Health is always going to be wealth, but as expected, different people have different meanings for this statement. Some people may see “health is wealth” and assume a proper diet and a good weight loss plan is the key to that wealth. Others may see this statement as a shift in lifestyle choices that include mental and physical change. Regardless of what it may mean to you, your health is and should always be a number one priority, even for those who are trying to gain weight. There are so many options out there for people to lose weight but many don’t know that gaining weight for some, is just as hard as losing weight if that is your goal. Fortunately, there are ways to gain and maintain weight just as there are helpful tips and tricks for losing weight.
Healthy Weight Gain Is Okay And Sometimes Necessary
Society focuses on pushing people to lose weight and though losing weight is important (whether it be for medical or mental reasons), gaining weight is important too.
A person's physical build depends mostly on genetics. This may be the reason why some people stay so skinny and never gain weight, but even though they’re skinny it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are healthy.
In fact, they may be underweight, which can be just as unhealthy as someone who is overweight. That’s why healthy weight gain is okay and necessary.
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Healthy weight isn’t only just about fats either. A healthy weight can be about muscle gain as well. Muscle gain is good for people who are overweight and underweight. This is because strengthening your muscles helps you build strong and healthier muscles and bones. It helps improve your balance and posture, your stability, and flexibility, which lowers your risk of injuries and clumsiness.
Why Some People Experience Hardships When Trying To Gain Weight
When trying to gain weight, there are different reasons why it may be difficult for some to do. Again one of these reasons is genetics, which is a huge factor in why some people find difficulty in gaining weight.
Other reasons could be because of mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, or even eating disorders. Eating at all can have negative effects on someone's emotional and mental well-being due to past trauma.
People also experience difficulty when it comes to weight gain because of disabilities or medical issues. Those living with a form of IBD such as ulcerative colitis can have trouble gaining weight because this illness causes them to lose weight.
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People with ulcerative colitis struggle with maintaining weight and having to constantly go through periods of weight fluctuation. When living with this type of disease, you suffer from moderate to severe diarrhea, abdominal pain, and always feeling the need to pass stools even when your bowels are empty. This can make it difficult to even want to eat or exercise to gain and maintain weight, especially when you keep losing the weight you have or the little you may gain from time to time. Imagine being praised for losing weight and being skinny when you’re suffering from a chronic and invisible illness.
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4 Tips And Tricks To Help You Gain Weight
When on the journey to healthy weight gain, it’s important to remember these helpful tips:
- Eat smarter rather than more. It’s quality over quantity so eat more healthy fats, protein, grains and carbohydrates.
- Weight train to maintain. Weight training will help you gain and maintain muscle mass, which will help with weight gain on top of eating healthier and more throughout the day.
- Too much exercise does not help. Over-exercising and not giving your body and muscles the time to relax can not only stunt your gains, but it can also be very dangerous and cause pulled muscles.
- Acceptance. You have to be prepared for the different changes that are to come and accept that this is what will be happening. Eating more, bloating, gas, and eating smaller portions but healthier options, as well as all the physical changes you will start to see.
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How To Prevent And Avoid Overdoing It
As stated previously, do not overwork yourself in the gym. Eat smarter, not fatter and consume healthier versions of protein, fats and carbs.
Talk to a specialist before you decide to jump in full force. They can help you create a plan and show you how to get to your goal with the necessary precautions.
Do your research as much as you can but also do the work to get the results that you want.
Remember that just like weight loss, gaining weight is a journey and in order to gain and maintain weight properly, it’s going to take time because this is not an overnight process. Your health is your wealth so make sure to do your best to protect it and continue to enhance it the right way.
