Gaining weight can be as tough as losing weight, says Mayo Clinic nutritionist Katherine Zeratsky. This is especially true if you're over 65 years old and battling depression or a chronic medical condition, if you have trouble smelling and chewing food or are taking a medication that causes nausea. Being underweight can make a senior or elderly individual more susceptible to infections or muscle loss. Talk to your doctor if your body weight has dropped 4 or 5 percent in the last year without any changes in your diet.
Eat Frequently
Registered dietitian Cynthia Sass says that one of the first things you should do as a senior or elderly individual trying to gain weight is to eat more often. Aim for five or six small meals interspersed throughout the day, with none more than three or four hours apart. You can still have breakfast, lunch and dinner at your normal times, but work in high-energy snacks like cheese and crackers, nut butter spread on fruit, granola or protein bars, smoothies, ready-to-eat cereal with milk or seeds like sunflower seeds in-between meals.
Choose Nutrient-Dense Foods
It's not a good idea to try to gain weight by eating high-calorie, high-fat foods, advises the University of Texas at Austin University Health Services department. Fast food and processed or prepackaged foods like chips or pizza contain a large amount of saturated fat, trans fats, sodium and cholesterol. Instead, fill your meals with whole grains, low- or non-fat dairy products, nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables and lean proteins like poultry, seafood, lean meat cuts or beans and legumes.
Make Drinks Count
It's good for a senior or elderly individual to drink plenty of water every day, but beverages are an easy way to add more calories into an underweight person's diet. Juice, low- or non-fat milk, smoothies and shakes are all good ways to increase your caloric intake without adding in too much fat. Try adding ground flaxseed, nut butter, wheat germ or protein powder into your smoothies and shakes. Be sure to not drink any of these calorie-dense beverages with a meal since they may fill you up and keep you from eating as much as you need.
Exercise
You're probably used to thinking of regular exercise as a way to lose weight, not to gain it. However, the McKinley Health Center assures that exercise can help seniors and elderly individuals gain weight by building up your lean muscle mass and stimulating your appetite. Any physical activity is good, but strength training in particular will help build muscles and lead to weight gain. Aim to exercise for three to five days each week, but talk to your doctor before starting an exercise plan if you're a senior or elderly person with any type of health condition.
Source: http://healthyeating.sfgate.com
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