Whether you are clinically underweight or simply struggling to gain muscle weight, the main principles are the same.
This article describes a simple and healthy strategy to gain weight quickly.
What does low weight really mean?
Being underweight is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) below 18.5. This is estimated to be less than the body mass needed to support optimal health.
On the other hand, more than 25 are considered overweight and over 30 are considered obese.
Use this calculator to see where you fit on the BMI scale (opens in a new tab).
However, remember that there are many problems with the BMI scale, which only looks at weight and height. Not taking into account muscle mass.
Some people are naturally very thin, but are still healthy. Being underweight according to this scale does not necessarily mean that you have a health problem.
Being underweight is about 2 to 3 times more common among girls and women, compared to men. In Brazil there are few studies regarding low weight, but according to the SISVAN database, which in 2017 recorded data of 27 million people (13.2% of the Brazilian population), about 1.2 million are in the low weight range and marked thinness ( 2 ).
Being underweight is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) below 18.5. It is much more common in women and girls.
What are the health consequences of being underweight?
Obesity is currently one of the biggest health problems in the world.
However, being underweight can be just as bad for your health. According to one study, low weight was associated with a 140% higher risk of early death in men and 100% in women ( 3 ).
In comparison, obesity was associated with a 50% higher risk of early death, indicating that being underweight can be even worse for health ( 3 ).
Another study found an increased risk of premature death in underweight men, but not in women, suggesting that underweight may be worse for men ( 4 ).
Being underweight can also impair your immune function, increase the risk of infections, lead to osteoporosis and fractures and cause fertility problems ( 5 , 6 , 7 ).
Furthermore, people who are underweight are much more likely to suffer from sarcopenia (age-related muscle mass loss) and may be at higher risk for dementia ( 8 , 9 ).
Being underweight can be just as damaging as being obese – if not more so. People who are underweight are at risk for osteoporosis, infections, fertility problems and premature death.
See too:
Chia Seed: A Guide to Benefits
Benefits that Quinoa for Your Health
Several things can make someone underweight
There are several medical conditions that can cause unhealthy weight loss, including:
- Eating disorders: This includes anorexia nervosa, a serious mental disorder.
- Thyroid problems: Having an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) can stimulate the metabolism and cause harmful weight loss.
- Celiac disease: the most serious form of gluten intolerance. Most people with celiac disease do not know they have it ( 10 ).
- Diabetes: Having uncontrolled diabetes (especially type 1) can lead to severe weight loss.
- Cancer: Cancerous tumors usually burn large amounts of calories and can cause someone to lose a lot of weight.
- Infections: Certain infections can cause someone to become severely underweight. This includes parasites, tuberculosis and HIV / AIDS.
If you are underweight, you may want to see a doctor to rule out any serious medical conditions.
This is particularly important if you have recently started losing large amounts of weight without even trying.
There are several medical conditions that can cause unhealthy weight loss. If you are underweight, consult a doctor to rule out a serious health problem.
How to gain weight in a healthy way
If you want to gain weight, it is very important to do it right.
Drinking soda and sweet cookies can help you gain weight, but it can end your health at the same time.
If you are underweight, you want to gain a balanced amount of muscle mass and subcutaneous fat instead of that dreaded abdominal fat.
There are many people with normal weight who develop type 2 diabetes, heart disease and other health problems often associated with obesity ( 11 ).
Therefore, it is absolutely essential to eat healthy foods and live a healthy lifestyle in general.
It is very important to eat mostly healthy foods, even when you are trying to gain weight. When in doubt consult a Nutritionist.
Eat more calories than your body burns
The most important thing you can do to gain weight is to create a surplus of calories, which means that you eat more calories than your body needs.
You can determine your calorie needs using this calorie calculator .
If you want to gain weight slowly and steadily, add 300 to 500 more calories than you burn every day according to the calculator.
If you want to gain weight quickly, add about 700-1,000 calories above your maintenance level.
Keep in mind that calorie calculators provide estimates only. Your needs can vary by several hundred calories a day, more or less.
You don’t have to count calories for the rest of your life, but it helps to do it in the first few days or weeks to get an idea of how many calories you are eating.
You need to eat more calories than your body burns to gain weight. Aim for 300-500 calories per day above your maintenance level for slow weight gain or 700-1000 calories if you want to gain weight quickly.
Eat lots of protein
The most important nutrient for gaining healthy weight is protein .
The muscle is made of protein and without most of those extra calories it can end up as body fat.
Studies show that, during periods of overfeeding, a protein-rich diet causes many of the extra calories to be turned into muscle ( 12 ).
However, keep in mind that protein is a double-edged sword. It is also highly plentiful, which can significantly reduce hunger and appetite, making it difficult to consume sufficient calories ( 13 , 14 ).
If you are trying to gain weight, add 0.7-1 grams of protein per pound of body weight (with a total of 1.5-2.2 grams of protein per pound). You can even overcome this if your calorie intake is too high.
Protein-rich foods include meats, fish, eggs, many dairy products, vegetables, nuts and others. Protein supplements like whey protein can also be useful if you struggle to get enough protein in your diet.
Protein forms the building blocks of your muscles. Eating enough protein is necessary to gain muscle weight instead of just fat.
Eat at least 3 times a day, including carbohydrates and fat
Many people try to restrict carbohydrates or fat when trying to lose weight.
This is a bad idea if your goal is to gain weight, as it will make it difficult to consume enough calories.
Eat lots of foods high in carbohydrates and fats if weight gain is a priority for you. It is best to eat lots of protein, fat and carbohydrates at each meal.
It is also a bad idea to do intermittent fasting . This is useful for weight loss and improving health, but it can make it difficult to consume enough calories to gain weight.
Make sure you eat at least three meals a day and try to add energy snacks whenever possible.
To gain weight, eat at least three meals a day and include a lot of quality fat, carbohydrates and proteins.
Eat energy-rich foods and use sauces, seasonings and condiments
Again, it is very important to eat mainly whole and single ingredient foods .
The problem is that these foods tend to be more stuffed than processed foods, making it more difficult to get enough calories.
Using lots of spices, sauces and condiments can help with this. The tastier your food is, the easier it is to eat a lot of it.
Also, try to emphasize as much as possible energy-dense foods. These are foods that contain a lot of calories in relation to your weight.
Here are some energy-dense foods that are perfect for gaining weight:
- Nuts: almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts, etc.
- Dried fruits: raisins, dates, plums and others.
- High-fat dairy products : whole milk, whole yogurt , cheese, cream.
- Fats and oils: Extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil.
- Grains: Whole grains such as oats and brown rice.
- Meat: Chicken, beef, pork, lamb, etc. Choose fatter cuts.
- Tubers: Potato, sweet potato and yam.
- Dark chocolate, avocado , peanut butter, coconut milk , granola, mixtures of trails.
Many of these foods are very hearty, and sometimes you may need to force yourself to continue eating, even if you feel satisfied.
It may be a good idea to avoid eating a ton of vegetables, if gaining weight is a priority for you. It simply leaves less space for more energy-rich foods.
Eating whole fruits is good, but try to emphasize fruits that don’t require much chewing, like bananas .
You can add sauces, seasonings and condiments to your foods to make it easier to eat more food. Base your diet on energy-dense foods as much as possible.
Lift weights and condition your strength
To make sure that the excess calories go to your muscles, rather than just your tummy, it is absolutely necessary to lift weights.
Go to a gym and train 2 to 4 times a week. Lift heavy and try to increase weights and volume over time.
If you are completely out of shape or new to training, consider hiring a qualified personal trainer to help you get started.
You may also want to see a doctor if you have any health problems or any other medical condition.
And if you want to have efficient and healthy weight gain results, always consult a Nutritionist of your choice.
It is good to be careful with cardio in the beginning, focus mainly on the weights.
Doing cardio is good for improving fitness and well-being, but don’t overdo it, as it can end up burning all the extra calories you’re eating.
It is very important to lift (heavy) weights and improve your strength. This will help you gain muscle mass instead of just fat.
Tips to gain weight
Combining a high quality calorie intake with heavy strength training are the two most important factors.
That said, there are several other strategies for gaining weight even faster.
Here are 10 more tips to gain weight:
- Do not drink water before meals. This can fill your stomach and make it hard to consume enough calories.
- Eat more often. Squeeze in an additional meal or snack whenever you can, such as before bed.
- Drink milk. Drinking whole milk to quench your thirst is a simple way to get more high quality protein and calories.
- Try weight gain shakes. If you are really struggling, then you can try weight gain shakes. These are very rich in proteins, carbohydrates and calories.
- Use larger plates. Definitely use large dishes if you are trying to eat more calories, as smaller dishes make people eat less automatically.
- Add the cream to your coffee. This is a simple way to add more calories.
- Take creatine. The creatine monohydrate muscle building supplement can help you gain a few pounds of muscle weight.
- Get quality sleep. Sleeping properly is very important for muscle growth.
- Eat your protein first and vegetables last. If you have a mixture of foods on your plate, eat foods high in calories and high in protein first. Eat the vegetables last.
- Do not smoke. Smokers tend to weigh less than non-smokers, and quitting smoking usually leads to weight gain.
Gaining weight may not be easy and consistency is the key
It can be very difficult for some people to gain weight.
That’s because your body has a certain weight adjustment point, where it feels comfortable.
If you try to go under your set point (lose weight) or above it (weight gain), your body resists changes, regulating your hunger levels and metabolic rate.
When you take in more calories and put on weight, you can expect your body to respond by reducing your appetite and increasing your metabolism.
This is largely mediated by your brain, as are hormones that regulate weight, such as leptin.
So you should expect a certain level of difficulty. In some cases, you may need to force yourself to eat, despite feeling stuffed.
At the end of the day, changing your weight is a marathon, not a sprint. This can take a long time, and you need to be consistent if you want to be successful in the long run.
