Understanding the Reasons for Being Underweight and How to Address Them Through Diet

Do you weigh below the healthy weight range as per your age and feel tired often? Is frequent illness along with thin hair, bad teeth health, and dry skin bothering you? If you replied with an affirmation, you might be underweighted. Just like being obese or overweight affects your health, being underweight also impacts your health adversely. So, you might be wondering what makes you weigh less than the healthy weight range and what diet for weight gain would help you, aren’t you? Reading this blog below will acquaint you with various factors responsible for being underweight and effective dietary measures that will help improve your weight.

 

What Does Being Underweight Mean?

If one weighs less than what it needs for the body to function smoothly, the person is said to be underweight. Although there is no specific scale for indicating the healthy weight of a person, BMI (Body Mass Index) and waist circumference help determine the healthy weight range. BMI is an effective technique for calculating one’s body fat based on weight and height. Here are general interpretations of BMI readings.

• When your BMI is less than 18.5, you are believed to be underweight.
• If your BMI falls between 18.5 and 24.9, you happen to lie in the normal weight range.
• If your BMI is between 25.0 and 29.9, you are considered overweight.
• If your BMI is 30.0 or greater, you are obese.

Symptoms of Underweight:

Underweight individuals may fail to receive all essential nutrients from their diet. So, it affects their health adversely. Some of the common symptoms of being underweight include feeling tired, falling sick often, developing dry skin, hair thinning, increased hair fall, and poor health of teeth.

Risks of being Underweight:

Being underweight puts you at risk of developing health issues, such as osteoporosis, anaemia, infections that you find difficult to combat, irregular periods in females, pregnancy issues, and heart problems. In elderly individuals, being underweight can be risky as it makes them vulnerable to falling sick and suffering from breaking bones.

6 Causes of Being Underweight:

There prevail several factors responsible for an individual being underweight. A person can weigh below the healthy weight range due to multiple causes. Check out the common reasons for one being underweight.

1. Family History: Some individuals are underweight due to physical characteristics that run in their particular family. These physical characteristics make them have a naturally low BMI which is responsible for them to be underweight.
2. Frequent Heavy Physical Activities: People, such as athletes, who are involved in performing high-energy-demanding physical activities often can be underweight. This is because they burn a large number of calories that make them weigh low. For instance, runners burn plenty of calories often which may prevent them from putting on weight.
3. A High Metabolism: An individual having a markedly high metabolism may fail to gain enough weight despite consuming high-energy foods.
4. Chronic Medical Condition or Physical Illness: Some disease conditions can make one to suffer from vomiting, nausea, and diarrhoea regularly. These people find it hard to gain weight. Some health conditions can reduce one’s appetite which prevents them from eating a normal quantity of food. For instance, people with cancer, thyroid disorders, diabetes, and digestive ailments, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease may weigh as underweight. A customised weight gain diet chart may help them have good nutritious intake.
5. Mental Illness: Poor psychological health can affect one’s ability to eat a normal quantity of food. For instance, people with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, such as bulimia and anorexia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) may weigh below the healthy weight range. It may affect their appetite and body image.
6. Poor Dietary Habits: If you are not eating healthy, balanced meals regularly, it may affect your health. Skipping breakfast and meals and replacing junk and processed foods instead of meals just to feel full may affect your health and weight adversely. Although you may eat a lot of ready-to-eat or processed foods, it is deprived of nutrients. Nutritional deficiencies can affect your health, make you prone to health conditions, and eventually impact your health and weight adversely. Opting for a healthy diet plan for weight gain can help you have timely nutritious meals daily.

11 Dietary and Lifestyle Measures to Gain Weight Smoothly:

Various healthy dietary and lifestyle practices can help you gain weight easily. Combining high-calorie consumption with a moderate workout routine with some heavy resistance exercises can help you put on weight. Consulting a doctor and certified dieticians can help you overcome being underweight with a customised diet plan for weight gain. Here are some effective dietary and lifestyle measures that can help you gain weight naturally.

1. Eat Small Meals More Frequently: Instead of eating three heavy meals a day, relish five to six smaller, nutritious meals timed throughout the day. Add a snack or meal in between before bedtime.
2. Eat Healthily: Savour at least five portions of fresh vegetables and fruits daily. Include whole grain bread, cereals, and pasta along with beans, fruits, vegetables, eggs, nuts, avocadoes, dried fruits, seeds, fish, lentils, and dairy products in your weight gain diet chart.
3. Use Bigger Plates: Use larger plates to eat your meals and snacks. It helps you consume more calories. Eating food using smaller plates makes you relish less.
4. Don’t Drink Water Just Before Meals: Drinking water just before your meals can fill your stomach, suppress your appetite, and make it difficult for you to eat enough food. So, have water or any other fluid 30 minutes before or after a meal.
5. Drink Whole Milk: If you love milk, prefer to drink whole milk to quench your thirst, as it is an easy way to consume more quality protein and calories.
6. Prioritize Protein and Fat Food Sources: If you have a variety of foods on your plate, prefer eating protein-abundant and calorie-dense foods first. Go for high-fibre foods last.
7. Garnish Your Coffee with Cream: This helps you consume more calories while enjoying coffee.
8. Quit Smoking: If you smoke, work to quit it. Often, smokers weigh less than people who don’t smoke. Also, smoking is harmful to your health and weight management. To improve your health and well-being, quit this harmful habit.
9. Try having Weight Gainer Shakes: If you are finding it challenging to gain weight, try weight gainer shakes. The high content of calories and proteins in them helps improve your weight.
10. Practice Moderate Exercise Regularly: Incorporating exercise along with diet for weight gain can help stimulate your appetite and increase muscle mass. So, do moderate exercises for at least half an hour daily.
11. Sleep Well: Sleep is essential to improve your muscle growth and health. So, make sure that you receive quality sleep continuously for seven to eight hours daily.

Now that you know how diet and lifestyle modifications can help you gain weight, adopt these healthy practices to improve your weight and health. The guidance of certified dieticians and nutritionists, such as health experts at Health Total, can help you receive a customised weight gain diet chart comprising all healthy foods. Our diet plan for weight gain not only helps you put on weight but also boosts your immunity and lowers or prevents potential health risks. So, think no further, get in touch with us at Health Total and improve your weight and health effortlessly with our personalized diet for weight gain.

Sign up for a FREE consultation with Health Total experts to get more tips for improving your weight with diet or managing any other health condition. Call toll-free at 1-800-833-171709 and Book Free Consultation!

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Frequently Asked Questions

How to Take African Mango Extract?

Mango extract is simple to make. You just need to cut open a fresh ripe mango and scoop the flesh into your blender bottle. Blend until smooth.

If you desire a more fine pulp, you can strain it. Store in a cool dark place.

You can freeze the pulp for future use. This way you don’t have to buy another batch when mango season comes around again.

Is African Mango Oil Safe to Use during Pregnancy?

Yes, African mango extract is safe to use during pregnancy. It has been safely used by pregnant women before.

We recommend you consult your doctor if this product is being used if pregnant.

Do smoothie cleanses work?

The main question is whether your body is getting rid of toxic substances. If you aren’t, then you may have another problem.

A cleanse must get rid of all toxins in your system.

If this isn’t the case, then you either don’t drink enough water or haven’t been eating well.

This could also mean you need to cut back on salt intake and caffeine.

There are other possible reasons you might not see results.

• Your digestive system isn’t functioning correctly. This means your body is not absorbing the food you are eating.
• Not enough protein is being consumed. Protein helps build muscle tissue.
• You are consuming too many carbs. Carbs are stored energy.
• Sugar intake is excessive. Sugar can cause insulin spikes. This slows down your metabolism.
• Your diet is not adequate in fats. You need to ingest certain vitamins.
• Your intake of essential fatty acids (EFAs), is too low. The benefits of EFAs have been shown to decrease inflammation.
• You are not getting enough fiber. Fiber absorbs cholesterol and bile sodiums. Fiber speeds up digestion.
• You are not consuming sufficient vitamin C. Vitamin C is needed for proper collagen production. Collagen keeps your skin firm and elastic.
• Your portions are too small. Portions should be measured using a standard cup measurer.
• It is possible to consume too much alcohol. It can cause severe dehydration.
• You are consuming too high levels of caffeine. Too much caffeine is toxic for the liver.
• Low magnesium levels are a problem. Magnesium is required for healthy bones and muscles.
• Too much potassium is being consumed. Potassium must be consumed to maintain fluid equilibrium in the body.

Are African Mango Extracts Caffeine-Free

A study was done to determine how much caffeine the average person consumes each day. Surprising results resulted.

A cup of coffee can contain around 100 mg of caffeine. A small glass of cola has approximately 40mg. What if caffeine could be obtained without consuming any calories?

This is the place where African mango extract comes in. It provides the same energy boost as caffeine but without added sugar and calories.

African mango extract is also known to improve focus, concentration, and brain function.

What drink will overnight melt belly fat?

Drinking lots water is the best way fast to lose weight. Water helps you burn calories, keeps you fuller longer, and makes it less likely to snack on high-carb foods. Water flushes toxins from your system and helps keep your skin young and healthy.

Skipping meals is the easiest thing most people do when they are dieting. Skipping meals slows down your metabolism, and you will eat more later as you don’t feel hungry. Instead, eat smaller meals more often.

You might find yourself craving snacks. Drink more water. Dehydration can slow down the rate at which your body burns calories and cause you to crave sugary beverages. You can also add lemon juice or other citrus fruits to your water for detoxifying effects.

Drinking water can promote weight loss because it makes you feel fuller, faster, and helps you feel fuller. Research shows that people who have eight glasses of water per day tend to be less overweight than those who have only four. The reason is: Water helps fill you up without adding extra calories.

After you wake up, wait around 30 minutes before eating anything. Hormones like insulin begin to regulate blood sugar levels within 10-15 minutes of waking up. These hormone surges often send us into hunger mode. By waiting until after this happens, we avoid getting a rush of blood sugar and then crashing afterward.

Have a mid-morning snack after breakfast. It is a good idea to eat something between lunch and dinner. This will help you avoid overeating later in your day. Enjoy a piece or two of fruit with peanut butter, or whole grains toast with peanut sauce.

Avoid eating too close to bedtime. Studies have shown that the body processes nutrients more efficiently when it is asleep, so it is easier to stay slim if you go to bed early.

Don’t go hungry before bed! Get a light breakfast one hour before going to bed. It may surprise you how much food is necessary to fall asleep.

Green tea can be added to your daily schedule. Green tea contains catechins, plant compounds that reduce inflammation and boost metabolism. In a Journal of Nutrition study, it was found that people who drank three cups of green-tea daily lost more weight then those who did not. And another study found that men who consumed green tea increased their metabolic rates by 3 percent over 12 weeks.

Statistics

• In a total of 54 randomized controlled trials in healthy adults with overweight or obesity, the authors found no difference in weight or body fat percentage between the Garcinia Cambogia group and the placebo group (3Trusted Source (healthline.com)
• Nature’s Health Goji Berry – Lycium Berries – Maintain Vision Health – Jam-Packed with Vitamins A & C – 580 mg per Serving – 60 Veggie Capsules – Non-GMO Emerald Labs Goji Berry – 40% Polysaccharides – 60 Vegetable Capsules (amazon.com)
• According to another review from 2012, CLA may make you lose about 1.5 pounds (0.7 kg) compared with a placebo. (healthline.com)
• Vitamin C:62% of the Daily Value (DV) (healthline.com)
• A 2003 meta-analysis of studies found that people taking orlistat for 12 months in combination with lifestyle changes saw a 2.9% greater weight reduction than the placebo group (26Trusted Source (healthline.com)

External Links

cdc.gov

• Products – Data Briefs, Number 376 – September 2020
  
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  

ods.od.nih.gov

• Office of Dietary Supplements – Ephedra
  
• Health Professional Fact Sheet: Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss
  

webmd.com

• African Mango: What is Irvingia Gabonesis?
  
• Goji Berries – Side Effects and Health Benefits
  

healthline.com

• Glucomannan – Does It Work for Weight Loss?
  

How To

African Mango: Nutrients and Benefits.

Mangoes, an exotic fruit, are a tropical crop. They can be found in many countries. Mangoes are nutritious fruits high in vitamin C and potassium. They also contain fiber, calcium, iron, and magnesium. They also contain antioxidants, such as beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene, and alpha-tocopherol.

The mango tree does best when it is between 15degC (59%degF) to 30degC (86%degF). The mangoes turn yellowish-green once they are fully ripe. The flesh of the mango is soft and juicy when unripe but becomes firmer and drier after ripening.

Mangoes make jams, jellies, chutneys, pickles, ice cream, and sauces. In India, mango pulp goes into curries and rice dishes. It is also used to flavor stir-fried vegetables in Thailand. Mangoes are eaten fresh, dried, candied, frozen, or canned.

Healthy Fruits and Vegetables

Mangoes have been used as a remedy for diabetes since ancient times. Mangos can be grown all over the globe. There are many mango tree varieties: Alphonso is a variety of Ataulfo, Beni Suef and Bombay.

Mangoes can help with weight loss because they are high in water, but low in calories. A medium-sized mango has about 100 calories and only 3 grams of fat. These fruits are among the most healthful.

Mangoes also contain vitamins B1, B2, and B3, as well as vitamin K, magnesium, folate, potassium, manganese (folate), pantothenic acid. They also have thiamine, biotin, riboflavin, niacin and thiamine.

Mangoes can also be loaded with phytochemicals. These are compounds found in plants that protect cells against free radical damage. Free radicals are unstable molecules that cause cell damage. Mangoes have a special ability to protect your eyes, brain, heart and eyes.

Mangoes can be beneficial for people looking to lose weight due to their high water content. Water is important for keeping your body hydrated. It also helps to keep you fuller longer.