While the harmful health effects of obesity seem to garner most of the attention when it comes to weight management, weighing too little can also be hard on your body. Being underweight can deplete your energy, compromise your immune system and make your bones fragile. Gaining weight can be achieved by increasing your daily calorie intake with a variety of nutritious foods and exercises that focus primarily on strength training.
Considerations
Gaining weight should be done gradually and healthfully. While high-calorie, high-fat junk foods like cakes, cookies and pies will likely help the pounds add up quickly, they will likely be in the form of increased body fat rather than lean body mass.
Strength or resistance training exercises can promote weight gain by building muscles and increasing your appetite. An effective weight training program should work the major muscle groups which include the legs, upper arms, chest, back and shoulders.
Strength Training Equipment
Investing in basic strength training tools like free weights or dumbbells can help you achieve your weight gain goals. Lightweight tubing that provides resistance when stretched can also be purchased in sporting good stores. Consider joining a gym or fitness center that typically provides conventional weights as well as weight machines. However, buying weight training equipment isn't always essential. Push-ups, pull-ups, leg squats and abdominal crunches can also help improve strength and stamina.
Grocery List
Stocking up on dense, higher calorie foods can help you put on weight. Thick pumpernickel bread, grape nuts or granola cereal, raisins, bran muffins, peanut butter, honey seeds and nuts may all help add pounds and inches to your frame. Adding starchy carbohydrates such as brown rice, potatoes and corn to your shopping list may also contribute to weight gain. Buy sour cream, grated cheese or ground flaxseed to add extra calories and flavor to soups or salads. Healthy shakes or smoothies can be made with milk or fruit juice.
Outlook
Eating several small meals through the day is preferable to eating three large meals while trying to gain weight, points out registered dietitian Katherine Zeratsky with the Mayo Clinic. Adding as little as 250 calories per day can help you put on 1/2 lb. per week. Talk to your doctor to make sure an underlying medical condition isn't contributing to being underweight.
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