Being underweight can make you weak and unhealthy. There are many different reasons why you might be skinny, including genetics, illness, or an eating disorder.
Adding pounds and muscle mass can improve your energy level, immune system, and strength. If you want to improve your overall health and physique, it’s important to know how to gain weight naturally.
Significance of Being Underweight
You are considered underweight if your body mass index (BMI) falls below 20. Men and women who are under not only look unattractive, they may also suffer from poor health and vitamin deficiencies, and are more prone to infections and illness.
Women who are extremely underweight may experience disruptions in their menstrual cycle. Underweight teenagers are often bullied, teased, and shunned by their peers.
What You Can Do to Gain Weight Naturally
Proper nutrition is the key to gaining extra pounds in a healthy manner. If you want to gain weight naturally, you must consume more calories than you burn in a day.
As a rule of thumb, you can gain one pound of body per week by consuming an extra 500 calories per day.
Since you don’t want those extra calories to turn into fat, it’s also necessary to exercise regularly in order to increase muscle mass. Here are some of the most effective strategies for natural gain:
The only way to gain is to follow a nutrition plan that provides more calories than you burn in a day. Consuming an extra 500-1,000 calories per day allows you to gain 1 to 2 pounds per week. Your weight-gain diet should consist of larger servings of nutritious foods that are rich in lean proteins and whole grains.
Dietitians recommend a diet plan consisting of 10-15% protein, 60-70% carbohydrates, and the rest from healthy fats.
Nutrition plans for gains often involve at least three meals a day, with substantial, healthy snacks between meals and before bedtime.
Needless to say, skipping meals is discouraged. High calorie snacks supplement nutritious meals and provide much-needed extra calories.
Nuts, dairy products, smoothies, whole-grain muffins, peanut butter and dried fruits provide nutrition-packed calories.
Some people have poor appetite or may be too weak to eat larger servings. In these cases, a meal plan to gain naturally might emphasize calorie-dense foods. This adds calories without increasing portions or meal size.
You can add calories by cooking hot cereals or soups with milk instead of water. Mix healthy oils such as olive oil in salads or pasta to boost the number of calories. Dry powder milk in smoothies and mashed potatoes make them richer in calories without adding to serving size.
Strength training exercises are an essential part of your strategy to gain naturally. Lifting weights allows you to bulk up and develop muscle mass. You want to convert extra calories into muscles, not fat.
Also, you don’t want too much cardio exercises since these tend to burn away calories, which you don’t want to happen. Perform strength-training exercises three times a week. Keep your reps low and lift weights that are heavy enough to tire out your muscles after 8 to 12 reps.
