Tips on Gaining Weight for Underweight People

Being underweight can lead to serious health problems including anemia, bone loss and osteoporosis. Gaining weight can require more than just increasing your daily calorie intake. It is important to eat the right foods at the right times. Exercise is also an important part of gaining weight and staying healthy.

Eat More Frequently

• To gain one pound, you have to eat 3500 calories, according to doctors at the Mayo Clinic. If you find eating more calories in the same sitting difficult, increase the frequency of meals throughout the day.

Eat Calorie-Dense Foods

• One tablespoon of peanut butter has 94 calories.

  Eat healthy foods that have high calorie counts. Peanut butter (94 calories per tbsp.), cashew nuts (786 calories per cup), olive oil (119 calories per tbsp.) and granola (500 calories per cup) are all healthy foods that are also very high in calories. Avoid high-calorie foods that are low in nutrients, such as fast food, pastries, breads and pastas.

Protein Powder and Weight Gain Drinks

• Bodybuilders use protein powder to help build muscle but protein powders can also be used to gain weight because they have a very high calorie count. Some protein drinks are specifically made to help you gain weight and can contain as much as 2000 calories per serving.

Train with Weights

• Resistance training will add healthy weight and bulk to your frame.

  Muscle weighs more than fat, so adding muscle to your body will help you gain weight. Make sure you train all your muscles, focusing especially on your larger muscles such as your glutes, legs, chest and back muscles, which will add more bulk and weight to your frame. Weight training is also important because it can ensure all the extra calories you are eating are not turned into fat but rather are used more effectively to build muscle and maintain overall health.