Though many people focus on the challenges of losing weight, gaining weight poses its own obstacles. People with a body mass index below 20 are considered underweight, and those with a BMI of 17.5 to 18.5 are extremely underweight, "Today's Dietitian" magazine reported in 2008. You might be underweight because of genetics, an illness or eating disorder; nutrition plans to gain weight vary according to specific conditions, but most share certain features. Consult your doctor before beginning any new diet, particularly if you are underweight due to illness.
Significance
People who are underweight may suffer from weakness and poor health. Underweight women may experience disruptions in their menstrual cycle and be infertile, the Ask the Dietitian website explains. Underweight elderly may be frail and more susceptible to illness. Those who are too thin may suffer from vitamin and nutrition deficiencies. Underweight teens may suffer teasing and social stigmatization.
Features of Weight-Gain Plans
Nutrition plans to gain weight should offer more calories than a person burns in a day. Dietitian Elena Blanco-Schumacher tells "Today's Dietitian" that she and her colleagues will generally recommend an extra 500 and 1,000 calories per day, which can lead to a weekly weight gain of 1 to 2 pounds. Calories should come from larger servings of nutritious foods like lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy products --- rather than from sweets and saturated fats. Meals should still feature a balance of 10 to 15 percent protein, 60 to 70 percent carbohydrates and the rest in healthy fats, Blanco-Schumacher adds.
Strategy
Most plans emphasize multiple meals daily and discourage skipping meals. A meal plan for weight gain encourages substantial, healthy snacks between meals that include nuts, dried fruits and yogurt. Smoothies, made with fresh fruit, whey protein powder, milk and a healthy fat, like that found in flaxseed, make a high-calorie, between-meals supplement. A meal plan might emphasize a bedtime snack consisting of a sandwich, graham crackers with peanut butter or a whole-grain muffin made with raisins and topped with almond butter.
Calorie Density
Some people are underweight because they are too weak to eat or have no appetite. In these cases, a nutrition plan for weight gain might direct you to add calories to existing meals without increasing meal size. Boost the calories in soups or hot cereal by cooking them with milk instead of water, Mayo Clinic dietitian Katherine Zeratsky advises; add dry milk powder to mashed potatoes or smoothies. Mixing healthy, unsaturated oils like olive or canola into salads or pasta is another way to add calories without forcing increased food intake.
Considerations
Meal-replacement drinks may help people who have trouble consuming enough food, but use them only if recommended by your dietitian or doctor, registered dietitian Joanne Larsen cautions on the Ask the Dietitian website, because some may not be appropriate for people with diabetes or high blood pressure. Eating just any food to gain weight can have health consequences. Even people who are too thin are susceptible to high cholesterol, high blood pressure and increased heart disease risk --- all of which can result from eating too much sugar, sodium and saturated or trans fats.
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