For some people, it can be just as difficult to gain weight as it is for overweight people to lose it. If you feel that you are eating a balanced diet but still do not gain weight you should see your doctor to eliminate possible underlying health disorders such as malabsorption problems, intestinal parasites, inflammatory bowel diseases, hyperthyroidism, or some other medical condition.

Once you are satisfied that you do not have any of the above conditions you should start on an exercise and dietary programme.

Exercise

Point number one is to limit cardio vascular workouts. It’s ok to warm up for 5-10 minutes on an exercise bike but any longer and you will burn the calories that you need to build muscle. Therefore, aerobics, spinning, cycling, running are probably not the best thing for you. Point number two is to build lean muscle by using heavy weights; shorter reps with a heaver weight are better then longer reps with a lighter weight. Many women are concerned that using weights will cause them grow huge muscles. However, this is unlikely to be the case as women simply do not have enough testosterone which is required to build super sized muscles. See a fitness instructor or trainer so that they can design a programme for you that will assist you in meeting your goals.

Dietary and supplement advice

Divide your meals into 6 smaller meals throughout the day; this will provide a constant source of fuel for your body. Never allow yourself to get hungry, if this happens you will already be burning your reserves.

Increase healthy sources of protein in the diet, such as chicken, oily fish, lean cuts of meat, nuts, and pulses. A quick and easy way to get protein into the diet is to use a protein powder such as whey protein. Whey is a by-product of cheese manufacturing. It has a high biological value which means that is easy to break down and absorb. It contains branched chain amino acids which are particularly beneficial during and after exercise. Have a whey protein shake after your workout, better still get one that contains carboydrate. See next point.

Studies have shown that taking protein with carbohydrates promotes insulin release, which is also important for protein synthesis. Therefore consider a mass building product such as USN muscle fuel mass, which contains 42g protein, 88g carbohydrate and 600 calories per serving. Have one of these mid morning and one mid afternoon. Thereby adding 1200 extra calories to your normal intake.

Make sure your diet is high in slow release carbohydrates. Choose healthy unrefined sources of carbohydrates eg wholegrains, brown rice, potatoes and other starchy vegetables. Try to avoid too many refined (white) carbohydrate such as white bread, white pasta etc as these can be digested very quickly and can lead to fluctuations in blood sugar and energy.

If you find that you “hit the wall” or literally run out of fuel during your workout, consider using a high carbohydrate drink before and during your workout . This will ensure that you have the right amount of carbohydrate to keep you going. You may want to consider adding one tea spoon of l-glutamine to this mix as this amino acid helps to build lean muscle and supports the immune system.

To stimulate a poor appetite, use a high strength multivitamin that is high in zinc.

Do not drink large amounts of liquids before or during a meal as these can dilute stomach acids making digestion more difficult.

Avoid smoking as this decreases the appetite. Stimulants, which contain caffeine such as tea and coffee, may also have the same effect by raising adrenalin.

See our glycamic index factsheet, aim for high GI foods before and after workout, aim for moderate or low GI foods for your main meals and snacks between workouts.

Consider using Creatine and HMB, both these products help to increase muscle size and strength. Chose a creatine product that contains carbohydrate as this facilitates the uptake of creatine into the cells. If you suffer from bloating you may need to take digestive enzymes as these help break down foods and will facilitate absorption.