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How to Gain Weight Fast and Safely

By Kris Gunnars, BSc, HealthLine, 04/18/19, 12:00PM PDT

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High-protein foods include meats, fish, eggs, many dairy products, legumes, nuts and others. Protein supplements like whey protein can also be useful if you struggle to get enough protein in your diet.

About two thirds of people in the US are either overweight or obese (1). However, there are also many people with the opposite problem of being too skinny (2). This is a concern, as being underweight can be just as bad for your health as being obese. Additionally, many people who are not clinically underweight still want to gain some muscle. Whether you’re clinically underweight or simply struggling to gain muscle weight, the main principles are the same. This article outlines a simple strategy to quickly gain weight — the healthy way.

What does underweight really mean?

Being underweight is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) below 18.5. This is estimated to be less than the body mass needed to sustain optimal health. Conversely, over 25 is considered overweight and over 30 is considered obese.