Health Risks Linked To Being Underweight
Being underweight can be harmful to your health.
One study found that clinically underweight individuals have nearly two times the risk of death compared to obese individuals, suggesting that being underweight may be worse for your health than being obese .
Additionally, another study found that self-reported health outcomes fell significantly in underweight individuals after the age of 38, indicating that a low BMI later in life may come with increased health risks .
Being underweight can impair your immune function, raise your risk of infection, lead to osteoporosis and fractures and cause fertility problems 30101-5/fulltext” rel=”nofollow”> 13, 14,
If youre underweight, you may want to make an appointment with a doctor to rule out any serious medical conditions.
This is particularly important if you have recently started losing large amounts of weight without trying.
Summary
There are several medical conditions that can cause unhealthy weight loss. If youre underweight, consider making an appointment with a doctor to rule out a serious health problem.
Whatever your reasons are for wanting to gain weight, there are a variety of strategies you can use to bulk up.
Below, weve outlined several different ways to help you gain weight.
What Is A High
It is a meal plan with extra calories and protein. You may need this diet if you have certain health conditions that increase your body’s need for protein and calories. Some of these health conditions include cancer, HIV, AIDS, wounds , and malnutrition. You may also need to follow this diet after a surgery or illness. The extra calories will help you gain weight and have more energy. The extra protein will help your body heal and get stronger.
Vegan Protein Salad Bowl
Need a vegan meal that will bulk you up? This Vegan Protein Salad Bowl is a great option.
It contains a whopping 40 grams of protein. So it rivals the amount of protein in any meat-based meal.
And the baked tofu and tempeh taste amazing. Theres the perfect balance of sweet, savory, salty, and umami.
Like it spicy? Feel free to add some Sriracha sauce!
And the broccoli, arugula, and cucumber make this dish refreshing.
Besides being rich in protein, this salad is rich in fiber. In fact, one serving provides almost 100% of your daily needs.
So, youll be doing your tummy a world of good. Check out more high protein salads here.
Per Serving:
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Top 10 Costco Low Calorie Foods
Costco is one of the best places to get affordable, healthy food. Here are the top 10 low calorie foods I buy at Costco that help me stick to my diet, all under 100 calories and high in protein.
Im a big fan of Costco for their prices and the availability of healthy food. From fresh produce to frozen, I spend most of my grocery dollars there.
When I started counting calories to lose weight, I started paying more attention to labels. Id look for foods that I could comfortably fit into my diet and still taste great.
Im going to assume you all know without me listing it here, that fresh and frozen fruits and veggies are already the best foods to buy at Costco when you are on a low calorie diet. I am constantly buying cauliflower rice, frozen berries, lettuce, tomatoes, broccoli, asparagus, etc. These are all foods you can get at Costco that are low in calories.
But, today, I wanted to share the packaged foods I buy there, because some of you might not know about these!
Darigold Low Fat Cottage Cheese
I actually prefer fat free cottage cheese, but I will buy this cottage cheese when the whole family is on a cottage cheese kick.
My number one way I use cottage cheese is in my low calorie pancakes! And I make these a lot.
And for something savory, this Twice Baked Potato with cheesy cottage cheese.
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Low Carb Crunchwrap Supreme
Craving a Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme without all the Carbs? Try this Low Carb Crunchwrap Supreme.
It has a nice combination of meatiness and cheesiness and softness versus crunchiness. Yet, it has a fraction of the carbs.
Thats because youre using crispy lettuce as your fried tortilla. In fact, I prefer this over the original because the lettuce adds extra freshness.
And the inner taco shell is made of homemade cheese crisps. So you get even more crunchiness.
Making the cheese crisps is quite simple. Start by spreading your cheddar cheese into flat 4-inch round circles onto a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet.
Then bake for 6 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown. Remove them once cooled.
To make it even easier to remove them, bake on a silicone baking sheet. This one should do the trick.
Per Serving:
Foods High In Calories And Protein
Because low-calorie foods really aren’t always the best choice.
Food Network Kitchens Pan-Fried Salmon.
Matt Armendariz
When it comes to choosing what foods to eat, going low calorie isnt always the best path. Sometimes, youll want foods that are higher in calories and protein. Why? Maybe youre trying to gain weight or muscle, or perhaps youre simply trying to get a lot of protein from one specific food.
Whatever your reason, here are seven foods that are high in both calories and protein.
Plain Greek Yogurt: This food contains a hefty amount of protein: 20 grams per 8-ounce serving of the whole-milk variety, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database, as well as 220 calories. Enjoy Greek yogurt in Greek yogurt pancakes, a Greek yogurt parfait or a yogurt pesto dip.
Wild Salmon: This lean protein contains 206 calories per 4-ounce serving of cooked salmon, along with close to 29 grams of protein, per the USDA National Nutrient Database. Salmon also provides heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Cook up oven-baked salmon, pan-fried salmon or a healthy BBQ salmon sheet pan dinner.
Steak: A 4-ounce serving of cooked skirt steak provides an incredible 30 grams of protein for 232 calories, per the USDA National Nutrient Database. Enjoy steak in a beef stir-fry, steak summer rolls or a steak peppercorn salad.
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Why Follow A High Calorie High Protein Diet
A high calorie, high protein diet is prescribed to help people recover from surgery and illness, gain weight, heal wounds or correct malnutrition. A study found that a high calorie high protein diet can increase weight in residential care patients.1
Furthermore, protein is needed to maintain strength learn more from our article on why Unintended Weight Loss in the Elderly Must be Stopped.
Muscle is needed to do everyday activities and to stay independent. Older adults will require more protein to maintain their daily activities.
Keto Teriyaki Chicken Bowl
Teriyaki Chicken is a big No-No when youre watching your carbs. Thats because the sauce contains a lot of sugar.
And even though it tastes good, all that sugar is not good for your health.
This Teriyaki Chicken is finger-licking good. The sticky sauce has a nice balance of savory, sweet, umami, and heat.
And youre serving it with veggies like zucchini, broccoli, and cauliflower rice. So, it not only tastes good but is good for you too.
To keep the Teriyaki sauce low carb, youll be using granulated erythritol to sweeten it. Erythritol is an all-natural sweetener that wont lead to spikes in blood sugar.
And unlike some other sweeteners, it doesnt leave a bitter after-taste. If youd like to give it a try, you can get some here.
Per Serving:
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High Calorie Indian Meal Plan
A high-calorie Indian meal plan is a meal plan that one can alter according to their food choices. Additionally, age, sex, calorie requirements and level of physical activity are parameters that one should keep in mind before starting one. This meal plan is to help people in their journey of gaining weight healthily.
Here is a sample of a 3000 calorie meal plan with food options to choose from:
Best High Calorie Foods For Bulking
The best bulking foods are usually high in calories and highly nutritious, but also foods that are tasty and dont reduce hunger too much.
Good choices should include lots of protein and healthy fats, and if possible, vitamins and minerals. Carbohydrates arent needed as much but are useful for athletes in endurance sports.
This is because protein and healthy fats can help recovery from exercise. Overeating on a high-protein diet also makes it harder to gain fat than overeating on carbohydrates or fats.
Surprisingly, poor choices are high in nutrients like fiber, like whole grains. Highly water-based foods such as fruit or watery vegetables are also less than ideal, because these types of foods and nutrients reduce hunger more than others.
Hunger is often seen as an adverse effect of dieting, but when trying to gain weight, it is a valuable tool for bulking. So foods should decrease hunger, but not by too much.
To help you find the ideal options for your diet, weve laid out twelve foods and meals that are good choices for your bulking meal plan.
These options are also organized into possible meals to help you design a diet plan that will help you put on muscle fast.
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How To Make High Calorie Pasta
Set a pot of water to boil. Well come back to this in a bit when its time to cook the pasta.
Now prepare the mushrooms. Soak the dried porcini mushrooms by covering them in boiling water for 30 minutes. Drain them .
While the dried mushrooms soak, chop the fresh mushrooms into ½-inch dice and chop the shallot. Put the shallots and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots are softened and fragrant .
Add the fresh and rehydrated mushrooms to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, allowing the liquid to evaporate from the mushrooms. This will take about 10-15 minutes.
While they cook, you can grill the chicken . My chicken took 7-10 minutes per side to reach the minimum safe temp of 165F . Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Set both the mushrooms and chicken aside while you work on the pasta and Parmesan sauce.
Cook the pasta to be al dente according to the directions on the pasta package. While it cooks, make the cheese sauce by whisking the eggs, cream, and Parmesan together. After the pasta has cooked, drain it quickly and stir in the butter so that the noodles don’t stick together.
Working quickly, toss the cheese sauce together with the pasta while the pasta is still hot. The cheese should completely melt from the heat of the pasta so that there is no graininess. Don’t forget to add some salt and lots of black pepper .
What Foods Are The Best Source Of Protein
Ideally, consuming proteins from a variety of sources is the best strategy. When you vary your protein, you are able to get a wide range of nutrients that assist your body in using the protein.
If you are counting calories however, the proteins with the lowest calories are the foods where there arent other macronutrients, such as carbs or fat. For example, nuts have more calories per gram of protein because it also comes with fats. Milk will have more calories per gram of protein because it has carbohydrates in addition to protein.
Lean meats, where there is virtually little fat or carbs, will have the most protein per calorie.
Below youll find a full list of calories plus grams of protein for each high protein item listed! or bookmark this page.
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High Calorie Soft Lunch
As we move towards lunch, foods tend to start getting harder and crunchier. Sandwiches and green salads are generally a no-go for soft food diets, so where do you go from there?
Here are two ideas for soft lunches:
- Soft eggs benedict
- Technically a brunch food , eggs benedict is in theory a good soft food option, were it not for the slab of Canadian bacon and toasted English muffin under the eggs. Replacement is the name of the game here.
- Instead of Canadian bacon, one possibility would be to very finely dice or grind ham to make it easier to eat without chewing. Instead of a toasted English muffin, try a softer, starchier food like overcooked rice, bulgur wheat, or oatmeal.
- The poached eggs and hollandaise need no replacement, they are soft enough as is.
- Tuna salad is the highest protein option here. Soft enough to eat without difficulty, yet hearty enough to cut it as a meal, and pretty healthy to boot.
- You can bump up the calories by adding finely diced avocado to the mix, using full fat mayonnaise, and opting for tuna packed in oil as opposed to water.
What Should I Not Do To Gain Weight
Dont eat junk food. Eating chips, sugary sodas, donuts, and candy will add pounds but not be the source of a healthy weight gain. This weight will mostly end up around your belly, which puts you at risk for diabetes and heart disease. Instead, eat healthy foods that build muscle, such as protein-rich foods.
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Mass Gainer Shakes And Smoothies
| Fibre, Potassium | Vitamin A, Calcium, Iron |
For those who have a busy schedule, shakes or smoothies can offer an easy way to get in calories. They are also useful for including nutritious ingredients like vegetables without reducing hunger too much.
This is because liquid forms of food dont affect hunger as much as their solid forms. So, you can use these shakes or smoothies to get in vitamins and minerals from your vegetables.
A general guideline for making shakes and smoothies is to include at least one source of protein, like whey protein or egg whites. Along with this, some carbohydrates should be added for taste. Its here that high-calorie fruits like bananas can be useful.
So, if youre pressed for time and trying to gain weight, make or buy mass gainer shakes and a blender bottle to save time.
High Calorie High Protein Food List
Below are examples of high calorie high protein foods. Be sure to avoid products that have the words light or skim or lean or low fat. These products are lower in calories.
High Calorie High Protein Food List:
- Oral nutrition supplements
Of note, animal protein foods are typically higher in both calories and protein than plant-based options.
High calorie foods include butter, margarine, oils, dairy products, salad dressings and sweets. For more weight gain foods and recipes check out our best weight gain food list.
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What Are Some Guidelines For Increasing Protein And Calories
Your dietitian will tell you how much protein and how many calories you need each day.
- It may be easier to increase calories and protein if you eat 6 to 8 small meals throughout the day. Eat at regular times, and do not skip meals.
- Always have snack foods available so you can eat when you feel hungry.
- Include a variety of healthy foods from all of the food groups.
High Protein Soft Snacks
Snacks can be tough to introduce protein to generally, let alone when trying to follow a soft food diet. Of course, leftovers from meals are always an option, but for something small to get you through the day, the pickings are sort of slim.
Something like a spoonful of peanut butter can be a solid, lasting option. Dairy products can be good as well: cottage cheese is easy to snack on, as are soft-fresh cheeses like ricotta or cream cheese.
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High Calorie Soft Foods Summary
Oral health is an issue that many seniors face which only compounds with the need for weight maintenance or weight gain, especially when they are asked to take on a soft food diet.
Finding soft foods that are also high in calories and protein can be difficult, but it is important for the overall health of the older adult.
Tips To Get More Calories
Tips to get more calories:4
- Eat at least 6 meals and snacks each day
- Choose high calorie drinks such as shakes
- Eat larger portions
- Avoid diet or low-calorie items.
Fruits and vegetables are low in calories and protein but adding cheese sauce, butter, margarine, gravy, oil, or salad dressing will help you get more calories and protein.4
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Why High Calorie Soft Foods
Weight is an important aspect of health in all populations, especially in older adults. Furthermore, in lean or underweight elderly people, it is important to stop unintended weight loss.
This is because there are multiple risk factors that increase when weight is lost in the elderly. When weight is lost, usually it includes muscle mass in addition to fat mass, so there is an increased risk for injury. There is also a decreased ability to perform the activities of daily living.
Additionally, as we age, our dental health may start to decline. Dry mouth, mouth sores, lost teeth, dentures, all of these conditions can make it difficult to eat a normal diet. That is why for some older adults with oral health issues we recommend a diet of soft foods for easier eating.
High Calorie Soft Foods For Oral Health Issues
Soft foods make sense to eat when you have oral health issues. Trying to eat something like a steak while having difficulty chewing is daunting enough that many wont make the attempt.
The combination of beginning a soft food diet and the necessity of weight gain can be difficult to manage for many adults and caregivers.
The purpose of this article is to give some possible ideas for higher calorie options to help an older adult keep on or gain weight with a soft food diet.
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