Home / Nutrition / Weight gain diet: how to plan your meals?

Weight gain diet: how to plan your meals?

Weight gain diet

The focus of many health projects is directed towards combating obesity and overweight, due not only to its high prevalence in the world’s population, but also due to the negative impacts it has on health. However, we cannot rule out the opposite situation, when a person aspires to gain weight.

Weight gain is wrongly associated with an easy goal to achieve, but for many people it is not that easy. This process can be done through various approaches, and as such, you should, together with a nutritionist, evaluate the option that best suits you.

How do I know if I am underweight?

First, you should assess whether you are really underweight, and the most standard way of assessing this parameter is through the body mass index (BMI) value. This can be calculated using the following formula: BMI=Weight (kg)/Height (m2).

After this calculation, you can compare this value with the World Health Organization (WHO) nutritional status classification. This way you will know if you are within the “low weight” classification (BMI<18.5 kg/m2).

IMCEstado Nutricional
Bellow 18,5Underweight
18,5 – 24,9Normal Weight
25,0 – 29,9Pre-Obesity
30,0 – 34,9Obesity Level I
35,0 – 39,9Obesity Level II
Above 40Obesity Level III
Figure 2- Classification of Nutritional Status according to WHO

As mentioned, BMI calculation is the most frequently used indicator for a quick assessment of an individual’s nutritional status, but it has its limitations, such as:

  • Not differentiating lean mass from fat mass, i.e., we can have an individual with a BMI corresponding to obesity, but with a high percentage of lean mass;
  • Not being adjusted for individuals who are too tall;
  • Not identifying cardiovascular risk.

Being underweight, just like being overweight, is also associated with negative health effects. Some of these are the weakening of our immune system, which in turn can lead to the early onset of fatigue, greater propensity to injury and infection, and delay in the healing process, hence the need to get the weight right.

Zumub Mass Gainer
Increase your calorie and protein intake and build the body you’ve always wanted.

Buy

What should I do to gain weight? What should I eat?

The most effective method for weight gain, is based on 2 methods:

  • Development of an eating plan for weight gain;
  • Physical exercise (more focus on increasing lean mass);
  • Optional – Use of supplementation with the support of a nutritionist.

First, for this to really work, the nutritional status must be optimized, otherwise all the work will be in vain. I advise that an evaluation be done by health professionals, namely a nutritionist and a sports graduate, with a background in sports prescription, because, like weight loss, it is important that the process be personalized and adapted. There is not much literature regarding the recommended method for weight gain, but it focuses on a daily energy increase, where most of it should come from carbohydrates, and that does not cause discomfort to the individual. The remaining parts belong to protein and fat.

There is no miracle plan or food for faster and more effective weight gain, each individual is special and should not follow specific recommendations that were made for others. This weight gain encompasses the increase in fat mass and lean mass, within the percentages agreed upon between the individual and the multidisciplinary team.

You should follow a balanced and varied diet in order to make up for possible nutritional deficits, with proper meals that allow you to receive all the necessary nutrients, and as such there are no “forbidden foods”. Also, you should be aware that it is not a quick process, everything takes time. Follow the diet plan to the letter and be patient!

Bibliografia

1. Lopes C, Torres D, Oliveira A, Severo M, Alarcão V, Guiomar S, et al. Inquérito Alimentar Nacional e de Atividade Física IAN-AF 2015-2016: relatório de resultados. 2017.
2. Mahan LK, Escott-Stump S, Raymond JL. Krause dietoterapia: Elsevier Amsterdam; 2013.
3. Organization WH. Body mass index – BMI WHO: WHO; 2022 [cited 2022. Avaiable here.
4. Quetelet A. Physique sociale, ou essai sur le développement des facultés de l’homme: Muquardt; 1869.
5. Gomes DF, Gandolfo AS, Oliveira A, Potenza ALS, Micelli CLO, Almeida CB, et al. Campanha” Diga não à desnutrição Kids”: 11 passos importantes para combater a desnutrição hospitalar. Braspen J. 2019;34(1):3-23.

Comments

The information included in this article concerns the authors opinion only.

About Margarida Ribeiro

Margarida Ribeiro
Margarida Ribeiro é estudante finalista do Curso de Ciências da Nutrição da UTAD. Foi jogadora federada de Voleibol durante 5 anos e é atleta recreativa de ginásio. Pretende seguir o ramo da Nutrição Desportiva e Área de Investigação. Tem o intuito de aumentar o conhecimento da população nesta área e ajudar a desvendar todas as dúvidas que existam em volta da nutrição.

Check Also

Aumentare massa muscolare

Muscle Mass: 10 essencial steps to increase it

In the following article we are going to describe a series of steps to follow ...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *