I have been the same weight for years. Please help.

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 19 year old female and my height is 5 feet and 6 inches. My weight is 47 kg, which is very low compared to the girls of my age. I have been the same weight for the last two to three years and my weight does not seem to increase. Also, I do not get hungry. Please help me in this.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Firstly, get yourself investigated thoroughly to rule out any medical or surgical conditions. Get a complete hemogram, blood sugar, and thyroid function tests done.

I assume you are a healthy adult. So, I suggest you take a diet rich in carbohydrates to gain weight. Take a balanced, nutritional, and healthy diet. You must remember to always balance the same as an excess of anything is bad.

A carbohydrate rich diet includes potatoes, sweet potato, rice, palm fruit, egg, whole grains, apples, watermelon, citrus fruits, dry fruits, full cream milk, corn, cakes and cookies, jam, honey, etc.

Include a lot of green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits, fresh juice, soups, and salad in your diet.

You must exercise, walk, or do yoga as much as your health permits. Remember to start gradually.

Here is a sample diet plan that might help you:

Breakfast: Four boiled or scrambled eggs or omelet and a glass of milk with two to three scoops of protein powder if you want to add muscle mass as well.
Midday: A bowl of chicken soup or vegetable soup with a spoonful of cream.
Lunch: A big bowl of black gram, green gram, other pulses, cottage cheese, fresh paneer, soya bean, fish, chicken, or mutton, four roti made from multi-grain flour, a bowl of yogurt, and a glass of buttermilk.
Evening: A glass of juice, and a snack made of besan or gram flour which is protein rich.
Just before dinner: A bowl of chicken, mutton or vegetable soup.
Dinner: A vegetable, two to three roti made from multi-grain flour, and a bowl of yogurt.

You may try different recipes with high protein vegetables like soya bean, pulses, and gram flour. You can take soy milk for added proteins. Fish has high omega 3 fatty acids. When making fresh paneer the leftover water is protein-rich and can be used in various ways, added to good as well. Various recipes made out of hung curd which will again add variety being protein rich as well. A word of caution, however. Do not over do the proteins, as they have to break down for digestion and an appropriate level of uric acid has to be maintained in the body.

You may follow up for further details.

For more information consult an internal medicine physician online