Since I’ve known myself, I’ve been a skinny girl who ate a reasonable amount but stayed at the same weight through the years. Up until a few years ago, I still had pieces in my closet from high school, that’s how little my body changed. The problem wasn’t that I wasn’t eating. I was eating consistently but somehow, the food wouldn’t stay within my body.

There is an additional problem to this; having no appetite. Thankfully, my issue wasn’t so much about appetite. But many people who struggle with weight gain actually deal with a lack of appetite as well, which makes it almost impossible to gain weight.

Especially mental health issues such as anxiety or depression can lead to mind-body disconnect. If this is you, you can dive deeper into how to gain weight when dealing with anxiety in my previous article, here.

Thankfully, I figured out my way to a healthy and stable weight gain. There is a carefully crafted path that works brilliantly if you do it the right way.

Here are a few steps you can take on the path of healthy weight gain even when you have fast metabolism but don’t have an appetite:

1-    Add in sneaky calories

Whatever you already eat, without changing the actual meal itself, make those meals slightly richer in calories. To accomplish this, you can top salads, pastas, tacos, or soups with shredded cheese; add ricotta cheese to your omelets; add quinoa or beans to your salads, or extra avocados to your meals.

When the meals look the same even though it’s slightly higher in calories, the mind will not react or resist because visually, you are still consuming the same thing you always consume. Simple and easy!

2-    Add snacks

If lack of appetite is an issue for you, adding snacks is a great option for you: small and light. Regardless of how big your snack is, make sure to have protein-rich snacks. That way, even though you may not have enough appetite to consume lots of food, you can still consume high calories.

3-    Strive for “one more bite”

Every meal, ask yourself, “Can I have more bite?”. Most likely, you can. Anybody can have one more bite, even the ones that struggle with appetite. Remember, the goal is not to have one more plate or an extra slice of bread. Simple and easy, extra bite, that’s all!

4-    Enrich your smoothies and other drinks

Whatever you can drink easily, add a healthy protein powder to it. This is great for people who struggle with a lack of appetite because calories are sneaky and drinkable! Even if it’s your morning coffee or afternoon fruit juice, add a small amount of protein. Make it as small as you cannot taste as much in your drink.

5-    Stay on top of it

If you struggle with appetite, remembering what you ate that day and making sure you consumed enough food can be exhausting. Additionally, you may overestimate the amount you are eating. To stay on top of your food intake, write down everything that enters your mouth on a daily basis.

Some call this food diary, some call this taking a note. No matter what you call it, you can write it down on paper or even phone apps such as the See How You Eat App or Foodility App that can help you be on the right track.

6-    Add milk to your diet

When I was on my journey of weight gain, milk helped me a lot to take in those extra calories when I wasn’t hungry. Drinking a cup of milk can be relatively easy even if you struggle with a lack of appetite. You can get the highest calories with the whole milk option but if you are dairy-free, alternative milk options will work just as good as well!

7-    Be prepared at all times

They say if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. As extra skinny people, we have no room to skip a meal or forget to eat. Whenever you are on the go, driving in the car, or at the office, make sure to have your snacks or meal handy. Planning your options ahead is crucial when it comes to staying on top of your meals. Think about some quick snack options that are non-perishable and you can keep in the car or in your bag.

If you tend to forget to eat when you’re busy, set your phone’s alarm or set reminders. If you know that you are going to stay in late at work, think about what you’d be eating for dinner.

8-    Avoid empty-calorie foods

It’s important to find the balance between avoiding unhealthy or unnecessary options just as much as eating more. While you’re trying to gain weight, try to limit empty calorie food intake as they will provide a sense of fullness even though they won’t provide enough calories.

The most important one is water before meals. Limit your water intake before and during meals. Try not to consume mostly water-based vegetables and fruits by themselves as snacks. You can try cucumbers with hummus or tomatoes with cheese bites.

Cookies and cakes are also dangerous as they will fill your stomach even though they won’t provide enough calories.

9-    Find “the reason why”

If all else fails, it’s time to dig deeper and find out the real reason why you may be resisting to food or weight gain. There may be many reasons why you may be struggling and it’s important to take in enough calories to lead a healthy and comfortable life.

Whether it’s due to stress, anxiety, or other physical causes, make sure to get external help to return to your balance.

Final words

Weight gain can be challenging, especially when you struggle with a lack of appetite. However, with consistency and patience, you can rebuild a sense of appetite and increase your calorie intake in the long term. iMedicalnewstoday.com outlines some high-calorie foods that you can choose from here. Remember to ask for external help when needed.