Just like there are health problems with overweight people, underweight individuals face issues as well. Being below the recommended weight puts you at risk of delayed development, infertility, and a weak immune system, among other malnutrition problems. Most people think being underweight is not a problem; all you have to do is eat more. Easy fix, right? They do not realize certain disorders or intolerances like fructose intolerance may arise when binge eating. Whether you are looking to gain or lose weight, whatever you ingest is very critical. Eating junk is not an option as doctors recommend gaining a healthy weight. Thus, it would be best if you also observed a particular diet to gain good pounds. Here are some food options you could include;
Protein Smoothies
Protein is an essential element when building muscle as it increases the number of muscle fibers in the body and repairs damaged tissues. When left unrepaired, damaged tissues may lead to reduced muscle. Thus, it is crucial to prepare smoothies packed with all the nutrients you need. You can also control what goes into yours by making them at home. Avoid commercial smoothies since most have a lot of added sugars and few nutrients. Some smoothies you could try are; vanilla and blueberry shake, caramel apple shake, etc.
Avocados
One avocado has about 20-322 calories, 14gm of fiber, and 29gm of fat. They are also rich in minerals like potassium, vitamins, and other healthy compounds. By eating avocados, you bulk up on the calories without sacrificing your nutrients. If you do not like plain avocados, you could try combining them with other foods like tortilla chips, sandwiches, wraps, soups, salads, or make a healthy serving of guacamole.
Healthy Fats
When picking fats for your food, always choose monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature and harden once cooled. At room temperature, saturated fats are in a solid state. Thus, saturated fats are a huge cause of high cholesterol and heart illnesses as they clog the arteries. Saturated fats are mostly oils such as canola, avocado, and olive oil, extracted mainly from plants or fish. Individual oils also have their benefits. For example, canola oil is rich in omega-3. You could use the oils for cooking or as a dressing for salads.
Nuts
Nuts are an excellent healthy snack. They contain polyunsaturated fats, which are healthy for you. There is an extensive range of nuts to try. Some of them include; walnuts, pecans, cashews, flax seeds, almonds, and pumpkin seeds. You could roast the nuts and eat them plain, use them as toppings to your yogurt or add them to that bowl of salad or oatmeal.
The healthiest way to gain weight is to eat organic food. You could also incorporate workouts to help you gain muscle. Lifting weight is beneficial as it makes use of the extra calories to build muscle. Just ensure you eat more calories than you burn from physical activities. You could also include a nutritionist in your weight gain mission to ensure you remain healthy.
