For years, the conventional advice for those looking to gain weight has been simple: "eat more." However, celebrity nutritionist Suman Agarwal, the expert behind the fitness regimes of stars like Alia Bhatt, has offered a surprising and crucial refinement to this guidance, especially concerning the role of exercise. She asserts that gaining weight should be about building healthy muscle and strength, not just adding mass.

In a recent statement, Agarwal advised individuals striving for healthy weight gain to drastically reconsider their relationship with cardio, particularly long walks. She strongly suggested that excessive cardio, like prolonged walking, be limited to a maximum of just 15 to 20 minutes. This unexpected mandate highlights a common pitfall in fitness journeys: doing the wrong type of exercise for a specific goal.

Why Excessive Cardio Can Hinder Weight Gain

The logic behind limiting lengthy cardio sessions is rooted in energy expenditure. Long-duration aerobic exercises, like fast walking or jogging, are highly effective at burning a significant number of calories. For a person trying to lose weight, this is ideal.

However, for someone aiming for healthy weight gain—which often means overcoming a naturally fast metabolism or addressing a "skinny-fat" physique (lean but lacking strength)—burning excess calories through prolonged exercise essentially negates the crucial calorie surplus needed to build tissue. Agarwal's point is clear: to gain weight the right way, you need those extra calories to be converted into muscle, not simply burned off during extended cardio.

The Power Trio: Strength Training, Pilates, and Swimming

Instead of relying on endurance cardio, Suman Agarwal passionately champions a routine centered around resistance-based activities. Her recommended power trio for a stronger, healthier body includes:

1. Strength Training: This is the cornerstone of her advice. By subjecting muscles to mechanical tension using weights or bodyweight, strength training effectively stimulates muscle hypertrophy—the growth of muscle cells. This process ensures that the body utilizes the calorie surplus to build lean muscle mass instead of storing energy as unhealthy fat.

2. Pilates: Known for building core strength and stability, Pilates uses controlled, repetitive movements against resistance. It’s an excellent way to build functional strength, enhance flexibility, and improve muscle tone without the high-impact stress of heavy lifting, contributing to a strong, well-defined physique.

3. Swimming: This is an outstanding full-body workout that engages multiple muscle groups. As a low-impact activity, it builds muscle endurance and overall strength, making it a highly efficient way to develop a robust, athletic frame.

This holistic approach shifts the focus from purely aesthetic gain to a balanced, sustainable increase in bone mass, muscle mass, and healthy fat mass. Agarwal's scientific perspective, informed by her work with top celebrities, reinforces that true fitness is achieved through a mindful selection of activities that are perfectly aligned with the desired body goal.
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