Many medications, illnesses, and social situations can cause a decrease in appetite or weight loss in some people. You may need to eat more to gain weight back or to maintain your current weight. Getting more food can be more difficult than you think, especially when you have little appetite. Nevertheless, thanks to the helpful tips in the article, you will be able to feel hungrier and eat more.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Eat More
Step 1. If necessary, get inspired by someone who loves food deeply
This could be a family member or friend who enjoys cooking, a colleague known for their delicious baked dishes, an experienced nutritionist, etc.
Step 2. Eat more calories
If you want to gain weight, you need to consume more calories than normal every day. Gaining fat slowly and gradually is the best and safest way to keep your body healthy.
- In general, doctors recommend that you take an extra 250-500 calories to help you gain weight in a healthy way. As a result, you should be gaining around 250-500g per week.
- The exact number of calories you should consume each day varies based on your current weight deficit, age, gender, and overall body health. Consult a doctor or nutritionist if you want to determine how many calories you should be consuming each day.
- Instead of eating a lot of low calorie foods, focus on those that are high in calories. 30 g of dried fruit, for example, contains about 160-190 calories, while 30 g of pretzels provide only 100 calories.
Step 3. Make healthy choices
While it's true that you need to eat more calories to gain weight, it's important to make sure the food you eat contains the nutrients that keep your entire body energetic and healthy.
- Foods high in calories are useful, but those that contain empty calories and only very few nutrients are not healthy at all if they are consumed in excess. Don't overdo the quantities when it comes to foods like sweets, sugary drinks, fried foods, fast foods, or sausages.
- Occasionally eating a high-fat or high-sugar dish can help you gain weight, and give your palate a particular joy, but don't let it become a habit as these are foods with very little nutritional value.
Step 4. Increase the amount of healthy fats
Each gram of fat provides more calories than protein and carbohydrates. Incorporating more healthy fats into your daily diet helps you increase the number of calories you consume daily, thus allowing you to gain weight more easily.
- Healthy fats are an excellent option when you want to eat more calories. You can choose for example between nuts, seeds, avocados, olives, oily fish and extra virgin olive oil.
- Research has shown that, in addition to helping you get more calories each day, these foods help keep your heart healthy.
Step 5. Eat lots of protein
Protein is an essential element in any healthy diet and is even essential when you need to gain weight or maintain your current weight.
- Protein also maintains healthy metabolism and lean muscle mass. When the body is underweight or losing weight, a decline in lean muscle mass can occur. Getting an adequate amount of protein can help you minimize the weakening of the body.
- Aim to get at least 90-120g of lean protein with each meal. By doing this you will be sure that you will be able to meet your daily protein needs.
- Eat balanced, choosing both lean proteins and those that contain a moderate amount of fat. For example, prefer whole dairy products, fatty fish and the fattest cuts of poultry (the darker ones).
- Avoid sausages, fried foods, and high-fat cuts of meat. In general, they can expose your health to serious risks, so they are certainly not worth eating just to get more calories.
- Protein-rich foods allow you to feel full and satisfied even if you eat little. If your goal is to eat a lot rather than just increasing the number of calories, remember that by increasing the amount of protein you will end up feeling less hungry.
Step 6. Prefer whole grains
While they don't contain many calories, grains are an essential element of a healthy diet.
- Try to eat them whole. Since they have not been refined, whole grains are still equipped with the bran (fibrous casing that naturally wraps them), the germ and the innermost part of the grain called the endosperm.
- Whole grains help you get more calories while providing a good amount of fiber and other health benefits.
- Try new flavors, such as barley, quinoa and oats, naturally in their integral version; also, prefer unrefined rice, pasta and bread.
- You can further increase your calorie intake by pairing whole grains with calorie-rich ingredients. For example, you can drizzle brown rice with extra virgin olive oil or spread peanut butter on a slice of whole wheat bread.
Step 7. Eat fruit and vegetables
Both do not provide as many calories; however, they contain a wide variety of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which are essential in a healthy diet.
- Doctors recommend about 5-9 servings of fruit and vegetables a day, but if you want to focus on ingredients that contain more calories, you may want to eat a little less.
- One serving of vegetables is equivalent to about 225-450g of salad. As for fruit, each serving is equivalent to approximately 100 g or a small whole fruit.
- As with whole grains, you can increase the number of calories in each course by combining fruits and vegetables with high-calorie ingredients. For example, you can dress the vegetables with extra virgin olive oil or add a few tablespoons of whole yogurt to the fruit salad.
Step 8. Eat often
Another way to eat more and gain weight is to eat very frequent snacks and meals. Eating often can even help you increase your appetite.
- This is especially useful if you have little appetite because eating small portions is easier than eating large meals.
- Plan to have about 2-3 snacks a day in addition to your three main meals.
- Three to six of your daily meals and snacks should contain protein, starch, vegetables, and healthy fats to maximize your overall nutrition.
- Although many believe that eating often allows you to "speed up" the metabolism, there are no scientific studies to confirm this hypothesis.
Step 9. When you can't eat, drink
If you don't have enough appetite to eat again, you can get the calories you need by drinking sodas that are rich in them.
- As with high-calorie foods, drinks that are high in both calories and nutrients are better suited than those that only provide empty calories (such as regular fizzy drinks or fruit cocktails).
- An excellent option is smoothies made with fresh fruit, yogurt or whole milk, and peanut butter.
- You can further enrich the smoothie by adding a small amount of wheat germ or flax or chia seeds.
Step 10. Avoid foods that cause excessive intestinal gas production
Not all foods produce the same amount of gas during digestion, having a swollen stomach may prevent you from being able to eat a lot.
- Foods known to cause bloating include broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, prunes, and beans.
- After eating these foods, you may feel fuller and bloated than normal. The direct consequences will be a decrease in appetite and a premature feeling of satiety.
Part 2 of 3: Stimulating the Appetite
Step 1. Take a short walk when it's time to eat
If you have trouble stimulating your appetite or urge to eat, try taking short walks before meals.
- Getting some physical activity can help you stimulate your appetite and make you feel hungrier when it's time to eat.
- There is no need to walk for a long time or at a very fast pace, even a short 15 minute walk at a moderate pace can prove beneficial.
Step 2. Remember not to drink before or during meals
If you have no appetite, it is best to avoid taking any type of liquid in the half hour before a meal; besides, you shouldn't drink while you eat either.
- When you drink fluids right before meals, your stomach fills up and sends a signal to your brain that it's no longer hungry, so your appetite subsides.
- Drinking and eating simultaneously can produce the same result. You may feel full faster as food is forced to share available stomach space with liquids.
Step 3. Tease your palate with "comfort food"
If you don't feel like eating, try buying or preparing your favorite dishes.
- In many cases, those dishes that remind us of childhood and make us feel pampered are high in fat and calories. Indulge in one of your favorite dishes to be able to take in the planned calories.
- Alternatively, you can try your hand at preparing a new recipe. If the idea of eating the usual things doesn't appeal to you, try to whet your appetite by preparing and tasting new dishes.
- Think of a dish you've been wanting to try for a while, then search for the recipe. While this is not a very healthy choice, it can help increase the number of calories consumed daily.
Part 3 of 3: Improve Your Daily Habits
Step 1. Reduce your cardio activity
This type of activity causes you to burn a lot of calories, so it may make you lose even more weight.
- If you want to keep your heart healthy, stick to a light exercise program. Even at less intense levels, cardio training produces cardiovascular wellness, but without making you burn so many calories.
- Try activities like walking, biking, swimming, or yoga.
- Stopping exercise is unhealthy, but moderate aerobic exercise is better than intense exercise.
Step 2. Relieve Stress
Often, stress can cause weight gain that is detrimental to the body's health, but in some cases, worries can also lead to a loss of appetite.
- If you are one of those who lose the urge to eat when stressed, try to relieve tension with relaxing techniques.
- Try to relax and calm down by listening to some music, going for a walk, talking to a friend, or writing your thoughts down in a journal.
- If stress is negatively interfering with your weight and appetite, consider seeking help from a therapist.
Step 3. Take a multivitamin
If you have a poor appetite or eat unhealthy, consider taking a multivitamin supplement every day. Start with a healthy dose of vitamins, minerals and healthy fats, essential for building a healthy build.
- Supplements cannot replace a varied and balanced diet, but they can help you meet your minimum nutrient needs.
- Choose a multivitamin that's right for your age. There are supplements designed for every stage of life: childhood, adolescence, adulthood and old age.
