Gaining Weight

Believe it or not, I do get this question from time to time. So, here are a few tips on gaining weight for those that have this problem!

Gaining weight can be as challenging to some people as losing weight is to others. In addition, thin people get little sympathy from their peers, especially when their peers that are battling the scales in the other direction. For those of you who are overly thin, there are a few things you can do to beef up your body.

The first thing you need to do is to check with your medical doctor to make sure there aren't medical problems associated with your weight. If the culprit is that you're not eating enough food, then you'll need to pump up your portions. Unlike dieters who concentrate on reducing the calories they consume, you need to try to increase your caloric intake by eating high calorie foods and snacking at least three times a day. For your snacks, chose peanut butter or crackers, raisins, or nuts chased with juice or milk. You may even opt for a second sandwich. In your three square meals a day, consume foods with the most calories per serving, such as peas, cereals with nuts and raisins and dried fruits. Five dried figs have over 230 calories whereas two apples have only 160 calories. Juice is also high in calories. It is easier to drink a cup of orange juice at 111 calories than to eat almost two whole oranges to get that many.

If you consume an additional 500 to 1,000 calories, you should put on one to two pounds per week. But you may have to go slow at first and work up to those calories. While you should be eating foods from all five basic food groups, begin hunting for the foods with most calories per serving within each group. Since some thin people forget to eat sometimes, make sure you eat at least three square meals a day. Try not to start off a meal with soup, salad, or a beverage, which may fill you up and keep you from eating more caloric foods.

Any weight loss guru will tell you that fats are hefty in the calorie department, so in your case, make sure you're getting enough. Your diet should contain up to 30 percent of its calories from fat. For a person needing 2,500 calories a day, that translates into 83 grams of fat. To stay heart healthy, the majority of fat you eat should be from unsaturated sources such as vegetable oils, salad dressings, nuts, peanut butter, and fatty fish such as salmon. Add nuts to your salad and douse it with dressing for the maximum number of calories.

When it comes to exercise, strength training is the way you want to go. Be sure to eat extra calories to cover the increased calorie demands. This is an excellent way to beef up your body because of the muscle you'll build. However, always check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program!

You may also want to seek the support of a registered dietitian who has expertise in strength training to design compatible menu and exercise plans.