Five ways to gain weight quickly

 How to gain weight quickly (Photo: iStock)

Losing weight is an obsession for many people. Women, in particular, compare their bodies when they were young with what they look like now after having children, which is also linked to the low self-esteem crisis that many face in such situations.

It's important to realise that losing weight is not a bad thing in itself. There are many important benefits to maintaining a healthy weight for your body, including a reduced risk of weight-related health problems, which are often fatal.

But it's not just about losing weight, because there are also people who are quietly struggling to gain weight. Being underweight comes with its own set of health challenges, such as fertility problems and a weakened immune system.

If your goal is to gain weight, it's best to do it in a safe way that doesn't put your health at risk. It's also always better to choose methods that you can stick with, rather than quick fixes that will only allow you to keep the weight off for a short time.

Be patient with your body when trying some of these healthy weight-loss methods:

Don't skip meals

Sometimes when we get busy, we find ourselves skipping essential meals like lunch. For someone who wants to lose weight, it might have some benefits, but not if you're trying to do the opposite which is gain weight.

If you have occupied schedules that cause you to skip meals, try helpful habits like meal prepping. That way you will be getting the calories you need without having to prepare each meal from scratch every time.

Choose calorie-dense options

Gaining weight isn't about eating anything you find. Junk food might help you gain weight but none of it is healthy, which is why you need to make the right choices.

You should also take it a step further to quicken the weight gain process by going for healthy high calories choices like whole milk instead of low-fat, protein-rich foods, high-quality carbohydrates and other calorie-dense options.

Eat snacks in between

Snacking will also come in handy. But remember that it's not about binging on anything you find but rather about choosing the right snacks that will have the most benefits health-wise.

With snacks, you should also eat more of those that can supply you with a healthy dose of calories like nuts, full-fat low sugar yoghurt and protein-rich sandwiches.

Top up your food

You could also sneak in more calories into your diet by topping your meals up. For example, you can have some avocado with your meals or breakfast sandwiches, a drizzle of olive oil on your pasta and extras like granola in your yoghurt.

Find creative ways like these to boost your calorie intake.

Build muscle

Hitting the gym is a very effective and safe way of gaining a healthy weight. But instead of focusing on weight loss workouts like cardio, do more of weight lifting.

This helps because your body will bulk up on heavy muscle, leading to weight gain. You will also get more benefits like a toned body.