With obesity on the rise, less attention is
placed on the health risks of being under weight.
The easiest way to find out whether you are
underweight is to calculate your BMI (Basal Metabolic Index). This is a
guideline to help you know how much you should weigh for your height.
·
underweight (BMI less than 18.5)
·
normal weight (BMI between 18.5
& 24.9)
·
overweight (BMI between 25.0 &
29.9)
·
obese (BMI 30.0 and above)
If the figure you get is less than 18.5, you are
underweight.
Before we hate on this people who eat anything and
end up losing weight while we gain weight even by drinking water, let’s discuss
the complications that come with being underweight.
Being underweight weakens the immune system.
Everything that the body does, including keeping diseases away is dependent on
the food we eat. To make those immunity cells, the body needs good food in
terms of quality and quantity. When you are underweight, nutrients are not
absorbed in the body as they should and that leads to deficiencies which may
later become medical conditions. For example, if your body cannot absorb
calcium adequately, you will have a calcium deficiency which will lead to
osteoporosis. Other conditions that are caused by being underweight include complications with pregnancy,
reduced physical strength, anemia, hair loss etc.
How do I gain weight
in a healthy way?
Before you
get to the solution, you have to look at the problem in depth. Reasons
why people may become underweight are many and there are as many treatment
courses as there are causes.
If the
reason you are underweight is genetics (you naturally burn calories faster) or
a hyperactive thyroid, (an overactive thyroid,
which causes high thyroid hormone production — metabolism speeds up and your
whole body starts working overtime) you should consult your doctor first.
If you
have an illness that is making you lose weight fast, you should get treated. Also,
ask your doctor if the medication you are on is causing loss of appetite and
whether you can get something to stimulate your appetite. Fruits and vegetable
juices are a good way to get your appetite back as they contain the vitamins
that are prescribed as multi vitamins but if they don’t help please tell your
doctor.
Stress is
another factor in weight loss. If you think that the reason behind your weight
loss is stress you need to talk to someone and resolve it.
Last but
not least, you should adjust your diet to make sure that you get all the
nutrients and the extra calories that you need. Here are a few tips to help you
with that;
v Eat more. Increase the amount of
food you eat. Remember that just like with weight loss, you will not see
results in a day so don’t give up. If you are the type of person to get so busy
you forget to eat, set alarms and reminders on your phone to remind you.
v Include carbohydrates in all the
meals that you take. Taking enough carbohydrates gives you energy and it also
ensures that the protein you eat is not broken down for energy. The protein you
take is hence used to build your body.
v Eat enough proteins. To know how
much protein you need, multiply your weight in kilograms by 1.2 and you will
get the number in grams. Most foods have nutrition labels showing the amount of
protein in the food so check that too while buying food.
v Include healthy fats in your meals.
As much as you want to gain weight, you do not want to raise your cholesterol
levels. Choose vegetable oils and ensure that your meat has fat trimmed off.
When taking vegetable salads, add some olive oil or your oil of choice to it.
v Eat three square meals and two
snacks. This helps you eat enough calories to gain weight.
v Lucky you because you can have a small amount of foods high
in fat and/or sugar but eat them less often.
v Exercise. I don’t mean burn all the food you ate in the gym,
but exercise helps you stay healthy and build lean muscles instead of gaining
unhealthy weight. Exercise can also help you get bigger in specific areas. Most
of my female clients who want to gain weight say that they want bigger hips and
glutes without gaining weight in the stomach area. Workouts like squats can
help you get such results so ask your trainer what workouts help build what
areas. Don’t forget to get pre and post workout snacks.
v Peanuts, peanut butter, pasta,
cereals, dairy products, seeds, lean red meat, bagels, and dried fruits are examples of healthy
foods that will help you gain weight. Eat them as often s you can.
v Juice
your fruits and vegetables. This helps you not feel as full as you would have
if you took the actual fruits and vegetables and so you end up consuming more
calories. Avoid drinking the juices with your meals because they will make you
feel full quickly.
