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Gaining Weight the healthy way
Some people are naturally thin and would like to be larger.
 Exercise
is important for good health and the right type of exercise can help you gain
muscle, which will give you more body mass. Weight-lifting exercises that are
designed to build muscle should be included with your weight-gaining diet and
perhaps aerobic exercise should be cut back a bit.
Possible reasons for being thin
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Heredity
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Physical illnesses can result in excessive
weight loss.
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Eating disorders can result in massive
weight loss and can, in fact,
result in death from the lack of nutrition.
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Many elderly people have trouble preparing foods and are prone to
excess
weight loss as well.
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Then there are others who lose their
appetite, experience a change in metabolism, and/or lose poundage and muscle
mass fast because of various reasons, including illness, chronic pain,
depression,
stress, and side effects from drugs.
How to plan your meal
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Have
meals with the
right balance of proteins,
carbohydrates, and the right kinds of
fat (such as
unsaturated and monounsaturated fats, olive oil, canola oil, pistachios,
almonds and walnuts). The following ratio will help you achieve your goal:
60%-70% carbohydrates, 10%-15% protein, and a small amount of fat.
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 The USDA suggests that you eat six to 11 servings of foods from the bread
and cereal group. At least three of those servings should be from 100 percent
whole grain products. Whole grains are a great source of
fiber and nutrients.
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Pack more nutritious calories in each serving. For example, you may add
grated cooked eggs to mashed potatoes, ground chicken to soups and gravies,
cheese in casseroles, eggs, and soups, and nonfat dried milk in soups, shakes,
milk, and mashed potatoes.
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Eat starchy vegetables such as potatoes and corn more often. You don't
want to avoid healthy green vegetables like green beans and asparagus just
because they are low in calories. Green vegetables have a lot of nutritional
value. You can add healthy calories to these vegetables by topping them with
nutritious foods like olive oil, almonds and shredded cheese.
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Fruits are packed with vitamins and phyto-chemicals that will boost your
health. For example, instead of drinking extra sugary sodas, enjoy orange
juice or other fruit juice. You will get the calories you need, plus a lot of
vitamins that soda doesn't have. Snack on fresh fruits any time of day to
increase your calorie intake.
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 If you get too full too fast, try having more high-calorie foods or slices
of foods as opposed to consuming the whole thing (raisins versus grapes,
granola and Grape Nuts versus corn flakes, mango slices versus the whole
mango).
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With moderation, you may add in good fat sources to meals such as nuts,
avocado, olives, and fatty fish (salmon and mackerel).
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Add powdered milk to soups and sauces to offer calories and protein.
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Go for dried fruits or fruit juices as healthy higher calorie snacks.
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Pick dark chocolate as a treat. Dark chocolate has antioxidants that other
sweets don't have.
Avoid
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Avoid foods that contain large amounts of saturated fats and
trans-fats.
Red meat, processed lunch meats, hot dogs and sausage have all been connected
with higher risks of diseases such as heart disease and some
cancers so you
should eat those meats only sparingly. Avoid fried foods as well. Fried foods
such as French fries, donuts and fried fish or chicken are sources of trans
fats and not a healthy way to get the calories you need.
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Limit drinking beverages to a half-hour before and after a meal.
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Don't add non-nutritious junk foods to your diet.
Junk foods may have lots
of sugar and unhealthy fats that add the calories you may want, but they don't
have much to offer nutritionally. Make sure you eat foods that have good
nutritional value along with those extra calories.
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