, like Gatorade
  • milkshakes (you may add smooth peanut butter or canned fruit, but blend until smooth)
  • pasteurized eggnog

Supplement beverages

  • Ensure
  • Boost
  • Carnation Instant Breakfast
  • Glucerna

Desserts

  • pudding
  • custard
  • gelatin
  • ice cream (plain varieties)
  • sherbet
  • popsicles
  • fruit ices

Other

  • sweeteners, such as honey, sugar, and maple syrup
  • salt
  • herbs, spices, and flavored syrups, like chocolate syrup
  • brewer’s yeast

Ask your doctor or dietitian about the following foods. They’re sometimes included in a full liquid diet, or as you get closer to resuming a more normal diet:

  • pureed fruits, such as applesauce
  • pureed vegetables diluted into soups, such as strained pumpkin puree in a cream soup
  • cooked cereals, such as oatmeal
  • pureed potatoes
  • strained, pureed meats

Foods to avoid on a full liquid diet

You should avoid any solid foods on a full liquid diet. This means to stay away from raw, cooked, or canned fruits or vegetables that have the skin or seeds.

Other foods to avoid include:

  • mashed fruits and vegetables, such as mashed avocado
  • nuts and seeds
  • hard and soft cheeses
  • soups with noodles, rice, or other chunks in it
  • ice cream with solids in it
  • bread
  • whole cereals and other grains
  • meats and meat substitutes
  • carbonated beverages, such as sparkling water and soda

People who have had stomach surgery may also want to avoid consuming orange and other acidic fruit and vegetable juices. These juices may cause burning. If you’re concerned about your vitamin C consumption, ask your doctor about liquid vitamin C supplements.

Your doctor may give you further diet instructions based on the procedure you had.

Things to consider before starting a full liquid diet

Your doctor is your best resource for what foods you should and shouldn’t eat on a full liquid diet. You can also work with a registered dietitian.

A registered dietician can help you plan your meals within the guidelines of a full liquid diet and tailor it to your specific needs. For example, some individuals may need to eat a special diet if they have diabetes. Others, who have had bariatric surgery, may need to avoid or limit certain foods on the full liquid diet for some time, such as sugar.

Here are some other considerations:

  • Pureed foods should be of stage 1, or “baby-food” consistency. There should be no chunks or visible pieces before mixing it into soups and other liquids.
  • Adding milk, water, salad dressings, and mayonnaise can help moisten foods for easier blending.
  • Feeling full is a sign to stop drinking. Pay attention to your body’s signals as you consume liquids. That said, try to get in at least 64 ounces of liquids each day.
  • Trouble drinking enough is also a concern. Try drinking what you can at 15 to 20 minute intervals throughout the day.
  • Nutritional supplements may be a good option if you need to be on a full liquid diet for longer than five days. Discuss your options with your doctor.
  • Specific menus and food ideas are also important things to discuss with your doctor or dietitian.
  • You may rapidly lose a significant amount of weight while following this type of diet. It’s meant to be used temporarily, not long term, unless directed by your doctor.
  • Experiencing fever, diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain are all reasons to call your doctor while following a full liquid diet. These may be signs of infection or other complications of your surgery or medical condition.

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