Eating more is not the only requirement for gaining weight; you must also engage in additional activities.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 462 million individuals worldwide are underweight. In addition to being obese or overweight, being severely underweight can also lead to numerous health complications. To avoid all of this, we have compiled a list of the top 12 natural and healthy ways to gain weight at home. If you wish to gain weight or muscle, you have landed on the correct page. Scroll down for details!
What Does Being Underweight Mean?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend using BMI (Body Mass Index) to determine whether a person is overweight, underweight, or at a healthy weight.
This link can be used to calculate your BMI. Women with a body mass index (BMI) of less than 18.5 are considered underweight.
There are a variety of physical and psychological causes for being underweight. Let us investigate the causes in depth.
Causes Of Being Underweight
High Metabolism – Certain individuals are built to be lean. Even if they consume large, calorically dense meals, their tendency to gain weight is low due to their exceptionally high metabolism.
Ancestry: Some individuals are born with the genes that cause them to be naturally thin and have a low BMI.
High Physical Activity: Individuals who regularly engage in strenuous physical activities, such as jogging, running, swimming, or playing sports, tend to be underweight. This is typically the case because their metabolism is consistently high and they burn a great deal of calories constantly throughout the day, even when they are at rest.
Health Conditions: A person may experience temporary weight loss if they have one or more health conditions or diseases. They may also experience an increase in their metabolism, which may result in continued weight loss. These conditions include hyperthyroidism, cancer, diabetes, and tuberculosis, to name a few.
Depression: Depressed individuals may experience a severe loss of appetite and rapidly lose a substantial amount of weight. These individuals require prompt medical attention.
Stress: A person living under constant stress is typically so preoccupied with thoughts and concerns that they may unintentionally lose weight.
Eating Disorders: Individuals affected by anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder are underweight. Eating disorders are primarily associated with the levels of brain messengers, in which dieters overeat for a brief period, followed by purging or overexercising to compensate for extra calories.
How to Gain Weight in a Healthful Manner
Healthy Carbohydrates and Fats
A diet rich in carbohydrates and fats is one of the best ways to gain weight in a healthy manner. While carbohydrates provide energy, healthy fats are dense in calories. Together, they gain weight gradually.
Some healthy carbohydrate and fat sources are:
- Whole grain rice
- Full-fat yogurt
- Oats \sCheese
- Avocado
- Coconut oil Egg yolks
- Sunflower and pumpkin seeds
Eat More Calories
Theoretically, consuming an additional 500 calories per day for a week will cause you to gain one pound. Therefore, consume more calorie- and nutrient-dense foods in the form of heavy meals and snacks throughout the day. Either increase the size of your portions or consume smaller meals more frequently throughout the day. Avoid consuming calories that offer no nutritional value.
You can increase your calorie intake by topping your meal with nuts, seeds, or cheese. Below are additional snack options that will increase your caloric intake:
- Hummus served with multigrain crackers
- Avocado on toast
- Protein milkshake
- Toast with your preferred nut butter (peanut, almond, cashew or walnut butter)
- Yogurt parfait
- Granola bars
- Granola with fruit
- Oatmeal with a variety of nuts
- Eggs boiled with toast
Eat Plenty Of Protein
This is the most essential nutrient for gaining weight. Your muscle is composed primarily of protein, so consuming sufficient protein helps you gain healthy muscle mass rather than fat.
The optimal protein intake for a person who is underweight is between 1.5 and 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight. A study demonstrates that when you consume a high-protein diet, the majority of your excess calories are stored as muscle.
Enhance Physical Strength
It is essential that you lift weights at the gym or play a sport in order to increase your physical strength and prevent the excess calories in your body from transforming into fat.
At least four to five times per week, you should exercise to increase your muscle mass. Focus on strength training rather than spending a great deal of time on cardio.
Cardiovascular exercise is beneficial for a healthy heart, but it also burns a lot of calories and will not help you much if you are underweight.
Keep Yourself Hydrated
Water consumption has become synonymous with weight loss due to its ability to reduce food intake. Therefore, avoid drinking water before or with meals because it makes you feel full. Water does not aid in weight gain, but it does prevent dehydration and flush out toxins from the body. Incorporating protein smoothies into your diet can help you stay hydrated and gain a healthy weight.
However, some physicians assert that excessive water consumption can also result in weight gain. They believe the body can only expel a limited quantity of water. If you consume more water than your body can process, the excess is stored as water weight and causes weight gain.
Home Remedies
Potatoes
This is one of the simplest and cheapest ways to add calories and carbohydrates to your diet. Excessive potato consumption has been linked to long-term weight gain.
As potatoes have a high glycemic index and may cause your blood sugar levels to spike if consumed daily, you can occasionally substitute sweet potatoes for potatoes. Even though sweet potatoes are rich in fiber and resistant starch, which aid in weight loss, proper cooking and preparation can cause weight gain.
Dry Fruits
Dry fruits, nuts, and seeds are an excellent way to gradually gain weight. According to one study, nuts, nut butters, and dried fruits (such as dates, apricots, and prunes) are rich in protein, vitamin E, and monounsaturated fats and should be incorporated into meals and snacks to increase nutrient and calorie intake.
You can add chopped dried fruits to a variety of dishes as a garnish or make nut butter to spread on bread. Below is a foolproof and simple method for making nut butter from any desired dried fruit.
Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is more effective than several weight gain supplements because it is Ayurvedic and does not harm the body. According to studies, it also significantly increases muscle mass and strength (6). Even after discontinuing or reducing the use of this powder, your body will retain muscle mass for an extended period of time.
Ginger
Ginger is a known appetite stimulant. Consuming ginger before a meal stimulates the digestive juices. This can help you consume larger portions and improve digestion and nutrient absorption (7).
Chamomile Herbal Tea
It is well known that chamomile tea stimulates the appetite. Additionally, it is known to calm and relax the nerves. These assertions are not yet supported by scientific evidence, but this remedy has been utilized by individuals for years and has proven to be highly effective.
Chamomile Herbal Tea
It is well known that chamomile tea stimulates the appetite. Additionally, it is believed to calm and relax the nerves. These assertions are not yet supported by scientific evidence, but this remedy has been utilized by individuals for years and has proven to be highly effective.
