Gaining weight… a healthy way!

‘Underweight’ health risks

It may sound like a dream to some, but a surprising number of people find it difficult to gain weight and while people are generally aware of the risks of being overweight, few realise that being underweight has its own health risks, including:

• Increased vulnerability to disease and infections
• Anaemia and nutrient deficiencies
• Bone loss and osteoporosis
• Amenorrhoea (absence of menstruation in women)
• Heart irregularities and blood vessel disease

What is classified as being “underweight”?

A BMI of 19 for women and 20 for men is generally considered too low – click here to calculate your BMI.

Note that the BMI is a guideline only – you may be fit and well and just have a slender body. If you are in doubt, consult with your GP.

Some of the early indicators that your low weight may a problem are lethargy, depression and generally lacking in energy and vitality.

If you experience sudden unexpected weight loss, you should contact your doctor as this may be an indicator of an underlying health problem.

What can you do to gain weight?

The ONLY way to gain weight is to eat more calories than you expend as energy. However if you are underweight, lack of appetite can make it difficult to eat sufficient calories to gain weight and if you choose to eat the ‘wrong’ foods to gain weight, you can end up gaining fat rather than healthy lean body mass. Here are some tips that you may find useful.

1. Set a plan:

• Before getting started you need to set yourself realistic targets – aim to gain around 1kg / 2.2 lbs per month which will require around 300 – 350 extra calories per day than you use.
• Working out your current calorie intake each day and your resting metabolic rate (the calories your body is estimated to burn each day without exercising) might give you some useful information to start your weight gain plan. You can also try keeping a food diary – this will help you to see where you could increase your calories, by including extra small meals or increasing the portion sizes of the food you eat – as long as you are eating the appropriate food.
• Some ‘resistance’ or ‘toning’ exercises should ideally form part of your plan. It may seem counter-intuitive as exercising burns calories, but this will actually help to keep your muscles toned and your bones healthy! Half an hour of physical activity, 5 days a week (this could include housework, walking, mowing the lawn etc) combined with some resistance training should be sufficient – but make sure you also take plenty of time to rest!

2. Get yourself a good nutrition programme!

A combination of healthy and well balanced meals, incorporating all the major food groups, taken with a good quality nutritional supplement will generally get great results for weight gain. Many people find it easier to eat several small meals as they have a small appetite.

For healthy weight gain, the body’s cells should be fully nourished. The advanced technology in the Herbalife core cellular nutrition products (Formulas 1 & 2 below) help your cells to repair, and perform their functions with maximum efficacy by supplying the amino acids, vitamins, minerals and herbal factors individual cells need and benefit from. When your cells are nourished in this way, your body seems to work more effectively, leaving you feeling energised, with improved digestion and metabolism – your body can start to achieve a natural state of balance.

With this in mind, the top weight gain Herbalife product recommendations are:

• Herbalife Formula 1 Healthy Meal which is blended to provide easily-absorbed, high quality soy proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and dietary fibres. Formula 1 makes it easy for you to absorb extra nutrients and you can use it to increase your number of daily meals by having a shake in between your regular foods.
• Herbalife Formula 2 Multivitamin & Mineral complex which is designed to replenish the body’s nutritional resources and create a foundation to support long-term health – see FAQs page for list of ingredients.
• Herbalife Formula 3 Personalised Protein Powder which can be added to your Formula 1 shakes, as well as your own soups or sauces (mixes in perfectly so you can even add it to your pasta sauce!) to increase your heart-healthy soy protein intake.
• Cell Activator will help you to get better absorption of nutrients from the foods you are already eating. This formula also supplies you with some of the nutrients that can be more difficult to obtain or absorb and those that support your body’s energy production.

As well as providing your body with superb quality balanced nutrition, Herbalife products contain a special selection of herbs which are specifically blended to cleanse your digestive system (especially the villi) and allow you to maximise the nutrition from the products themselves and also the other food you eat.

3. Get a coach!

Whenever you make a change to your lifestyle and eating habits, it can be a challenge. This is the case whether you are looking to control your weight, start exercising or just eat more healthily. Many people find that the support from a coach is vital in helping them achieve their goals.

When you order Herbalife products from us, you get a Personal Wellness Coach who will work with you to help define your goals, will be in regular contact (by phone/email/SMS) and will help you to make the programme work around your lifestyle – we’ll help you with the small changes that can make a big difference. If you would like to discuss your requirements please contact us or you can browse the full product catalogue by clicking on the logo below.