How to Gain Weight Healthily When Underweight

It's not a stretch to say that many Americans would be envious if they met someone who had trouble gaining weight. But if you happen to fall into this category, you know how frustrating it can be to pack on the pounds. You may also be underweight if you've recently had surgery or spent time in the hospital. Either way, there are several things you can do to gain healthy weight.

Things You'll Need

• Healthy foods
• Exercise equipment
• Exercise schedule

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Instructions

• 1

  Keep a balanced diet. There is such a thing as unhealthy weight gain, and it comes from eating foods high in simple sugars and fats. Maintain a balance between fruits and vegetables, carbohydrates and proteins.

• 2

  Consume foods high in calories. This will help you pack away more at dinner if you begin to feel full quickly. Munch on high-calorie snacks such as nuts, cheese and trail mix.

• 3

  Drink a lot of milk. This is especially true if you are on a regular weight training exercise program. Milk has the protein and fat to help your body hold healthy weight, so increase your intake, especially of whole milk.

• 4

  Perform strength training exercises, especially with free weights. Strength training ensures that you increase muscle mass, which is healthy weight to gain. This goes double for people who have spent time in the hospital and are weak from atrophied muscles.

• 5

  Choose compound exercises -- ones that exercise multiple muscle groups -- to work your whole body when you lift weights. These include bench press, squats, dips and dead lifts. Such exercises will build muscle mass fast by working your entire body in unison.