Advice for an older woman who needs to gain weight?

BlueSkyShoal

I'm trying to lose weight, but my mother is in the opposite boat . . . Her doctor keeps telling her to gain weight. She is 75 years old and about 5'4", but unfortunately I don't know how much she weighs. She's very skinny, though.

I think this is partly a result of her trying to cook low-calorie meals for my dad (who is a bit overweight) and partly because she is a busy bee who constantly "forgets" to eat meals or who thinks of something she needs to do while eating, so she gets up to do whatever and never comes back to finish. She goes to a senior exercise class a few times a week and is very active in general, which is great, but there go more calories.

Are there any foods that are calorie dense and also won't seem inherently "unhealthy" to her? She is very much against foods with saturated fat. And fat in general, really. When I was growing up she would always focus on the fat content on food labels, not the calorie count. I think good fats are exactly what she needs! But if it's in a food that sounds healthy, that would help.

dawnmcneil10

She might be a good candidate for drinking her calories. For example fruit smoothies made with frozen or fresh fruit, greek yogurt if she worries over fat content.

Avacados are a really good source of healthy fat as well as almonds. She may frown on the fat content but they're a great source and a perfect easy add on to meals so your dad doesn't have to eat them in his meals.

I forget to eat too so I schedule in snacks, have things on hand that are easy to grab and go like grapes, string cheese, celery and peanut butter.

Lindy901

A nutritionist told my mom to use heavy cream in things you may put milk in and also I would add butter to her meals as I was preparing most of them. She needs to choose the full fat/calorie items that she can. My mom was a bugger to try to get her to eat but then she had a stricture problem.

AlfieGrady2014

I have a qualification in sports nutrition and would recommend foods that are calorie dense but contain key vitamins and minerals. Fast food and junk food may be high in calories but they lack the vital minerals and vitamins needed by the body to be able to unlock the energy properly. Foods such as peanut butter are good as they are calorie dense but high in protein, offering some nutritional value. Oily fish would also be a recommendation for your mother. As Dawnmcneil10 stated calorific drinks would be a suitable option for your mother as they can be consumed easily and on the go.

auddii

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10142490/a-list-of-calorie-dense-foods