Weight gain...anyone?

CPhillips92

Hey all, I'm fairly new to myfitnesspal, and so far I LOVE it! My only problem is while 99% of people here are trying to LOSE weight, I'm trying to GAIN it. At 5'5" and 105lbs, I'm 20lbs underweight but only consuming 1500-1700 calories. I need to consume approximately 2320 cal per myfitnesspal, but I'm not sure how to structure my diet to achieve that.

I'm consistantly consuming too much Vitamin C, not enough Calcium, Iron or Potassium, and way too much sugar. Anyone have ideas about foods high in Fiber, Potassium, Iron and Calcium?

Much appreciated, good luck to all!

minadeathclutch

good luck to you!

that'd be so easy for me to do lol i'd gain 20 lbs in a week. haha

dmpizza

Good for you.
Try to add muscle too. Its healthier in the long run.

SueInAz

One thing to keep in mind is that a lot of food packaging doesn't include potassium amounts, even if it has quite a bit, so it's more difficult to track than some of the other nutrients.

I can't see your diary to see what you're already eating, but my suggestion would be to make sure you aren't eating anything that's "light", "lite" or "lowfat". Add healthy oils to your diet in every meal; olive oil is fabulous. Avocados are a great way to get some additional healthy fats, too; add slices or chunks of them to sandwiches and salads. Avocados also have a lot of potassium as do bananas, potatoes and a host of other vegetables.

Try Greek Yogurt for the protein and calcium. 2% is probably best for you and a 6 oz. serving will provide about 20% of your calcium for the day and about 17 grams of protein.

ETA: Red meat, beans and spinach are good sources of iron but I actually take a women's multi-vitamin supplement each day so I make sure I get my 18mg.

sheneverfails

How are you on fruits & veggies? Lots of good fiber there. Also whole grains are important. You want to gain in a healthy fashion, so try to increase your intake of nutrient-dense foods - legumes, nuts, seeds, olives, and avocados. You may also want to increase your consumption of dairy products, meats, seafood and poultry. Add a serving of starchy foods such as potatoes, sweet corn, rice or pasta as energy-dense carbohydrate sources.
Little things can help a lot:
* Have an extra slice of whole-grain toast with peanut butter at breakfast.
* Add extra cheese to an omelet.
* Slice an apple and serve with almond butter or Nutella.
* Stir chopped nuts into plain yogurt and top with honey.
* Carry a bag of trail mix for a convenient snack.
* Serve yourself larger portions of starchy vegetables like potatoes and sweet corn.
* Add calories with a healthy beverage such as milk, 100% fruit juices, or vegetable juice.

Best of luck!

KQmom

try eating a lot of nuts, granola, whole wheat bread, whole milk, cheese, butter (real butter) avocado... oh I wish this was my issue But I understand it can be just as challenging. Good luck!

Wilsota

Two of my nieces struggle with being underweight. It's a condition that comes with just as many health concerns, but a lot of people just say "Oh, you are so lucky!" You will find more knowledgeable support here, I've seen other people trying to gain.

One of my nieces is a vegan, and they're adding to her a diet a lot of dried fruits, nuts, and olives (deli olives, not jarred olives - you want to increase the good fats, not the sodium!). The other niece is adding dried milk and/or protein shake powder to virtually everything - soup, gravy, mashed potatoes, you name it. And she uses buttermilk instead of regular milk. Shudder.

There are some other suggestions at http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/healthy-ways-to-gain-weight?page=3

fiber + potassium + iron + calcium = banana milk shake! (although that could be wishful thinking on my part

Kristhin

Lots of beans, lentils, tofu, extra virgin olive oil, whole wheat bread, and quinoa pasta. ♥

CPhillips92

Wow, thanks for all the helpful suggestions, I'm definitely going to be trying a lot of these!! Thanks again!