Skinny is being considered good nowadays thanks to the idolization from the visual world. Surprisingly, I have seen a program where all actors eat food from outside every day and do not work out at all, and still manage to have the “Figure”. Thus, causing unrealistic expectations.
Before jumping into the program for weight loss to become skinny, one should first find out whether they require being leaner or not. We have met with queries from people who have already lost weight and wish to lose further. Similarly, before willing to increase weight we should try and understand whether we require it or not.
The guidelines say, for every height, age, and gender there is an ideal body weight. People can be healthy if they are in the range of plus-minus 5kg of the ideal body weight. This is because every person has a different body composition; hence it is not always required to reach ideal body weight.
Children are at a growing age
We meet a lot of parents who are concerned about their children aged 2-5 years. They say the child was chubby earlier but now is too lean. Most such children are in the medically correct weight range and are healthy.
When an infant, the child has baby fat, which goes once he/she starts growing. Hence, loses the chubbiness. What we have to understand is that if the child is:
• Not catching frequent infections
• Not cranky
• Growing at a normal pace
• Learning according to age
• Is happy, active, and playful
Then we do not have to give anything to make them gain weight. We have experienced at this age parents try to make the child chubby again and by 7-8 years of age, the child becomes obese. At AIIMS Delhi, we have experienced a lot of children of this age group coming with fatty liver. Hence, we should not indulge in unnecessary weight gain targets.
Focus on Quality Not Quantity: Build Muscle, not Fat
One common mistake skinny people make is eating junk foods to gain weight fast. Eating excess junk food can lead to poor digestion/ acne and fat gain, which is not the goal. The goal is to build strength and stamina, not just gain size. Eat nutrient-dense foods like nuts, seeds, paneer, eggs, and whole grains, and focus on strength-building exercises, and productive movements to help your body gain lean mass, rather than just body fat.
Be Consistent with a Routine
Weight gain does not occur overnight. Just like losing weight, it takes time, discipline, consistent effort, having the right framework, and motivation to achieve your health goals. If you feel confused or overwhelmed, a dietitian can help create structure, provide direction, and ignite motivation. Are you ready to go forward? You can start with Dietitian Anuradha and tap into expert support for you, your body, and your goals.
When it is medically established that we need weight gain
1. Try to increase your weight with a balanced diet. We happen to be lower in weight because our body is not getting proper nutrition. Hence, we require a balanced diet to become healthy.
2. Do not try to consume a high-fat diet. We need weight gain for good health, not fat gain for poor health. Excess fat in the diet may cause a problem in lean people too. While working in ICUs we have experienced lean people coming with heart problems.
3. Do not believe that since we are not gaining weight now so we can eat anything unhealthy, in as much quantity as desired. This practice will definitely deteriorate health.
4. Drink a good amount of water. Water is the elixir of life. It will help in the proper digestion and absorption of food.
5. A high Protein diet can help us in strengthening our muscles and bones. That will improve our body composition.
6. Exercise. Yes, it is not only required to lose weight but also to gain. Exercise has many benefits like good blood circulation, proper digestion, strengthening muscles and bones, and proper utilization of nutrients.
7. Sleep well. Netflix has become one of the most popular reasons for keeping people awake. We have to understand that screen viewing doesn't help in relaxing us, sleep does.
8. Stop being picky. One of the most important reasons for low weight is being picky. Every nutrient has a different function in our body. The human body is not like a balloon, if we add more air/ water or anything it will inflate. It is a very complex system and we need to nourish it with a variety of nutrients. Being picky fails the whole purpose of good nutrition.
9. There may be an underlying disease like hyperthyroidism, depression, or any eating disorder that can be a cause of low weight. Medical examination can be helpful in finding the correct reason.
10. Weight gain takes time; be patient.
Weight gain has to be cautious. We cannot take extra calories just to increase fat in our body composition. We do not wish to go from one extreme to the other. Good health should be our priority.
