While thousands of people try to lose weight for aesthetic or health reasons, there are also those who, no matter how hard they try, fail to gain mass.
The reasons why they do not gain kilos They range from genetic characteristics, such as a high basal metabolic rate (the amount of energy the body expends just to stay alive) inherited in the family, to the use of specific medications or diseases such as hyperthyroidism, diabetes, and psychiatric conditions such as depression or chronic anxiety.
For the recent medical graduate Vivian Gomes, from 24 years, he never had many doubts why it was difficult for him to raise the number that marked him the scale: the biotype was inherited from his father, who was quite tall and thin.
With your 1,46 height meters, weight today 46 kilos and she continues trying to gain weight, although her shifts as a general practitioner interfere with the organization of her eating routine
“It is a dissatisfaction with which I have lived since little. I suffered some bullying
, that of listening to jokes that are repeated and end up hurting”, he recalls.
Until Today, he believes that his appearance may harm his credibility as a medical professional. “It may be an impression I have because of everything I’ve lived through, but I hear comments like ‘Can children work?’ or to patients who ask my age because I am too small.”
During her childhood and adolescence, she tried from diets to gain weight to the use of food supplements such as hypercaloric ones. “The problem is that I didn’t follow anything conscientiously, so it didn’t work.”
The goal became even more difficult when, 7 years ago, he was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, a disorder that it causes abdominal pain and episodes of diarrhea, which leads to weight loss.
“My diet has become much more restricted and it is a huge stress to have to think about every meal during the days that I eat. I am on duty. I end up not being able to follow all the nutritionist’s guidelines, even though I still train with weights almost every day to try to put on mass,” she says.
Exercises to gain kilos
Going to the gym every day may sound like a contradiction in the case of someone looking to gain weight, but focusing on strength and endurance exercises is an excellent strategy, complemented by a balanced menu, to gain weight in a healthy way.
“The increase in the percentage of fat by itself can lead to health problems, such as an increased risk of cardiovascular disease,” explains nutritionist Clarissa Fujiwara, coordinator of nutrition of the Childhood Obesity League of the Hospital de Clínicas of the University of Sao Paulo, in Brazil.
There is no specific menu or magic recipes that you should n followed to gain weight. Whether to increase the percentage of fat or lean mass, the guideline is similar: mainly increase calorie intake.
“What will make the difference is the quality of the food consumed and the chosen physical activity”, highlights the nutritionist Marcella Garcez, director and professor of the National Nutrition Course of the Brazilian Nutrition Association.
But before defining the diet, the most important thing is to rule out the existence of possible pathologies. “Clinical research can prevent a more serious problem from progressing without the patient knowing it”, says the doctor.
“I drank a mineral supplement for anemia with duck egg”.
Silvia Madeira, who has now 36 years, he started trying to change his body in the right way: he sought medical help at 19 years to understand why, with 1,63 meters, could not weigh more than 49 kilos.
But, without having reached any diagnosis that would justify the low weight, he began to try to gain weight on his own.
For example, he included in his food routine a mineral supplement for anemia created in 1990 and called Biotonic Fontoura beaten with a duck egg with its shell.
At that time it was thought that the mixture could help those who wanted to gain weight. But neither with that nor with eating a lot did he get the result he wanted.
It was then that a friend with a physiognomy similar to his gave him advice not recommended by experts: the use of anabolic steroids.
“I went to the doctor and, even without knowing the risks or knowing the substance, I left the office with the prescription to buy the injections. I gained six kilos very quickly”, says Silvana, who after a few months lost weight again.
In addition to being unsustainable, the use of steroids increases the risk of heart disease, overloading the liver and lowering HDL cholesterol (considered a cardiovascular protector). There are also gender-specific consequences: women can suffer from factors such as clitoral enlargement and an increase in acne, while men can become more aggressive.
Today, with a slower metabolism due to age , and having replaced smoking with eating more, Silvana has gained weight. “I still have thin legs, but now losing kilos is much more difficult.”
To gain weight in a healthy and permanent way, the key is to make good food choices and change habits, including eating exercise between them.
The experts interviewed by BBC News Brazil point out some basic guidelines in this regard.
1. Eat more healthy calories
The first guideline is to eat more calories than you spend.
This is calculated by the basal metabolic expenditure, measured rate by bioimpedance devices (common in medical offices) or by the Hertz Benedict formula, which takes into account characteristics such as gender, weight, height and age.
Once the nutritionist has the result, it is possible to focus on a strategic menu increasing the amount of calories, which should not come from any type of food.
“One of the biggest mistakes is wanting to gain weight eating fried foods, sweets and other ultra-processed foods. Even being a person with low weight, it is possible to become a ‘fake fat’, with a high fat index and the health risks (that this entails)”, says Garcez.
The diet should be as healthy as that of someone who wants to lose weight, with the difference that healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and meats have a considerably higher intake limit.
two. Intercalate meals
“In addition to the three main meals, it is necessary to create the habit of intercalating others”, indicates the nutritionist of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of São Paulo.
The person may be used to not eating much and feel full quickly, even after a small meal. Therefore, eating snacks throughout the day is a good strategy to increase consumption without feeling satiated.
One piece of advice, Fujiwara points out, is to opt for foods with a high caloric density and less volume, such as dehydrated fruits, olive oil (to season food) and oilseeds.
3 . Respect the times of the body
So that the gain is constant and the person does not lose weight quickly, there must be a gradual change of habits that facilitates the maintenance of the new routine.
“Gaining weight suddenly is not ideal, nor is losing weight quickly. A healthy estimate for an adult is that they gain an average of one or two kilos per month, depending on their size”, indicates the nutritionist.
4. Supplements, with the help of an expert
On the day that the person cannot consume the programmed calories, they can help themselves by taking a hypercaloric supplement.
“One serving contains about 600 calories, mostly carbohydrates. It is the equivalent of four loaves of French bread, an amount that many patients cannot eat”, says Fujiwara.
But experts warn that these drinks should only be taken with a prescription, so as not to end up replacing them the food.
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“It is always better to eat, since that is how we get the nutrients and fiber that the shake does not have. Also, if you’re going to drink it, it’s better after dinner, so it doesn’t take away your hunger”, warns Garcez.
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