Weight gain is categorically defined as an increase in body weight, contributing to an increase in muscle mass, fat deposits or accumulation of excess body fluids. In today’s day and age, wherein everyone is jumping on this weight loss bandwagon, shall the question of how to gain weight be addressed?
Although being lean can often be healthy, being underweight can also be a concern if it’s the result of poor nutrition or if you are pregnant or have other health concerns.
It is therefore very important for underweight people to know how to gain weight. When you talk about ways to put on weight, usually one might think of it as a cakewalk, simply just go on eating and eating without thinking. However, in this scenario it is very important to know the best way to gain weight in a healthy way.
Here are some healthy ways to gain weight when you’re underweight;
- Eat more calories than your body can burn: There is no rocket science behind this tip but simple mathematical logic. If a system has a greater input as compared to an output, there are most likely chances that the system may resort to the accumulation of material.
- Include a protein-rich diet: Protein helps build lean muscle mass. Thus, a greater amount of protein-rich foods like soybean, fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts helps gain weight.
- Increased carbs and high-fat foods: importantly consume high carbohydrate and high-fat foods like bananas, oats, quinoa, blueberries, sweet potatoes, cheese, dark chocolate, etc. Also, make sure to have at least three wholesome meals a day.
- Exercise: The excess calories consumed will bulk up onto the muscle rather than the abdomen or other parts if an individual performs regular exercise. Exercise may also stimulate your appetite.
- Consumption of energy-rich foods: Make sure to eat, energy-dense foods like nuts including almonds, walnuts, peanuts, dried fruits including raisins or prunes, dark chocolate, high-fat dairy foods like condensed milk, full-fat cream, cheese, milk, veggies like potatoes and yams, etc.
- Drink Milk: Prefer full-fat milk and have at least one full glass in a day.
- Make every bite count. Snack on nuts, peanut butter, cheese, dried fruits and avocados. Have a bedtime snack, such as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or a wrap sandwich with avocado, sliced vegetables, and lean meat or cheese.
- Sleep : It is not a contemporary saying but rather a quite old one, that the secret of good health lies not just in healthy, tasty food but also in plenty of sleep. Sleep plays a crucial role not just in your mental well being throughout the day, but also has been scientifically proven to be a contributing factor in aiding digestion and the overall metabolic process. This eventually culminates into a calmer, relaxed mind and prevent any unnecessary weight loss, improves appetite and indirectly contribute to weight gain.
- Avoid smoking: Smoking is detrimental to your health as it first tampers with your respiratory health and later traverses its way to an overall loss of weight and efficient body functions.
- Eat Pattern: When you’re underweight, you may feel full faster. Eat five to six smaller meals during the day rather than two or three large meals.
- Try smoothies and shakes. Don’t fill up on diet soda, coffee and other drinks with few calories and little nutritional value. Instead, drink smoothies or healthy shakes made with milk and fresh or frozen fruit, and sprinkle in some ground flaxseed
- Bigger plate size: Simply call it a placebo effect, but it is a known fact that when you dine in larger sized plates, in an attempt to make it look filled, you usually end up filling it a tad bit more. This creates an increase in appetite and helps in weight gain.
- Small gestures: The small things in daily life like adding cream on top of coffee prefer eating thick shakes over drinking juices, eating ice-creams or some other dessert of choice once in a while, etc. helps gain weight.
- Additional meals: Make passage for additional meals like morning snacks or evening snacks; that can also help increase body weight.
- Drinking water: It is necessary to avoid drinking water before having any meal. This just fills the stomach and leaves no room for food. Make it a habit to drink water regularly but only after meals.
- Quit intermittent fasting: Intermittent fasting is a concept associated with weight loss and it works also quite perfectly. However, when you think of gaining weight rather than shedding some, it is very necessary to have regular meals, or even more additional meals throughout the day.
- Rice, Red meat: A bowl of rice of about 200gms, forms a good source of carbohydrates and should be included in the diet as well. Likewise, consumption of red meat pumps up the muscle mass.
- Whole wheat bread: Starch containing bread is the best source of carbohydrate and helps in weight gain.
- Eggs: The best food that has been prescribed since ages by not just doctors, but also our friends, relatives or family for quick energy, instant weight gain, and better health are eggs. Even body-builders with an aim to achieve certain bulk weight are put on an egg diet. Therefore, it is extremely important to also include eggs in your meal.
- Fats/Oils/Yoghurt: Include full-fat yogurt and avoid flavored ones or the ones that contain low-fat content. Include avocado and olive oils in your diet as they contribute to a healthy heart and contain unsaturated fats.
