First off, your current weight seems significantly lower than the average for a 22-year-old, so it’s important to ensure there are no underlying medical conditions affecting your weight. Let’s focus on some practical steps you can take. Since you’re limited to eating twice a day, you’ll want to maximize the nutritional value and caloric content of each meal. Aim to include calorie-dense foods like nuts, seeds, and avocados where possible. Incorporate healthy fats, such as olive oil or peanut butter. Make each meal balanced, including proteins like eggs or beans, whole grains like brown rice or whole-grain bread, and a variety of vegetables. You should also consider supplementing these meals with snacks if possible—something simple like a banana and handful of nuts or dried fruits. If cost or availability is a concern, some affordable options are oatmeal, lentils, and canned fish. Alongside dietary changes, incorporate strength training exercises as these can help build muscle mass, which can promote weight gain in a healthy way. Even push-ups, squats, and lunges that you can do in your room will help. It’s crucial to have a health checkup as well to rule out issues like hyperthyroidism, digestive disorders or other health problems that may be impacting your weight. Lastly, if you’re able to, consulting a nutritionist or a dietitian can provide personalized guidance tailored to your specific situation and needs.
At 22 years old and 35 kg, being underweight for many months means you should have a basic medical check-up to rule out causes like thyroid problems, anemia, malabsorption, diabetes, or nutritional deficiencies with a Internal Medicine doctor. Since you only get food twice a day, try adding cheap high-calorie/high-protein foods between meals such as bananas, peanuts, peanut butter, eggs, milk/curd, soya chunks, dates, chana, rice, potatoes, and homemade shakes (banana + milk + peanut/groundnut) to increase calorie intake. Also start light exercise or bodyweight training 3–4 times weekly because eating plus muscle stimulation helps healthy weight gain much better than eating alone.
Hello dear Weight gain depends upon body metabolism. It can be modified according to diet and exercise Iam suggesting some precautions for improvement. Please follow them for atleast a month Replacement of carbohydrates with protein diet Take nuts and fruits in between meals Be hydrated Avoid junk food Take zincovit multivitamin therapy onca a day for 1 month Consume butter and ghee for weight gain Replacement of sugar with jaggery Avoid refined food Do physical exercise atleast half an hour daily Avoid excessive thinking Add milk products for calcium level Hopefully improvement will occur In case of no improvement consult a dietician in person for better clarity Regards
Hello
At 35 kg at age 22, you are significantly underweight, so improving calorie and protein intake is important. Since you only get food twice a day, try adding high-calorie, low-cost foods between meals whenever possible. Good options include bananas, peanuts, peanut butter, milk, curd, eggs, soy chunks, chickpeas, dates, nuts, bread with butter, rice, potatoes, and protein-rich snacks.
Instead of eating only fruits and vegetables, increase carbohydrates and proteins. Drinking milkshakes, banana shakes, or adding ghee, butter, or peanuts to meals can help increase calories without needing large meals. Eating small frequent snacks is often easier than trying to eat huge meals.
Even simple body-weight exercises like pushups or squats 3–4 times a week can help build muscle and improve appetite. Sleep well and avoid skipping meals.
Because your weight is very low, you should also get checked for causes such as anemia, thyroid problems, malabsorption, chronic infections, worms, diabetes, or nutritional deficiencies.
Tests like CBC, thyroid profile, blood sugar, stool test, and vitamin levels are recommended
Take care Feel free to reach out again
Hello. At 22 years of age, a weight of 35 kg is quite low, so you should focus on increasing your calorie and protein intake regularly. Since you are getting only 2 meals a day, the main issue is likely insufficient total calories.
Try to add small high-calorie foods in between meals that are easy to carry and affordable, such as: - Bananas - Peanut butter - Dry fruits (dates, raisins, almonds) - Milk or curd - Eggs - Paneer - Protein shakes or homemade banana shakes - Peanut chikki or roasted peanuts
Even if you eat only twice daily, add 2–3 snacks between meals. Drink milkshakes with banana, peanut butter, or oats for extra calories.
Also: - Sleep 7–8 hours daily - Start light exercise or bodyweight training, as muscle-building improves weight gain - Deworming may help if not done recently - Check for anemia, thyroid problems, vitamin deficiencies, or intestinal issues if weight is not improving
You should aim for gradual weight gain of around 2–4 kg over a few months, not very rapid gain.
Recommended investigations: - CBC - Thyroid profile (TSH) - Blood sugar - Stool examination for worms - Liver and kidney function tests if needed
Final Prescription: 1. High-protein, high-calorie diet 2. Banana shake with milk twice daily 3. Cap. Multivitamin once daily after food for 1 month 4. Tab. Albendazole 400 mg single dose at night (if not taken in last 6 months) 5. Start light exercise/strength training 3–4 times weekly 6. Follow up after 4–6 weeks with weight record
If you develop loss of appetite, fever, diarrhea, cough, vomiting, weakness, or continued weight loss, consult a physician for detailed evaluation.
Feel free to reach out again.
Dr. Nirav Jain MBBS, D.Fam.Medicine
