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Weight Gain Products for Underweight People

With so many people today scrambling to find a definitive answer on how to lose weight, many find it unfathomable that some people need or want to gain weight. Being underweight can result from serious illness, it could be a factor in aging or it can be due to the role of one's genetics. Adding weight for these individuals is as difficult as it is for those seeking to lose it. There is no magic bullet, miracle cure or secret elixir, but there are things that work.

  1. Preliminaries

    • Evaluate how much gain is necessary, but do not use the scale--it does not tell the whole story. Calculating your body mass index (BMI) will give a more accurate picture. Plug height, weight and age into the BMI calculator (see link below for cdc.gov). Do the same to find out daily caloric needs using the next link (freedieting.com).

      Losing weight due to illness may be the easiest to rebound from, but it can be more difficult for the aging and for those that are underweight due to genetics. Loss due to age may be due to bone mass loss as well as to diminishing musculature. An ectomorph is a body type that is naturally thin, has little body fat and has a fast metabolism--three factors that make gaining weight a challenge.

    The Food Factor

    • Eating enough is the key to gaining weight--there is no getting around it. Everyone who is underweight simply isn't ingesting enough calories. Use the calorie calculator to find the calories needed to maintain weight and simply add 500 calories every day to gain weight.

    Eating More . . . Comfortably

    • Eating enough calories can be accomplished comfortably by eating frequently. Think three main meals and two or three snacks, or simply eat a small to medium-sized meal every 3 hours. Incorporate meal replacements into those snacks. These high-calorie liquid meals make it even easier, because liquid digests faster than whole foods, so they won't interfere with regular meals. Buy quality products from health food stores--not the grocery varieties, Myoplex by EAS is good (see Resources).

    Homemade Meal Replacements

    • Drinking protein powder mixed with water may be the simplest snack between meals. Blend protein powder with milk or juice if more calories are needed. Increase calories even more by adding bananas or peanut butter to the mix. Tip: Blend desired shake in the morning or the night before work or school and carry it in a large thermos. Drink half in the morning before lunch and the other half before dinner.

    Creatine

    • Creatine is an alternate energy source for muscles. It assists ADP (energy for cells) and shuttles fluid into muscles, thereby increasing their volume. It is a natural part of our bodies, but it has been shown to increase muscular strength and size when supplemented in the diet. It will have absolutely no effect on muscles that are not exercised during anaerobic exercise (strength training), so if you use this supplement, you must also exercise daily. If you are not used to regular exercise, consult a health professional or trainer about how to begin.

    Professional Help

    • Advice from a health care professional is paramount if weight loss is due to aging. In addition, the inability to put on weight when calories are increased may be due to an underlying medical cause.
      If you are still unable to gain weight, consult a registered dietitian. Ask your doctor for a recommendation, or go to eatright.org to find a nutrition professional in your area.

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