Typing “Weight” into Google will give plenty of tips and tricks on how to lose weight. “Weight loss” is big business.

Yet some of our population need to gain weight and finding the right information for healthy weight gain is much more difficult to find!

Rest assured that dietitians are in the business of both weight gain and loss, and we can give help you build habits to gain weight safely. I myself work in a hospital, and many of my patients are at risk of losing weight. My daily role is very often focused on assisting weight gain for health.

Check out my previous article to find out if you may benefit from weight gain.

Today, I will focus on what habits you can build to help you gain weight.

Habits are ways of doing something that are regular and settled. In this instance, “habits” are ways of eating and drinking that will help make it easier for you to gain weight.

So what eating habits will help me gain weight?

1. Eat little and often.

If your appetite is poor, try to eat “little and often”. This means, taking small portions of your meals and making sure to take snacks between your meals. Avoid skipping meals and make your snacks as nutritious as possible.

2. Take your drinks after meals rather than before/during meals.

By having our meal before our drink, we can save as much space as possible in our stomach to fill with food. Drinks often contain less energy for the space they take up in our stomachs than foods do. Hence eating first and then taking a drink will help us take in as much energy as possible.

3. Develop a habit of snacking.

Snacks are a great way to add extra energy into our diet. Carry them on the go when out of the house, or take a little snack when watching TV. Every little snack can help add up to those much needed calories for weight gain.

4. Take some exercise if possible when trying to gain weight.

By taking some light exercise while we try to gain weight, we help our bodies build both muscle and fat stores. Keep to light exercises such as walking, gardening and cycling. The exercise may even help build up your appetite!

5. Talk to a dietitian for personalised advice that suits YOU

Speaking to a dietitian can help you make sure you receive advice that suits your lifestyle, habits and food preferences. If you wish to gain weight, getting personalised advice from a dietitian might be the key to realising why you have been unable to gain weight before.

 Another article you may find useful is my post on foods to choose to help you gain weight.

Please be aware that the advice in this article may not suit everyone. If you are concerned about your weight, speak to your GP (General Practitioner) and dietitian for personalised advice.

Make sure that you subscribe to my Youtube channel! And  if you hit that little bell button on my channel page, you will get notified when my next video comes out. I hope to catch you on my facebook, instagram, twitter and pinterest pages, where I’ll keep the conversation going until my next post!