WEIGHT LOSS (WEIGHT CONTROL): SAFE WEIGHT GAIN
Question: How can I gain weight in a healthy way?
Answer: The proper way to gain weight depends on the reason you are underweight. If you are naturally thin, your needs will differ from those of someone who is underweight because of an illness or eating disorder (like anorexia nervosa). If you are underweight because of an illness or eating disorder, you should talk to your doctor about the best way to gain weight, especially since eating too much and too fast can cause additional problems. In addition, if you have started to lose weight for no apparent reason, or if you feel unwell, a visit to your doctor is needed. Many illnesses can cause weight loss.
If you are healthy but simply thin, you may not be consuming enough calories to meet your caloric needs. The best way to gain weight is to increase your caloric intake. However, regularly feasting on milkshakes and bacon cheeseburgers is not advised. It is better to add one or two healthy snacks every day (like a piece of fruit, a cup of yogurt, or a slice of toast with peanut butter) to gradually increase your caloric intake. The best kind of snack depends on what you are currently eating now.
Probably the easiest and best way to properly increase your caloric intake is to see a dietician. (You can ask your doctor for a referral). A dietician can assess what you are eating and help you decide how best to increase your caloric intake. You can try to do this on your own, but it can be difficult.
Typically, a dietary evaluation starts with evaluation of your daily caloric intake. You can do this yourself by keeping a food diary for 24 hours (writing down everything you eat in a 24-hour period) or doing a 24-hour recall (when someone else asks you what you ate during the last 24 hours) and then assessing the number of calories you are consuming. You can find out how many calories are in your food by talking to a dietician, reading the nutrition labels on your food, or investing in a book that lists the caloric content of common foods.
The next step is to figure out how many calories your body needs in a day. This depends on your age, height, health, and activity level. A complex equation called the Harris-Benedict equation can be used to determine this number. The dietician will talk to you about the foods you like to eat and the best ways to healthfully increase your caloric intake.
If you are interested in gaining weight, talk to your doctor to find out what is right for you.
