It's actually difficult to get about 2,000 calories of nutrition in (without eating a lot of the bad fats and other heart-unfriendly foods) on a daily basis.

I believe I read recently that it takes cutting out about 500 cal/day to lose weight at a rate of about two pounds per week -- I presume the opposite is true, so if a typical diet is 2,000 cal/day, one needs to increase that by 25% to gain two pounds/week.

Ha! Found it in a newsletter from my ins co:

"2. Adjust your eating and exercise habits.

On average, Americans consume 2,000 to 2,500 calories per day. To lose 1 or 2 pounds a week, you'll need to burn 500 to 1,000 calories more than you eat each day. Your doctor or a dietitian can tell you how to do this. It typically involves lowering your calorie intake and increasing your physical activity. The goal is to make lifestyle changes that can work for you the rest of your life."