There are quite a number of women in the world who have complained that they are too thin or skinny. No matter what Kate Moss says, one can be too thin! Many people think that being skinny is a blessing; however there are many problems that come with it. These can be even more harmful when compared to the problems associated with being overweight.
Although, there are many posts and articles about the ways to lose weight and look thinner, very few address the issue of extremely thin people who want to put on weight. As a result of this, these people are always puzzled on what needs to be done in order to gain weight.
Despite trying so hard, a lot of them still haven’t been able to see better days. Eating a lot of junk is not going to help one gain weight. Just like weight loss, weight gain requires a healthy combination of food and exercise. Stylecraze gives you the perfect tips for weight gain and looking healthy.
However, before your start implementing our tips, it is important to find out the root cause of your problem. Are you underweight because your metabolism is super-fast? Is it genetic? Is it due to a poor appetite? Or, do you have some type of undiagnosed eating or digestive disorder? Please consult your doctor as some cases may require medical help.
Here is the list of the tips that have been tried and tested by many for effective and lasting weight gain.
You can get started by identifying how much weight you need to put on. Find out the ideal weight in the healthy BMI range for your height and age (always take your age into account while calculating your ideal weight).
After identifying this, start following our tips to gain weight.
The first thing you need to gain weight is to increase your calorie intake. A young college going girl needs 1500 calories every day. An additional 500 calories should do the trick. However, make sure you eat the right kind of food.
You shouldn’t feel bloated or sluggish at the end of the day. Just like a person who wants to lose weight would aim to eat 500 calories less every day, the one who has to gain weight needs to do exactly the opposite. Try to eat 500 calories of nutrient-dense good food and you should be able to gain 1 to 1.5 pounds a week. Do make a note that extra calories do not mean eating junk or fried food.
When trying to gain weight, you need to know which type of food is protein-enriched and healthy, and which will have adverse effects on your health. Healthy proteins are present in foods like salmon, tuna, chicken, legumes and beans, and whole eggs. Energy-rich carbohydrates such as fruit juices, pasta, whole wheat bread, dried fruits, oats, brown rice, banana, nuts and starchy vegetables like potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, and yams should be included in your diet.
Foods which are full of healthy fats and nutrition increase your chances of gaining weight. This is why it is suggested to consume more of food items like peanut butter, cheese, seeds, nuts, avocado, and olive oil. You could spread peanut butter on a toasted piece of white bread, or eat half of an avocado along with some handful of nuts whenever you feel hungry in-between meals. Pour some olive oil over your salad and veggies as well. Foods that are full of healthy animal fats can also be frequently consumed to increase the chances of gaining weight.
There are certain fatty foods that need to be avoided. They contain saturated fats that are not good for your health, so make sure you eat them in moderation.This type of junk food makes you gain weight easily, but, in turn, creates an unhealthy eating habit that can lead to several health problems. Such food items include burgers, cheesecakes, fries, onion rings, candy bars, hot fudge sundaes, donuts, potato chips, french toasts, and anything that requires huge amounts of cream. Sometimes, it may become hard for a person who eats very less to eat a lot more than his/her normal appetite. In that case, you will have to find ways to sneak in more food into your diet.
Speaking of eating more food, you should simply increase the size of your portions. Just eat a little more than you usually do. If you have a habit of eating two chapattis for dinner every day, make it three. If it is just cornflakes for breakfast, then add a banana and one boiled egg to it. You need to push yourself and get past your comfort zone in order to put on weight. One of the best tricks by which you can accomplish this without even knowing is by using larger plates. This will trick your brain into believing that you are eating less when you are actually not.
If you are not sure about what you want to eat, ask a doctor or dietician to give you a proper weight gain eating plan.
A great trick to weight gain is by eating more often. Instead of eating thrice a day, make it five times. Try eating medium-sized meals thrice in a day and then eating snacks two to three times in-between. Please don’t skip any meals. Most experts say that it’s better to have six mini-meals a day than three large meals. If it’s possible for you to eat six times a day, do so! This will definitely help you put on that extra weight and feel less bloated at the end of every meal. You will reach your goal in no time.
Try including smoothies made of mangoes and bananas that are delicious and enriched with proteins. Add milk, yoghurt, or honey to them. Find alternatives for the drinks that you usually have. Instead of drinking zero calorie drinks like coffee or tea, try adding milk to it so that it becomes more nutrient-rich. You could also try drinking all natural fruit juices that have natural sugar.
You need to change your eating habits if you want to put on weight. Have more snacks on a regular basis. This will add on the calories without making you realize it. While you are on your way to college, have a banana. Even while watching TV, have a mango or a handful of nuts. While you wait for dinner, having a couple of crackers should do the trick. If you enjoy salted peanuts, you can give them a try as well.
Breakfast
Morning Snack
Lunch
Afternoon Snack
Dinner
Dessert
If you want to try supplements for weight gain, make sure that you consult your physician before using them.
People who are underweight or too thin have often complained that food doesn’t have much taste or doesn’t appeal to them. If you happen to be one of them, try adding more tasty dishes to your diet. While making a sandwich, add some mayonnaise and cheese. Tasty toppings always make the dish more attractive. Adding some sprinkled cheese to your tacos and spaghetti shall definitely help! A little red meat in your curry or lasagne will also increase the chances of weight gain.
Just because you are trying to gain weight, it doesn’t mean you should not be physically active every day. If overtraining has made you underweight, then by all means reduce your workout frequency, but do not give it up entirely as exercising is a necessity.
Usually, aerobic exercises such as running, dancing, and kickboxing are done by people in order to lose weight. So in order to gain weight, a person needs to do anaerobic exercises that use muscles at high intensity in short intervals. Anaerobic exercises are mostly used by athletes in non-endurance sports to promote strength, speed, and power. Body builders often use this exercise for building muscle mass. Weight training is the best type of anaerobic exercise to gaining inches, since they are very challenging for larger muscle groups.
This type of training will increase your appetite and also the muscle content in the body. More muscles mean a better metabolism. As a result, one will eat more. Try doing muscle core exercises rather than machine exercises. Do exercises using dumbbells that pressurize the muscle fibres, thus making it stronger and more flexible.
Complex exercise focuses on larger muscles, and thus helps in gaining more weight. Do not focus on area concentrated exercises such as triceps extensions. Make sure that you take adequate rest in between reps, do not overdo it. At the same time, don’t be too easy on yourself. Do take small breaks between your reps to rest yourself. Also, make sure that your body gets adequate time to heal and rebuild muscles.
Exercises like squats, dead lifts, bench presses, barbell rows, and bar dips should be done to achieve more strength and endurance. When you get committed to lifting and stick to your schedule, you will see a massive change in your body mass. To see a radical change, you need to lift as heavy as you can. Every time you feel that you are getting used to a particular weight, try and start lifting heavier weights.
In case you haven’t tried strength training before, try doing it with someone who is familiar with these moves. A personal trainer will also help. Make a list of the exercises you would like to do. This will help you reach your goal quickly.
The whole point is to be diligent with what you do. The good part about exercising is that it increases your appetite. So, once you are done with your workout, make sure you eat enough you replace what you have burnt. Protein shakes and bars should do the trick in such cases.
Another way to gain weight is through yoga, since it often addresses the roots of your condition such as stress, poor metabolism, and lack of stamina. It helps you to find a solution, and thereby helps you to gain weight. It often increases the practitioner’s appetite.
You need to keep a food journal if you want to gain weight. Keeping a track of what you have eaten throughout the day will obviously help you understand your eating habits better. Once you have weighed yourself at the end of every week, write that down as well. This will help you stay motivated throughout and encourage you to continue on the path to put on more weight.
Losing or gaining weight has always been a stressful event for the concerned person. Stress often becomes a major hurdle in your way when you try to gain or lose weight. Therefore, it is important to be stress-free while performing exercises to lose or gain weight. Try having a relaxing bath to reduce the stress. Or, put on some good music and dance till you drop. Meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises work well to reduce stress.
The next big step is to make sure you get enough sleep. Experts say that sleep is very essential for a person’s health and well-being. Sleep, like nutrition and physical activity, is an essential determinant of health and well-being. A person needs a minimum of eight hours of sleep every day in order to stay fit and fine. Your body needs proper rest to function properly.
If you do strength training, your body repairs itself and builds better muscles during sleep.
Gaining weight is no joke. This is much more difficult than losing weight. However, if you want to reach your goal, you have to stay focused. Try not to be unrealistic throughout this whole process. Do not expect to gain weight and develop a perfect figure immediately. In case you set your goals way too high, you will easily become overwhelmed and feel like quitting this entire thing soon.
Make sure your weight gain goal doesn’t exceed more than four pounds a month. More than that could be unhealthy and temporary. Always remember one thing – everyone’s body is different and unique in its own way. Once you are successful in achieving a healthy BMI, switch your focus from how you look to how you feel.
The most important thing you need to remember during the entire process of weight gain is to stay healthy. Many people usually believe that weight gain is about eating junk and never exercising. That is completely wrong. You need to eat a balanced diet and exercise throughout.
Binging on unhealthy dishes might seem the right option, but your overall health will be affected in the process. Do not ever to try to gain weight by going for the quick fix and eating in excess till you puke. The goal is to put on weight and not become fat and unhealthy. And, in case you are a lover of alcohol or smoking, remember that these things are only going to reduce your chances of gaining weight.
Last but not the least, stick to what you are doing. No matter how much you fall off the wagon, do not get disheartened. All great things take time to happen. Consistency is what pays off in the end. If you do not see any change even after trying hard for months, don’t lose heart. Just relax, get back on the horse and hold on till you achieve your goal. Always remember, having a positive attitude always helps.
Hope our article has been of help to you and now know how to gain weight. Do you have any other tips to share? Leave a comment below.