weight gain and exercise

Question
Hi!

I have an unusual dilemma...most women want to lose weight. I am considered underweight for my height and thus want to gain weight. I am 20 years old, 5'6" and 114 pounds. I used to weigh 123 lbs. and went down to 105 from 2004-2005. I managed to get back up to 114 now, but my weight still varies daily by 1-3 lbs. depending on my consumption. My face has lost a lot of fat and that is the main reason I want to gain weight. I am happy with my body in general, but feel that I looked better when my face was fuller.

My concern is that because I am trying to gain, I have stopped exercising as much as I used to. Is this the wrong move? Also, what foods can I eat to help me gain weight? Any other tips for gaining?

Thanks! --Jenna

Answer
Hello Jenna!

 Theoretically, you have to eat an extra 500 to 1,000 calories per day to gain of one to two pounds per week. But Nature often confounds this mathematical approach. Without question, some people do gain weight more easily than others. For example, in a weight gain study where the subjects were overfed by 1,000 calories per day for 100 days, some people gained only 9 pounds, whereas others gained 29 pounds. Why the big difference? Perhaps some of the subjects fidgeted more than others; perhaps some were genetically predisposed to obesity.
     Keeping in mind your genetics and your tendency to fidget, here are five important rules to help you with your quest for bulk.
1. Eat consistently. Every day, have three hearty meals plus one to three additional snacks. Do NOT skip meals! You'll miss out on important calories that you need to accomplish your goals.
2. Eat larger than normal portions. Instead of having one sandwich for lunch, have two. Eat three potatoes at dinner, instead of only two. Have a taller glass of milk, bigger bowl of cereal, larger piece of fruit.
3. Select higher calorie foods. Read food labels to determine which foods have more calories than an equally enjoyable counterpart. For example, cran-apple juice has more calories than does orange juice (170 vs 110 calories/8 ounces); granola has more calories than Cheerios (700 vs 100 calories/cup); corn more than green beans (140 vs 40 calories/cup).
4. Drink lots of juice and milk. Beverages are a simple way to increase your caloric intake. Instead of drinking water, quench your thirst with calorie-containing fluids. One high school soccer player gained 13 pounds over the summer by simply adding six glasses of cranapple juice (1,000 calories) to his standard daily diet. A baseball player made a weight gain drink by mixing 1 quart of 2%-milk with 4 packets of Instant Breakfast and 1/2 cup of powdered milk (1,000 calories total). He mixed it in the blender each morning, drink half at breakfast and the rest before bed.
5. Do strengthening exercises (weight lifting, push-ups) to stimulate muscular development so that you bulk-up instead of fatten up. Some underweight people are afraid exercise will result in weight loss rather than weight gain. If that's your case, remember that exercise tends to stimulate the appetite; you'll want to eat more. (Yes, exercise may temporarily "kill" your appetite right after a hard workout, but within a few hours, you'll get hungry.) Exercise also increases thirst; you'll easily be able to drink extra juices.

more answers to your nutrition questions check out "Ask the Nutritionists" by George Rapitis at www.authorhouse.com
or your favorite bookstore.

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