Weigh Up: When You’ve Gotta Gain at Her Active Life

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Weigh Up: When You’ve Gotta Gain

Posted February 6, 2008 at 03:00 PM by Katie Drummond

Section: Her Health, Body Image, Eating Disorders, Her Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Weight Control

Scale In this two-part series, we take a look at the flip-side of North American weight woes - what to do when you need to pack on, rather than drop, a few pounds. It may be less common, but some women still struggle with a low body weight, and the consequences to their health. Read on for information and advice, and check back for Part II, with more tips on tackling the physical and emotional barriers to weight gain.

Pick up a copy of any lifestyle magazine and you’re apt to be inundated with tips and tricks about how to drop those last ten pounds, eat more to weigh less or rev up a sluggish metabolism. But for many active women, the very opposite - gaining weight - can be a frustrating challenge.

Underweight women risk losing their periods (known as amenorrhea), developing osteoporosis and suffering from a weakened immune system. Of course, numbers aren’t foolproof: some petite women are perfectly healthy at a weight beneath the BMI threshold of 18.5. However, if you unintentionally lose weight, feel weak and tired or experience digestive woes like chronic constipation and diarrhea, see a doctor to rule out underlying health problems.

For active and otherwise healthy women looking to gain a few pounds, advice can be hard to come by – especially considering that we live in a “McCulture” increasingly obsessed with losing weight. While a visit to a registered dietician or family doctor is a good idea for specific guidelines to suit your goals and lifestyle, these general tips offer the first steps toward attaining a healthy body weight, and enjoying the strength and energy that comes with it.

1. Think Big, but Eat Small

The obvious key to weight gain is increasing your daily caloric intake. It might sound easy enough, but sneaking in an extra 500-1000 calories a day (around how much you’ll need to add a pound a week) is more challenging than you might think. One way to overcome this challenge is to consume dense sources of calories, like nuts and dried fruits that pack a big caloric punch.

So make it your motto to think big but eat small: a lot of calories in small packages. Aside from obvious snacks like trail mix and dried fruit, opt for the full-fat, higher calorie versions of healthy foods like yogurt and breads; munch granola instead of cereal, and enjoy canned fruit in syrup rather than juice. You’d be surprised at how fast these sneaky changes can add up: ½ cup of granola topped with vanilla soymilk, ¼ cup of raisins and a scoop of protein powder can pack 600 calories.

2. Drink Up

Gaining weight should not come at the expense of nutritious choices; you don’t need to start guzzling sugary soda to add liquid calories to your diet. Healthy fruit juices (look for 100% real fruit juice rather than artificial cocktails) are valuable sources of vitamins and minerals. Replacing your mid-morning dark roast with a latte is a great way to add calories, protein and calcium (a nutrient most women fall short of).
granola
However, avoid big drinks and carbonated beverages with meals, which will fill you up and make extra eating that much harder. Instead, try sipping on orange juice throughout the day; just two cups of juice and one latte will have you ahead by 350 easy-to-swallow, healthy calories.

3. Go Easy on Fiber

Fiber is a crucial part of any diet because it adds bulk and helps keep you regular. Unfortunately, fiber-rich foods like raw fruits and veggies also expand in your stomach and are slow to digest, meaning you stay full for longer periods of time. It doesn’t help that many high fiber foods are also low in calories. Long story short: fiber is great for those seeking to lose weight, but can be a deterrent to those aiming to gain.

The recommended fiber intake for women is 25g a day. For women looking to gain weight, aim to meet your needs, but not exceed them. It might seem counterintuitive to reduce your intake of healthy, high fiber foods, but you can still incorporate the nutrition of fiber-rich options without thwarting your weight gain goals. Focus on higher calorie, starchy vegetables like carrots and potatoes, and add nuts and oil to fiber-laden salads.

4. Change your Focus

Good cardiovascular health, stress relief and a kick of adrenaline are all valuable rewards of high intensity aerobic activities like running and biking. For many active women, cardio is a key component of regular workouts. But when it comes to adding healthy pounds, cardio burns the very calories that your body craves in order to gain weight.

That said, don’t cut out aerobic activity completely, but change your focus to strength training, yoga and low intensity exercise like walking and swimming. These workouts will help add muscle as you gain weight, and they will keep you feeling fit and active. Keep cardio to 2 or 3 twenty minute sessions a week, focus on strength training and try out new, lower intensity activities like leisurely hiking or tai chi. Think of it as a new approach to your health, and enjoy getting to know your body and what it can do.

5. Plan Ahead

With a fast-paced lifestyle, it isn’t unusual to make poor eating choices when you’re cramped for time and need to grab something on the go. But for healthy weight gain, you need to plan ahead: planning meals and snacks ahead of time will ensure that you consume enough calories and that you keep your body fueled with the right mix of healthy fats, protein and carbohydrates.

In addition, keep energy bars, trail mix and juice boxes in easy-to-grab spots like your glove compartment or office desk drawer, so that you can reach for a snack whenever hunger hits. Use weekends to prepare big batches of muffins, entrees and dips like hummus and guacamole for quick meals that provide healthy, high quality calories instead of the saturated fats, sodium and preservatives in packaged foods and takeout.