According to physiologists, human bodies are of three types: endomorph, mesomorph and ectomorph. Endomorphs are round and fat; they find it difficult to lose weight. Mesomorphs are neither too fat nor too thin; they can lose the weight they gain very easily. Ectomorphs are usually thin and tall; they can eat whatever they want without gaining much weight.

If you are an ectomorph and you wish to gain weight, the bad news is that it will be difficult for you. Your metabolic rate is too high and your muscle growth is comparatively lower. If you want to gain muscles, you need a comprehensive workout routine and the right diet. Along with the right training, you need to remember to eat from the three major food groups: carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

I. Carbohydrates: Carbohydrate is the main energy source for your body and you need 50-60 per cent of it in your daily intake. The foods you can include in your diet are as follows:
1. Fruits
2. Oatmeal
3. Potatoes
4. Yam
5. Pasta
6. Whole grain cereal
7. Quinoa
8. Vegetables

II. Proteins: Protein is the most important macronutrient (food you need in huge amounts in your diet). Protein plays an important part in repairing your body and building muscles. You need 1.5 grams of protein intake as per your bodyweight. Proteins you can eat include:
1. Lean meat (Such as turkey or chicken)
2. Fish (Such as halibut, tilapia, cod, etc.)
3. Seafood (Such as crabs, prawns or lobsters)
4. Eggs
5. Skim milk
6. Whey protein
7. Cottage cheese

III. Fats: The correct fat intake will raise your testosterone levels (this hormone is responsible for muscle growth), protect the joints in your body, provide extra energy and improve your mood. You can add fat to your diet by consuming the following foods:
1. Nuts
2. Organic nut butter (Such as peanut butter or almond butter)
3. Fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, trout, tuna, mackerel and herring
4. Healthy oils (Such as olive oil, fish oil or flaxseed oil)
5. Avocado

Diet Tips for an Ectomorph

Obesity doesn't happen overnight. It develops gradually over time, as a result of poor diet and lifestyle choices.

Obesity occurs when a person has too much fat stored in his/her body. This extra weight can come from body water, fat, bone and muscle. Obesity usually occurs when you consume more calories than you can burn. It is caused due to a variety of factors such as being physically inactive, eating foods containing a high fat content, overeating and genetic makeup. Obesity can have a lot of complications such as cancer, arthritis, stroke, heart diseases and diabetes.

How do people become obese?

Consuming too much calories: Nowadays people are consuming more food than they did in the previous generations. Consuming too much unhealthy calories can make people obese which may lead to a lot of complications in the future.
Leading a sedentary and unhealthy lifestyle: With the growth of technology, people have become more inactive and are leading a more sedentary lifestyle as compared to their past generations. With the advent of shopping malls and grocery outlets people don t have to walk miles for food. This also leads to an inactive lifestyle which later results in obesity.
Not getting enough sleep: According to studies, sleep deprivation may also lead to obesity. This happens due to an increased appetite because of hormonal changes. Sleep deprivation leads your body to produce less amounts of a hormone (leptin) which increases appetite.
Medications: Certain medications can also lead to rapid weight gain. In such cases, alternate therapy should be opted especially for those people who are predisposed to obesity and weight gain.
Obesity gene: According to statistics people who have the FTO gene variant in their bloodstream tend to eat more than usual. They also prefer fatty and high energy foods.
It is very difficult for obese people to reduce their weight. By changing in lifestyle like Diet, Physical activity level, water intake and sleeping pattern, if changed under supervision of specialist with dedication, discipline and faith in their dietitian, can give wonderful results for lifetime.

World Obesity Day - Why People Become Overweight?

Being overweight or obese leads to many health problems and thus, controlling your diet to reduce fat and weight can help you get your life back. However, one the other side of the spectrum, being too skinny can also be unhealthy. You could also be clinically of proper weight but might want to put on some muscle. Diets for both sides will thus vary greatly.

Diet for weight loss:

Include more of dark leafy vegetables in your diet: These vegetables are storehouses of many important nutrients, such as vitamins, proteins, fibres and antioxidants and also contain no fats.
Cereals and grains: It is important that we replace refined flour and fried food items, such as parathas or poori with whole healthy grains. Some examples of these grains are whole wheat bread, brown rice, rotis and oats.
Lean meats: Certain forms of meat, which have been prepared without too much oil and spice are good as weight loss diet ingredients. Chicken, turkey, sweet-water fish among others are good choices.
Fruits: Fruits are also a good option as they have natural sugar within them and can provide a boost of energy without requiring processed sugars. Melons, Oranges, berries, guavas are all good examples as they also help in regulating body functions.
Diets for weight gain:

Peanuts: This ingredient is a good source of protein and unsaturated fats, which will help you build muscle and put on some extra weight. If you are working out at the gym to gain muscles peanuts can provide you with the required calories and protein to put on weight.
Bananas: This fruit is not only a source of potassium, but also a source of good sugar which can easily be converted into energy within the body and can help build muscles and thus enable you to put on weight the healthy way.
Eggs: Eggs, especially egg yolk is known to be rich in protein and fats and can help you gain weight quickly. However, it is advised not to eat multiple eggs and limit its consumption to three or four eggs weekly as it can contribute to bad cholesterol within the body.
Chocolate: Some amount of chocolate in your food also helps you to put on weight although excessive consumption may lead to elevated blood sugar levels. However, chocolates in moderation and regularity will help you put on weight healthily.

Diet For Weight Loss And Weight Gain!

If you have been that extremely skinny guy in your high school days, never getting picked for the soccer team, then it is time to fix that stubborn weight issue. Worry not, it s fairly easy, all you have to do is make changes in your diet. Diet is the primary component that can help gain weight.

Some tips you can follow and design your diet plan accordingly are mentioned below: 

Increase your appetite by eating more to gain weight. But do it step-by-step and not by stuffing yourself too much at one go. Add one extra chapatti or more rice than you normally consume, or you even start with fruits by eating an extra one every day. Ghee, oil or butter can not only help increase your weight, but it may increase weight by increasing your fat percentage in your body. Rather you can eat a proper well-nourished diet and increase your muscle mass and not only the fat accumulation in the body.

Carbohydrates are needed to gain weight but include healthier options like banana, potato, mango, whole grain, rice, etc. Instead of sugar-rich food items like chocolates and other junk food items. Carbohydrates are classified into simple and complex carbs. Reduce on your simple carbs like sugar and sweets which later on converts to fats. Complex carbs like whole grains, beans or fibre-rich vegetables and fruits can be consumed for a healthy weight gain.

Consume protein-rich food items after your workout to increase your muscle mass. And eat good fats like nuts and seeds in your diet. Eating a handful of pumpkin or flaxseeds is a good way to give your body the fat intake it needs. Though junk food items like vada pav or burgers are loaded with calories, they only increase body fat and not muscle mass. This is not the right way to go around. Every meal should comprise of carbs and protein. Post-workout nutrients and a well-balanced diet with the proper combination of carbohydrates and protein is the most important to maintain your muscle mass and weight gain process.
Sample Meal Plan -

To give you more opportunities to get the calories to gain weight, aim to eat 3 meals and 2-3 snacks a day. For breakfast, enjoy generous servings of whole grains like whole-wheat bread with beans or egg whites, paneer or Cereals and a glass of milk with nuts will be a good combination.

Mid-morning can be fruit juices, fruit milkshakes, 1-2 serving of fruit or granola bars. Lunch and dinner can be incorporated with 3-4 wholegrain chapattis with a serving of pulses, paneer, chicken or fish and a serving of vegetables with a portion of rice OR 1 bowl of khichdi which serves you with good cereal pulse combination. In between meals if you feel hungry you can have sprouts or roasted channa. Evening you can either grab a whole wheat sandwich, a whole wheat roll or a whole wheat sub.

Bedtime you can either have a glass of milk or either banana /mango/strawberry milkshake.

Right Ways To Gain Weight!

Some new studies have shown that eating while you are walking can cause weight gain. The findings have said that while walking you tend to consume more food than when you are stagnant. However, not only walking but also while conversing with others or watching television increases your urge to consume more food.

The reasons for which you may consume more food while walking are:

If you sometimes eat on the go then you can consume more food later in the day. Because while eating we did not concentrate how much of amount we consumed.
One more reason of consuming much food can be that walking is one powerful distraction. As you do not completely concentrate on your food it falls into mindless eating.
Concentrating on your food is a significant part of enjoying your food and managing weight gain.
When you sit down and eat, you tend to focus on how much food you are taking in one bite, and chew properly. Nevertheless, when walking and eating none of these happens.
When you walk and eat, you do not pay attention to what you are eating. While on the go you just grab whatever food satiates your hunger and this leads to weight gain later.
There are also some simple steps to avoid over eating. They are:

Sit on a table and eat slowly.
Chew your food properly.
You should stop eating when you first start feeling that you are full.
Try to eat as many vegetables as you can and try to avoid junk foods.
Weight gain and obesity is also associated with our mind. When we start consuming food, our brain takes at least 20 minutes to connect to our stomach. So, eating slowly is a much needed for avoiding weight gain.

Can Walking While Eating Can Lead to Weight Gain?

Tummy tuck also known as an abdominoplasty, a tummy tuck surgery is a form of cosmetic surgery, which is used to remove excess fat and skin from the abdomen as well as tighten the muscles in your abdominal regions. Similar to 'mommy makeovers' (a procedure applicable after pregnancy, which helps women restore their figure). 


Tummy tuck surgery is used to help patients treat that loose and sagging skin who have experienced excessive weight loss within a relatively short period of time. Although, it is usually done for cosmetic reasons, it does provide a large number of medical benefits, such as:


1. Reduction in stress urinary incontinence: Stress Urinary Incontinence is a bladder control problem that is characterized by involuntary urination because of exercises or normal bodily functions such as sneezing or coughing which might put pressure on the bladder. In some women, (SUI) can develop after a vaginal birth. The condition does not generally require a surgery. However, research has shown that in severe cases, abdominoplasty is helpful in patients who do not have a caesarean section. A slight bladder obstruction is made during the procedure using soft tissue which reduces the incontinence.


2. Better posture and improved abdominal tone: Strong muscles tend to become weak after multiple pregnancies and extreme weight loss. In these cases, diet and exercise are not enough. Abdominoplasty surgically removes excess fat and skin thereby, tightening weak muscles and flattening the abdomen. It is noticed that after the surgery, the patients develop an improved posture due to the tightened muscles supporting the spine. This helps in relieving a variety of back pains.


3. Correction of ventral hernia: Ventral Hernia is the bulging out of tissues through a defect, opening or past incisions within the wall muscles of the abdomen. In such a case, the surgeon may opt for Abdominoplasty to support the abdominal wall and prevent recurrences.


Medical Benefits of Tummy Tuck Surgery 

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