How to Gain Weight After an Illness

A major illness can result in the loss of a large amount of body weight, leaving you feeling depleted because of a loss of energy. To gain the weight back, it will likely be necessary to consume more food than normal through larger meals and more snacks. Fortunately, since your illness may have caused you to lose weight more rapidly than normal, it is likely that with the right diet plan, the weight can be added quickly.

Instructions

• 1

  Confer with your doctor to learn if there are any modifications or restrictions to your diet because of your illness.

• 2

  Consume 500 to 1,000 more calories per day than normal. It takes 3,500 additional calories to add 1 lb. of weight, so an addition of 500 calories daily will result in an increase of a pound per week. If experiencing a loss of appetite, try consuming several smaller meals per day.

• 3

  Snack throughout the day in addition to consuming regular meals. Consume snacks that are healthy such as nuts, yogurt and dried fruits. Mixed fruit juices such as cranberry/apple or orange/apricot provide more calories than one-fruit juices.

• 4

  Eat larger portions during meals than normal. Also, to consume more calories, add nutritious toppings and ingredients such as cheese to casseroles, skinless chicken to soups and salads, and cooked eggs to mashed potatoes.

• 5

  Increase your intake of healthy fats by consuming foods such as canola oil, avocado and fish such as salmon and mackerel. Be sure to consume these foods in moderation.

• 6

  Consult package labels to determine the nutritional content. Your goal should be to consume 60 to 70 percent of your calories in carbohydrates, 10 to 15 percent in protein and the remainder in healthy fats, avoiding saturated and trans fats as much as possible. To learn more about the calorie content of foods, visit the Weight Loss for All link in Resources below.