In a world where people are so conscious about their body weight and constantly looking for ways to shed some pounds, there are people worried about not being able to gain weight. Not eating enough calories is usually the reason why most people fail to gain weight. However, certain diseases can also make it difficult or literally impossible to put on weight. To resolve the issue, you need to understand the reasons for not gaining weight and then look for a solution.

Reasons You Are Not Gaining Weight

From your lifestyle to underlying medical condition, so many things can keep you from gaining weight. Here is more detail about those reasons.

1. Lifestyle Factors

You may have a hard time gaining weight if you are not paying attention to how many calories you need on a daily basis. Your lifestyle may be so busy to keep you from eating meals in a timely fashion. Skipping meals and not including the right foods in your meals, such as carbs or fats, can also be among the reasons for not gaining weight. Similarly, engaging in strenuous workout programs without consuming enough calories will make you lose weight. Check your lifestyle and keep track of your calorie expenditure and intake to resolve the issue.

2. Hyperthyroidism

It refers to a condition in which your thyroid gland is overactive and produces too much thyroxin. Overproduction of this hormone triggers your metabolism and you end up burning calories more rapidly. You are more likely to feel hungry all the time, but not matter how much you eat, your body metabolizes it quickly without affecting your overall weight.

Other symptoms of hyperthyroidism include an irregular heartbeat, anxiety, nervousness, an increase in bowel movements, and tremors in the fingers and hands. Your menstrual patterns may also change. Muscle weakness, fatigue, and an enlargement in your neck are other common symptoms that require you to visit your doctor as soon as possible.

3. Diabetes

Diabetes can be divided into two categories – Type 1 and Type 2. You develop type-1 diabetes when your body fails to produce enough insulin, whereas type-2 diabetes causes your body to resist insulin. Your body needs insulin to regulate your main source of fuel, called glucose. You may feel hungry all the time but you will not be able to gain weight if you have diabetes. You may have other symptoms as well, such as fatigue, blurred vision, thirst, increased appetite, and increased urination. Talk to your doctor if you notice these symptoms.

4. Gastrointestinal Issues

Problems with the intestines are also among the reasons for not gaining weight. It usually means your body cannot absorb what you eat. You might have to deal with malnutrition even if you are eating a lot. You cannot gain weight if you develop "malabsorption syndromes", which also include certain diseases, such as Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and celiac disease. You may experience other symptoms as well when you have gastrointestinal issues – the list includes gas, abdominal pain, fatigue, and rapid weight loss.

5. High Physical Activity

Irrespective of what you eat, you are never going to gain weight if you burn all those calories through a strenuous workout session. If your job requires you to be on your feet all the time, you are going to burn more calories as compared to people who are inactive or have a sedentary lifestyle. Lowering your workout intensity may help resolve the issue.

6. Psychological Issues

How you feel mentally is going to affect you physically. Being under stress and depression can change your eating habits and directly affect your body weight. You may develop eating disorders because of severe body image fears. If you think your emotional issues are responsible for your weight problems, you should talk to your doctor or work with a counselor to improve your condition.

7. Other Causes

You may also find it difficult to put on weight because of the following reasons. For instance, you may not gain weight if:

• You take prescription medications that increase your metabolism.
• You have infection, cancer or neurological issues.
• You are genetically thin and other people in your family are also born with a faster metabolism.

Healthy Ways to Gain Weight

Knowing the reasons for not gaining weight and then making a plan will help take control of your situation. Still, you need to be very careful of what you eat. You should not automatically assume that eating junk food is going to help you gain weight. Even if it does, it also leads to malnutrition. You may also harm your body by eating too much of salt, sugar, and fat in the form of junk food. Therefore, you will be better off following healthy eating habits to gain weight. Here are a few tips to consider:

• Increase calories in a healthy way. The best thing is to include nut or seed toppings with each meal. You can also include cheese and other healthy side dishes in your diet to gain weight. Adding sunflower seeds, almonds, lots of fruits, and whole-grain wheat toast may also help increase your calories.
• Eat nutritious food. You should avoid empty calories as much as possible and go nutrient dense. Include protein-rich meats in your diet to put on lean muscles. Increase your carbs intake by eating whole grains. Carbohydrates provide you with energy even if you have a reduced appetite.
• Choose snacks carefully. You should choose the options with plenty of carbs and protein. Some of the best options are protein bars, trail mix, protein drinks, and crackers with peanut butter. You can also have snacks that include healthy fats, such as avocados and nuts.
• Try mini-meals and see how they work. This usually works great if you are dealing with a curbed appetite. You may find it work great to eat several meals throughout the day to increase your calorie intake and put on some weight as well.
• Try strength training instead of too much of aerobic stuff. Your goal is to save calories, and that is why your focus should be on strength training. Weight lifting and yoga usually work great and help you put on weight by building muscle.