subject: When You Just Can't Gain Weight [print this page] Most of us seem to be fighting the battle of the bulge these days. Keeping weight off is a constant problem. However, for some people gaining weight seems almost impossible. Playing sports or getting ready for the beach sometimes means trying to add on a few pounds.
Some people feel that they can't gain weight because they've heard that they have an overactive thyroid. This condition, called hyperthyroidism, is relatively uncommon and if you had it you would probably notice other symptoms like a fast heart beat and strong feelings of anxiety. An overactive thyroid is probably not the reason. Hyperthyroidism can be a rather serious condition and can be detected with a simple blood test so if you continue to be worried about this, consult with your doctor.
If you stayed in bed all day and didn't do anything else you would still burn 85% of your normal intake of calories just through heart beat, respiration and all the other bodily functions. This is known as your metabolism, or your basal metabolic rate. Oftentimes, the metabolism gets the blame for the inability to lose or gain weight but in reality metabolism doesn't differ very much from one person to the next. A metabolism that was different enough to cause difficulty with weight control would be quite unusual.
When it comes right down to it the two factors that are most likely to determine whether you gain or lose weight are diet and activity. Increase both fat cells and muscle cells and you will gain weight. Weight lifting or resistance training are good ways to increase the number of muscle cells in your body. You could expect to gain as much as ten pounds of muscle in a year by lifting weight three times a week. If you couple this with an increase in the number of calories you eat you could expect to see a significant weight gain in a relatively short time.
If you decide that you want to put on one pound every week you can do some simple math to figure out how to get there. To gain one pound you have to take in 3500 extra calories. Divide that by seven days in a week and that means 500 extra calories per day that you need to take in.
You can do this by changing a couple of things about your daily routine. If you eat three meals a day make it four or five and make them bigger meals. Even if you feel full, eat a little bit more. You will also need to modify your routine by adding in some things you might not ordinarily eat. Condiments like mayonnaise, oils and and butter can be a painless way to add in a surprising number of calories to a meal.
If you naturally prefer low calorie foods like salads you can add in high fat dressing and add calories quickly. Eating dried fruit is another great way to get calories fast because your getting the calories without the bulk. Toss in some bread and potatoes and you're practically there.
Time and perseverance are the keys in any weight control program. It's not going to happen in a short time so stay with the program and don't forget the weight training and you'll gain weight and stay healthy, too.
by: John Fleming..
welcome to Insurances.net (https://www.insurances.net)
