@jasperfrompelepens
Hi there~ Welcome to the Healthy Living Community. I’m Ocean the Community leader. Nice to have you here with us..
This is a valid & interesting question, when typically people want to know or work on “losing” weight.
To “Gain weight” in Healthy ways, First I would always suggest talking with your Healthcare provider as they know you personally & your medical background, conditions or needs… Also, if you are able to, following up with a Registered Dietitian, who could help put together a simple, effective & healthy plan based on your Personal needs & goals to help you gain weight in a healthy way with good progress! (And perhaps your physician could recommend one for you to see as well)?
Healthy ways to get started & small steps to take could look like:
💪🏼Increasing more calories than the body actually burns, (such as through exercising & daily living)…
💪🏼And more importantly increasing those calories by focusing on healthy & “nutrient-dense” foods! That will help & allow you to feel good physically... (Not junk foods which will deplete your energy, nor help your efforts).
💪🏼And also, building up good lean dense muscle mass through strength-training/weights, helps. As if you’re already underweight, this will add muscle which can increase your build, composition etc... to where you desire. (And for someone who is overweight, it can help to replace fat tissue, with lean muscle mass as they are losing weight). But you can get a program at your local gym with a trainer, or find a great Fitness app to follow on your phone, as well YOUTUBE offers a Plethora of Fitness channels for your specific needs, (such as Weight training videos) starting with simple dumbbells & such. And progressing from there.
Typically as long as you are cleared medically by your Healthcare provider, these would be simple & great places to start.
We are here to support you & your efforts! And please continue to let us know if you have any questions, or simply keep us updated with your journey & how you’re doing!
Hi @jasperfrompelepens!
If I wanted to gain weight at a healthy rate :
First I would calculate
my current daily calorie needs
due to my body size and age and average activity level.
Then I would calculate
my current daily average calorie intake.
Then I would calculate
how many calories I would need to eat
if I was 10 lbs more than current weight,
(assuming I wanted to gradually increase my weight by 10 lb at first,
then maybe add more later.))
Then I would figure out
how to change my current diet
to increase the calories to the goal
in a healthy way.
To do that I would
use online nutrition tracking tools
to help me experiment with new daily menus.
And they would show me
the nutrition balance
and target levels
and excess levels
so I could keep everything within healthy limits.
Then before changing my diet,
I would consult first with my medical providers.
Then if they approved,
I would change my daily menu to the new portions
and track the results.
Then if I increased my weight by 10 lb and wanted to increase more
I would repeat the process.
Good luck @jasperfrompelepens !
Hi @jasperfrompelepens
I should point out that
of course weight gain can be tricky too in some situations.
Weight gain needs more than just raising calories in a healthy way.
Some calories won't be absorbed if
the food isn't cooked enough
or the food is eaten raw
or the food is hard to digest
or the food is cold
(because colder food is harder to digest)
or if too much water is consumed before, during, or after eating
or if the body is low in digestive enzymes
or if the food isn't chewed properly or is hard to break down
or if the portions are too big for the body to process
or if the portions are too frequent
(because the body needs time to process the food)
or if there is too much fiber and the food passes too quick
or if the person is too sedentary and the gut has low mobility.
So a big list of situations can prevent weight gain even if eating more calories.
But knowing all that can help reach the goal faster.
Checking with a medical provider can help sort it all out too.
Eat healthy eating food
Hey if you are asking because you’re coming out from an eating disorder then please do seek a professional’s help and you can ask someone you trust like a family member or friend to go with you and help you make the appointment etc.
Please don’t do it alone without support from a trusted person.
Eat calorie dense food and lots of protein