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Facing Under Weight Issue. How To Increase Muscles Size?

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Posted on Thu, 7 Nov 2013
Question: How to increase muscles size or how to enlarge our body size..?

Am facing under weight issue, height is 175cms but weight is 56kg.
doctor
Answered by Meenakshi Attrey (44 hours later)
Brief Answer:
High protein diet with exercises recommended

Detailed Answer:
Hi, XXXXXXX

Thanks for posting the query.

The data provided by you indicate hat your BMI (Body Mass Index) is 18.8 kg/m2, i.e. your weight for the given height and age is low. Ideally your body weight should be between 73 - 77 Kg.

Lower body weight is mostly associated with lack of muscles and in some cases the deficiency of certain important nutrients. The most common reasons of low body weight are inadequate eating habits, prolonged meal timings or poor food selection. It is therefore, very important for you to be careful, and eliminate all these possible reasons.

You may consider the following changes in your diet for healthy weight gain:

o     Divide your meals into smaller and frequent portions; this would enable the body to consume an adequate amount of calories and use them judiciously.
o     Include nuts and oil seeds in your daily diet. Nuts alone are good muscle building snacks. XXXXXXX in mono saturated fats, and even contain a healthy combination of protein and calories. For a better weight gain strategy, you can use peanut butter in different dishes.
o     Experiment with flax seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, pistachios, and other nuts and seeds. These are XXXXXXX in protein and calcium and are good snacking options.
o     Include protein sources like whole beans, legumes, vegetables like mushroom, soy and milk in daily diet, for building muscles, which is a healthy way for gaining weight.
o     Include starchy foods like potato, tapioca, sweet potato etc., as these would provide the additional calories, which are free and easily available. This helps in the protein sparing action, i.e. these foods support the proteins to do their primary work of building body muscles rather than providing the calories.
o     Drink plenty of water and other fluids like tender coconut water, fresh juices, fresh soups, lemon juice etc. but avoid taking the fluids immediately before or in between the meals, as this reduces the calorie intake.
o     Avoid the carbonated drinks like coke, Pepsi etc.
o     Avoid taking snacks immediately before or around the meal timings, as it affects the appetite hence the intake of food, resulting in unbalanced food intake.
o     Be Consistent as it takes time for the body to adjust and show the desired results.
o     Keep away from junk foods, as these often contain bad oils and very less nutrition.

Since you are on dietary supplements for weight gain, it is important to take up regular physical exercises. This would ensure that the available protein is used for muscle development, which otherwise gets converted to fat and get stored around waist and thigh area. Brisk walk and light weight training are helpful.

For better results, you may take help from a professional fitness trainer to formulate the exercise pattern best suited to your needs.

Hope this helps.
Meenakshi

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E
doctor
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Follow up: Meenakshi Attrey (19 minutes later)
Thanks for your answer.

Already am taking more food only, but digestion is not good.

Pl give some suggestions on digestion.
doctor
Answered by Meenakshi Attrey (9 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
light and multiple meals.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

to improve digestion it is important that you divide the meals into smaller and frequent portions, so that the body gets sufficient time to digest those small packets of food. Also, a liberal intake of the neutral fluids like lemonade, tender coconut water and hot beverages like green tea and would be helpful.

Consider the following points for improving the digestive health:

•     Fried food- avoid deep fried foods and limit the fat intake to 4-5 tsp. per day.
•     Caffeine: limit tea and coffee to 2 cups a day.
•     Spices and condiments: use only the necessary seasonings, keep the spice profile of your diet as low as possible.
•     Aerated drinks: cola and soda based drinks increase the chances of having indigestion, especially when consumed on an empty stomach.
•     Avoid alcohol and smoking.
•     Plan small and frequent meals so that there is enough space for the food in the stomach. Small meals are also digested easily and quickly.
•     Refined food and bakery products, should be cut down.
•     Chew your food properly and take enough time to finish the meals.
•     Do not do any heavy activity immediately after eating, instead go for a light walk to stimulate better digestion.


Follow a strict plan of diet and the results would soon be seen.

Meenakshi
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E
doctor
Answered by
Meenakshi
Meenakshi Attrey

Dietitian & Nutritionist

Practicing since :2004

Answered : 228 Questions

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Facing Under Weight Issue. How To Increase Muscles Size?

Brief Answer:
High protein diet with exercises recommended

Detailed Answer:
Hi, XXXXXXX

Thanks for posting the query.

The data provided by you indicate hat your BMI (Body Mass Index) is 18.8 kg/m2, i.e. your weight for the given height and age is low. Ideally your body weight should be between 73 - 77 Kg.

Lower body weight is mostly associated with lack of muscles and in some cases the deficiency of certain important nutrients. The most common reasons of low body weight are inadequate eating habits, prolonged meal timings or poor food selection. It is therefore, very important for you to be careful, and eliminate all these possible reasons.

You may consider the following changes in your diet for healthy weight gain:

o     Divide your meals into smaller and frequent portions; this would enable the body to consume an adequate amount of calories and use them judiciously.
o     Include nuts and oil seeds in your daily diet. Nuts alone are good muscle building snacks. XXXXXXX in mono saturated fats, and even contain a healthy combination of protein and calories. For a better weight gain strategy, you can use peanut butter in different dishes.
o     Experiment with flax seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, pistachios, and other nuts and seeds. These are XXXXXXX in protein and calcium and are good snacking options.
o     Include protein sources like whole beans, legumes, vegetables like mushroom, soy and milk in daily diet, for building muscles, which is a healthy way for gaining weight.
o     Include starchy foods like potato, tapioca, sweet potato etc., as these would provide the additional calories, which are free and easily available. This helps in the protein sparing action, i.e. these foods support the proteins to do their primary work of building body muscles rather than providing the calories.
o     Drink plenty of water and other fluids like tender coconut water, fresh juices, fresh soups, lemon juice etc. but avoid taking the fluids immediately before or in between the meals, as this reduces the calorie intake.
o     Avoid the carbonated drinks like coke, Pepsi etc.
o     Avoid taking snacks immediately before or around the meal timings, as it affects the appetite hence the intake of food, resulting in unbalanced food intake.
o     Be Consistent as it takes time for the body to adjust and show the desired results.
o     Keep away from junk foods, as these often contain bad oils and very less nutrition.

Since you are on dietary supplements for weight gain, it is important to take up regular physical exercises. This would ensure that the available protein is used for muscle development, which otherwise gets converted to fat and get stored around waist and thigh area. Brisk walk and light weight training are helpful.

For better results, you may take help from a professional fitness trainer to formulate the exercise pattern best suited to your needs.

Hope this helps.
Meenakshi