Is gaining 2 kg (ie 4 pounds) per month okay ?

[ArunShankar]

I am a 25 year old man. Height 6 ft. (180 cm). Weight only 51 kg, ie. 112 pounds. So am trying to gain some weight. Is it okay to target 2 kg per month ? I think that is achievable. But what I want to know is - is it okay to do that ? Is it too much to gain every month ? Will that have any other side effects on my body ?

[secretstonaturalhealth]

The goal is fine, the process is important.
Aiming at 2kgs a month is okay. Eating natural foods to gain that weight is important. Definitely NO weight-gain medication as those will SURELY have side effects.

[a_ani]

Go ahead.it a good schedule for your height

[madhuri04]

You did not gain 2 kg of muscle. You would prob not notice 1 kg fat gain anyway. But it still depends on what you've eaten over the day(if you don't weigh first thing in the morning.)

Anyways, your bulking and you are going to gain some fat, don't worry about it.

[ArunShankar]

Madhuri, I haven't gained weight. I am planning to start a weight gain diet. And am asking the experts here if it is okay to target 2kg a month, or will that be too much.

[gymdandee]

2kg a month is OK!

[Ashleybennet]

I think it's ok to gain 4 pounds monthly.

[gymdandee]

That's not a problem and it's OK. At 6 ft why are you only 112
pounds?

[ArunShankar]

Yes. That is why I want to gain weight. I am a vegetarian. I have just started off on a weight gain diet. I wanted to know if it is okay to gain 4-5 pounds a month. I think this is achievable if I consume dairy products, avocados, soya and almonds, besides staple. But should I target 4-5 pounds a month ? Is that healthy ? That is what I wanted to know. I have read some articles on the internet that say that one must gain weight "slowly". How "slow" is desirable ?

[Paxiled]

Individuals vary, but one important thing to do is adopt a diet that will be your permanent way of eating.  That will be slow but will emphasize healthy eating, not just eating to gain weight, which you can obviously do by shoving sugar and fat in.  I don't think eating the foods you mention will necessarily lead to weight gain -- these are very healthy foods except the dairy which can be problematic.  To gain weight, usually you just eat more of what you're already eating, but if you're that underweight, it's not because you're a vegetarian unless you're not suited to be one.  Something else is going on -- either you're not eating well and balanced or you're not eating enough or you have a problem somewhere that is preventing you from absorbing what you're eating.

[gymdandee]

How much you should eat to gain weight depends on how many calories you need to maintain weight; use an online calculator to figure that out, based on your activity level, age, height and weight and body size. Then add between 250 and 500 calories to get your new calorie target for weight gain.

Calculate your protein needs by multiplying your weight by 0.8  that's how many grams of protein you should aim for. Include rich sources of plant-based proteins. A cup of lentils or chickpeas, for example, supplies 18 and 15 grams of protein per cup. A cup of tempeh has 31 grams of protein per cup, a 2-tablespoon serving of peanut butter or a cup of quinoa offer 8 grams of protein each.

You need to get your protein from a range of plant-based sources to get the amino acids you need for weight gain, since most plant-based proteins except soy and quinoa are short in at least one amino acid you need from your diet. Grains like whole wheat bread  with legumes or seeds, have nuts with legumes and  corn and legumes to get the amino acids you need.
A cup of milk boosts your protein intake by 8 grams, a large egg supplies 6 grams. Greek yogurt, cottage cheese and low-fat cheese also contain high-quality protein.

[ArunShankar]

Forgot to add. My BMI currently is 15.7. I must achieve 60 kg to be "normal BMI". Any help is deeply appreciated. Thank you.