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Desperate To Gain Weight. Medicine?

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Posted on Fri, 15 Jun 2012
Question: desperate to gain weight...hello, I am a 31 yr old female who is 5'4 in height and weighs 107lbs. I am a mother if two boys ages 12 yrs old n 20 months. I am very interested in gaining atleast 30lbs in the next few months . are there any suggestions of things I need to eat specifically, drink or take to help me reach my goal weight? any pills or etc? open to all suggestions.

plz help
doctor
Answered by Grace Abraham (5 hours later)
Hello

Thanks for posting your Query.

According to your height and weight , your Body Mass Index (BMI) is 18.3 kg/m which is underweight. The normal BMI range is from 18.5-24.9 kg/m. Ideal body weight for your height should be from 125 lbs to 135 lbs.

Weight gain is as difficult as losing it, if you are naturally thin. It is not a good idea of increasing intake of junk foods and fatty foods to gain weight. You should be eating calorie dense yet nutritious food. Your calorie intake should come from foods that are healthy for you.The weight gaining diet should include high protein foods, high carbohydrate foods and healthy fats.

Following are some tips to follow to gain weight. You will take some time to gain the weight you need, but be patient.
•Consume more calories than you burn. Choose healthy foods to add calories.
Drink healthy beverages to add calories.
Mangoes are XXXXXXX in calories and carbohydrates; include them in your diet.
•Eat healthy food frequently, 5-6 times a day - 3 larger meals and 3 smaller meals alternately. Separate them by at least 3 hours so you can digest each meal fully. Don't go without food for 5-6 hours after having a major meal. Have a balanced diet.
•Exercise regularly for healthy weight gain. Some thin people think that exercise is not good for them. This is not true, it keeps the metabolism high. Remember that eating alone is not sufficient. You don't want to gain fat but lean mass, so exercise is important.
•Protein is the key for the muscle mass. Without adequate protein, muscle gain is not possible, because weight training demand for amino acids (which comes from protein).
Good sources of protein foods: whey, fish, dairy products (low fat variety), meats, nuts and seeds (almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds).
Milk is one of the best muscle foods.
The milk contains two high quality proteins, about 80 percent whey and 20 percent casein.
•Healthy fats are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids.
Good fats: cold pressed oils (olive, sunflower, linseed, canola, best cooking oil)
•Complex carbohydrates are also needed.
•Some people think that drinking beer helps gain weight. But it is not true; it accumulates in your abdomen, making it fatty.
•Avoid tea / coffee after meals. Avoid sweets at the dinner time. Use full cream milk and curd.
•Soya flour should be mixed in equal parts to wheat flour and mix cream while kneading dough for making roti.
• Include soya products, nuts and dry fruits in your diet.
Don't add calories to your meals by choosing unhealthy fried foods such as french fries, chicken nuggets and fish sticks. Choose foods that are prepared with cooking methods like baking, poaching, and stir-frying.

Remember that it can take a while to gain the weight you need, but be patient and continue to choose foods that are good for you until you reach your goal weight. Here are a few tips to get you started:
•Have an extra slice of whole-grain toast with peanut butter at breakfast.
•Add extra cheese to an omelet.
•Slice an XXXXXXX and serve with almond butter.
•Stir chopped nuts into plain yogurt and top with honey.
•Serve yourself larger portions of starchy vegetables like potatoes and sweet corn.
•Add calories with a nutritious beverage such as milk, 100% fruit juices, or vegetable juice.

Hope I answered your query. I will be available for your follow-up queries.

Regards.





Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Jyoti Patil
doctor
Answered by
Grace
Grace Abraham

Dietitian & Nutritionist

Practicing since :2003

Answered : 123 Questions

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Desperate To Gain Weight. Medicine?

Hello

Thanks for posting your Query.

According to your height and weight , your Body Mass Index (BMI) is 18.3 kg/m which is underweight. The normal BMI range is from 18.5-24.9 kg/m. Ideal body weight for your height should be from 125 lbs to 135 lbs.

Weight gain is as difficult as losing it, if you are naturally thin. It is not a good idea of increasing intake of junk foods and fatty foods to gain weight. You should be eating calorie dense yet nutritious food. Your calorie intake should come from foods that are healthy for you.The weight gaining diet should include high protein foods, high carbohydrate foods and healthy fats.

Following are some tips to follow to gain weight. You will take some time to gain the weight you need, but be patient.
•Consume more calories than you burn. Choose healthy foods to add calories.
Drink healthy beverages to add calories.
Mangoes are XXXXXXX in calories and carbohydrates; include them in your diet.
•Eat healthy food frequently, 5-6 times a day - 3 larger meals and 3 smaller meals alternately. Separate them by at least 3 hours so you can digest each meal fully. Don't go without food for 5-6 hours after having a major meal. Have a balanced diet.
•Exercise regularly for healthy weight gain. Some thin people think that exercise is not good for them. This is not true, it keeps the metabolism high. Remember that eating alone is not sufficient. You don't want to gain fat but lean mass, so exercise is important.
•Protein is the key for the muscle mass. Without adequate protein, muscle gain is not possible, because weight training demand for amino acids (which comes from protein).
Good sources of protein foods: whey, fish, dairy products (low fat variety), meats, nuts and seeds (almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds).
Milk is one of the best muscle foods.
The milk contains two high quality proteins, about 80 percent whey and 20 percent casein.
•Healthy fats are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids.
Good fats: cold pressed oils (olive, sunflower, linseed, canola, best cooking oil)
•Complex carbohydrates are also needed.
•Some people think that drinking beer helps gain weight. But it is not true; it accumulates in your abdomen, making it fatty.
•Avoid tea / coffee after meals. Avoid sweets at the dinner time. Use full cream milk and curd.
•Soya flour should be mixed in equal parts to wheat flour and mix cream while kneading dough for making roti.
• Include soya products, nuts and dry fruits in your diet.
Don't add calories to your meals by choosing unhealthy fried foods such as french fries, chicken nuggets and fish sticks. Choose foods that are prepared with cooking methods like baking, poaching, and stir-frying.

Remember that it can take a while to gain the weight you need, but be patient and continue to choose foods that are good for you until you reach your goal weight. Here are a few tips to get you started:
•Have an extra slice of whole-grain toast with peanut butter at breakfast.
•Add extra cheese to an omelet.
•Slice an XXXXXXX and serve with almond butter.
•Stir chopped nuts into plain yogurt and top with honey.
•Serve yourself larger portions of starchy vegetables like potatoes and sweet corn.
•Add calories with a nutritious beverage such as milk, 100% fruit juices, or vegetable juice.

Hope I answered your query. I will be available for your follow-up queries.

Regards.