How to gain weight as a 19 year old girl?

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I'm 19, female, 160cm and weigh 40kg and according to my doctor I'm moderately underweight and said I should be 45kg for my height and weight. I'm too skinny and have been all my life but it bothers me and affects my daily life and really want to change this. Everyday, I don't have much energy and I get physically tired and achy quickly. I know that I need to eat more calories than I burn but it's so hard. I really need help gaining healthy weight, muscle mass and fat on my body so that my whole body expands a bit and I have more meat on my body. I am to gain at least 45kg, but ideally 48-50kg. I always eat whatever I want (usually lots of junk food and some healthy) and as much as I can until I'm full, but I get full so quickly after just eating a bit of food and can never eat as much as others can. I also am not an active person, I do little to no excercise and I don't want to go the gym. If I gain weight, I know that I'll feel better healthwise and physically look better.

Do I have to exercise to gain weight? If so, what specific excercises should I do at home? How can I specifically gain weight as quickly as possible? Can anyone give me a guide for meal plans and excerises? Any advice would be appreciated, thank you.

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2 Replies

  • Posted

    Go to your doctor and ask for advice and referral to a dietician who will advise you how to go about it best.

    You do need to do some exercise to gain weight healthily - muscle weighs more than fat but muscle doesn't just happen, you have to nurture them to develop them. And doing some enjoyable exercise will also make you feel better in yourself as well as making you healthier. Your heart and lungs will thank you for it.

    Why are you so against exercise? Walking is exercise, walking up and down the stairs is exercise. It doesn't always mean looking a bit silly and sweaty in the gym

  • Posted

    I'm so glad to hear you talking like this!

    And it's really not hard. I mean, any change is hard, of course, but you have so many pleasurable ways to go!

    And it all goes together. As you exercise your appetite improves, and as you eat more your energy improves, and as you do both your weight returns to normal, you will look better and feel better, too!

    Do you have some good walking shoes, athletic shoes? Walking is a great place to start! Walk a mile (a kilometer or two) once a day, even. Walk to the store and buy something (small) to eat, then walk back! Or even a cup of coffee, after all it's really the walk that you're after.

    Have a piece of pizza with more veggies than meat on it, and as you exercise, you may want two pieces, and a little dessert after. My go-to meal is probably some variety of green salad with chicken and random other veggies - tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, scallions. Be fancy, throw in a couple of nuts, cashews, walnuts. Have a couple of different dressings you can sprinkle on it.

    Have a little breakfast! As simple as toast and cottage cheese, maybe a few thin slices of red onion, or some hot oatmeal with a small piece of dark chocolate in it with a spoon of peanut (or other nut) butter mixed in - always want that protein!

    Have a fast-food hamburger once or twice a week, dressed up any way you like. Don't want to live on those, but they are fine as part of a balanced diet.

    Mostly avoid fried foods, they'll help you put on weight alright, but not the way you like!

    On the exercise, walk a little further, look for places to hike, maybe nature hikes with a group. Look at gym classes of course. Have you ever played tennis, great way to get exercise and most people just play it for fun, it's easy enough. How about dance - can be terrific exercise!

    You have no problems right now, except sorting through all the opportunities!

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