HomeAnswersInternal Medicinegain weightWhy do I not put on weight even after using appetizers?

I weigh only 37 kg and neither of the appetizers work for me. Why?

Share

The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.

Medically reviewed by

iCliniq medical review team

Published At April 11, 2016
Reviewed AtJune 26, 2023

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

My age is 23 years. But, I weigh only 81.5 lbs for 5 ft height. My parents consulted different medical practitioners, but nothing worked out. Appetizers did not work too. I do not have strong immunity. I get fever often. No one in my family is lean other than me. They all have normal weight. I weighed 6.6 lbs when I was born and it was a normal delivery. Food does not interest me really except sweets and ice creams. Please help.

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com. For a height of 5 ft, your ideal weight should be between 123 lbs to 132 lbs. You can definitely gain weight. First of all, I would suggest you to rule out any chronic disease by carrying out complete blood count, chest x-ray, thyroid hormone profile, liver function tests and blood glucose. In order to gain weight, I would suggest you to take diet rich in proteins. Choose high calorific foods like milk shakes, fruits like banana, pineapple, sapodilla, pear and dry fruits. Add more protein like peanut, soybean, pulses and meat (if non-vegetarian) in your diet. Egg and milk are wholesome food. Take them daily. Warm milk before going to bed brings in a healthy and considerable weight gain. Start with smaller proportions initially and gradually increase the intake. Eat five to six small balanced meals per day rather than eating three large meals. Protein powder and nutritional supplement drinks can be added. In order to increase appetite, you can take Cyproheptadine syrup (Cyproheptadine hydrochloride). It is important to have a balance between exercise and diet for healthy weight gain.

Patient's Query

Thank you doctor,

Can you suggest a diet chart? How many months will it take to see a considerable change? Because, I have never crossed 81.5 lbs in these entire 23 years even if I increase my intake. For one year, I had milk, honey and raw eggs as my morning drink. But, I gained only 2.2 lbs. Nearly for five years, I skipped breakfast. Would it be a reason that I am not gaining weight now? Please help.

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com. If you have any stress please release it. That may be a reason for not gaining weight. You should never skip your breakfast. Actually, breakfast should be heavy. Increase protein intake in your diet. Consume a lot of high calorie snacks (not junk foods) such as cheese sticks, milk shakes, muffins, dry fruits and yoghurts. Eat starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn more often. Eat bananas and two fresh fig daily. Eat at least the following groups of food items. Milk group such as, milk, cheese, yoghurt, cottage cheese and ice cream. Meat group such as, meat, fish, poultry and eggs. Vegetable group such as , dried beans, peas, nuts and potatoes. Fruit group such as fruit juices, fruits like bananas, mango and sapodilla. Grain group such as cereals, bread rolls, pasta, pancakes, rice and muffins. I would suggest you to keep a record of calorie intake each day. Try to increase calorie intake by checking the record and continue to increase calorie intake until you gain weight. You said food does not interest you, but you have to eat more to gain more weight.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Srivastava, Sumit
Dr. Srivastava, Sumit

Internal Medicine

Community Banner Mobile
By subscribing, I agree to iCliniq's Terms & Privacy Policy.

Ask your health query to a doctor online

Internal Medicine

*guaranteed answer within 4 hours

Disclaimer: No content published on this website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, advice or treatment by a trained physician. Seek advice from your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with questions you may have regarding your symptoms and medical condition for a complete medical diagnosis. Do not delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice because of something you have read on this website. Read our Editorial Process to know how we create content for health articles and queries.

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. iCliniq privacy policy