Gaining weight becomes useless if it is done through unhealthy means and ways. Maintaining a healthy weight is important for health. It can protect you from a variety of illnesses and can be beneficial to you in the long run.

Not only being over-weight makes you feel embarrassed, but you become the butt of jokes if you are under weight. Almost all the people you meet comment on your body. They mock you by saying stuff like – the wind will blow you away. You may be finding it difficult to buy clothes of your choice. Also you are constantly nagged by your parents to eat more.

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The reason of being underweight can be different in different persons. Few are underweight due to insufficient food intake and others can be due to genetic factors or high metabolism. Sometimes, several medical conditions like eating disorders, thyroid, celiac disease, diabetes, cancer, infections through parasites, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS trigger unhealthy weight loss.

Do not get upset with these situations. Fight brave! Your worst nightmare can be over with few easy tips.

· Eat healthy foods and gain more calories than your body needs. Aim for 700 to 1000 calories from healthy foods if you want to gain weight fast. Don’t binge on fast food or processed food for weight gain. It can destroy your health.

· Your body muscles are made of protein. It is an important nutrient for gaining healthy weight. Aim at 0.7 to 1.0 grams of protein per pound of body weight. Incorporate high protein food in your diet like fish, eggs, meat, legumes, nuts and dairy products etc. Protein supplements like whey protein can also be beneficial if you are not getting enough protein from your diet.

· Eat plenty of carbs and fat along with protein at each meal if you want to gain weight in short span of time. Make sure to eat at least three meals per day. Use bigger plates to eat more.

· Energy-dense snacks are also good for you if weight gain is your priority. These snacks include nuts, dried fruits, whole milk, full fat yoghurt, creamy cheese, extra virgin olive oil, whole grains, oat, brown rice, potato, sweet potato, meat, dark chocolate, peanut butter, avocado and many more.

· Join a gym and do heavy weight lifting at least four times a week. It will strengthen you and make sure that extra calories go to your muscles instead of your fat cells.

· Try weight gainer shakes high in protein, carbs and calories.

· Don’t fill your stomach with water just before eating meals. Reserve this space to eat more food.

· You may take muscle building supplement ‘creating monohydrate’ to gain few pounds in muscle weight.

· Quit smoking as it is a big obstacle in gaining weight.

· Eat calorie dense and protein rich foods first and vegetables last while having a mix of foods.

· Sleep well for muscle growth.

Being underweight may be just as bad for your health as being obese, if not more. Osteoporosis infections, fertility problems and early death are the major risk factors associated with people who are under weight. See a doctor in order to rule out a serious medical condition.