Training program for muscle building: main elements
Nutrition for muscle building: top foods for weight gain
Two thirds of the population are overweight or obese. However, there are people with the opposite problem, which is excessive thinness. Underweight can affect your health as well as obesity.
Is underweight a problem?
Weight is considered insufficient if the body mass index is less than 18.5. It is worth knowing that the scale only takes into account weight and height, not muscle mass.
Thinness is in vogue now, but being underweight can cause health problems: According to recent studies, low-weight populations are 19.7 % more at risk of CVD than normal-weight people. Therefore, the question of effectively gaining weight for an ectomorph (a person with a low level of physical strength and dimensions), from the point of view of medicine, is no less relevant than the question of how to lose extra pounds of an endomorph.
We will tell you later what food products to eat to gain weight, which strategy to choose for the rapid increase of muscle mass.
Some people are naturally thinner than others. However, certain health problems or medication taking can result in chronic (long-term) weight loss or sudden weight loss. These include:
- health problems that affect metabolism, such as hyperthyreosis or pancreatic diabetes;
- health problems that affect the digestive system, such as Celiac disease or Crohn’s disease;
- other health problems, such as viral hepatitis, cancer, COPD or Parkinson disease;
- lack of appetite due to stress, illness, or taking medications that can cause nausea or lack of appetite;
- eating disorders such as anorexia;
- overstrain, for example, for athletic training;
- age, especially this can be a problem for the elderly people, who may have a loss of appetite and problems with chewing due to health problems;
- genes, because underweight can be genetically determined.
There may also be a link between childhood underweight and the development of an eating disorder during adolescence.
Underweight can lead to the following phenomena and conditions:
- delayed growth and development, especially for children and adolescents, whose bodies require a lot of nutrients to grow and stay healthy;
- fragile bones, because the deficiency of vitamin D and calcium, along with low body weight, can lead to weakened bones and osteoporosis;
- weakened immune system. When a person does not get enough nutrients, the body cannot store energy. This complicates the fight against the disease, besides, the immune system needs to recover from the disease;
- anemia. This condition can be caused by lack of iron, folates, and vitamin B12. This can lead to dizziness, fatigue, and headaches;
- impossibility to get pregnant. Women with low body weight are more likely to experience menstrual disorders that can cause infertility;
- hair loss. Low body weight can lead to hair thinning and loss. It can also cause dry skin and dental and gum health problems.
Nutrition for muscle building: basic principles
- Add healthy calories. You don’t need to drastically change your diet. You can increase your calories by adding nut or seed fillings, cheese, and healthy side dishes (whole grain cereals). Try almonds, sunflower seeds, fruit, or whole wheat toast.
- Switch to eating healthy calories. Instead of eating empty calories and unhealthy foods, eat nutrient-rich foods. Consider high-protein meats that can help you build muscles. Also choose nutritious carbohydrates like brown rice and other whole grains. This helps to provide the body with nutrition, even if the person has a decreased appetite.
- No quick snacks. Enjoy snacks that are high in protein and healthy carbs. Consider options such as a trail mix (a dried fruit-nut combination, sometimes with added chocolate), protein bars, hummus or peanut butter snacks. Also enjoy the snacks that contain “good fats” which are important for a healthy heart, for example, nuts and avocado.
- Eat mini-dishes. If you are struggling with poor appetite due to medical or emotional problems, eating large amounts of food can seem like a daunting task. Consider eating less food throughout the day while increasing your calorie intake.
- Exercises. While too much aerobic exercises will burn calories and work against your goal, strength training can help. This includes weightlifting and yoga. You gain weight growing muscles. The basic rule of the training process is the balance of training, including both strength and aerobic loads, as well as stretching exercises. During the training, the emphasis is on strength exercises, their percentage should prevail. It is advisable to consult a doctor and get tested so that the training does not lead to the opposite result and does not burn additional calories. It is necessary to remember about a gradual increase in loads. Exercises for gaining muscle mass should be selected by a qualified trainer.
Article author - Yevhen Poyarkov, M.D.
Publication date: 26.08.2020
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