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How to put weight on ...

Thin people don't get much sympathy in a society where every other person seems to be trying to lose weight. For people like you, it can be just as hard a battle to put on some pounds. Here are some helpful tips on how to add flesh to your frame.

Remember! This information is designed to help people who are otherwise healthy, and would like to put on a little weight. If you have recently lost weight for no apparent reason you should always see your GP for advice, as this could signal an underlying medical condition. If you have to follow a special diet to help treat an existing condition, then this information is not for you.

• Am I really underweight?
• Change your diet
• Snack attack
• Bulk out with exercise

Am I really underweight?

Genetics play an important role in your shape. Look at your parents and siblings - are they a similar shape to you? If they are, chances are you will have a similar body type and you can work out how your body might change with age.

Your small size may also be a symptom of the life you lead. If your life steams along at a frenetic pace, you don't eat regular meals or you're a 'fidgeter' who finds it impossible to relax, you're unlikely to put on weight easily. People who fidget constantly can burn up to 700 calories a day - that's about two whole chocolate bars!

The main thing about putting on weight is that you do it sensibly and that you put on the 'right kind' of weight: muscle rather than fat.

Why not calculate your BMI using the BMI calculator? The results will help tell if you're truly underweight for your size.

Calculate your BMI now.

Change your diet

The first place to look is your diet. People who want to increase their weight should eat more calories - you need to take in more calories than you burn up.

The 'best' type of calories come from carbohydrates - you should try to get at least 70% of your calorie intake from carbohydrates such as potatoes and pasta. Up to 15% of calories should come from protein, the rest from fat.

As a general guide:

To gain weight at around one to two pounds per week, you may need to increase your calorie intake by 700 to 1000 calories a day. That doesn't mean you should start drinking double cream by the pint! Do it by:

• regularly eating three meals a day
• snacking between meals
• eating larger than normal portions - choose a taller glass of milk, a larger piece of fruit. This is unlikely to come naturally to you at first, it's a question of breaking old habits
• choosing high-calorie foods. You should try to choose foods that have nutritional value in addition to providing calories ie they contain protein, vitamins or minerals. However - always choose low-fat versions when you can. How about:
  • bread, cereal (use milk instead of water for hot cereals), rice, pasta, bagels, biscuits
  • fruit, especially canned in syrup, dried or as a nectar or juice. Look at labels - cranberry juice and pineapple juice usually contain more calories than orange juice, for example
  • not all vegetables have the same calorie content: sweet corn contains more calories than beans. You could also try avocados, olives and potatoes
  • all lean meats, fish, eggs (not too many if your cholesterol is high or you have a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease - eggs contain a high level of cholesterol)
  • milk, yoghurt, hard cheeses such as cheddar, fruit yoghurts, custard, milkshakes

Snack attack

Most people have three meals a day, and try to avoid snacks in between. If you want to bulk out your shape, then snack with gusto - a substantial snack between meals both mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Calorific snacks include:

• peanut butter on bread - try to find a low-fat variety of peanut butter
• vegetables or bread sticks dipped in high-calorie (but low-fat) dips
• seeds eg sunflower or pumpkin
• low-fat crisps
• low-fat yoghurts or fromage frais
• savoury biscuits with low-fat cheese

This recipe is adapted from one given by the American Dietetic Association - you could try it with a big bowl of homemade soup:

Quick cheese bread

• 3¾ mugs (normal size) of flour, sifted
• 5 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ mug margarine
• 2½mugs shredded cheddar or Swiss cheese
• 1½ mugs skimmed milk
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten

Combine all the dry ingredients. Cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cheese. Combine milk and eggs and add to cheese mixture until just moistened. Spoon into greased 9" x 5" loaf tin. Bake at 375 degrees for one hour. Remove from pan immediately. Makes 12 slices.

Calories per slice: 280; Protein: 11g; Fat: 13g; Fibre: 1g; Calcium: 230mg.

Bulk out with exercise

Weight training is essential if you want to bulk up your shape, as it will help ensure you put on lean muscle rather than fat.

Muscles are built when you work your body against resistance - such as lifting weights, doing chest, shoulder and leg presses, leg curls and raises and so on.

It's important that you strike the correct balance between eating more calories, and the amount you'll burn up if you embark on weight-training exercise for the first time. Remember that you need to consume more calories than you can burn up.

Cardiovascular training such as running, walking or rowing should be kept to a minimum, as it burns calories but doesn't build muscle in the same way as weight-training.

It might be helpful if you joined a gym and asked for help in creating a special exercise programme.

As always, check with your GP first if you haven't exercised for a long time.

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