Happy New Year dear readers! While the first article of the year (Staying Motivated on your weight gain journey) is written in line with weight goals, it also applies to life in general.

I truly hope you are all well and keeping safe during these difficult times.

And we all know that it’s a pretty challenging start to the year (after a less than stellar 2020).

I mean, with health worries for yourself, family and friends, stay-at-home restrictions, financial challenges etc. all because of covid, it can be so hard to motivate yourself towards anything now.

But we’ve got to!! There really isn’t any (good) alternative.

We just can’t let this thing beat us down. And now is as good a time as any to get motivated. So we start by taking a simple step forward.

Now if you’ve found this blog, it’s probably because you were doing a search for how to gain weight. You’ve possibly also set an intention to work towards healthy weight gain. Not to be a spoilsport, but folks that was the easy part!

Following through on this is where it can be tricky to stay on track, because honestly, this is a long term goal.

I’m not a fan of clichés so I apologise in advance, BUT it is a marathon not a sprint.

Because don’t forget, gaining weight is only one part of the equation; keeping it on takes some doing too. Wait, this isn’t news to you, is it?

From personal experience I know there are going to be “I don’t have time” days, and “I just don’t wanna days” as well as “There’s all sorts of stuff happening’ days.

These strategies are to help keep you focused and consistent, but have fun too on the journey. So enjoy these tips to staying motivated on your weight gain journey.

Staying Motivated While Gaining Healthy Weight

1.What’s your reason for doing this?

Knowing why you’re choosing to do this will be a big driver for how you progress. See this for some reasons (including my own), on why gain weight.

For instance, a major reason for me was that I got sick of being sick all the time and really wanted better immunity and health.

That was a huge motivator for me. Have a read of this post for more on being underweight and health.

You need to know your why and then write it down. Research shows writing goals down does affect how we act.

2.Plan and prep ahead.

This is good general daily advice in life, but more so for those days when you’re feeling time-poor/ overwhelmed and more likely to let things slide.

Get into the habit of organising your upcoming week by planning ahead.

Think weekly meal plans and shopping lists to save time, money, and avoid running out of nutritious weight gain food.

After that, do some simple prep to make things easy during the week.

For example if you’ll be using the strategy of drinking your calories, prep ahead after shopping.

Cut up and sort the food you’re going to use in your smoothies (bananas, mangos, nuts, berries, baby spinach etc.).

Mix them up and place into zip lock bags. Prepare 5-8 or more bags depending on how many drinks you’re planning to have over a week and stick them in the freezer.

During the week, pull out and empty zip lock bag contents into a blender and add your choice of milk/liquid.

(Other additions could include yogurt, nut butter, maple syrup etc.). Blend for a couple of minutes and enjoy your healthy liquid calories.

Such simple steps will cut down the barriers to staying motivated on your weight gain journey.

Seriously here, all you have to do is put the zip lock items into a blender and press a button.

3.Break it down

Breaking down large goals into chunks makes them less daunting and easier to achieve.

By all means, set a large goal like Gain 12 kgs in 12-18 months.

But just looking at it can leave you feeling overwhelmed, not sure where to begin and what to prioritise.

To start gaining traction on the big goal, break it down into chunks. Mini-goals or milestones are the best way to get to your end goal.

For instance, think about what you hope to achieve in 3 months. Then break it down further to monthly, then weekly, and finally daily goals.

Small regular actions become habits which lead to getting to the larger goals more easily.

For example, having a high calorie nutrient dense smoothie every afternoon and maintaining this.

Or 30 minutes of resistance exercises or lifting weights three-four times a week.

With both these goals, you’re staying fit and gaining muscle not just fat, nourishing your body, while increasing healthy calories in your diet.

In fact, this is a great sedge way into the next tip.

4.Do something towards your goal everyday

We know goals require work and consistency. Yes, especially when we don’t feel like it!

Set an achievable goal every day and think about the benefits it gives you and how closer you are getting to your big picture goal.

At first you may not be getting it done every day but keep at it as it becomes a habit.

Then it may become just another part of your daily routine, like brushing your teeth.

So set a daily minimum.

(And let’s raise the bar some folks.) We’re not talking about something so minimal that you could do it in your sleep. That don’t count!

Rinse and repeat.

When it starts getting boring or too routine, aim higher and mix it up.

For example, use heavier weights, change what you’re doing, expand your list of healthy weight gain recipes, learn to cook some things if you don’t know how to etc.

5.Set realistic expectations while staying motivated

Yes, we have a plan and expectations, but you’ve heard about the best laid plans….

Understand that for various reasons such as genetics, your natural body frame, low appetite, high satiety cues, a fast metabolism, etc. etc, looking like Dwayne Johnson or Kim Kardashian isn’t going to be possible for everyone.

(If that’s what you’re aspiring towards.)

It’s great to dream big but also realise that becoming attached to certain expectations can end in disappointment if they aren’t met.

I remember after I’d put on 5-6 kgs, I was so excited at first, then became frustrated because it just wasn’t showing on my frame.

Sure, the scales said I’d put the weight on, but nothing else did.

I still looked THE SAME. I couldn’t see the extra weight, and everyone said I looked exactly the same. Grrrr!

Granted, what had changed for me was that I wasn’t catching colds or flus anymore. And for me was big, I was grateful for that.

But I was still disappointed.

Even later, when I had gained more weight and it was very obvious, it didn’t magically go where I had hoped it would.

My childlike wrists remain but you know what? Thank God. It’s all good. Delicately boned, I say.

So be kind to yourself and avoiding the self-criticism if you’re not getting exactly to where you had imagined you’d be.

Because for some, if you’re working with weights or resistance training frequently, you’ll be putting on muscle and may remain looking lean.

The scales may show an increase in weight but you may not end up looking as “buff” as you like.

Similarly setting a goal of X kgs increase within say, 3-4 weeks may not be achievable as you may hit a plateau though you’re maintaining your increased calorie intake.

So also remember to give yourself time.

6. Recognise your progress and reward yourself during your weight gain journey.

No longer need a belt to hold up your jeans?

No, they didn’t shrink in the wash (well it’s not the only reason anyway).

That’s the weight you’ve put on recently. Congratulations!

However you choose to monitor your weight gain – on the scales, or by less scientific means (like your undies starting to cutting off your circulation, or your face looking more rounded), celebrate.

Recognise the gain from your efforts and do something nice for yourself.

During these covid times, it could be ordering your favourite Thai take away, pampering yourself with a nice bath, buying some new workout gear, getting some pretty flowers, or something nice for the house.

Rewards help keep you motivated to carry on with your goals. It also gives you a chance to see what’s working for you and what’s not.

And that’s it. Hope you’ve enjoyed these few tips to staying motivated on your weight gain journey.

Now go get to it!

The post Staying Motivated On Your Weight Gain Journey appeared first on Gain Healthy Weight.

Hi there, today’s post is about how being underweight can affect health.

Maybe you are reading this blog because you identify as being underweight or know someone who is. For many, it’s not a choice and gaining weight is quite difficult for different reasons.

Before we get into the subject of risks that can come about from being seriously underweight, let’s just take a step back to understand who is considered underweight, as well as some of the possible causes.

                                 How Do I Know If I’m Underweight?

The answer to this doesn’t lie in family, friends or even strangers telling you how skinny you are, or how you should eat more. (Eye roll).

Naturally, hearing that regularly will carry some weight with most people, however there are more scientific ways to figure this out

In fact, weight status is generally measured by an international standard called the BMI system.

BMI is worked out by a person’s weight divided by their height. This number falls into one of four categories as shown below.

BMI Ranges
Underweight: Under 18.5
Healthy weight range: 18.5-24.9
Overweight: 25-29.9
Obese: 30 or higher.

On the whole, the BMI system is an approximate measure of body fat.  

For example as an adult, my Body Mass Index (BMI) fell under 18 for many years which comes under the category of being underweight.

Now, the BMI system isn’t perfect and doesn’t consider things like bone density, genetics, muscle mass, gender etc.

So there are criticisms of this system, however by and large, this is the standard used especially by health professionals to work out weight status.

You can use any BMI calculator to work out where you fall in the categories if you know your height and current weight. Check your BMI here

If you do fall under the 18.5 number, I encourage you to go speak to your doctor about your weight, and I’ve explained why here.

                                           Causes Of Being Underweight:

So here is a list of some causes of being underweight.

• Genetics
• Diseases and chronic illness like cancer.
• Malabsorption -where the body can’t properly absorb nutrients from food.
• Poverty, homelessness, pandemics, wars etc.
• A naturally high metabolism
• Low appetite and/or high satiety cues (feeling full very easily)
• Poor eating habits e.g. being too busy or forgetting to eat (Yes, for real, though this is definitely not me.)
• Addictions
• Eating disorders e.g. anorexia and other mental health issues like depression etc.
• Being highly active in intense physical activities or sports that just torch calories
• Age. (Many seniors aged 65+ fall into the underweight category)

Of course, this isn’t an exhaustive list and I’m sure there are other reasons as well.

Just going slightly off tangent for a second, when I was researching this post I found out something interestingly weird.

Did you know the average weight of a professional jockey is usually between 49 – 54kgs? (Approximately 110-125 lbs)

And most jockeys are men!

Hmmmm.

Anyway, going back to the focus of this post. 

It is important to know how being underweight can affect your health. And more so, being severely underweight can bring about serious health risks.

Now I just want to clarify that not everyone who is underweight has or will have health issues.

Many are following a balanced diet and giving their bodies the nutrition needed. However due to factors like family history, they may still fall in the underweight category.

On the other hand, did you know when the body doesn’t get the calories and nutrients it needs to function, it starts to break down its own tissue? Read more on this here.

This becomes quite serious when undernutrition continues for long periods of time.

                        How Being Underweight Can Affect Your Health

Low energy and fatigue.

Undernutrition may result in constant tiredness. In the long run, this can affect health, work and/or study, and relationships.

Poor bone health and osteoporosis later in life.

Some studies show being underweight, particularly for women, can increase the risk for osteoporosis in later life.

Irregular periods for women.

Women may not get regular periods if severely underweight and this could lead to infertility.

Poor immunity and falling sick regularly.

Apart from feeling run down, a person may fall sick constantly, and also take much longer to recover from common illnesses like coughs and colds.

Malnutrition and anaemia.

These can bring about general weakness and the reduced ability of the body to cope with stress and infections.

Emotional and mental health effects.

These can include anxiety, mood swings and irritability among others.

Developmental delay.

In children, this could mean delays with development including cognition and motor skills, poor immunity and limited growth among others.

Overall poor general form.

The person’s physical appearance may be unhealthy- including a frail body, dry dull skin, hair loss, loose teeth and gum disease etc.

In summary, it sounds like some scary stuff. Now, some of these effects may be generally relevant to underweight people (e.g. immunity, tiredness) but a lot are more related to those who are severely underweight.

Again, I just want to repeat that not everyone who falls into the underweight category will have health issues.  

I’ve written before that I personally had poor immunity to common infections such as colds, coughs and flus from being underweight.

But by ramping up overall on healthy nutrients with a focus on fruits and vegetables, that all changed in a huge way. See this for ideas of what to eat for immunity.

And let’s not forget the other good stuff like exercise, good sleep etc.

But just as an example the last time I got sick with an everyday infection (a cold) was in April 2019 and it’s now almost the end of 2020.

Please be mindful that I’m not a doctor and it is based on my personal experience, however science strongly supports the link between good nutrition and immunity.

So look after yourselves.

And now, in the words of Bugs Bunny, “That’s all folks”

The post How Being Underweight Can Affect Your Health appeared first on Gain Healthy Weight.

Why Eat Healthy?

What you eat matters for healthy weight gain and well being. After all the true purpose of food is nourishment which we need for growth and repair, function, protection, energy and warmth.

 What you eat can affect your life including:

• How well you feel.
• The energy you have.
• How you feel about yourself.
• Even how well you sleep.

Ultimately good nutrition results in improved general health.

 Can Slim People Eat Whatever They Want?

Is there anyone reading this who thought they could eat whatever they wanted because they just never gained any weight?

I sure did!

Growing up we followed a balanced diet at home, mainly because my mum made us. (Thanks Mum!) But after I left home, I would eat lots of junk food just because I could, because of time pressures, or the hassle of cooking.

Here’s the thing. Being slim and able to eat “anything” without gaining weight is not a pass on illnesses linked to poor eating habits.

Poor diets can be those that lack fruits and vegetables, with too much junk food, no/ low fibre diets, large amounts of processed sugary drinks or alcohol, or too much rich food, just to name a few.

In fact eating anything you want could mean an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, hypertension, stroke, and other preventable or chronic diseases.

The Real Skinny On Poor Eating Habits:

Have you heard of the term normal weight obesity? Sometimes also known as “skinny fat?”

Very simply, this is when your body weight is normal, but your body fat percentage is so high that you have the same health risk of someone with obesity.

People assume the risk is lower for slimmer or people in the normal weight range, but research is showing this is not the case based on studies on normal weight-central obesity

Also bear in mind there are factors that can increase health risks such as genetics, lifestyle, gender and age, for slim or underweight people with poor eating habits.

Quality over Quantity:

Food is often measured by a unit of energy called a calorie. Something important to remember is all calories aren’t the same. Generally speaking there are empty calories and nutrient dense calories.

Empty calories are made of added sugars, fats and alcohol and have little or no nutritional value. Nutrient dense calories contain healthy nutrients like protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals that the body needs. This is why what you eat matters.

You know, trying to achieve healthy weight gain can feel like hard work and seem so expensive. Also, how many people feel like going grocery shopping nowadays can give you a headache?  

You may have seen labels on healthy foods like: GMO free, hormone free, organic, biodynamic, no added sugar, chemical/pesticide free and so on. Huh?

We just want an apple that isn’t going to poison us, right?

Lots of people think eating healthy is expensive, especially organic food. I would suggest buying the best quality food that you can afford. Just increasing your intake of whole foods including fruits and vegetables, whole grains and good fats, could overall improve your health.

If eating non- GMO food is an option for you, please take it. If eating organic is an option, please do it to the extent you can. Always think about what your budget allows.

Ways To Gain Weight. Why What You Eat Matters:

People use different methods to gain weight and here are a few of the more common ones. Many do a combination of these.

1.Weight Gain Using Healthy Foods.

I believe this is the best way for several reasons including:

• Eating healthy foods fuels our bodies with needed protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals, and helps reduce the risk of disease. What you eat matters.
• Healthy foods are delicious and there is so much variety. Every time we eat we can use our senses to elevate our food experience. Consider the sight of a punnet of plump juicy berries, the smell of a zesty lime, the sound and satisfying crunch of biting into an apple, or the texture of an almond.  
• Healthy weight gain costs less in the long run, both in terms of health and money. Staying healthy by avoiding preventable and chronic disease really is cheaper.
• Better dental health. A diet high in processed foods will encourage tooth decay, while eating wholesome natural foods like vegetables and dairy can actually improve dental health.
• Buying and eating whole foods also benefits local farmers and the environment.
• Because we need more real in our lives and far less substitutes.

2.Weight Gain With Junk Food

Perhaps you’ve heard what Renee Zellwegger and Charlize Theron ate to gain weight for their respective roles in Bridget Jones Diary 1 and Tully?  

They both managed to gain a lot of weight by eating chips, steak, sugary fizzy drinks, cakes, doughnuts, pizza…….I think you get the picture.

Interestingly, Charlize Theron in an interview later said eating all that junk food for weight gain actually made her feel depressed. Charlize on junk food

Please don’t do this. Not an Oscar nor anything else should have you punish your body in this way. What you eat matters for physical and mental health.

Junk food is not just terrible nutritionally for the body, but also it is a very low quality product. It is full of chemical preservatives, artificial colours, cheap and nasty fillers, and possibly pesticides which can cause harm to your body.

It’s also unlikely that you’d be able to pronounce the names of all those artificial preservatives in junk food.

3.Weight Gain With Protein Powders.

This is a very common and popular method of weight gain practiced all around the world. Does it work? Yes it does.

These powders are generally blended in with milk, water or juices to create protein shakes. And they are an easy source of protein, with the most common being whey, casein and soy protein.

Actually, protein powders are also used by dieters, athletes and also those looking to maintain their weight.

Folks looking to gain weight or muscle use these powders for added calories, meaning in addition to eating their regular meals.

So, is there a downside?

Well, protein powders aren’t regulated in many Western countries. This means you may not be getting what you think you are. And in other ways, you may be getting what you weren’t expecting at all.

This article by Harvard Medical School shows that, depending on the brand being used, consumers may be drinking high levels of sugar, as well as toxins in fairly large amounts including BPA, lead, mercury and other heavy metals. Also, milk based powders can cause issues for those with lactose or dairy intolerances.

Another thing is, there have been a number of lawsuits over protein powders relating to false advertising of actual protein content and the use of cheap fillers instead.

If you look this up online, you’ll find there has been a range of class action suits.  All protein powders aren’t equal, do your research if choosing to use them.

4.Weight Gain With Nutritional Supplement Powders and Drinks

These are specially pre-mixed powders formulated with a range of nutrients including protein, minerals & vitamins. This is to supplement a diet lacking these.

They are mixed with milk or water or added to desserts, cereals and soups. Some brands come as already prepared drinks. 

Health professionals often recommend these products for older / frail adults, or people recovering from sickness or surgery.

Some health professionals argue they aren’t really suitable for the general public although they are found in supermarkets and pharmacies.

But that in fact, the high sugar amount is specifically to provide energy for certain groups such as people with low appetites or those struggling to eat solid foods after surgery or illness.

Please note these powders and drinks don’t provide all the body’s nutritional needs.

They can be hard to drink down as some don’t mix well forming lumps, and may have an unpleasant taste. They generally have very high sugar levels.

Actually, I’ve tried using one of these for a short time in the past but it didn’t work for me. I didn’t like the taste, found it too sweet and more to the point, I didn’t gain any weight while using it.

So there you have it. This is why what you eat matters for healthy weight gain. Until next post.

The post Healthy Weight Gain: Why What You Eat Matters appeared first on Gain Healthy Weight.

Hi there and welcome to gain healthy weight. So, why would anyone be intentionally trying to gain weight?

Chances are if you’ve been trying to gain weight, you’re not shouting it out to the world.

Because it’s just not the weight problem that most people have. And it’s quite likely their eyes will glaze over if you talk about it.

So this first post is a bit about folks looking to gain weight.

Reasons For Wanting Healthy Weight Gain

Here are a few reasons why this may be important to you:

• Being constantly underweight and wanting to increase body weight, build size and energy levels with good nutrition.
• Wanting to develop curves and/or muscle and feel better about yourself.
• Boosting your body’s immunity using nutritious food while putting on much needed weight.
• Recovery after a sudden or chronic illness that’s resulted in weight loss.
• Perhaps you care for a loved one; an underweight child, frail or older person whose weight and health you are concerned about.
• Or for sports/ athletic needs.

Why I Wanted To Gain Weight

There were several reasons I wanted to gain weight.

Firstly, I wanted body fat in general to cushion me because I looked really “bony”, and because I always felt SO COLD regardless of the time of year.

Secondly, I was just constantly falling sick. I would go from having a cold to flu to a sore throat to ear ache, back to a cold over and over again. Seriously, I could have started my own pharmacy with all the antibiotics and other medicines recommended by the GPs. 

Also, I was gaunt and didn’t look healthy. People assumed I was older than my actual age, and some weren’t shy of letting me know either.

This next one may seem a strange reason, but maybe some of you can relate.  There was hardly any difference between the size of my lower and upper arms.

The truth is my forearms remain tiny. However now my upper arms are toned, stronger and distinctly proportional. You may find there will be some things that can’t be changed with weight gain.

The BMI System

Being slim can be due to a few different factors like genetics, fast metabolism, high satiety cues, lack of appetite etc.  Many people who are/look underweight may be in overall good health. 

In saying this, there is an international standard for body weight measurement, the Body Mass Index (BMI).

This system is an approximate measure of body fat. Now, it isn’t perfect. For example it won’t take into account your genetics; like you may come from a long line of lean Kenyan runners.

So, it’s a kind of one-size-fits-all, but it is the international standard. Hard weight gainers may fall in the underweight category.

There are tons of BMI calculators out there. To figure out your BMI, input your height and weight ratios in a BMI calculator like this one.

For the longest time I hovered just over the 17 mark on the BMI scale, but I’m now sitting at over 20.

Now, a quick word about wanting to gain weight.  If you looked at this site’s About page, you’ll see I put on what I consider to be quite a bit of weight. However even with that increase, I still remain quite slim. But, we’ll talk about managing expectations in other posts.

Why It’s A Good Idea to See Your GP Before Starting A Weight Routine

Before I finish off this post, I just wanted to highlight one thing. I recommend before you start trying any weight gain program to see your doctor and if you can, get some blood tests done.

This may seem like an unnecessary and expensive step, especially if you’re young and feel healthy, but there are good reasons for this.

A GP can:

• Do a check-up to make sure that being underweight isn’t due to an underlying medical condition. There could be a cause or contributing factor like digestive issues, uncontrolled diabetes, hyperthyroidism or even parasites. Also, a blood test can show if you have high blood pressure or other condition that a high protein, high carbohydrate diet may affect.
• Give some advice about practical weight gain goals specific to you. They can discuss diet and how active you are, as well as lifestyle, food and exercise changes that will encourage weight gain.

Till next post on gain healthy weight.

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