How to Get a Young Boy to Put on Some Weight

As kids grow, their appearance can change dramatically over the span of just a few years. If weight is a concern, it is important to remember first and foremost that children will undergo many bodily changes as they approach puberty, and again as they go through it. That being said, parents of an underweight young boy may feel some concern that their son is not "normal" because he is thinner than his peers. If this is a concern for you, and you have already consulted a doctor, help the boy gain some weight making a few lifestyle adjustments.

Instructions

• 1

  Make sure the young boy is eating enough. Have him eat three large meals a day with two big snacks in-between meals.

• 2

  Make sure meals are balanced. A good way to keep track of this is the "1-2-3" rule: one part of all calories should be from fat, two parts should be from protein, and three parts---roughly half the boy's diet---should be from carbohydrates.

• 3

  Add lots of extra calories to meals by including olive oil, soy or protein powder, wheat germ, and dried fruit to dishes. Have your child drink whole milk at every meal.

• 4

  Put the boy on a weightlifting program. Doing weightlifting and resistance exercises two to three times a week will help build muscle, which is healthier and more permanent than simply putting on weight through eating.