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Healthy
Ways to Gain Weight
 Do
you think that you are underweight? Though you eat
all the fatty and oily stuff and eat lots of sweets
and diary products and drink gallons of whole milk
and cream, then also nothing seems to be working for
you. You still remain as thin as a hockey stick. Well
don’t despair, it is not impossible to put on
weight. But remember that you should aim for a healthy
weight gain and not just adding body fat. To do so
you should know a few things about your body.
Your Genes
Genetics
play an important role in shaping your body. And this
is hereditary, which means that if your parents are
thin then there are chances that you will have a similar
body type and you can work out how your body might
change with age. Secondly your lifestyle also plays
an important role in your shape. If your life steams
along at a frenetic pace, you don't eat regular meals,
you're unlikely to put on weight easily. If you are
a fidgeter and it is impossible for you to relax,
then you will face this problem. People who fidget
constantly can burn up to 700 calories a day - that's
about two whole chocolate bars!
Your
Diet
The main thing about putting on weight is that you
do it sensibly and that you put on the 'right kind'
of weight: muscle rather than fat. Thus if you want
to put on weight you need to you need to take in more
calories than you burn up. The best source of calories
is from carbohydrates - you should try to get at least
70% of your calorie intake from carbohydrates such
as potatoes, rice and pasta. Up to 15% of calories
should come from protein and the rest from fat.
Guidelines
- Keep
a food diary for a couple of weeks to learn more
about your eating habits.
-
Rather than struggle to eat really big meals plan
3 regular meals plus 2 to 3 snacks.
-
Make meals a little larger or more calorific,
for example, an extra slice of toast at breakfast;
drink grape juice rather than orange juice; make
coffee with milk; serve an extra spoon of mash,
rice or pasta; be more generous with healthier
unsaturated oils, salad dressing and spreads;
always have a dessert.
-
Have snacks to hand so you never go short. For
example, nuts, seeds and raisins; pots of rice
pudding, custard or yoghurt; cereal or cereal
bars; milk or yoghurt, wheatmeal biscuits; cheese
and crackers; fruit plus small chocolate bar.
-
Stop drinking non-caloric beverages. That includes
diet soda, and plain coffee or tea. Choose skim
or 1 percent milk (we want healthy calories, not
fat, so avoid milk with higher fat contents),
100 percent fruit juice or sports drinks.
-
Make it a habit to routinely choose foods that
are higher in calories. Each meal should include
some type of starchy food (potato, rice, pasta,
bread, cereal), fruits and vegetables, and a protein
source (chicken, red meat, fish, peanut butter,
legumes, eggs, cheese).
Exercise
Regularly
Regular exercise and activity will help your body
gain muscle and not unwanted fat. To gain weight in
a healthy way, keep bones strong and your body toned.
Ensure regular physical activity for 30 minutes, 5
days a week. You can go in for brisk walking, swimming,
cycling or join a gym. Take care not to be too active.
If you are someone who is always on their feet, make
time each day to relax. Remember that you need to
consume more calories than you can burn up. As always,
check with your GP first if you haven't exercised
for a long time.
NOTE:
This information is designed to help people
who are otherwise healthy, and would like to put on
a little weight. If you have recently lost weight
for no apparent reason you should always see your
GP for advice, as this could signal an underlying
medical condition. If you have to follow a special
diet to help treat an existing condition, then this
information is not for you. |
