Those who are extremely lean tend to have weaker immune systems,
making them prone to infections, surgical complications, and slower
recovery times for illness. They tend to have low muscle mass, and
less than ideal hair, teeth, and skin composition. They may have
disruptions in the ability to regulate hormones and protect bone
health, and women could become unable to menstruate.
There are many reasons why people may find it hard to gain weight.
Genetics can obviously play a role, but individual personalities and
the environment can be strong factors.
Some people are just more physically active, they tend to move around
more,
burning more calories than they take in. In children, the inability
to gain weight may signal a condition
known as "failure to thrive," which means a kid is not growing
appropriately for his/her age. This may be caused by an illness, or
eating patterns dictated by a parental idiosyncrasy.
Being able to eat anything with abandon is also deceiving -- even the
skinny need to worry about having too much sugar and fat for good
health. Poor diets can lead to ailments such as heart disease,
stroke, and
cancer.
If you want to put on weight, you should work out, to insure that you
put on muscle and not fat. Healthy weight gain, just like healthy
weight loss, takes time and
requires a conscious effort to apply good habits.
Recommended Ways to Gain Weight
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). Heinemann
suggests the following ratio: 60%-70% carbohydrates, 10%-15% protein,
and a small amount of fat.
Eat foods higher in calories, vitamins, and minerals, as opposed to
higher in fat or sugar.
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.
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).
Limit drinking beverages to a half-hour before and after a meal.
Drink mixed juices (apple/berry, peach/orange/banana as opposed to
one juice beverages) for a higher calorie intake.
With moderation, you may add in good fat sources to meals such as
nuts, avocado, olives, and fatty fish (salmon and mackerel).
Snack in between meals. Nuts, dried fruits, and yogurt are good
options, but it's also important to find nutritious foods that you
will enjoy.
Have a nutritious snack before bedtime, such as a peanut butter
sandwich.