Complete Vegetarian Indian Diet Plan For Healthy Weight Gain
“Eat more rice every day.”
“Drink thick shakes.”
“You are so lucky; you can eat as much as you want without getting fat.”
“Oh please, atleast you can have fries and a burger without any guilt!”
Have you heard such well-intentioned but misguided advice? Are you also tired of eating endlessly yet having a skinny body type? The journey to achieving a healthy weight gain is not easy, but it is often approached incorrectly. Eating a lot is not the solution; eating right is.
Healthy weight gain is a careful, strategic process of creating a caloric surplus. This caloric surplus must come from the right sources. Let us help you understand the science behind different food options such as pulses, lentils, nuts, and dairy in the Indian vegetarian diet.
Why Is Healthy Weight Gain Important?
Weight gain is not as easy as it sounds. But gaining weight in the right manner is paramount. Here is why healthy weight gain is important:
- Increases muscle mass: Healthy weight gain is all about increasing muscle mass while ensuring that your body has sufficient energy to function properly.
- Strengthens immunity: Your body needs an adequate supply of nutrients and calories to strengthen its immune system and produce the necessary antibodies.
- Avoid muscle wasting: If a body is underweight, it starts breaking down its muscle tissue for energy. This condition is known as muscle wasting — it leads to slow metabolism and weakness. Eating healthy fats and fibre-rich food helps improve muscle building.
- Improves bone health: Lack of nutrients like calcium and vitamin D, and hormonal imbalances affect bone health. This makes bones brittle and fragile, increasing the risk of fractures. A nutrient-rich diet helps maintain strong bones.
What are the Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet for Weight Gain?
A vegetarian diet, when followed correctly, offers unique advantages for healthy weight gain, as follows:
- An Indian vegetarian diet plan for weight gain must contain all essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. This is easily possible if you rely on nutrient-rich whole foods like lentils, chickpeas, paneer, and various nuts and seeds. These foods provide the necessary calories along with micronutrients essential for the body. This ensures that the weight you gain is healthy, rather than adding calories from junk food.
- Complex carbohydrates and healthy fats can be obtained from whole grains, millets, and vegetables. They offer energy for intense workouts and prevent muscle breakdown. Healthy fats provide 9 calories per gram as compared to 4 calories per gram for protein and carbs. This helps increase overall calorie intake without requiring a large amount of food.
- A traditional Indian diet is full of protein. If you pair rice with dal or roti with sabzi, you can achieve a complete amino acid profile. Foods like paneer, legumes, microgreens, and various types of beans are rich in protein. This makes a vegetarian diet an excellent choice for weight gain.
Sample 7-Day Weight Gain Diet Vegetarian Plan
| Meal | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early Morning (before 7 AM) | 1 glass milk with soaked almonds and dates | 1 glass milk with soaked almonds and dates | 1 glass milk with 1 tbsp ghee and jaggery | 1 glass milk with soaked almonds, walnuts and dates | 1 glass milk with soaked almonds and dates | 1 glass milk with 1 tbsp ghee | 1 glass milk with soaked almonds and dates |
| Breakfast (8:30 AM) | 2 potato-stuffed parathas with butter and smoothie of choice | Veg Uttapam with smoothie of choice | Poha with one glass of banana shake | 2 Besan Cheelas loaded with veggies and paneer with a glass of lassi | 1 bowl of Oats cooked in milk with nuts and seeds | 2 stuffed paneer parathas with curd and a fruit smoothie | 2 potato sandwiches with a smoothie of choice |
| Afternoon Snack (11:00 AM) | 1 bowl of fruit | 1 bowl of full-fat yoghurt with berries or granola | 1 fruit smoothie with a scoop of protein powder | 1 bowl of sprouted moong dal salad with paneer cubes | 2 whole-grain bread slices with peanut butter and a banana | 1 bowl of mixed fruit with roasted chana | 1 bowl of yoghurt with nuts and honey |
| Lunch (2:00 PM) | 2 rotis with dal, a bowl of palak paneer and a bowl of curd | 1 large bowl of Rajma Chawal with a side of salad | 2 parathas with dal makhani, a vegetable stir-fry and a glass of buttermilk | 2 rotis with Soyabean curry, a bowl of mixed vegetables and a bowl of dahi | Pulao with a bowl of raita and cucumber salad | 1 bowl of dal tadka and a glass of mango lassi | 2 rotis with dal khichdi with ghee and curd |
| Dinner (8:00 PM) | 2 rotis with mixed vegetable curry and dal | 1 large bowl of brown pasta with vegetables | 2 rotis with Paneer Bhurji and a bowl of Dal Fry | 1 large bowl of vegetable biryani with raita | 2 rotis with dal tadka, a serving of vegetable curry and curd | 1 large bowl of chickpea and vegetable curry with brown rice | 2 rotis with dal and some sautéed vegetables |
| Before Bed (11:00 PM) | 1 glass of warm milk with turmeric | 1 glass of milk with a scoop of protein powder | 1 glass of warm milk with dry-fruit powder | 1 glass of milk with 1 tbsp ghee | 1 glass of warm milk with honey | 1 glass of milk with a scoop of protein powder | 1 glass of warm milk with a few dates |
Key Principles of a Weight Gain Diet for Indian Vegetarians
Here are the key principles to follow while building a strong, healthy body on a vegetarian diet:
1. Ditch empty calories from sweet and processed foods. Choose foods that are full of:a. Healthy fats – that come from avocados, coconuts, peanuts, and ghee. Add nuts and seeds to your diet daily to increase your calorie intake.
b. Protein – that can be derived from paneer, tofu, chickpeas (chana), various dals (like rajma, moong, and masoor), and Greek yoghurt (dahi). Make a salad bowl from ingredients of your choice and enjoy.
c. Complex carbohydrates – such as brown rice, millets like bajra, ragi, and jowar, and potatoes and sweet potatoes provide energy for daily activities and workouts.
2. An ideal veg diet plan for weight gain must contain the right ratio of macronutrients, such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. There should be a higher percentage of protein and healthy fats. For example, a bowl of rice (carbs), combined with dal or rajma (protein), and a vegetable dish cooked with ghee (fats). This approach refills glycogen stores and helps in muscle repair.
3. Try to eat 5–6 small, nutrient-dense meals a day. This helps prevent feelings of being hungry.
4. Enhance the game of nutrition intake with the right supplementation. Wellversed’s protein-based supplements are easily absorbed and can be added to smoothies, shakes, or even dosa batter, fulfilling your daily protein requirements. Creatine monohydrate by Wellversed, also, is a well-researched supplement that helps increase muscle strength and aids in muscle gain.
Top 10 High-Calorie Vegetarian Foods to Include in Your Diet
Here is the list of top high-calorie foods in a vegetarian Indian diet for weight gain:
- Nuts like almonds, walnuts, cashews, and peanuts are rich in calories, healthy fats, protein, and fibre.
- Avocado is loaded with monounsaturated fats, which are good for the heart. Each avocado contains approximately 240–320 calories, 10–14 g of fibre, and about 20–30 g of total fat, along with other vitamins and minerals.
- Quinoa is a pure protein source. It adds both calories and nutrients.
- Lentils, chickpeas, and black beans are excellent choices for gaining weight. They are packed with protein and complex carbohydrates.
- Using Olive oil or ghee in preparing the food is a simple way to increase the calorie content of any meal. This makes our food rich in antioxidants.
- Dried fruits such as raisins, dates, and apricots can be used as a natural sugar substitute. They are high in calories and carbohydrates, making them a great snack for quick energy.
- Tofu and tempeh are derived from soybeans, making them a high-protein, high-calorie option.
- Dairy products like whole milk, paneer, and Greek yoghurt are excellent sources of protein and fat.
- Our favourite complex carbohydrate source is oats, which significantly boosts the calorie count.
- Potatoes and sweet potatoes provide calories along with vitamin A, supporting both energy and nutrient intake.
When and How to Include Supplements in a Vegetarian Diet
Supplements are not a cheat code. They help you enhance your diet regimen by providing the missing nutrients or stimulants in the body required for weight gain. You must include the following supplements, if also approved by your healthcare provider:
- Protein Powder: Whey protein (from milk) and plant-based protein (like pea or rice protein) are great choices to fulfil your body’s protein requirements. Take it right after your workout, when your muscles are ready to absorb nutrients for repair and growth. Add a single scoop to a protein shake to kickstart this process.
- Creatine: Creatine monohydrate is one of the most reliable supplements for increasing muscle strength and size. Your body's natural creatine stores are often lower, making supplementation more important. In the case of creatine, consistency matters more than timing. You can take Wellversed's plant-based creatine either before or after your workout, as advised by your trainer.
- Weight Gainers: These are high-calorie supplements that provide protein, carbohydrates, and calories in one easy shake. They can be taken as a snack between your regular meals on busy days to support your daily calorie goals.
Final thoughts
Gaining healthy weight on a vegetarian diet is not impossible; in fact, it can be easily achieved if you eat nutrition-rich meals strategically. Once you understand the power of macronutrients present in the variety of Indian vegetarian foods, there is no going back. Wellversed can be your partner in this transformation journey with its supplements that deliver lasting results. Your journey begins now!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is possible to gain weight fast with a vegetarian Indian diet. Eat too many high-calorie foods, such as sweetened beverages, fried foods, and sweets.
You must generally eat approximately 7000 calories to gain body weight effectively. If you want to gain weight faster, you need to eat at least 500 to 1000 calories more than you normally would eat in a day.
No, only eating too much does not help in weight gain. Eating right and at the right time makes a real difference.
Yes. This weight gain plan focuses on balancing the intake of protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates. However, you should consult your dietician to better understand your body’s needs.
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