Healthy weight gain for thin people

"Kuch khaya karo!" Thin people hear this all the time. But gaining weight is just as hard for some people as losing it is for others. The aim is not to eat junk food, it is to build muscle and healthy weight with good food.

By Muhammad IshfaqUpdated 25 October 20264 min read

First, check if you are really underweight

Many people who feel "too thin" actually have a healthy weight. Find your BMI with our BMI calculator:

• Below 18.5: underweight. Gaining some weight is a good goal.
• Below 17: moderately underweight. Please see a doctor too.
• 18.5 to 22.9: healthy weight for South Asians. You may want more muscle, but you do not need to gain fat.

When to see a doctor first

If you are losing weight without trying, or you have always eaten a lot but cannot gain, it is worth getting checked. Some causes are:

• Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism)
• Diabetes (high sugar can cause weight loss, thirst and passing a lot of urine)
• Stomach and gut problems, such as celiac disease, ulcers or worms
• Tuberculosis (TB), which is still common in Pakistan and India, especially with a cough, fever or night sweats
• Stress, anxiety, depression or an eating disorder

A doctor can do simple blood tests. Please see one quickly if you have lost more than 5 percent of your weight in 6 to 12 months without trying.

How many calories do you need?

Use our calorie calculator and choose the "gain" goal. It adds about 300 to 500 calories to the amount your body uses each day. This leads to a slow, steady gain of about 1 to 2 kg a month, which is mostly muscle if you also do strength training.

Eating far more than this does not help much. The extra mostly turns into fat, often around the belly.

Healthy foods with a lot of calories

8 simple ways to eat more

1. Eat 5 to 6 times a day. If big meals fill you up fast, add 2 or 3 snacks between them.
2. Drink your calories. A glass of milk, a banana shake or a lassi between meals adds 150 to 300 calories without making you feel very full.
3. Add healthy fats. A teaspoon of ghee or oil on daal, a spoon of peanut butter on toast, nuts on oats. Fats have more calories per bite than anything else.
4. Protein at every meal: eggs, daal, chana, dahi, chicken, fish, paneer. Read how much protein do I need. For gaining muscle, about 1.2 to 1.6 g per kg of body weight a day works well.
5. One extra roti or a little more rice at lunch and dinner.
6. Do not drink a lot of water just before meals. It fills you up. Drink between meals instead.
7. Keep snacks ready: a jar of mixed nuts, roasted chana, dates, bananas, boiled eggs.
8. Make food enjoyable. Eat with family, add chutney and raita, and try new desi recipes.

Avoid the shortcut of eating lots of junk food, cold drinks, mithai and fried snacks. It adds weight, but mostly as fat, and raises the risk of diabetes and heart disease, which South Asians already face at a younger age.

A sample day (about 2,600 calories)

For a ready-made plan at your calorie target, try our diet plan maker.

Build muscle, not just weight

Food gives your body the materials. Strength training tells your body to use them for muscle. Without exercise, extra calories are stored mostly as fat.

• Do strength exercises 2 to 3 times a week: squats, push-ups, lunges, rows with water bottles or a bag, or gym machines.
• Start with what you can do and add a few more repetitions or a little more weight each week.
• Rest well and sleep 7 to 8 hours. Muscle grows while you rest.
• Walking is still good for your heart, but you do not need long cardio sessions.

Check your progress once a week on the scale and once a month with a tape on your arms and chest. Our body fat calculator can help you see if you are gaining muscle or fat.

Be careful with "weight gain" powders and pills

Many "weight gainer" products sold online and in local shops are just sugar and milk powder with a high price. Some herbal or "desi" weight gain pills have been found to contain hidden steroids, which can cause serious harm. Do not take any pill or powder that promises fast weight gain without a doctor's advice.

Common questions

How can I gain 5 kg in a month?

That is too fast for healthy weight gain. Most of it would be fat and water. A safe goal is about 1 to 2 kg a month with extra food and strength training.

Which desi foods help gain weight fast?

Milk, lassi, banana shakes, nuts, peanut butter, dates, eggs, paneer, daal with a tarka, chicken and an extra roti at meals are healthy, calorie-rich choices.

Should I eat more ghee to gain weight?

A little ghee on daal or roti helps add calories, but large amounts every day can raise cholesterol. Nuts, peanut butter and cooking oils are better choices for most of your extra fat.

Is a BMI of 18 bad?

A BMI under 18.5 is underweight. It can mean low energy, weak immunity and weak bones over time. Try to gain a little weight, and see a doctor if you are losing weight without trying.

Sources

1. World Health Organization. A healthy lifestyle: WHO recommendations (BMI classification). www.who.int
2. Iraki J, Fitschen P, Espinar S, Helms E. Nutrition recommendations for bodybuilders in the off-season: a narrative review. Sports, 2019;7:154. doi.org/10.3390/sports7070154
3. Jäger R, Kerksick CM, Campbell BI, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2017;14:20. doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8
4. Gaddey HL, Holder K. Unintentional weight loss in older adults. American Family Physician, 2014;89:718-722. www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2014/0501/p718.html
5. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Tainted products marketed as dietary supplements. www.fda.gov
6. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central. fdc.nal.usda.gov

How we write our articles: sources and editorial policy. Found a mistake? Tell us.

Read next