Most people are anxious to lose weight and are constantly looking for diets and new forms of exercise to lose weight. Yet, there’s a small percentage of people, about 2% of the population, looking to gain weight. Genetics play a big role, but having a high metabolic rate is a factor. Illness, medicine, psychological issues can also be a factor, which is why it’s very important to consult to your doctor about issues with being underweight.
There are many health issues associated with being underweight, especially among children it’s important to monitor what they eat because they need nutrients to grow their bodies. In addition, the lack of nutrients can make people develop a weak immune system, so they have a difficulty fighting illnesses. Malnutrition can also be the reason you are thin and can lead to conditions like anemia, fertility issues, and even hair loss.
Healthy Ways To Gain Weight
The first thing you have to do is calculate your body mass index (BMI), depending on your sex, height, and how much you weight you will be able to determine if you’re underweight. Sometimes we think we’re too skinny or too fat, but it reality, it might be normal according to this index. Just like with losing weight, what you eat and the type of exercise that you do will have a huge impact on how much you weight.
Think about what you’re eating. Without changing your diet too much add calories to your every day meals with healthy choices, such as nuts, fruit, or wheat toast. Depending on how much you would like to gain, you might want to add up to 500 calories to your daily intake. Enjoy snacks that have special proteins and healthy carbs, like trail mix, hummus, peanut butter, and avocado. When exercising you can also take protein shakes that help you bulk up and gain weight. Keep a food journal that will help you keep track about what is working from week to week.
People who want to lose weight add on more cardio, but if you want to gain weight you have to do less of it. Instead do strength training and work with weights to build muscle. Doing exercises like squats, bench presses, crunches, chin-ups and leg curls help you build muscle and gain weight. Make sure you’re counting calories because the more exercise you do the more calories you will need to eat.