The big question for many women and men is: do I need to gain weight? There are many things that can affect our overall health. Studies show that people who have a normal and healthy body weight live the longest and seem to have the best health. People who are under weight, just as people who are over weight, could be putting their health and enjoyment of life at risk.

One reason that people may be underweight is due to a medical condition. There are certain health issues that can cause a person to be below what is considered to be a healthy weight. The thing to keep ion mind is that if you are underweight because of a health condition you most likely have other symptoms as well such as diarrhea or stomach upset.

It may be difficult for your body to put on weight when you are fighting a health issue. However, by working closely with your doctor you should be able to gain some weight so that you can increase your muscle mass.

If you are under weight due to recent weight loss that was unintentional you might be feeling tired and lethargic. Check with your doctor to see if there is a health issue that caused your weight loss. If you make a conscious effort to restrict and control how much you eat you might have an eating disorder. Again, your doctor can talk to you about what a healthy weight is about and can help you find help with your eating disorder.

For boys, puberty will bring not only weight gain but also a gain in bulk as their shoulders broaden and their muscle mass increases. If you have a child that is too skinny for their age, gaining weight might be a big issue in your family. Make sure to feel your child healthy foods that are well balanced with both proteins and carbohydrates.

Start by eating about 500 more calories each day than you normally do. If you have a lot of weight that you want to gain you should gradually increase your calorie consumption from 500 calories to 1000. Try to eat snacks during the day so that the calories are dispersed over a period of time. When given the choice, choose the higher calorie food option.

Athletes may want to gain weight and build up their muscles so they can put more performance into their sport. All of the above reasons are sound and legitimate reasons for gaining weight. The thing to remember is that you gain weight the right way by eating a healthy diet with a balanced food plan.

If you want to gain weight but have a high percentage of body fat you'll want a diet plan with a nutrient ratio of 40% or 50% of protein. This type of diet plan is good for men you have more than 15% body fat and women whose body fat is more than 25%.If you want to gain weight not only do you need to cut back on your cardio workout you also need to focus on the strength training aspects of your workout.