It is common for many people to lose weight after a severe illness like breast cancer or surgery. Sickness could be traumatizing for the body, affecting normal functioning and weight loss. Besides, some people lose their appetite during an illness which reduces food intake, affecting their overall weight.  

The word has different meanings. Steroids are chemicals, often hormones, that your body makes naturally. They help your organs, tissues, and cells do their jobs. You need a healthy balance of them to grow and even to make babies. “Steroids” can also refer to man-made medicines. The two main types are corticosteroids and anabolic-androgenic steroids (or anabolics for short).

There are tested ways to gain weight safely for everyone just recovering from a severe illness. Being underweight comes with a couple of cons like fatigue, reduced immune function, fertility issues, problems with growth and development, etc. However, restoring any lost weight after sickness is essential. This article will explore several effective ways to gain Weight after a horrible illness.  

What Are Corticosteroids?

They’re medicines that quickly fight inflammation in your body. These lab-made steroids work like the hormone cortisol, which your adrenal glands make. Cortisol keeps your immune system from making substances that cause inflammation. Corticosteroid drugs, like prednisone, work in a similar way. They slow or stop the immune system processes that trigger inflammation.

What Do Corticosteroids Treat?

They help treat conditions that cause irritation and swelling. They can ease symptoms of:

Rheumatoid arthritis
Asthma
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD)
Lupus and other autoimmune disorders
Multiple sclerosis
Rashes and skin conditions like eczema

Your doctor may also suggest you take them for a short time to treat allergic reactions, like a severe poison ivy rash.

 

 

Concentrate on healthy fats and Fibrous Carbs 

In all your meals, ensure enough healthy fats and fibrous carbs, as it will boost the nutrients and calories present in the diet. Such food options provide the ideal fuel to help maintain and support muscle growth. However, it is essential to concentrate on healthy carb sources like beans and brown rice rather than processed carb sources.   

Healthy fats are polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats. Such fats do not solidify at room temperature and are present in fish, vegetable oils, avocados, nuts, etc. On the other hand, unhealthy fats are trans-fat and saturated fats. Such fats are common in baked foods, fried foods, lamb, pork, and beef. Your diet should not have much of that.  

Use Anabolic Steroids to Gain Weight 

Steroids can also trigger weight gain as it changes the electrolyte and water balance in the body and alters metabolism. It engages glucose, amino acids, lipids, and protein in a unique way which contributes to weight gain, fluid retention, and improved appetite.  

In particular, steroids lead to excess fat deposits in various body parts, supporting the weight gain process. You can try anabolic steroids Canada for a high-quality steroid that will help boost your body fat content.  

 Consume Calories in Excess 

When trying to gain weight, one needs to create a calorie surplus. In other words, you consume way more calories than the body needs. However, since safe and slow weight gain is the aim, it is ideal to aim for around 300 to 500 calories in excess of what you burn every day. However, people who want to gain weight fast should concentrate on calorie levels around 800 to 1000 more than their average daily needs. 

This is not about counting calories for life because you want to gain weight. However, an idea of your calorie needs for the first couple of days after you begin the quest will set you on the right path on how to structure your meal.  

Eat lots of Protein 

While eating lots of food is primal to restoring lost weight, one also needs to boost the protein intake. Bear in mind that protein is the building block of the body. Besides, protein is essential to muscle mass, so increasing protein supply is primal to weight gain.  

As a rule of thumb, it is advised that one consume half a gram of protein for every pound of body weight. Someone weighing 100 grams should strive to consume 50 grams of protein per day. Here are some recommended protein sources: 

• Use milk for cooking rather than water 
• Consume more hard-boiled eggs 
• Add seeds, and nuts to cookies, cakes, bread, and cereals 
• Add fish, lean meat, or tofu to soups, sauces, or pasta sources 

• Combine cottage cheese with chopped avocado.  

Concentrate on Energy Dense Foods  

While trying to gain weight, you want to concentrate on the whole, single-ingredient foods. However, such healthy foods make one full easily compared to junk. As a result, getting enough calories might be challenging. When you add spices, condiments, and sauces, it can help boost the taste. It will be easier to consume more of it if you have tasty food.  

Not only that, concentrate on energy-dense foods. Such meals have high calories compared to their weight. Sample energy-dense foods that can help with weight gain are: 

• Nuts like peanuts, almonds, and macadamia nuts 
• Dried fruits like dates, raisins, etc. 
• High-fat dairy such as cream, cheese, whole milk, etc.  

• Grains like brown rice, oat, and whole grains 
• Meats like lamb, pork, chicken, etc.  

The recommended foods here are pretty filling, so you need to consume more, even after feeling full. While vegetables are one of the healthiest food items, one needs to limit them if gaining weight is the priority because it will not allow you to munch on enough energy-dense foods.  

Whole Milk and 100% Fruit Juice 

Consuming whole milk can equip you with calcium, vitamin D, and protein. Even if the calorie level is small, the calcium and vitamin D content are essential nutrients you need while gaining weight—snack on complete fruits and vegetables during the day, with no additives like sugar.  

Stay away from sugary sodas as they could be tempting but high in calories because the bulk of the ingredient is added sugar with no real nutritional value.  

 Conclusion 

Gaining weight is easy, provided you concentrate on healthy meal choices. This article has explored various tips to help you gain weight after an illness.