High Calorie Smoothie – Meal Replacement Shake for Weight Gain

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Easy to digest and low volume, this healthy high-calorie weight gain smoothie packs in 700 calories and 40 grams of protein. I make mine dairy free (because that’s what I need), but you can easily incorporate dairy into the smoothie if that’s what you prefer.

This nutrient-dense, meal replacement shake is my go-to for gaining weight in a healthy and tasty way. For the past 3 years, it’s carried me through gastroparesis recovery, pregnancy, and weight gain struggles.

At the time of writing this post, I currently weigh 87 lbs. as a 24 year old female. Umm…That’s not good. So I’m pulling out my trusty high-calorie smoothie recipe and am ready to face this weight-gaining process head on…again.

This isn’t my first rodeo with needing to gain weight. Maintaining a healthy weight has been a HUGE struggle my entire life. I can drop 10 lbs. without realizing it (which is pretty much what happened this year).

Multiple times in my life, I have experienced health concerns like losing my menstrual cycle and experiencing hair loss all due to being underweight.

If you’ve read my story, then you know that I was diagnosed with gastroparesis towards the end of my senior year of college. I dropped down to 85 lbs., lost my cycle, was weak and cold…everything. I could barely eat 300 calories a day. It was really scary.

I HAD to find a way to get calories in all while having a stomach that was barely functioning.

So I pulled out my Nutribullet blender and started experimenting with creating a high calorie smoothie that was packed full of calories and protein while still being tasty, nutritious, and easy to get down.

Here’s what I learned…

The KEY to Making a Healthy High Calorie Smoothie

1. It’s gotta taste good.
2. It can’t be too filling/too high volume…Otherwise, it’s hard to finish.
   • this means high calorie, low volume ingredients like hemp seeds and nut butter
3. It needs to be easy to digest…no stomach aches please.
4. It needs to actually fuel your body and make you feel amazing…not just be empty calories.

My Healthy High Calorie Smoothie Recipe checks all these boxes!

Back to my gastroparesis story…

I started drinking this high-calorie smoothie daily for breakfast every day in July of that year. By November/December, I weighed around 100 lbs. (praise the Lord!) and the gastroparesis was gone. On top of that, I was able to pregnant with our beautiful daughter right around that time as well.

And you know what? I just kept on drinking this smoothie on an almost daily basis for months because it genuinely made my body feel SO good and continued to help me gain healthy weight. I can truly FEEL the difference in my health and energy levels whenever I am drinking this smoothie regularly. It’s pretty incredible, no exaggeration.

Are you ready to start getting the calories you need all while fueling your body and feeling your best? I’ll show you how. Here’s how I make my Healthy High Calorie Smoothie.

Tips

• Add in your supplements!: I struggle with swallowing supplement capsules, so I break my supplement capsules open and blend them into my smoothie.

• Personal Tip: If you are struggling to eat enough due to small stomach capacity, start by making thin smoothies with fresh fruit. As your stomach capacity increases, work your way up to using frozen fruit for thicker smoothies.
  • For a thinner/liquid smoothie, use fresh fruit. For a thicker smoothie, use frozen fruit.
• Make a Smoothie Bowl! – Instead of blending in the almond butter, put it on a smoothie bowl as a topping. Top your bowl with granola, chocolate chips, etc for an easy and delicious calorie boost!

Healthy High Calorie Smoothie Flavor Combinations

When eating to gain weight, it’s important for your personal morale that you truly enjoy the foods you are eating. Otherwise, meals start to feel very robotic and frustrating. Here are some delicious flavor combos you can try to keep your smoothies interesting!

Bananas, Berries, and chocolate – use bananas and frozen berries of choice. Add in 1-2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder + maple syrup to sweeten the smoothie to your liking.

Mango Strawberry – Use fresh or frozen mangos and strawberries. This one is especially delicious on a hot day.

Peaches and Cinnamon – Use frozen peaches and several dashes of cinnamon along with a milk of your choice! It tastes so cozy and delicious!

Ingredients for a High Calorie Smoothie for Weight Gain:

• 1 medium banana (fresh or frozen…up to you!) – 120 calories
• 2 scoops of the KOS Vanilla Protein Powder (this stuff is amazing!) – 160 calories, 20 grams protein
• 2 tbsp. almond butter – 210 calories, 7 grams protein
• 2 tbsp hemp hearts (lots of fat and protein) – 180 calories, 12 grams protein
• 1/2 c. milk of choice (or even yogurt!)- I use almond milk (15 calories), but whole milk or yogurt will give you more calories and more protein.
• a couple dashes of cinnamon
• OPTIONAL: 1 tsp. honey or maple syrup
• OPTIONAL: 18 drops of liquid chlorophyll (for a beautiful green color!)

Optional Add-in’s

• tbsp. cocoa powder or cacao powder
• 1/4 c. other fruits such as berries, peaches, or mangos (this will increase the volume of the smoothie)
• instead of milk…you can also use coconut water, orange juice, other fruit juices, etc.

How to Make a Healthy High Calorie Smoothie

Place all the ingredients in your blender, and blend until completely smooth.

If you see protein powder, etc. sticking to the sides of the blender, scrape down the sides and reblend.

Enjoy as a smoothie to drink or pour into a bowl and top with other calorie booster toppings for a delicious smoothie bowl!

Looking for More Healthy Recipes?

• Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Chicken
• Black Eyed Pea Vegetable Soup
• Savory Ground Beef and Kale with Roasted Butternut Squash
• Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole (can be made dairy free!)
• Pot Roast with Sweet Potatoes (Instant Pot Recipe)
• Lentils with Vegetables and Cumin

Shop this Post!

• Nutribullet Blender
• KOS Vanilla Protein Powder
• Hemp Hearts
• Liquid Chlorophyll Drops

Hey! I’m so glad you’re here. Please give this smoothie recipe 5 stars if you try it and love it!

Wherever you find yourself today…take time to nourish yourself — body, mind, and soul <3

Warmly, Caroline