All too frequently women gripe about their weight and seek ways to lose it. Less often, one hears a woman insist that she must gain weight, and fast. In reality, being severely underweight carries risks, and it's not always easy to create the calorie surplus required to gain weight fast and healthfully.
More Weight? Great!
The reasons a woman may need or desire to gain weight are plentiful. Health is one--the body must have adequate fat for warmth, hormone production, organ and bone protection and energy. Attractiveness is another reason. Pregnancy is another. According to the New York Times "Well" blog entry "Zero Weight-Gain During Pregnancy," a pregnant mother need gain only enough weight to maintain adequate surplus energy stores for the developing fetus and for the mother's own health maintenance. Another reason is success in professional athletics, especially in weightlifting, swimming, and sometimes skiing, in which added weight helps generate momentum and muscle power. Sometimes professional actresses deliberately gain weight to portray a certain character in a film.
Barriers to Eating Well
Genetic history, economic status, mental illness and physical activity are all possible barriers to weight gain. Economic status affects the ability of those with little money to purchase highly nutritious foods. Mental illness is another problem that can thwart weight gain; as described by Food Anxieties and Phobias, depression and fear can seriously affect one's ability to gain weight. Food allergies and food intolerances further reduce options for meals.
Choosing Foods for Weght Gain
A sensible approach to rapidly gaining weight includes a plan targeting affordable, nutritious foods and enjoyable physical activity. Foods that easily up the calorie count include nuts, nut butters and oils such as flaxseed oil and olive oil. For protein sources and vegetables, target choices such as lean red meat; chicken and dark-meat turkey; fish such as tuna, sardines and mackerel; dairy foods with moderate fat content, such as two percent milk; and vegetables such as peas, corn, yams, potatoes and carrots. Calorie dense fruits include bananas, raisins, figs, and prunes and avocado.
Remember to Exercise
Gaining weight healthfully requires physical activity. The best routines combine cardio fitness and weight training, since muscle is important for strength, and it also weighs more than fat. Cardio exercise such as walking, swimming and cycling improves endurance, and according to Running For Weight-Gain, even running can be incorporated, since running boosts one's appetite and encourages calorie intake. Any cardio fitness routine can be safely followed by weight training, and moderate weight training will strengthen and tone muscles.
Eat Well and Often
Sometimes it helps to have five or six moderately sized meals or three meals and three snacks rather than three gigantic meqls. Exercising every morning is a good way to consistently boost one's desire to eat. A high-calorie restorative breakfast include any or all of the following: boiled eggs; toast with honey-nut spread and heart-healthy butter; yogurt with raisins and walnuts; granola with two percent milk; or whole-grain banana pancakes with maple syrup or honey on top. A mid-morning snack may be any of the following: a peanut butter and jelly sandwich; oatmeal cookies and low-fat chocolate milk; slice of pizza; or a couple handfuls of trail mix with nuts, seeds and dried fruit. For lunch, try a generous slice of quiche or a large bagel with low-fat cream cheese sprinkled with walnuts and layered with fruit butter or marmalade. For a mid-afternoon snack choose a granola bar with a milkshake or soy milk shake. Dinner can include chicken, turkey, or lean red meat, along with a large serving of pasta or potatoes with heart-healthy oleo or thick tomato sauce, a vegetable salad or potato/bean salad with olive oil-based dressing. For dessert or additional snack try whole-grain cookies or low-fat ice cream or frozen yogurt with chopped nuts and honey.
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