One of the most common health problems in our country and worldwide is obesity. Since many people are overweight or obesity patients, numerous studies are conducted to combat this problem, which has a very important role in the development of chronic diseases.
Although obesity is widespread, many people around the world experience weight loss and weakness. Just like obesity, excessive weakness creates significant negative effects on human health and all individuals should be careful to be in the ideal weight range suitable for age in order to maintain health.
Questions frequently asked by many people who struggle with weakness and difficulty in gaining weight include questions such as how to gain weight and how to gain 5 pounds in a week. It is not possible for most of the time to set high weight gain targets in short periods of time, such as gaining 5 kilos a week, with a more general perspective.
Although it is possible to achieve these goals, it may have harmful consequences for health. In individuals who are considered as weak according to body mass index, it is aimed to achieve weight gain distribution according to the desired fat and muscle ratios, to get healthy and to get the body shape to the desired shape.
Therefore, instead of setting unrealistic goals such as gaining 5 kilos a week or gaining 10-15 kilos in a month, it should be aimed to achieve a desired and balanced weight increase within the most appropriate time frame for health.
Who Should Gain Weight?
Individuals seeking answers to the question of how to gain weight should first learn their ideal weight. Ideal weight; it may vary according to age, gender, chronic diseases and the body’s fat-muscle ratio. Body mass index is used in determining the ideal weight.
The body mass index is found by dividing the body mass by the square of the length in meters. For example, an individual with a body weight of 50 kg and a length of 1.60 m has a body mass index of 50 / 1.67×1.67 = 19.5. Weight status according to body mass index is evaluated as follows:
18.5 and below: Weak
Between 18.5-25: Normal
Between 25-30: Light Fat
30 and above: Obese
37 and above: Morbid Obese
Individuals who have a body mass index of 18.5 and below should fall within this normal range for health protection. In the normal range, age-specific ideal body mass index values are used to determine the ideal mass.
The ideal body mass index can be specified as 21 for individuals aged 18-24, 22 for individuals aged 25-34, 23 for individuals aged 35-44, and 24 for individuals aged 45-54. These values are completely average values and the ideal body mass index can change with the change of fat and muscle ratios in the body.
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Therefore, the stated values are more accurate for individuals who have a sedentary (sedentary) lifestyle and who are not professionally interested in sports. Compared to each other, the same volume of adipose tissue and muscle tissue, the mass of muscle tissue is much higher.
Therefore, although the mass is above the ideal mass in athletes with high muscle ratio and male gender, obesity may not be in question. At this point, body analysis devices or different body analysis methods such as waist circumference, skin fold thickness can be used to evaluate the body composition.
However, in general, it can be said that individuals with a body mass index of 18.5 and below should gain weight.
What Should Individuals Aim For Weight Gain Pay Attention To?
Providing weight control in the body is directly related to the balance between the energy taken into the body with nutrients and the amount of energy spent with physical activity and metabolism. More energy than the spent energy results in weight gain, and more energy spent results in weight loss.
For this reason, all individuals who want to gain weight should increase their energy intake. Although it is possible to gain weight easily with abundant consumption of foods with high calorie content, it is essential to establish a correct nutrition plan to gain weight in a healthy way. It is also important that the weight taken as much as the ideal body weight by gaining weight has a balanced distribution in the body.
Weight gained through an unhealthy diet plan will consist largely of fat. This may result in sagging, regional lubrication and unpleasant appearance in the body. In addition, applying high-fat diets in order to gain weight quickly increase the risk of getting cardiovascular diseases by increasing cholesterol and other blood lipids.
It is beneficial for individuals who want to gain weight in a healthy way, firstly, to apply to a dietician. After the height and weight measurements and body analysis are done by the dietitian, the target weight is determined and a nutrition plan is created to achieve this.
In this way, individuals can gain weight by eating a healthy and balanced diet. People who want to gain only a few pounds can be fed balancedly by taking care to consume sufficient amount and variety from each food group.
How to Get Healthy Weight Gain?
In individuals who want to gain weight, it should be ensured that the protein requirement is fully met. Adequate protein intake is very important for increasing muscle mass as well as fat mass.
It is also beneficial to support a muscle mass by determining a regular exercise program. The formation of a feeling of satiety is directly proportional to the fullness of the stomach. Individuals who want to gain weight should include plenty of healthy foods that can provide high energy in small volumes in their diets.
Foods such as dried fruits, tahini, molasses, dried nuts, honey, natural milk cream to be added to coffee can be given as examples. The number of meals should be increased, and rich meals should be added between the main meals. Water consumption should be avoided before and during meals as it will cause fullness in the stomach and cause fullness.
A small amount of natural olive oil can be added to salads. Alcohol and smoking should be avoided and sleep patterns should be taken care of. Although it provides easy weight gain, because they are unhealthy foods, consumption of chocolate, cake, chips, frying, carbonated drinks and all kinds of packaged food should be avoided as much as possible, and natural alternatives should be preferred instead.
In order to prevent regional lubrication, a physical activity program should be created in addition to the nutrition programs targeting weight gain, and time should be devoted to light exercises and walks. After reaching the ideal weight, consumption of high energy foods should be taken under control in order not to gain more weight.
If you want to gain weight and wonder how to gain weight, it is useful to apply to a healthcare institution and undergo a detailed examination. In some cases, there may be a health problem that will prevent weight gain such as chronic diseases, thyroid diseases and some vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
For this reason, the people who want to gain weight but who have not been successful despite trying for a long time should first have the necessary blood tests and investigate whether there is an underlying health problem.
If any health problem is detected, treatment should be initiated in addition to the nutrition plan, and a healthy diet plan should be created for healthy individuals under the control of a dietitian, and the individual should be followed regularly.
By reaching your ideal weight, you can have a more pleasing physical appearance and lead a healthier life.
