Who is very slim, is envied by many people! But: More and more people are unintentionally too thin, for example through predisposition, excessive stress, loss of appetite through old age or an illness. You know how hard it can be – gaining weight in a healthy way. Woman, man, child, everyone can be affected, our diet tips will help you fight the kilos.
When to thin? Calculate your body mass index & gain weight in a healthy way
A BMI (body mass index) of less than 18.5 is usually considered underweight. To find out your personal value, it is best to use our BMI calculator, it can serve as a point of reference. Note, however, that BMI does not take into account body fat percentage or muscle mass. If you are not satisfied with your reduced weight, talk to your family doctor or nutritionist about a nutrition plan. You can also follow these tips to gain weight:
Choose your food carefully so that you get enough carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals. Our food pyramid will help you put together a balanced diet.
In addition, a good sports program helps build muscles – they shape the body and also help with weight gain. Read our article Building muscle: strength training with a fun factor for him and her .
Gaining weight healthily: plan for a balanced diet
- Vegetables, fruit and whole grain products should form the basis of a balanced diet. Protein, vitamins, phytochemicals, minerals and dietary fiber – you have it all covered.
- Meat and sausage, on the other hand, do not end up on the table that often. They feed the belly fat you want to avoid.
- Full-fat milk and milk products such as quark and cheese, on the other hand, can be consumed more frequently for the absorption of fat, protein and calcium.
- Thanks to its protein content, fish should be eaten at least twice a week.
- Also make sure that you use high-quality oils from e.g. B. olives or rapeseed with valuable unsaturated fatty acids to incorporate more into the menu. Oils go well in salads or with pickles.
- Nuts are also allowed. They also provide lots of good fats and energy.
- Enrich your cooked food with additional calories, this can be a dash of cream in the soup, plenty of oil in the salad, butter when frying or grated cheese as a topping.
- In the evening, have a high-energy late-night snack like muesli, creamy yoghurt, cheese with olives, or a milk ice shake. However, this meal should not be too bulky, so that the night’s sleep does not suffer.
Gaining weight healthily: This will stimulate your appetite
Clearly, to gain weight you should eat frequently, ideally five to six meals. One of them should be warm. But: Eating is not always easy. Especially not when you’re supposed to. We’ll tell you how to ensure a healthy appetite and enjoy food intake.
- Exercise: Regular sporting activities or walks in the fresh air make you hungry.
- Treat yourself to your favorite food: Have you always enjoyed eating grandma’s vegetable stew? Then ask the family for the recipe and reminisce. Bet that makes eating more fun?
- Spice it up: Fresh herbs and spices stimulate the appetite.
Gain healthy weight: food and snacks for in between
In addition to a balanced diet and exercise, it is also the small snacks that help you gain weight. Here is a selection of snacks and drinks:
- nuts
- granola bar
- protein bars
- bananas
- salmon bites
- cheese cubes
- yogurt
- smoothie
- milkshakes
- avocado
- olives
- dried fruit
- fruit juice
- Potato wedges with quark