|  | Diet Nutrition | Healthy Diets

Ways to Increase Appetite & Gain Weight

With one-third of Americans fighting obesity, most health articles place emphasis on strategies for losing weight. It may seem strange that some people actually want to gain weight and struggle with being underweight just as much as someone who struggles with being overweight. Being underweight also poses health risks such as decreased immunity, weakness and early death. Eating more junk food and pastries may help to add weight, but this method will do nothing to improve health. Increasing appetite and eating a proper diet that can build healthy muscle for strength without adding unhealthy fat is the best way to gain weight.

  1. Improving Appetite

    • Eating smaller meals throughout the day instead of three large meals can help to increase appetite. Trying to eat a large meal when you don't feel hungry can be overwhelming for someone suffering from a loss of appetite and can make you feel sick. Exercise can also increase appetite. Take a 30-minute walk before mealtime to stimulate your appetite.

    Healthy Weight Gain

    • A healthy goal for gaining weight is 1/2 to 1 lb. per week. Figure out how many calories your body needs to gain weight. The Daily Plate website can help you to determine your goal caloric intake by inputting your weight, height and age into the calculator. Keep a daily food journal to make sure you are hitting your calorie goals and eating enough of all four major food groups -- breads, meat and alternatives, fruits and vegetables and dairy.

    What to Eat

    • Eat at least three meals per day and avoid skipping meals or snacks. Select foods that have higher calories but are still nutritious. Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, corn and carrots are higher in calories than lettuce and broccoli. Add butter, almonds or cheese to your meals for extra calories. Choose grape juice instead of orange juice and 2 percent milk instead of skim milk to increase your caloric intake. Add an extra snack to your daily routine such as nuts or a bagel with peanut butter, both high in protein which the body needs to build muscle. Increase calories to your existing meals. Sprinkle nuts or fruit over your morning cereal and add beans to salads.

    What to Drink

    • Aim to drink at least eight cups of non-caffeinated beverages each day. Drink extra calories between meals. A smoothie with frozen fruit is a good option, milk shakes, juice and protein-powder can also give you extra calories. Avoid drinking water, juice or soda before or during meals as drinking fluids can make you feel full and decrease your appetite. Drinking wine before a meal, however, can help to stimulate appetite.

    Maintain Good Nutrition

    • Avoid high calorie foods that provide little to no nutritional value. Greasy foods such as French fries, chicken nuggets and potato chips will pile on fat rather than muscle. While underweight individuals may think they are immune to health problems such as high cholesterol and heart disease, these problems plague both those who struggle with being overweight and those who are underweight if they over-consume saturated and trans fats.

Healthy Diets - Related Articles