Facing The Scale: Struggling with Weight Gain

Whether you're overweight or underweight, trying to maintain a healthy weight is difficult for both. I struggled with weight gain for many years. People kept telling me I needed to eat more, put more on my plate and even said how lucky I was to be skinny. On the hand, some would rudely remark how skinny I was and asked if I didn't like food.

Excuse me?!

What people don't realize gaining weight is just as difficult as losing weight. Can you just tell someone to stop eating so much? I don't think so because I know by someone telling me to eat more didn't help either. I couldn't eat more; I was full or I couldn't eat more because that wasn't what I was used to doing. People would tell me all the time I could eat everything and anything I wanted and again how lucky I was. Well obviously I wasn't so "lucky" because I didn't gain weight for a long, long time.

While I could have eaten ice-cream every single day and chowed down on greasy burgers, sweet cookies, high-calorie cakes, chips and other sugary snacks and drank pop to my heart's desire, my body eventually would have paid the consequences.

Gaining weight doesn't mean you have to compromise your eating habits. You don't have to make bad choices.

Metabolism plays a big part. If you have a fast metabolism, you're going to burn calories like that and it's easier said than done to remember to eat. It will have to be a conscious effort.

You can find free calorie counters and food journals online to help you in keeping track. Then you need to choose a variety of foods from the four main food groups. Enjoy eating lean meats, unrefined carbohydrates, and exercising all work together to reach your desired weight goal.

Some simple tips:
- Avoid unnecessary stress
- Get plenty of sleep
- Eat dark chocolate - contains antioxidants
- Mix your juices for a higher calorie count
- Eat six smaller meals or snack between three main meals

I eventually gained the weight I was happy with and now it's the matter of maintaining it.