Losing weight without trying can cause apprehension. It might indicate an underlying condition one doesn't know about. Or perhaps you aren't just eating enough healthy food with balanced nutrition.
The latter is a common reason for unexpected weight loss among people.
Several reasons play into not being able to get enough to eat. Some of these are sickness, disability, poor dental health, frequent anxiety, decreased hunger and thirst, and even depression. One needs to consume a significant amount of calories and nutrients into the body to maintain weight and avoid weight loss.
If you fall under any of the categorized reasons above, then the basic thing you need to work on is to consume food with calories and nutrients.
Weight gain is a top-notch priority to those who are underweight because being underweight intensifies the risk of death in the elderly ones most especially.
If you’re having trouble with weight gain, ‘you might wonder if’ or might have been told taking multivitamins helps one gain weight.
What are multivitamins?
Multivitamins are a blend of different vitamins and minerals present in food sources. They are used to prevent vitamin deficiency in the body.
What makes Vitamins important?
Every single day, our body organs and systems are working round the clock to keep us alive and well. Our body systems metabolize and convert the food we eat to energy. You know without energy in your body there’s a high risk of you breaking down frequently. This is where vitamins come in. They are of vital importance for the metabolism processes.
In general, vitamins play specific roles in our body to keep our health optimal.
There are 13 essential vitamins that one must get from the food you eat to help meet your nutrition needs.
They have been divided into two types: fat-soluble and water-soluble.
Fat-Soluble Vitamins
They are four in number:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K
Water-Soluble Vitamins
They are nine in number:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B1
- Vitamin B2
- Vitamin B3
- Vitamin B5
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin B7
- Vitamin B9
- Vitamin B12
Benefits of using Multivitamins:
- Multivitamins help to increase energy levels.
- Multivitamins keep the heart healthy.
- They help to boost the immune system.
- Multivitamins also support eye health.
- They help in improving brain functions.
- Multivitamins reduce stress & depression.
- Lastly, they help to reduce the risk of cancer.
Can Multivitamins help to Gain Weight?
The nippy answer is no.
Alas, multivitamins are micronutrients that naturally don’t contain calories which means they cannot contribute to weight gain.
Weight gain transpires when you’re taking in more calories from food than you’re able to burn constantly.
Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are macronutrients that contain calories. Each gram of carbohydrates has four calories, every gram of fat has nine calories, and every single gram of protein has four calories.
So How Do I Gain Weight?
If multivitamins aren’t the answer, how do you gain weight then? There are several things you can do:
- Get checked for micronutrient deficiencies by your doctor.
- Eat more calories than your body can burn.
- Consume energy-rich foods frequently.
- Avoid smoking.
- Seek treatment for possible underlying medical conditions.
- Eat plenty of protein-rich foods.
- Lift heavy weights and improve your strength to make sure that the excess calories go to your muscles instead of just your fat cells.
- Avoid drinking water before meals as it can fill your stomach and make it harder to get in enough calories.
We’ve been able to highlight some foods you could start eating regularly to gain weight. They are:
Grains
- Rice
- Pancakes/Waffles
- Oatmeal
- Whole Wheat Bagels
- Pasta
Vegetables
- Sweet Potatoes
- Squashes
- Peas
- Corn
Fruits
- Bananas
- Avocados
- Dried fruit
- Shredded coconut
Dairy
- Whole Milk
- Whole Milk Yogurt
- Cheese
- Cream Cheese
- Ice cream
Protein
- Salmon
- Sardines
- Nuts/nut butter
- Seeds
- Beans
Conclusion
It can be very tough for some people to gain weight. At the end of the day, changing your weight is a marathon, not a sprint. It can take a long time, and you need to be regular if you want to succeed in the long run. Build your foundation, keep training regularly, and focus on getting your diet right most of the time. Then try to be patient, your results will come!
For more information as to why Multivitamins can’t help to gain weight, check out the video below
Do you have more food suggestions and weight gain tips you'd like to share? Kindly do so in the comment box.