In a world dominated by discussions about weight loss, it’s crucial not to overlook the opposite end of the spectrum – healthy weight gain.
If you’re searching for ways to pack on some pounds while prioritizing your well-being, you’re in the right place.
In this guide, we’ll delve into strategies that will help you gain weight naturally and sustainably.
Let’s explore how you can achieve your weight gain goals without compromising your health.
Contents
- 1 Crucial factors to consider first
- 2 The ramifications of being underweight
- 3 Natural ways to gain weight
- 4 Setting the stage for success
- 5 Mindful eating enhances results
- 6 Striking a balance
- 7 Harnessing the power of exercise
- 8 Prioritizing sleep for success
- 9 Tracking progress and adjusting
- 10 Strategically boosting caloric intake
- 11 Delectable high-calorie smoothie
- 12 Supplements for enhanced progress
- 13 Addressing possible causes of weight loss
- 14 Embrace a sustainable approach
Learn how to gain weight healthily with expert tips. Discover strategies, nutrient-rich foods, and exercise for effective and sustainable weight gain.
Crucial factors to consider first
Before making any attempt to gain weight, you must first calculate your BMI, the body mass index.
This simple calculation is done based on things related to your current height and weight.
We divide the height in cm by the weight squared to obtain a result varying between -16.5 and +40.
-16.5 corresponds to starvation, +40 to morbid obesity.
You can carry out this evaluation online using this BMI calculator
This calculation will tell you if your weight is healthy or if you need to reconsider your diet to gain a few pounds.
If the results show that you are underweight, then you can continue reading this article.
The ramifications of being underweight
In terms of health, being too thin is just as problematic as being obese.
Leanness increases the risk of infection, can lead to osteoporosis and muscle loss.
According to some studies, being thin increases the risk of premature death by 140% in men and 100% in women.
These risks are higher than those of obesity.
Natural ways to gain weight
So you have established an obvious lack of pounds to be in a healthy weight, so how do you gain weight to overcome this problem?
To understand why you have become underweight, you first need to know if you are missing what is called ghrelin.
Ghrelin is a digestive hormone produced by the body which has the role of stimulating the appetite.
Without it, hunger is not felt.
This signal is important and should be interpreted with care.
It’s simple, you are hungry, you have to eat.
If you let this signal pass without responding, the hunger goes away.
So if you are looking to gain a few pounds, you should eat as soon as you feel the need and try to eat more than customary.
Setting the stage for success
Easy to write that to gain weight you have to eat more but it’s a real challenge.
Goal: “Eat more calories than my body burns”
Your habits make you feel full quickly and the only way to eat more is to correct yourself.
Start by adding a spoonful or two of this or that on top of that.
Motivate yourself at the end of a meal when you are already full, just add a spoon or two more!
Take it easy, but you’ll find that by doing this those extra spoonfuls or forks will start to bring results within a week.
Note that for gradual weight gain, you will need to add 300 to 500 extra calories per day.
For rapid weight gain, you will need to add 700 to 1000 extra calories per day.
Mindful eating enhances results
Chewing properly allows the body to better assimilate nutrients.
If you reduce portions right out of the mouth rather than giving work to enzymes like amylase for carbohydrates, proteases for proteins, or lipases for fats, you improve digestion.
And if you still have trouble chewing, consider making smoothies or soups.
A nutritious smoothie can be made with high-calorie ingredients like whole milk, honey, bananas, nuts.
You can make a rich soup made from vegetables, potatoes, and sour cream …
Striking a balance
The key to gaining weight is to eat regular meals, three times a day.
This rule must be essential but that does not prevent you from adding small snacks between meals.
Find the calorie intake for these snacks like granola bars, whole yogurts, smoothies…
On the other hand, don’t go overboard with fibers because they make you feel full more quickly.
Likewise, beware of your water intake which, while essential, also leads to rapid feelings of fullness.
Drink moderately at the table to get the most out of your meal and its calories.
You will make up for it after this meal to hydrate yourself well.
Be careful, however, to monitor your hydration because increasing your diet and not drinking enough leads to constipation.
Harnessing the power of exercise
We don’t think about it and yet moving, doing movements, the gym stimulates the appetite.
After the efforts, hunger is often felt, it is a good springboard to eat more.
The value of exercise is also in the good management of weight gain.
This is because the effort you put in allows some of the calories added to your diet to turn into muscle, not fat.
This will make you feel stronger and more resilient by putting on a few pounds in the right place.
Prioritizing sleep for success
Lack of sleep is critical for weight gain.
The body can no longer manage calories, and regenerate normally.
Make sure you get regular sleep, sleep a sufficient number of hours, and a minimum of 8 hours per night.
Tracking progress and adjusting
As you work to get more nutrition, it is important to keep track of your weight changes daily.
The goal is of course to monitor the weight well so as not to overdo it but to stay in the comfort zone you want to achieve.
Calculate your BMI regularly, and weigh yourself daily on an empty stomach.
When you reach the initial goal, return to a normal diet and make sure to find a balanced diet so as not to lose those much-needed pounds or not earn too much.
Strategically boosting caloric intake
The most important thing in gaining weight is to eat protein.
So you will need to add 1.5 to 2 grams of protein per pound of weight to put an end to thinness.
– Proteins
Nuts, vegetables, and fatty fish like salmon, meat, eggs, and cheese are good for weight gain but think about it all likewise to limit the portions.
You can also use protein supplements if you have trouble managing the amounts.
– Carbohydrates
While protein is essential, you should also eat carbohydrates and fats.
Cereals, rice, potatoes, and pasta can accompany your dishes without any problem with a drizzle of olive oil or coconut oil.
However, some foods are loaded with fat and sugar that do not provide the expected nutritional benefits.
These include, for example, pizzas, cookies, cakes, and sweets which are best eaten occasionally.
Delectable high-calorie smoothie
Try this high-calorie smoothie recipe, and drink it every day to gain a few pounds quickly:
– 2 bananas
– 1 teaspoon of honey
– 1 third cup of peanuts or 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
– 125ml whole milk (or any other milk)
– half a cup of yogurt of your choice
Mix and drink chilled
Supplements for enhanced progress
– Proteins
As mentioned earlier, protein is essential for gaining weight.
Many supplements are available, the best known being Whey protein (ad).
– Creatine
Creatine is found in fish and meat, and in our cells as well.
It is directly involved in energy production and muscle mass.
Choose creatine monohydrate (ad), consider a dose of 20 grams per day divided over the day into 4 doses for 5 days.
Follow up with a maintenance dose of 3 grams per day.
– The weight gainers
Well known to bodybuilders, the weight gainer (ad) are dehydrated mixtures very rich in carbohydrates and proteins.
Most of the time they are tasteless and remember that sometimes eating more is enough to gain weight.
Addressing possible causes of weight loss
Unexplained weight loss should be investigated by your doctor to know if an underlying health problem is not causing a malfunction.
– Any form of diet anxiety or hesitation over meal choices should be discussed with your doctor.
– You should be sure to check the side effects of certain medications, some of which are directly responsible for a decrease or suppression of appetite.
– Toothache or mouth sores prevent normal eating. Remember to consult your dentist.
– If you suffer from gastric reflux or any stomach pain before or after a meal with unexpected weight loss, difficulty swallowing, darker or very light stools, see a gastroenterologist.
– Certain chronic diseases lead to weight loss or prevent weight gain, talk to your doctor.
Embrace a sustainable approach
Just as unhealthy eating habits can lead to weight gain, they can also trigger health issues.
Prioritize a balanced and nutritious diet to support metabolic health.
Remember, gaining weight is a marathon, not a sprint.
Patience, dedication, and a holistic approach are key to achieving your desired weight.
