Beauty cannot and should not be measured by its appearance. But eating disorders, genetics, and hormonal dysfunction can prevent you from gaining weight. And that can be frustrating!
Being underweight can affect your physical and mental health. That is why we bring you the best diet tips and weight gain experts.
Continue reading to move to the medically approved healthy weight range.
What is a healthy weight range?
Your BMI (body mass index) will help you determine your healthy weight range. Divide your body weight (in kilograms) by your height (in meters) squared to calculate your BMI.
A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 indicates a healthy weight range. If your BMI is below 18.5, you will be underweight.
There may be different reasons for being underweight. Scroll down to find out what they are.
Reasons why you may be Underweight
Hyperthyroidism
The thyroxine hormone produced by the thyroid gland is often considered the “conductor” or “orchestra” of the body. If thyroxine levels are normal, metabolism, height, and weight will be within limits. If thyroid gland function is disturbed, metabolism, heartbeat and body temperature are altered, which leads to weight loss. If your thyroid is overactive, it will burn calories even if you have a good appetite. The result can be an involuntary weight loss.
Kidney disease
Kidney problems cause a change in urination. You can visit the bathroom several times without feeling really relieved. You will experience fluid retention, nausea and vomiting, fatigue, rash and itching, a metallic taste in the mouth and the smell of ammonia in your breath. Lack of appetite with fever triggers weight loss.
Diabetes
Insufficient insulin prevents blood glucose from entering the body’s cells to be used as energy. When this occurs, the body begins to burn fat and muscle for energy, which causes a reduction in total body weight. Weight loss in people with diabetes can also occur as a result of dehydration and muscle breakdown.
Eating disorders
Eating disorders are very common in the USA, With one or two of every 100 young people who suffer from them.
The most common are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Others include binge eating, body image disorders, and food phobias.
People with anorexia fear to gain excess weight and having a distorted view of their body. They usually starve or eat small amounts of food and exercise excessively.
People with bulimia eat large amounts of food and then vomit. This results in weight fluctuations.
Hereditary factors
Weight changes in a person depend on behavioral, environmental and genetic factors. A person who cannot gain weight, despite repeated attempts, must understand the influence of genetic factors. If your parents are underweight, it is likely that you are also underweight.
Enzymatic deficiency
If the stomach wall does not secrete enough digestive enzymes, which are essential for the digestion and absorption of nutrients that help with physical development, it can lead to weight loss.
Poor absorption due to vomiting and diarrhea leads to malabsorption of nutrients. This may also be due to prolonged use of laxatives, which can lead to weight loss.
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis is accompanied by weight loss, cough, night sweats, and extreme fatigue. If tuberculosis causes a drastic weight loss, you will need immediate treatment.
Depression
Depression is one of the main psychological reasons for losing weight. This leads to a reduction in appetite and causes drastic weight loss. You must attend a counseling session to reduce mental stress and depression before it begins to affect your health.
If any of these factors is causing your weight loss, our chart and diet tips can certainly help you.
Diet Chart To Gain Weight
Meals | Time | What to have |
Before breakfast | 7 a.m. – 8 a.m. | A cup of tea or cappuccino will full-fat milk and sugar. |
Breakfast | 8 a.m. – 9 a.m. | Two multigrain pieces of bread with low-fat butter and egg omelet. Or, a bowl of corn flakes, oats, or porridge. Or poha, upma, or some daliya khichdi with lots of veggies. Or, two chapattis with a bowl of veggies or two stuffed paranthas. Fruits or a glass of fresh fruit juice. |
After Breakfast | 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. | A glass of full-fat milk with a healthy drink of your choice or whey protein. |
Lunch | 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. | A small bowl of rice and two chapattis.A cup of pulses (Masoor, moong, chana)½ cup of vegetable curry3 oz chicken or a piece of fish/ eggs/ tofu/ cottage cheese mixed salad made of cucumber, carrot, and tomatoes small bowl of sweet curd |
Evening snack | 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. | Veg sandwich with cheesecake potato with skin and avocado dip. |
Dinner | 8:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. | ½ cup brown rice and 1 cup kidney beans/mushroom curry mixed salad made of cucumber, carrot, and tomatoes |
Before bed | 10:30 p.m. – 11 p.m. | A glass of milk |
Following this diet chart religiously can help you achieve your weight gain goals. In addition, the following tips can also help.
Tips to gain weight fast
Eat nutritious foods high in calories.
Calorie-rich foods and nutrition will help you gain weight. Foods like avocado, bananas and whole milk should be your staple foods.
Increase the number of meals.
Eat often Because you will consume foods high in calories and nutrients, you will not be able to consume many of them at the same time.
Small amounts of food at frequent intervals will keep you energetic and proactive. This is good since you should also go to the gym to develop lean muscle mass (more on that soon).
Eat healthy carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are necessary to gain weight. Include healthier options such as bananas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, mangoes, whole grains, rice, etc., instead of foods high in sugar, chocolates, and other junk foods.
Eat a protein source with each meal.
Your muscles are made of protein. To gain weight and develop lean muscle mass, you must include a source of protein in every meal you eat.
Chicken breasts, ground turkey, tofu, legumes and beans, nuts and seeds, fish, eggs, milk, and yogurt should be your favorite protein options.
Add healthy fats to your diet
Do not continue to consume fatty foods. Choose healthy fats that do not cause long-term damage. Healthy fats are also good sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
Include foods such as avocado, nuts, seeds, avocado oil, salmon and olive oil in your diet. Eating a handful of pumpkin or flaxseed is a good way to provide fat to your body.
Take weight gain supplements
In some cases, diet and exercise alone may not provide the desired results. Another way to do this is to include some additional supplements in your diet.
Whey protein is an increasingly popular supplement that you can add to your milk or shakes.
Strength training
Gaining weight does not mean that you need to gain fat mass. Gain lean muscle mass. You will look toned and defined. To get there, you must lift some weights.
Here are a few exercises you can do:
- Twisting Crunches
- Leg Press
- Leg Extension
- Leg Curls
- Arm Curls
- Shoulder Shrug
- Seated Dumbbell Press
- Triceps Push Down
- Barbell Squats
- Pull-ups
- Ab Roller
- Incline Dumbbell Press
- Side Lateral Raise
- Dumbbell Lunges
- Weighted Crunches
Keep a food Journal
You must keep a food diary if you want to gain weight. Keeping track of what you have eaten during the day will help you better understand your eating habits.
After weighing at the end of each week, also consider this value. This will help you stay motivated all the time and encourage you to continue on the path to gain more weight.
Eliminate stress
Losing or gaining weight has always been a stressful event for the person in question. Stress usually becomes a major obstacle when you try to gain or lose weight. Therefore, it is important to be stress-free while exercising to lose or gain weight.
Take a relaxing shower to reduce stress. Or put on good music and dance until it falls. Meditation, yoga and breathing exercises also work well to reduce stress.
Get enough sleep
The next big step is to make sure you get enough sleep. Experts say that sleep is essential for the health and well-being of a person.
Sleep, such as nutrition and physical activity, is an essential determinant of your health and well-being. A person needs a minimum of eight hours of sleep each day to stay fit and healthy. This will give your body enough rest so that it can function properly.
If you do strength training, your body repairs itself and develops better muscles during sleep.
Stay motivated
Gaining weight is no joke. It is much harder than losing weight. However, if you want to achieve your goal, you must stay focused. Don’t get unrealistic objective goals.
Make sure your weight gain goal does not exceed more than four pounds per month. Anything beyond can be harmful and temporary.
Always remember that your body is different and unique in its own way. When you can achieve a healthy BMI, change your focus from how it looks to how it feels.
When you exercise, you have to increase your calorie intake. How much? Discover below.
How many calories to consume for Weight Gain
Your caloric intake will be determined by your BMI. According to experts, gradual weight gain is always advisable, and an increase of 500 kcal per day can result in a 0.5 kg per week increase in body weight.
If you do all this, how long will it take to gain weight? Scroll down to find out.
How long will it take to gain weight?
It will take at least three months to see visible results. Be patient. Waiting for results too soon will only decrease motivation.
Take a look at the advice of fitness experts. You will surely benefit from what they have to say.
Our expert advice to gain weight
Amanda Hamilton
- Try to make a homemade smoothie with avocado butter and nuts. You will enjoy an increase in vitamin C fruit content, in addition to a healthy dose of essential fats. Use fat milk as a liquid to increase calcium and calorie intake as well. Adding a large amount of Greek yogurt makes it even more creamy and delicious.
- Be liberal with fats. If you want to gain weight, the liberal use of fats, such as salad oils and coconut oil for cooking, can increase calories without worry. Be sure to make salad dressings as tasty as possible and absorb leftovers at the bottom of the salad bowl with some fresh, delicious bread!
Dean johnson
- As training, as nutrition: you must “surprise” what you put in your body. Keep it varied, don’t eat the same. Switch between lean meats and protein intake.
- Bodybuilding – This is the key. Weight training develops “muscle”, which weighs more than fat and not only strengthens the muscles but also strengthens them.
- Too much rest: try to sleep at least 8 hours at night. How can you expect your body to change and develop if you don’t have a good and effective rest?
Parth shah
- Eat protein Protein is crucial for gaining muscle weight. The same rule applies: start with little. Strive to add 5 to 10 grams of protein at each meal. For example, in the first week, start with breakfast and add 5 to 10 grams of protein. Next week, add 5 to 10 grams of protein for lunch. At the end of the month, you will have added 20 to 40 grams of protein to your original diet.
- Do not be afraid to eat carbohydrates. Many health-conscious people avoid as many carbohydrates as possible. You cannot cut carbohydrates and gain weight at the same time. But it is still important to get carbohydrates from the right sources.
Stuart patrick
- Aim for healthy calories. Good fats from foods such as avocado and nuts are an excellent option. Do not drink too much chocolate and fast food to reach your weight gain goal. Very bad idea!
Joey bull
- Hemp oil and seeds are amazing hormonal stabilizers and help regulate the weight to improve in any direction. They also stimulate muscle growth like no other protein. Other oils contain omega fats, but none as naturally balanced as hemp. The oils are great, but they are not cooked or processed at all.
- If you want weight without swelling, look for good grains such as corn, nuts and other grains other than wheat. Mix them in a blender for a healthy breakfast consisting of fruits, seeds, nuts, hemp oil, and coconut milk. Rich, tasty, complete and excellent for health instead of heart attacks!
Michael Whiteley
- Take a protein shake within half an hour after finishing strength training and before bedtime.
- Use branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) and L-glutamine before and after training, as well as before bedtime.
- Eat cruciferous vegetables daily to help eliminate excess estrogen from the body.
D’Vaughn Bell
- Balance strength training with weightlifting. Strength training requires comfortable lifting of weights at the 12 to 15 repetition mark, while weightlifting is aimed at lifting weights at the 3 to 8 repetition mark, with more sets than strength training. Women should know that lifting weight will not give them bulky results, but a thinner body, because their testosterone levels are only a small fraction compared to men. The three best strength training exercises to gain mass are squats, deadlifts, and bench presses.
- Enough protein is required daily. Consume 1.5 grams multiplied by your body weight in pounds until you reach the desired weight. Proteins are the basic components of lean muscles, essential for your weightlifting and strength training routine.
Dr. Warren Willey
- Add high-calorie foods such as oils (coconut and olive oil), avocado, peanut butter, etc. in everything you eat to increase calories.
- You should focus on gaining lean mass instead of weighing weight. Measure your lean mass and fat mass regularly. If you are not gaining lean mass, change what you are doing!
Kusha Karvandi
- Raw and unpasteurized milk is loaded with fat-soluble enzymes, minerals, and vitamins that you can get anywhere else with the same efficiency. The saturated fats in this superfood will not only help you gain solid weight but also increase testosterone levels (through good cholesterol) while keeping fat burning high (through natural CLA and omega-3).
- Most cod liver oils use high pressure and heat to extract the oil, which denatures it. Fermentation, on the other hand, is a natural way to extract oil. Combining it with butter oil rich in vitamins and herb gives your body a mega-dose of super antioxidants to combat free radical damage from weight training. It also increases growth hormone and testosterone with highly bioavailable vitamins D and A.
Leroy Pumphrey
- Strength training should focus on compound movements such as push-ups, push-ups, squats, deadlifts, shoulder pressure, etc. They exercise more muscles and have the potential to lead to greater growth. Isolation exercises, such as biceps, hamstrings, and triceps curls, can be included to really stress the muscles. But they should not replace movements composed of several joints.
- Be sure to get a small excess of calories a day to support weight training, especially adequate protein to support muscle growth. Keep the surplus small, perhaps 100 to 300 per day, so that it is mainly muscular and does not accumulate too much body fat.
Do you have any questions? Post them in the comments section and we will get in touch with you. Regards!