How to Gain Weight for Teens in 2021

In 2021, many teens aim to gain weight but either fail or don't know how to. If you're reading this, you're probably a teen who wants to gain weight and have that dream body or a troubled parent who is looking for a solution to help their teen child gain some extra weight. 

In most cases, your body metabolism genetics, and body type are major reasons why you're not gaining enough weight, or you're not just eating enough calories to help you gain weight. 

In this article, we will discuss how metabolism, genetics and body type make gaining weight a difficult task to accomplish. 

What is Metabolism?

Metabolism is the chemical reaction in our body that transforms food into energy. Metabolism helps us live and function as humans, and works in such a way that it makes use of enzymes to

• Turn carbs into simple sugars like glucose, etc. 
• Transform fats into fatty acids
• Breaks proteins into amino acids

Difference Between Slow & Fast Metabolism

Individuals with slow metabolism utilize lesser calories, and by doing so, calories that are not utilized for energy are stored in our bodies as unwanted fat. Also, people with slow metabolism find it hard to melt fat regardless of their engagement in calorie deficiency programs. 

While, people with faster metabolism utilize more calories, meaning it is burned at a faster rate than people with a slow metabolism. People with fast metabolism struggle to gain extra weight even when they eat a lot.  

Body Type's and How they Are the Cause You're Not Adding Weight

There are three (3) different body types every individual falls under. They are endomorph, mesomorph and ectomorph. 

• Ectomorphs are long and lean, find it hard to build muscle or add some extra pounds, have a delicate frame, and fast metabolism. Examples of ectomorphs are models, basketball players, marathon runners, etc... So, if you're struggling to gain some extra pounds, it's not your fault, it's in your genes.

 

• These people are the opposite of ectomorphs because they have body fat, muscle and gain weight easily even when they eat moderately. They are mostly round and heavy individuals. 

• People with this body type are solid, athletic and have the body everyone dreams of. 

What Medical Complications Make People Not to Gain Weight?

Medical complications can cause why underweight people struggle to add some extra pounds even when they eat a lot. Also, it could be genetics or just an eating disorder that causes you to be underweight, so, no there's no cause for panic. 

Below are medical complications, medical experts say can cause weight gain problems in teens. 

Hyperthyroidism - This happens when the thyroid gland of a teen or adult produces an excess of the hormone thyroxine. Hyperthyroidism is commonly known to accelerate the body's metabolism, causing can accelerate your body's metabolism, causing unintended weight loss and a fast heartbeat rate. There are available treatments for medical complications such as this. 

Type 1 Diabetes - This is a medical complication where the pancreas does not produce insulin, little to no insulting is provided, and this causes frequent urination, increased thirst, weakness, and sudden weight loss. This condition is chronic and life-threatening, although, there it is treatable by a medical professional. 

Treatments or Medications - Teens who are undergoing treatments or taking medications that cause vomiting, loss of appetite, nausea or diarrhoea, may find it hard to gain weight. Let's take antibiotics and chemotherapy for examples, these two examples can make gaining weight a struggle for underweight teens. 

3 Simple Steps to a Better Gaining Weight Journey

According to research, the recommended daily calorie intake for men is 2500 calories, and 2000 calories for women. Experts advise that you target a calorie intake level of 3500. Many people misunderstand this to mean they should eat anything you come across like junk and all. Add more carbohydrates to your diet to help you gain weight the right way. 

See also: Top 10 Gain Weight Foods for Gaining Weight in 2021

• Know your Body Mass Index - BMI helps health experts determine if a patient is overweight or underweight.  Also, it has been harnessed for more than 100 years.

See also: How to calculate your Body Mass Index in 2021

• Calculate daily calories intake - This is a very important step to take if you are serious about gaining weight as a teen naturally and quickly to give you that body you desire. Calculating your daily calorie intake gives you an upper hand and a sense of control over what you eat and achieving your goal. 

See also: How to calculate daily calories intake

• Consume at least 3500 calories daily - Now that you know how many calories are needed for you as a male or female to consume daily, it's time to tweak your diet into one that is healthy, and packed with a lot of calories. Many case studies of people who beat the underweight problem claim they tweaked their diet into one that contained 3500 calories. Meaning they consumed at least 3500 calories daily. If they did it, you can do it too.  

• Engage in compound exercises - Lastly, you should understand that after tweaking your diet and daily calorie intake to 3500 calories, your body would either use the high amount of carbs in your body either as a source for energy or it will be stored in the body as unwanted or visceral fat. To prevent gaining weight in an unhealthy manner, fitness and health experts advise that you engage in compound exercises. Compound exercises are the exercises that work collective muscle groups at the same time. A squat is an example of a compound exercise, it works the calves, quadriceps and glues at the same time.

See also: Top 10 Compound Exercises for Gaining Weight in 2021