For some people weight control doesn’t necessarily mean losing it. There are a surprising number of people who have some difficulty in gaining weight. The challenges of playing competitive sports or just putting on a bathing suit means working hard to gain extra weight.
There are a number of reasons why gaining weight is so difficult. One common reason given is an overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism. This condition is often accompanied by other symptoms like strong feelings of anxiety or a rapidly beating heart. An overactive thyroid is easily detected by a simple blood test so if you feel that may be your problem be sure to check with your doctor.
Often we hear from people who can’t gain weight that they have a “fast metabolism”. Metabolism is also blamed for gaining too much weight but in reality metabolism doesn’t differ significantly from one person to the next so a metabolism that is fast or slow enough to cause a problem would be quite rare. Basal metabolic rate, or metabolism, is defined as the energy that you need to stay alive without doing anything else.
The two reliable ways to gain weight are to increase your fat cells and add to your muscle cells. Diet and activity are the two most reliable measures of who will gain or lose weight and working on both is the best way to make an impact. Weight training or resistance training three times a week can give you an increase of up to ten pounds of muscle in a year. Couple this with a boost in calories and you can pile on weight in a short time.
If you decide that you want to put on one pound every week you can do some simple math to figure out how to get there. To gain one pound you have to take in 3500 extra calories. Divide that by seven days in a week and that means 500 extra calories per day that you need to take in.
You can do this by changing a couple of things about your daily routine. If you eat three meals a day make it four or five and make them bigger meals. Even if you feel full, eat a little bit more. You will also need to modify your routine by adding in some things you might not ordinarily eat. Condiments like mayonnaise, oils and and butter can be a painless way to add in a surprising number of calories to a meal.
Some other things you can do is to start going for for higher calorie foods. Spinach salad is healthy and nutritious but it won’t put weight on you very fast. Substitute in some potatoes and then add in some bread. Dried fruits are also great because they have all the calories of fruit without the bulk so you can take in more in a shorter time.
Time and perseverance are the keys in any weight control program. It’s not going to happen in a short time so stay with the program and don’t forget the weight training and you’ll gain weight and stay healthy, too.
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categories: gain weight,diet,exercise
