As we all know maintaining a healthy weight is necessary to have better health and to prevent diseases. It helps us have good health now and as we age. Obesity causes health complications, and so does being underweight.
Being underweight heightens the risk of getting health issues, such as heart issues, pregnancy problems, irregular periods, anemia, infections, and more. Thus, a proper diet is essential to attain a healthy weight and for the body to function effectively.
A healthy weight not only contributes to our physical wellness but affects our mental wellness, too. Being underweight can cause mood swings, depression, and poor concentration. So, eating healthy and ensuring the body gets enough nutrients is important for our wellness.
Healthy Ways to Increase Body Weight
Let us look at some of the natural ways to increase body weight.
- Increasing calorie intake:
Adding extra calories to the diet helps improve weight naturally. If you wish to gain weight slowly, then it is recommended to consume 300 to 500 calories every day, and if you plan to gain weight fast, aim for around 700 to 1000 calories daily.
- Eating more protein-rich food:
Eating high-quality protein helps improve health and weight. According to research, increasing protein intake increases lean muscle mass. Some high-protein foods include milk, other dairy products, fish, meat, eggs, nuts, and more. If you find it hard to consume too much protein, try protein supplements instead after consulting with your doctor.
- Avoid drinking water before meals:
Indeed, it is essential to drink enough water, but avoid it before meals since drinking too much water fills your stomach, which reduces appetite. It requires a lot of effort to consume enough calories to gain weight. So, drink water once you finish your meals.
- Eating more often:
It is recommended to eat smaller meals often and healthy snacks in between. The trick is to consume more calories than your body burns. Also, try eating whole foods, like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes. Rather than overeating, practice eating calorie-rich food often.
- Trying weight gainer shakes:
Milkshakes and protein shakes help with weight gain faster. There are plenty of protein shakes that you can make at home, and very nutritious. Some protein shakes include chocolate peanut butter shakes with Greek yogurt, strawberry banana smoothies with kefir, apple cinnamon hemp heart protein smoothie, and coffee protein smoothie with whey protein.
- Getting enough sleep:
Getting enough sleep helps improve muscle growth. Poor quality sleep causes weight loss and sleep disorders. As per research, sleeping for 7 to 8 hours will help the body produce physical changes that promote weight gain.
- Quitting smoking:
Having a habit of smoking leads to weight loss and quitting it can help with weight gain. When you quit smoking, your appetite increases, and thus you can intake more calories.
Why is Gaining Weight Important?
Being underweight leads to various health complications, which is why it is necessary to maintain a healthy weight. Malnutrition affects physical health as well as mental health. It affects muscle function, gastrointestinal function, cardio-respiratory function, and more. Being outside the healthy weight range affects all aspects of health, so it is better to look for natural ways to improve weight without side effects.
Underweight is due to the body’s inability to get enough nutrients to build healthy skin, bones, and hair. The symptoms of being underweight include getting sick often, fatigue, hair fall, dry skin, or unhealthy teeth. The causes of being underweight may be family history, physical illness, mental illness, high metabolism, frequent physical activity, or poor diet.
Due to unhealthy food habits and lifestyles, most of our health and well-being are affected. Thus, taking the necessary measures to gain weight naturally helps strengthen the immune system, prevent diseases, and improve energy levels.
Health Risks of Being Underweight
Some of the health risks of being underweight include:
- Malnutrition.
- Poor muscle strength.
- Fatigue or feeling tired.
- Being sick often.
- Lower immunity.
- Skin and hair problems.
- Irregular periods.
- Pregnancy complications.
- Anemia.
- Headache.
- Respiratory problems.
- Digestive issues.
- Cancer.
- osteoporosis.
Conclusion
Gaining weight has many approaches, like consuming soda, chocolate, and other junk foods. However, they increase the risk of getting health issues like diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer.
So, looking for healthy and natural ways to gain weight without adverse side effects is important. The causes of being underweight may be many, but it indicates poor nutrition or underlying health conditions. A healthy lifestyle and proper diet help increase body weight naturally.
It should be noted that not everyone will gain weight using these natural remedies because some may be born with small or low BMI, which may be due to the genes. Also, those with high metabolism will find it hard to gain weight no matter how much calories they intake. So, seeing a doctor before you go for natural weight gain remedies is better.
