While thousands of people try to lose weight for aesthetic or health reasons, there are also those who, no matter how hard they try, fail to gain mass.
The reasons why they do not gain kilos range from genetic characteristics, such as a high basal metabolic rate (the amount of energy the body expends simply to stay alive) inherited from the family, to the use of specific medications or diseases such as hyperthyroidism, diabetes and psychiatric conditions such as depression or chronic anxiety.
For the recently graduated doctor Vivian Gomes, 27, she never had many doubts as to why it was difficult for her to increase the number that the scale indicated: her biotype was inherited from her father, who was quite tall and thin.
At 1.62 meters tall, he weighs 46 kilos today and is still trying to gain weight, although his shifts as a general practitioner interfere with the organization of his eating routine.
“It is a dissatisfaction with which I have lived since I was little. I suffered a certain bullyingthat of listening to jokes that are repeated and end up hurting,” he recalls.
To this day, believes that his appearance can be detrimentalyour credibility as a professional medical field. “It may be an impression I have from everything I’ve been through, but I hear comments like ‘Can children work?’ or to patients who ask regarding my age because I’m too small”.
During his childhood and adolescence, he tried from diets to gain weight to the use of food supplements such as hypercaloric. “The problem is that I didn’t follow anything conscientiously, so it didn’t work.”
The goal was made even more difficult when, seven years ago, he was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, a disorder that causes abdominal pain and bouts of diarrhea, leading to weight loss.
“My diet has become much more restricted and it’s a huge stress having to think regarding every meal on the days I’m on duty. I end up not being able to follow all the nutritionist’s guidelines, even though I still weight train almost every day. days to try to gain mass,” he says.
Exercises to gain kilos
Going to the gym every day may sound like a contradiction in the case of someone looking to gain weight, but focusing on strength and endurance exercises is an excellent strategycomplemented by a balanced menu, to gain weight in a healthy way.
“The increase in fat percentage alone can lead to health problems, such as an increased risk of cardiovascular disease,” explains nutritionist Clarissa Fujiwara, nutrition coordinator for the Childhood Obesity League at the University Hospital of Clinics. Sao Paulo, in Brazil.
Is there a specific diet to gain weight?
There is no specific menu or magic recipes that must be followed to gain weight. Whether to increase the percentage of fat or lean mass, the guideline is similar: mainly increase calorie intake.
“What will make the difference is the quality of the food consumed and the physical activity chosen,” highlights nutritionist Marcella Garcez, director and professor of the National Nutrition Course of the Brazilian Nutrition Association.
But before defining the diet, the most important thing is to rule out the existence of possible pathologies. “A clinical investigation can prevent a more serious problem from progressing without the patient’s knowledge,” says the doctor.
“BI had a mineral supplement for anemia with duck egg.
Silvia Madeira, who is now 56 years old, started trying to change her body the right way: she sought medical help at 19 to understand why, at 1.63 meters, she mightn’t weigh more than 49 kilos.
But, without having reached any diagnosis that justified the low weight, he began to try to put on weight on his own.
For example, he included in his food routine a mineral supplement for anemia created in 1990 and called Fontoura Biotonic, beaten with a duck egg in its shell.
© Personal file
Silvana Madeira, now 56, sought medical help at 19 to understand why, at 1.63m, she mightn’t weigh more than 49kg.
At that time it was thought that the mixture might help those who wanted to gain weight. But neither with that nor eating a lot did he get the result he wanted.
It was then that a friend with a similar physiognomy to his gave him advice not recommended by experts: the use of anabolic steroids.
“I went to the doctor and, even without knowing the risks or knowing the substance, I left the office with the prescription to buy the injections. I gained six kilos very quickly,” says Silvana, who lost weight once more following a few months.
In addition to being unsustainable, steroid use increases the risk of sufferheart diseaseoverloading the liver and lowering HDL cholesterol (considered a cardiovascular protector). There are also gender-specific consequences: women may suffer from factors such as clitoral enlargement and an increase in acne, while men may become more aggressive.
Today, with a slower metabolism due to age, and having replaced smoking with eating more, Silvana has gained weight. “I still have skinny legs, but now losing weight is much more difficult.”
Gaining kilos in a healthy way is possible
To gain weight in a healthy and permanent way, the key is to make good food choices and change habits, including exercise among them.
The experts interviewed by BBC News Brazil point out some basic guidelines in this regard.
1. ingest more healthy calories
The first guideline is to eat more calories than are expendedn.
This is calculated by the basal metabolic expenditure, a rate measured by bioimpedance devices (common in medical offices) or by the Hertz Benedict formula, which takes into account characteristics such as gender, weight, height and age.
© Getty Images
To gain weight, you must take in more calories than you expend, but the diet must be healthy.
Once the nutritionist has the result, it is possible to focus on a strategic menu increasing the amount of calories, which should not come from any type of food.
“One of the big mistakes is wanting to gain weight by eating fried foods, sweets and other ultra-processed foods.. Even if you are underweight, it is possible to become a ‘fake fat’, with a high fat index and the health risks (that this entails),” says Garcez.
The diet should be as healthy as that of someone who wants to lose weightwith the difference that healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and meats have a considerably higher intake limit.
2. Intersperse meals
“In addition to the three main meals, it is necessary to create the habit of interspersing others”, indicates the nutritionist from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Sao Paulo.
The person may be used to not eating much and feeling full quickly, even following a small meal. Therefore, eat snacks throughout the day is a good strategy for increase consumption without feeling satiated.
One piece of advice, Fujiwara points out, is to opt for foods with a high caloric density and less volume, such as dehydrated fruits, olive oil (to season food) and oilseeds.
3. Respect the body times
So that the gain is constant and the person does not lose weight quickly, there must be a gradual change of habits that facilitates the maintenance of the new routine.
“Losing weight suddenly is not ideal, nor is losing weight quickly. A healthy estimate for an adult is that they gain an average of one or two kilos per month, depending on their size,” says the nutritionist.
4. Supplements, with the help of an expert
On the day that the person cannot consume the programmed calories, they can help themselves by taking a high-calorie supplement.
“One serving contains regarding 600 calories, mostly carbohydrates. That’s the equivalent of four loaves of French bread, an amount many patients can’t eat,” says Fujiwara.
But experts warn thatare drinks should be taken alone with prescriptionso as not to end up replacing food with them.
“It is always better to eat, since that is how we get the nutrients and fiber that the shake does not have. Also, if you are going to drink it, it is better following dinner, so that it does not take away your hunger,” warns Garcez.
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