Petite Gains

Let's talk about gaining weight

recent posts

  • Simple At-Home Workouts for Busy People (No Gym Required)

    Simple At-Home Workouts for Busy People (No Gym Required)

    If you’ve ever felt intimidated by the gym, you’re not alone. I’ll be honest—I’m gym scared. Even when I go, there’s always that feeling like people are watching or judging. On top of that, life gets busy. Between work, school, and everything else, finding time to go to the gym isn’t always realistic.

    That’s exactly why I started leaning into at-home workouts.

    Working out at home is not only an option, it’s a practical and effective one. You don’t need a full setup, hours of free time, or even a lot of space. What you do need is consistency and a willingness to move your body, even if it’s just for a few minutes a day. Working out does not have to take over your life. You don’t have to spend hours exercising or build your entire routine around it. Even short sessions can improve your circulation, boost your energy, and support your overall health, especially if you’re trying to gain weight and build strength at the same time.

    Simple Full-Body At-Home Workout

    You can follow a routine like this and adjust it based on your level, your time, or your energy for the day.

    Warm-Up (Repeat 2x):

    • 50 jumping jacks
    • 30 high knees
    • 30 butt kicks
    • 5 walk-downs

    Abs & Arms:

    • 50 Russian twists
    • 30 push-ups
    • 30 crunches
    • 20 bicycle crunches
    • 10 full sit-ups
    • 20 heel touches
    • 40 side crunches (20 each side)

    Legs & Glutes:

    • 30 squats
    • 30 bridge lifts
    • 80 standing leg lifts (40 each leg)
    • 30-second wall sit
    • 30 alternating lunges (15 each leg)
    • 30 scissor kicks
    • 30 lateral leg lifts (15 each side)
    • 15 supermans
    • 30 ski squat lifts
    • 15 curtsy and outside raises (25 each)
    • 20 lunge and lifts (25 each)
    • 30 plié squats

    Finish with a cooldown and stretch. This might look like a lot, but you don’t have to do everything all at once. You can break it up, modify it, or focus on just one section depending on how much time and energy you have.

    One of the biggest misconceptions about working out is that it has to take a long time to be effective. That’s not true. If you have 10 to 20 minutes, that’s enough to get something in. Even doing a portion of a workout is better than doing nothing at all, and over time those small efforts add up. You don’t have to put your entire day on pause just to work out. You can fit movement into your routine in a way that actually works for your lifestyle.

    Resistance bands are my personal favorite when it comes to equipment. They’re lightweight, easy to use, and extremely versatile. You can target almost any muscle group with them, and they’re perfect whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been working out for a while. One of the things I love most about them is how portable they are. There was a time when I kept a small set of resistance bands in my bag so I could use them during breaks at work or anytime I had extra energy and needed an outlet. You can use them almost anywhere, which makes them perfect for a busy lifestyle. You can check out the ones I use here: https://amzn.to/4dZ724M

    I also like using a yoga mat. Even though I have carpet, the mat gives better grip and makes exercises like planks, crunches, and stretches more comfortable and stable. It’s a small addition, but it makes a difference in how the workout feels. Here’s the one I use: https://amzn.to/4eDs0GB

    If you’re looking to add more intensity, especially for lower body workouts, weighted or ankle resistance bands are a great option. They help increase resistance without needing heavy weights, which works really well for at-home routines. You can find those here: https://amzn.to/4uoivzZ

    At the end of the day, if you feel like working out would support your weight gain journey but the gym isn’t your space, or your schedule just doesn’t allow for it, working out at home is a completely valid option. You don’t need to be perfect, you don’t need a full setup, and you don’t need hours. All you need is a little bit of time, a little bit of effort, and a routine that fits your life. Start where you are and build from there.

  • My Top 5 Favorite Superfoods for Healthy Weight Gain

    My Top 5 Favorite Superfoods for Healthy Weight Gain

    Before I get into my top five, I want to start by saying something that I think a lot of people need to hear: you do not have to eat perfectly all the time to gain weight in a healthy way.

    Yes, nutrition matters. Whole foods matter. But real life matters too. I’m a full-time student, I work full-time, and I’m building a blogging business. There are days when I’m working 12+ hours, and by the time I get home, I’m exhausted. On those days, I’m not cooking a full meal I’m going through a drive-thru.

    And that’s okay.

    Healthy weight gain isn’t about cutting out every comfort food or forcing yourself into a strict routine that doesn’t fit your lifestyle. It’s about balance. It’s about making nutrient-dense choices most of the time while still allowing yourself to enjoy your life.

    With that in mind, here are my top five favorite superfoods that I consistently rely on for healthy weight gain.

    1. Avocados

    Avocados are easily my number one go-to. They’re calorie-dense, rich in healthy fats, and incredibly versatile. A single avocado can give you around 240 calories along with potassium and B vitamins.

    Lately, I’ve been making avocado toast almost every day. My version is simple but filling: one whole avocado mixed with eggs, a little mayo, and whatever seasonings I feel like using. If I have bacon, I’ll add that too. I usually put it on sourdough, but whole wheat works just as well.

    It’s one of those meals that doesn’t feel like “trying” to gain weight… it just works.

    2. Quinoa

    Quinoa is one of those foods that checks every box. It’s a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids, and it provides about 220 calories and 8 grams of protein per cooked cup.

    What I like most about quinoa is that it gives you energy without that heavy or sluggish feeling. It’s a solid option if you’re trying to gain weight while still supporting muscle growth and overall nutrition.

    3. Nuts and Nut Butters

    If you’re trying to increase your calorie intake, nuts and nut butters make it easy. They’re small, convenient, and extremely calorie-dense—typically around 160 to 200 calories per ounce.

    I personally love cashews, peanuts, and mixed nuts. Peanut butter is a staple for me. I’ll add it to shakes, spread it on toast, or just eat it straight when I need something quick.

    It’s one of the simplest ways to add calories without overthinking it.

    4. Dairy Products

    Dairy is another strong option for healthy weight gain, especially if your body tolerates it well. Milk, yogurt, cheese, and cottage cheese all provide a good mix of protein, fats, calcium, and vitamin D.

    I’m a big fan of cottage cheese and Greek yogurt. They’re easy to pair with other foods and work well as either a snack or part of a full meal. They also help support muscle growth, which is important if your weight gain goal includes building strength.

    5. Sweet Potatoes

    Sweet potatoes are simple, affordable, and effective. A medium sweet potato provides roughly 120 to 180 calories along with fiber and a strong dose of vitamin A.

    They’re great for sustained energy and easy to incorporate into meals. I usually keep it simple and bake them, then pair them with other calorie-dense foods.

    There are a few other foods that didn’t make my top five but are still part of my routine.

    Eggs are a daily staple for me. They’re affordable, versatile, and provide solid protein. Dates are great for quick energy and added calories. Dark chocolate can be a helpful high-calorie option if you enjoy it. Chia seeds are small but nutrient-dense, and coconut products like coconut milk or oil are great for adding extra calories and quick energy.

    My Go-To High-Calorie Shake

    One of my favorite ways to get extra calories in, especially on busy days, is a homemade protein shake.

    I usually blend milk, Greek yogurt, a banana, and a few tablespoons of peanut butter. Sometimes I’ll add a little sugar for sweetness instead of honey. It’s quick, customizable, and easy to prepare ahead of time so I can just grab it and go.

    Progress Update

    Since my last weigh-in, I’ve gained two pounds. That might not seem like a lot, but for me, it’s meaningful progress. It shows that what I’m doing is working, and more importantly, that consistency matters more than perfection.

    If you’re trying to gain weight, don’t put unnecessary pressure on yourself to be perfect. Focus on adding calorie-dense, nutrient-rich foods into your routine, and allow yourself flexibility when life gets busy.

    You don’t have to choose between enjoying your food and reaching your goals. You can do both.

  • Real Talk – Day 1: My Weight Gain Struggles

    Real Talk – Day 1: My Weight Gain Struggles

    Hi everyone

    If you’re on this page, that probably means that you, like me, have tried many different things to gain weight. You’ve probably done all the Google searches and probably come to the same conclusion that I have — almost everything online is catered towards how to lose weight, what you’re doing wrong to lose weight, or how to avoid gaining weight. Very rarely do we find information for people who are actually trying to gain weight in a healthy way.

    My entire life, I have struggled with weight gain. I have a very fast metabolism, sometimes referred to as hypermetabolism, and I also have a very high level of energy. Because of this, it has always been very difficult for me to gain and maintain a healthy weight. I have tried so many different things over the years, and some things worked, some didn’t, and some only worked temporarily.

    So today, I just want to share a few things that I have personally found helpful for me. Keep in mind that everybody’s body is different. Something that works for me may not work for you, and something that works for you may not work for me. My biggest advice is to experiment and find what works best for your body. A lot of this journey really comes down to consistency and intentionality.

    One thing that I have learned about myself is that I am not the kind of person who can consume all of my calories in just three meals a day. I cannot just eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner and expect to gain weight. By the time I get to lunch, I am starving, and by the time I get to dinner, I feel like I’m running on empty. So I have learned to split my meals into smaller portions throughout the day and aim for 2500+ calories.

    For example, I will eat breakfast, but I will also make sure I have a high-calorie, high-protein snack between breakfast and lunch. Sometimes I will snack two or three times between meals. After lunch, I will also have another snack before dinner. I also make sure that I eat something before I go to bed. This helps prevent me from waking up in the middle of the night extremely hungry and searching the kitchen for something to eat.

    One thing that has helped me a lot recently is making sure I always have easy snacks on hand. Some of my go-to snacks are protein bars, nuts, peanut butter, and high-protein meat sticks. I really like the small snack packs because they have enough protein to hold me over between meals, but they are lightweight so I don’t feel like I am eating heavy meals all day long.

    Peanut butter is also a really good high-calorie snack. I personally love peanut butter with apples. Some people might think that sounds strange, but I really like it. Protein shakes are also one of the best things you can add to your day if you are trying to gain weight. You can pack a lot of calories and protein into a shake, and since it’s a liquid, you will usually feel hungry again in a few hours.

    I will go into more detail in later posts about protein shakes that I like to make, breakfast ideas, and foods that I eat regularly to help me stay healthy and maintain or gain weight. I will also talk later about meal prepping and what I do for food when I am at work so that I can maintain healthy eating habits throughout the day.

    But honestly, the biggest key in all of this is consistency. Consistency is really your saving grace when it comes to gaining weight. For me personally, I have noticed that I will gain a little bit of weight and then maintain that weight for a very long time. I cannot gain past that point unless I am extremely intentional and consistent with eating enough calories every single day.

    I am a very petite person, and the heaviest I have ever been was around 120 pounds, and I am currently working my way back up to that. That is actually one of the main reasons I started writing this blog. This blog is not only meant to help others, but also to help hold myself accountable and stay consistent with my own goals.

    One of the most frustrating things for me has always been trying to find information about gaining weight and seeing everything targeted toward losing weight instead. It can be very discouraging when you are looking for help and everything you find is meant for the opposite problem.

    But if you are like me, there is hope. There are things that you can do. It just takes time, patience, and consistency. My goal with this blog is to share my journey, share what works for me, and hopefully help someone else along the way. Even if the end result is not just gaining weight, my ultimate goal for myself and for anyone reading this is simply to become the healthiest version of ourselves that we can be, to be happy in our own skin, and to learn to love ourselves as we are.

  • The Basics of Healthy Weight Gain: Start with Your Health First

    The Basics of Healthy Weight Gain: Start with Your Health First

    When most people talk about weight gain, they immediately jump to eating a lot of food, drinking protein shakes, or starting a heavy workout routine. However, before any of that, I believe the most important step is making sure your body is in a healthy and balanced state first. Healthy weight gain should always start with healthy habits, because if your body is not functioning properly, it will be much harder to gain weight, build muscle, and maintain energy.

    One of the most important factors in healthy weight gain is proper rest. Sleep plays a major role in hormone regulation, muscle recovery, appetite regulation, and energy levels. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most adults should aim for around 7–9 hours of sleep per night. Not getting enough sleep can affect hormones that control hunger, stress, and metabolism, which can make it harder to gain weight in a healthy way.

    Another important factor is minimizing stress. Chronic stress can affect your hormones, appetite, digestion, and metabolism. When your body is constantly stressed, it produces higher levels of cortisol, which can affect appetite, sleep, weight, and overall health. Research from sources such as Harvard Health and the Cleveland Clinic explains that long-term stress can impact digestion, metabolism, and hormone balance, which are all important when trying to improve your health or gain weight.

    Proper hydration is also very important and often overlooked. Your body needs water for digestion, nutrient absorption, circulation, muscle function, and energy production. If you are dehydrated, your body cannot properly use the food you are eating or the nutrients you are consuming. Staying hydrated helps your body function efficiently and supports overall health.

    Another important part of healthy weight gain is making sure you are eating enough calories, protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. I will go into more detail about dieting and meal planning in another post, but for now, the most important thing is finding a method of eating that works for you and that you can stay consistent with. Consistency is more important than perfection when it comes to gaining weight and improving your health.

    Vitamins and supplements can also play a role in helping your body stay balanced, especially when it comes to energy levels, hormone balance, sleep, and overall health. While supplements are not magic and cannot replace a healthy diet, they can help fill nutritional gaps and support your body systems.

    Three vitamins and minerals that are often recommended for women for overall health and hormone support include magnesium, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids. Magnesium is associated with sleep, stress regulation, and muscle function. Vitamin D plays a role in hormone regulation, mood, immune function, and bone health. Omega-3 fatty acids support brain health, hormone function, and help reduce inflammation in the body. Many medical and nutrition sources such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Harvard Health, and the Cleveland Clinic discuss the importance of these nutrients for overall health and hormone function.

    One supplement that I personally use and recommend looking into is magnesium. Magnesium is often associated with helping with sleep, stress regulation, muscle function, and overall relaxation. Many people are actually low in magnesium, and improving magnesium intake can sometimes help with sleep quality, muscle recovery, and overall body balance.

    For magnesium, I personally use the NOW brand. I have used multiple supplements from this brand over time, and I really like their products. I feel like I get good quality supplements from them, and I trust the brand because I have been using their products for a long time. A lot of my supplements actually come from this brand because I have had good experiences with their products overall.

    If you are interested in trying the magnesium and Vitamin D that I use, you can find it here:
    Magnesium: https://amzn.to/4caxSV4
    Vitamin D: https://amzn.to/47H0u6V

    Another magnesium supplement that someone very close to me uses and likes is this one:
    https://amzn.to/4m81zuk

    As always, supplements are not meant to replace a healthy diet, but they can help support your body, especially when it comes to sleep, stress, and overall body balance, which are all very important when you are trying to improve your health and gain weight in a healthy way.

    Overall, healthy weight gain is not just about eating more food. It is about making sure your body is well rested, hydrated, managing stress, getting proper nutrition, and supporting your body with the nutrients it needs. When your body is healthy and balanced, it becomes much easier to gain weight, build muscle, and maintain your overall health.

    Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through those links at no additional cost to you. I am an Amazon Associate and earn from qualifying purchases. I only share products that I personally use or genuinely recommend and that I believe may be helpful for others on their health and weight gain journey.

    References:

    CDC – Sleep and Health
    https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about/index.html


    Harvard Health – Understanding the Stress Response
    https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthy-aging-and-longevity/understanding-the-stress-response

    NIH Magnesium Fact Sheet
    https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/ NIH Vitamin D Fact Sheet
    https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/

  • Welcome!

    Welcome!

    Hey there, everyone. My name is Grace, and first of all, I just want to welcome you to my blog.

    This site is intended to talk about what I feel is the untold giant in the room — the struggle that many of us face with having a high metabolism, high energy, or simply struggling to gain weight and feel confident in our own bodies.

    I, for one, have struggled with this my entire life. I am a petite 5’2″ female, and for as long as I can remember, I have had a very fast metabolism. Because of this, it has been extremely difficult for me to gain weight. Over the years, I have tried many things — different diets, different methods, different routines. Some have worked, some haven’t, and some only worked temporarily.

    This page is my way of inviting you to join me on my journey — not only my journey toward gaining weight, but also my journey toward becoming a healthier version of myself both inside and out.

    If you find yourself in a situation where you are struggling to maintain a healthy weight, struggling to gain weight, or just trying to improve your health in general, I invite you to join me on this journey. We will be exploring healthy weight gain through diet, workouts, exercise, and other natural methods that support overall health and wellness.

    I do want to include an important disclaimer: I am not a medical professional and I do not have a medical background. Any advice or methods shared on this page are based on personal experience and research, and should not replace professional medical advice. If you have any serious health concerns or medical conditions, please consult with a medical professional to help you achieve the healthiest version of yourself.

    Thank you for being here, and I hope you’ll follow along on this journey with me.