To get the figure of their dreams, some people don’t need to lose weight, but they need to gain it. According to WHO, underweight occurs in 3-5% of the adult population of the planet. It is possible to solve this problem, but the approach must be comprehensive and healthy. We talk with experts about how to eat and exercise to gain the “right” kilograms, as well as how to gain muscle mass at home for girls and women of any age without negative health consequences.
Main Causes of Underweight
Before we talk about how to gain weight for a thin girl at home, let’s look at the main reasons for being underweight.
The majority of women dream of a slim figure and are looking for an opportunity to lose weight. But there are girls and women who are underweight and dream of gaining it.
The reasons for the deficiency may be the following factors:
1. Calorie deficit. Weight loss, related to both fat and muscle mass, can occur during severely restrictive and nutrient deficient diets. How to quickly gain weight for a girl at home in this case? Consume enough calories.
2. Physical activity. Intense strength training, cardio training, or any other sustained high-intensity physical activity can increase the number of calories you burn and lead to weight loss. And if you do not compensate for this with additional nutrition, the body will lose weight at the expense of vital components – muscle mass.
3. Stress and anxiety. Constant stress provokes an increase in stress hormones in the body – cortisol or norepinephrine, which can affect appetite – reduce it. Therefore, the question of how to gain weight for a girl at home should also be considered from the point of view of her emotional state.
4. Genetic factors. Low weight can be genetic, as we have genes that affect metabolism, hunger and satiety. In addition, some genes influence the functioning of the digestive system and the body’s ability to absorb nutrients from food. There are also genes that directly affect the fat cell and its ability to form, store and spend accumulated energy. All of these factors can lead to weight loss.
5. State of health. The question of how to gain weight for a thin girl at home is often asked by those who have health problems. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and digestive disorders, hyperthyroidism, depression, as well as various chronic deficiency diseases associated with a deficiency of vital microelements or vitamins require medical supervision. Therefore, it is better to gain weight under the guidance of a specialized specialist.
For What Purposes Do Girls Need to Gain Weight?
It is important not only how to gain weight at home for a girl and woman, but also why to do it. The dangers of obesity are well known, but being underweight can also jeopardize your well-being, which is why people gain weight in the first place in order to avoid health problems.
A person’s weight is an individual parameter that determines the quality of life and health. Being underweight can lead to a weakened immune system and increase the risk of contracting viral and other diseases.
Being underweight has a particular impact on hormonal levels and can cause irregularities in the monthly cycle or lead to the cessation of menstruation (amenorrhea). Women who are underweight have a higher risk of developing osteopenia and osteoporosis due to insufficient calcium and vitamin D intake. Finally, excessively low weight can impair physical endurance, which can negatively impact cardiovascular health and overall body health.
Being underweight can be dangerous at any age. It has been shown to negatively affect the bone health of older people. The fact is that bone density decreases with age, and research shows that older people who are underweight are at greater risk of suffering from osteoporosis and bone fractures.
How to increase body weight for a woman after 60 years at home? To prevent age-related loss of muscle mass and gain some weight, it is necessary to introduce easily digestible proteins into your diet: white dietary meat (rabbit, chicken), veal and fish.
Is It Possible to Do This At Home?
Experts believe that you can increase body weight at home – but it is important to do it correctly, without haste. Spencer Kroll, MD, a board-certified internal medicine specialist, says that weight gain (especially muscle mass) should happen gradually to allow the cardiovascular system to adjust.
How to Gain Muscle Mass for a Thin Girl at Home Without Harming Health?
The maximum recommended weight gain for healthy people is 0.5 to 1 kg per week, no more. Due to rapid weight gain, the load on the cardiovascular system increases significantly. In addition, rapid weight gain can cause an excessive increase in fat tissue.
Each person is different, and recommendations for weight gain depend on many factors, including age, level of physical activity, medical history, and medications. So we advise you to consult your doctor first, especially if you have health problems.
How to Gain Weight Correctly Without Health Consequences
Let’s move on to how to build muscle mass for a woman at home.
Let’s immediately decide how we want to gain weight: through adipose tissue and fluid, or, nevertheless, we want to make the weight gain correct. Healthy weight gain includes a balanced diet, exercise and an overall active lifestyle.
Basic principles of healthy weight gain:
High Nutrient Diet
How to gain muscle mass at home for a skinny girl with the help of nutrition? Your diet should include foods rich in vitamins, minerals, complete protein, healthy fats and carbohydrates.
Nutrition for gaining muscle mass for girls at home should be balanced, taking into account the state of the body and the level of physical activity.
Briefly about the main thing! For healthy weight gain, focus on eating healthy foods. These include:
Whole grains such as oatmeal and quinoa, which contain essential vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and fiber.
Fresh fruits and vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, eggplant, pears and apples, which contain essential vitamins, minerals and fiber.
Lean protein such as chicken, rabbit, turkey and fish. They provide the body with amino acids necessary for muscle development.
Unsaturated fats, such as vegetable oil (olive, sunflower, sesame) and avocados, which are good for heart health.
Healthy Snacks
You shouldn’t snack on empty calories or coffee with added sugar or syrups and dessert. Choose healthy snack options – nuts, fruits, vegetables, natural yogurts, etc.
Increasing Calorie Intake
Increase your caloric intake to ensure additional weight gain, but at-home weight-gain products for women should be truly wholesome and healthy, not filled with empty calories.
You need to eat more calories each day than you burn. Since each underweight person has different nutritional needs, it is best to see a doctor who will evaluate the results of a complete blood count and determine the presence of vitamin B and iron deficiencies.
People with low body weight often have deficiencies in B vitamins, particularly thiamine and folic acid, as well as low iron levels, which can lead to anemia.
Eating Protein Foods
Protein is the main building material of the body, the lack of which leads to disruption of hormonal processes and loss of muscle mass. The average daily protein intake for adults is considered to be from 60 to 114. If a woman is actively involved in sports, she needs more protein. Answering the question of how to gain weight for a thin girl at home, trainer Adam Atkinson notes that gaining muscle mass usually requires 1.5–2.2 g of protein per 1 kg of body weight per day.
Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle
In addition to nutrition and sports, consider other aspects of your lifestyle, such as sleep, stress, and your habits. Resting is part of the game. If you want to encourage your body to gain weight, you can rest on your couch, enter 22Bet and have some fun betting on your favorite team while reaching your goal.
Important! Bad habits can affect our appetite. Research shows that smoking reduces appetite and promotes weight loss: adults who smoke weigh 4-5 kg less than those who do not smoke. There is also evidence that people who quit smoking gain up to 10 kg over the course of several years, while smokers gain no more than 3 kg.
Physical Activity: What Exercises Are Needed to Gain Weight
Strength training is effective for gaining weight and muscle mass.
The main task of rational weight gain is to focus on gaining muscle mass. Include moderate to intense exercise in your training program. They will help increase muscle mass and appetite. Change the exercises depending on the results achieved and the state of the body. Start with minimal load and gradually increase it.
Strength exercises such as squats, pull-ups, dumbbell presses and barbell rows will help develop muscle and add mass. At the same time, you need to train with weights, ideally under the guidance of an experienced trainer, so as not to harm the muscle fiber and avoid injury.
After training, give your body time to recover so that your muscles can grow and develop.
Don’t forget that weight gain is an individual process, and it is important to approach it comprehensively. If you are underweight or having trouble gaining weight, seek advice from a specialist to develop a personalized plan.
