We always hear a whole lot about how to lose weight. In addition to fad diets that promise to help individuals shed pounds quickly, there are plenty of basic, common-sense ways lose weight. But those who want to gain weight, from athletes looking to bulk up to patients recovering from a weight-depleting surgery or procedure, are often left in the dark. That weight may be crucial to their health. Those who are underweight may be experiencing negative health effects, such as lack of energy, a weakened immune system and other health issues.
According to the Body Mass Index scale, which uses a person's height and weight to estimate their level of body fat, having a BMI of less than 18.5 qualifies as being underweight. Whatever your reason for looking to gain weight, there is a healthy way to do it. It's more than just packing on the calories from whatever fast food joint you decided to grab today. Learning how to gain weight the healthy way is a topic that many are unfamiliar with – but here's how to go about increasing the number you see on that scale:
Choose filling beverages
Seeking out high-calorie beverages like smoothies, shakes or liquid meal replacements is a great strategy for building muscle and gaining weight the healthy way. It's an easy way to increase your daily caloric intake. For your next snack or meal, reach for Naturade Weight Gain. With 21 grams of carbohydrates and 9 grams of protein per serving, you're going to amplify your caloric intake significantly. This protein powder can easily be added to tasty shakes and smoothies, giving you more energy and a more balanced weight gain program.
Consume the right foods
As a general rule, you should be consuming more calories than you expend. But rather than splurging on sweets and fast food, it's best to fill up on nutritionally sound foods to get the most out of the calories that you're consuming. In other words, you should be focused on quality over quantity. Choose nutrient-dense foods from all food groups. Here are a few foods that are going to help you to gain weight:
Fruit: Go for dried fruit like bananas, pineapple and raisins.
Vegetables: The veggies higher in calories, but still high in nutritional value include, peas, potatoes, winter squash and corn.
Whole grains: Look for whole grains in your pasta, bagels, bread and rice for a good source of carbohydrates that will give you the energy you need to take on the day.
Dairy: Anything from cheese, yogurt or ice cream provide you with extra calories that are going to add up over time.
Nuts and seeds: Some of the best nuts for gaining weight include sunflower seeds, flax seeds, brazil nuts, almonds, walnuts and peanuts.
Snack often
Just like your meals, your snacks should also be calorie-dense. When you're on the go, carry snacks like nuts, cheese, dried fruit, yogurt with granola, avocados, whole grain crackers or pretzels.
