Posture Correction Exercises

We all aspire to look good, but while taking care of all other minor issues we often forget to take care of one of the most important thing - our posture. A correct posture is a mandatory requirement for an effective personality. Until and unless you stand tall, sit straight and bow with perfection, confidence does not reflect from your personality. We often think that why someone looks so effective despite not having jaw dropping looks; the answer to it is his/her perfect posture which adds confidence to his persona.

Be Determined To Correct Your Posture

In case, you have ignored your posture for long and are now willing to get back in correct one; do not worry, as there are certain exercises which will help you attain a right posture once again. Though it will be a little painful and difficult for you to abide by your own rules initially, do not lose patience, a little effort will help you stick to the right posture for ever.

What Actually Is A Correct Posture?

Ideally, a correct posture means sitting with your back straight, chest up and out and your belly completely tucked in. Make sure you do not stiff yourself so hard that it becomes a strain for your muscles and bones. Also make sure that the chair you use for a long time is comfortable and gives support to your spine. Try to sit at a go without jerking your body. Likewise, try to stand in the same flow.

Given here are certain exercises to check on your posture:

Cervical Retraction

Take a chair and sit straight, yet comfortably, on it with your feet touching the floor. Now relax for a while and then simply pull your chin straight in without nodding your head up or down. Repeat it few times for correcting your cervical posture.

Shoulder Blade Squeeze

For shoulder blade squeeze, you simply need to sit on a chair with your hands resting on your thighs. Now when you feel at ease, slowly move your shoulders backwards and squeeze your shoulder blades together.

Breastbone Lift

For strengthening your lower trapezius muscles, you must perform a breastbone lift. Simply sit at ease and lift your breastbone few inches higher. Now gently compress your shoulder blades down and together.

Abdominal Pull-In

Abdominal pull-in is the best way to tuck in your bulging belly. It is also one of the easiest exercises. Simply pull your tummy in while inhaling and then exhale gradually at ease. Repeat it as many as times you can on a count of five.

10 Health Habits That Will Help You Live to 100

If your parents and grandparents were heavy smokers, they might have died prematurely without ever reaching their true potential lifespan, so go ahead and shoot for those triple digits by following these 10 habits.

1. Don't retire. "Evidence shows that in societies where people stop working abruptly, the incidence of obesity and chronic disease skyrockets after retirement," says Luigi Ferrucci, director of the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. The Chianti region of Italy, which has a high percentage of centenarians, has a different take on leisure time. "After people retire from their jobs, they spend most of the day working on their little farm, cultivating grapes or vegetables," he says. "They're never really inactive." Farming isn't for you? Volunteer as a docent at your local art museum or join the Experience Corps, a program offered in 19 cities that places senior volunteers in urban public elementary schools for about 15 hours a week.
2. Floss every day. That may help keep your arteries healthy. A 2008 New York University study showed that daily flossing reduced the amount of gum-disease-causing bacteria in the mouth. This bacteria is thought to enter the bloodstream and trigger inflammation in the arteries, a major risk factor for heart disease. Other research has shown that those who have high amounts of bacteria in their mouth are more likely to have thickening in their arteries, another sign of heart disease. "I really do think people should floss twice a day to get the biggest life expectancy benefits," stresses Perls.
3. Move around. "Exercise is the only real fountain of youth that exists," says Jay Olshansky, a professor of medicine and aging researcher at the University of Illinois at Chicago. "It's like the oil and lube job for your car. You don't have to do it, but your car will definitely run better." Study after study has documented the benefits of exercise to improve your mood, mental acuity, balance, muscle mass, and bones. "And the benefits kick in immediately after your first workout," Olshansky adds. Don't worry if you're not a gym rat. Those who see the biggest payoffs are the ones who go from doing nothing to simply walking around the neighborhood or local mall for about 30 minutes a day. Building muscle with resistance training is also ideal, but yoga classes can give you similar strength-training effects if you're not into weight lifting.
4. Eat a fiber-rich cereal for breakfast. Getting a serving of whole-grains, especially in the morning, appears to help older folks maintain stable blood sugar levels throughout the day, according to a recent study conducted by Ferrucci and his colleagues. "Those who do this have a lower incidence of diabetes, a known accelerator of aging," he says.
5. Get at least six hours of shut-eye. Instead of skimping on sleep to add more hours to your day, get more to add years to your life. "Sleep is one of the most important functions that our body uses to regulate and heal cells," says Ferrucci. "We've calculated that the minimum amount of sleep that older people need to get those healing REM phases is about six hours." Those who reach the century mark make sleep a top priority.
6. Consume whole foods, not supplements. Strong evidence suggests that people who have high blood levels of certain nutrients�selenium, beta-carotene, vitamins C and E�age much better and have a slower rate of cognitive decline. Unfortunately, there's no evidence that taking pills with these nutrients provides those antiaging benefits. "There are more than 200 different carotenoids and 200 different flavonoids in a single tomato," points out Ferrucci, "and these chemicals can all have complex interactions that foster health beyond the single nutrients we know about like lycopene or vitamin C." Avoid nutrient-lacking white foods (breads, flour, sugar) and go for all those colorful fruits and vegetables and dark whole-grain breads and cereals with their host of hidden nutrients.
7. Be less neurotic. It may work for Woody Allen, who infuses his worries with a healthy dose of humor, but the rest of us neurotics may want to find a new way to deal with stress. "We have a new study coming out that shows that centenarians tend not to internalize things or dwell on their troubles," says Perls. "They are great at rolling with the punches." If this inborn trait is hard to overcome, find better ways to manage when you're stressed: Yoga, exercise, meditation, tai chi, or just deep breathing for a few moments are all good. Ruminating, eating chips in front of the TV, binge drinking? Bad, very bad.
8. Live like a Seventh Day Adventist. Americans who define themselves as Seventh Day Adventists have an average life expectancy of 89, about a decade longer than the average American. One of the basic tenets of the religion is that it's important to cherish the body that's on loan from God, which means no smoking, alcohol abuse, or overindulging in sweets. Followers typically stick to a vegetarian diet based on fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts, and get plenty of exercise. They're also very focused on family and community.
9. Be a creature of habit. Centenarians tend to live by strict routines, says Olshansky, eating the same kind of diet and doing the same kinds of activities their whole lives. Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day is another good habit to keep your body in the steady equilibrium that can be easily disrupted as you get on in years. "Your physiology becomes frailer when you get older," explains Ferrucci, "and it's harder for your body to bounce back if you, say, miss a few hours of sleep one night or drink too much alcohol." This can weaken immune defenses, leaving you more susceptible to circulating flu viruses or bacterial infections.
10. Stay connected. Having regular social contacts with friends and loved ones is key to avoiding depression, which can lead to premature death, something that's particularly prevalent in elderly widows and widowers. Some psychologists even think that one of the biggest benefits elderly folks get from exercise the strong social interactions that come from walking with a buddy or taking a group exercise class. Having a daily connection with a close friend or family member gives older folks the added benefit of having someone watch their back. "They'll tell you if they think your memory is going or if you seem more withdrawn," says Perls, "and they might push you to see a doctor before you recognize that you need to see one yourself."

Children's Diet Food

Most breast feeding babies will eat for 10-15 minutes on each breast every 1 1/2 to 3 hours and formula feeding babies will take 2-3 ounces every 2-4 hours. By 4-8 weeks your baby should be on a more predictable schedule.

Feeding practices to avoid are giving a breastfed baby a bottle before he is 4-6 weeks old, putting the bottle in bed or propping the bottle while feeding, putting cereal in the bottle, feeding honey, introducing solids before 4-6 months, heating bottles in the microwave, or feeding goats milk.

Also, avoid the use of low iron formulas, which are nutritionally inadequate to meet the needs of a growing infant. These types of infant formula do not contain enough iron and will put your child at risk for developing iron deficiency anemia (which has been strongly associated with poor growth and development and with learning disabilities). Iron fortified formulas do not cause colic, constipation or reflux and you should not switch to a low iron formula if your baby has one of these problems.

There are different ways that you can hold your baby while breastfeeding, and you should choose which ever way you are most comfortable with. Whatever position you are using, your baby should be held close, directly facing your breast.

You may want to breast feed while sitting in a chair or on the bed, cradling your baby in your arms (cradle hold). In this position, mom's right arm will support the baby when he is eating from the right breast, with his head on the bend of your elbow. Consider placing a pillow on your lap if it is more comfortable for you. Your baby should be held close to you on his side, directly facing your breast, with his abdomen against yours. While very popular, this may not be the easiest position for new moms to learn.

The cross-over hold is another popular position for breastfeeding. In this position, your hand will support the back of his head and his neck and will rest between his shoulder blades. Unlike the cradle hold, you will be using the opposite arm, so, for example, use your right arm to support your baby when breastfeeding from the left breast.

You can also breast feed your baby while lying down on your side. Your baby will be lying down next to you and again held close and directly facing your breast. Use pillows to help with positioning.

Other mothers prefer the football position, in which you hold your baby in your arm, with the back of his head in the palm of your hand and his body supported by your arm. Unlike the cross-over hold, you will be using the right arm to support your baby when you are feeding from the right breast. Consider using a pillow to support your arm. This position doesn't put much pressure on your abdomen, so may be more comfortable for moms who have had a caesarian section.

Fitness Tips For Girls

The ways of keeping oneself fit may differ for males and for the females. Here are some fitness tips exclusively for the girls:

1. One of the best ways for girls to keep fit is to practice routine household chores. You may be surprised to know that normal household works like cooking and dusting can help you cut down on your calories tremendously.
2. Another fun and interesting fitness option, especially for those who dread going to the gym, is to dance along your favorite tunes or to do aerobics.
3. If you can spare some time at home, you may enjoy doing some light exercises like, stretching, weight lifting, sit-ups, leg raising, etc.
4. If you are a party person, then parties can actually help you lose your calories. Most parties require you to dance and so you automatically cut down on your excessive fats.
5. Many women enjoy going out on long shopping sprees. All such women can benefit in a big way as shoppings often require you to walk for hours.

Though, all of the above mentioned ways are great to help you keep fit, one of the most important part of your fitness regime is a healthy diet and enough water intake.

One most important thing is that do the yoga for specialy girls because yoga is so easly doing exercise know more about the yoga. Yoga is a way of life, an art of righteous living or an integrated system for the benefit of the body, mind and inner spirit. This art originated, was perfected and practiced in India thousands of years ago. The references to yoga are available in 'Upanishads' and 'Puranas' composed by Indian Aryans in the later Vedic and post- Vedic period. The main credit for systematizing yoga goes to Patanjali who wrote 'Yoga Sutra', two thousand Years ago. He described the principles of the full eight fold yogic discipline. He composed the treatise in brief code words known as 'Sutras'. 'Yoga Sutra' is the most important basic text on Yoga.

Is Exercise the New Cure-All?

We have all heard doctors say that daily exercise and a healthy diet are never bad for you and are most often the easiest-to-do remedies for a range of medical problems from exhaustion to sleep deprivation to depression. In our greenest society yet we have all but thrown plastic bags into extinction, our gas tanks are often on double duty trying to save our credit card debt, and everything organic is ‘in,’ from bread to wine to the clothes on our backs, but for all that we are doing to save the environment, what are we doing to save ourselves? New studies show that exercise may just be the cure-all we’ve been looking for all along.

Even though the gym is a sore subject for a lot of people, others relish the adrenaline high from lifting weights, pushing through that extra mile on the treadmill, or watching the news while trudging the elliptical machine. Aerobics has helped many an older, retired person keep up with a daily routine as well as maintain socialization in the wake of moving to a new location or from the loss of a loved one.

A few months ago we ran a story about the possibility of exercise helping Alzheimer’s patients and further studies are now emerging. New research from the Beckman Institute at the University of Illinois shows the benefits of physical activity can help to support and strengthen brain functions such as task coordination, working memory, planning, and the ability to multi-task.

Cognitive neuroscientist Professor Art Kramer, main author, looked over past research that showed that enough regular exercise to make a person out of breath has improved brain tissue and thought sharpness. With age brain matter deteriorates and in people with Alzheimer’s disease, brain cells are killed faster and induce cognitive impairment. Kramer notes that both patients with Alzheimer’s and those without the disease have both recorded benefits.

After six months of aerobic exercise studies, some found that the brain function was declined and it may be possible for the brain to continue to grow and redevelop what it may have lost. Other studies show that a higher exercise rate equals a lower brain deterioration scan. With even more tests to do, Professor Kramer attests, ‘we can safely argue that an active lifestyle with moderate amounts of aerobic activity will likely improve cognitive and brain function, and reverse the neural decay frequently observed in older adults."

Now after hearing the positive effects that exercise can have on Alzheimer’s disease, you might still want to put off that gym membership or recreation center class, but another new study should get you in those running shoes. The United States’ most disabling condition to date is arthritis with millions of Americans suffering each day. A University of Missouri study found that relief may be on the horizon after all. The study involved teaching arthritis patients exercise habits in order to decrease pain and increase physical function compared to a group of patients who did not participate in the informational exercise routines that the researchers called ‘interventions’. Other benefits were reported, clearer mental health and better muscle strength levels. Lead author of the study from University of Missouri, Professor Vicki Conn, associate dean of research at the Sinclair School of Nursing says of the program, ‘Educational components can be incorporated into exercise programs in any setting that are currently suggested by physicians, nurses and other care providers."

Data collected from 4,111 volunteers throughout 28 different studies, showed results from people afflicted with different kinds of arthritis including knee, rheumatoid, and osteoarthritis. The data was only collected from the studies that looked at physical activities reported after the exercise interventions were concluded.

The researchers conclude that all exercise programs should stage information interventions to improve the health and benefits of each patient’s treatment over more-invasive forms of relief like over the counter medications or prescription pain killers. Doctor’s orders of a glass of wine over dinner, a plate of healthy greens and a regular exercise regimen doesn’t sound as bad as crippling arthritis that causes your joints to ache or a fast-deteriorating brain that cripples the rest of your life. Maybe a few rounds on the track, a few laps in the pool, or invigorating yoga might be beneficial after all.

7 Common Uses of Organic Olive Oil

Yes Including all the Useful Fats Which You have Mentioned I Wanna share With You Some Of the Useful Facts Of Organic Oil:

7 Common Uses of Organic Olive Oil

Besides what I’ve already mentioned above, you can find many surprising ways to use your organic olive oil.

1. Cooking - Start using organic olive oil for cooking or as a replacement whenever a recipe calls for butter.
2. Body Oil - Rub it on your body or face after washing. You don’t need a lot to get great skin moisturizing benefits. You might even trying shaving with it or using it to remove makeup.
3. Control Hair Frizz, Dry Cuticles & Nails - Just comb a drop of organic olive oil through your hair to control flyaways and frizz. Rub it into nail cuticles and nails for a naturally polished look.
4. Control a Nagging Cough or Scratchy Throat - Swallow a tablespoon to soothe a dry or irritated throat.
5. Shine Stainless Pots & Pans - Organic olive oil will prevent streaking and tarnishing and naturally condition your pots and pans.
6. Lip Balm - Organic olive oil is the perfect lip balm to keep chapped lips at bay. It’s also great to use on your hands as a soothing hand lotion in winter.
7. Bath Oil - Add a few drops of organic olive oil to the water you’re running for your bath. The benefits to your skin will be obvious even after the first time you use it.

BENEFITS:

Organic olive oil is a monounsaturated fat, and is considered a good fatty acid (high density lipoproteins, HDLs) protect against bad cholesterol, or low density lipoproteins (LDLs).

Delicious organic olive oil contains all the vitamins and nutrients of the olive fruit, and if you get a premium organic olive oil, it will taste better and have a full aroma.
Organic olive oil is also filled with antioxidants, vitamins and nutrients that may protect you against illnesses. Studies have shown that organic olive oil can help:

• Protect You from Heart Disease
• Promote Healthy Digestion
• Ease the Symptoms of Ulcers & Gastritis
• Lower Gallstone Formation
• Balance the Fatty Acids in Your Body

Healthy Fats For Our Body

Most people consider fats to be the main culprit in their becoming obese. However, facts suggest that there are several people who tend to gain weight in spite of a restricted intake of fatty foods. It would be absolutely wrong to say that fats are always harmful for our body. Fats are basically of two main types: the essential fats and the non-essential fats. While, the excessive intake of non-essential fats may cause one to put on weight, the reduced intake of the essential fats may also harm you.

The essential fats include: Monounsaturated Fats and Polyunsaturated Fats. The polyunsaturated fats include the Omega-3 group of fatty acids. These are super healthy fats and are extremely essential for our regular body functions. Some of the chief functions of Omega-3 fatty acids include:

• Helping in blood clotting.
• Building the cell membrane.
• Reduce cardiovascular diseases.
• Reduce development of 'silent' brain lesions.
• Reduce the symptoms of depression.

Yes Including all the Useful Fats Which You have Mentioned I Wanna share With You Some Of the Useful Facts Of Organic Oil:

Here I'm discussing With You Some Of The Good Fats Of The Body: 

1. Oils good for cooking and baking
   
   When evaluating your fat intake, first examine the fats you regularly use for cooking and baking. Butter, shortening, and lard are high in saturated fats (a not-so-healthy fat). Margarines can be high in trans fats (a bad-for-you fat).
    
2. Avocado: high fat but nutritious
   
   Also known as an “alligator pear,” due to its shape and skin texture, this high-fat nutritious food is the perfect addition to salads, salsas, soups and more. Not only does it add great creamy flavor, it can also boost nutrition. Many vegetables are loaded with beneficial carotenoids that are great for your health and can aid in disease prevention.
    
3. Nuts are healthy
   
   Once given a bad rap due to their high fat content, nuts are now considered as a health food—ironically because of their fats (the good, heart-healthy kind). They also contain an array of beneficial nutrients, including vitamin E and zinc, and are a good source of fiber.
    
4. Fish fat is essential
   
   Fish contain omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fats are termed “essential” because the human body cannot make them on its own. The health benefits of omega-3s run the gamut; they have been said to improve everything from heart health to mental health problems.
    
5. Olives - the perfect snack
   
   Olives are a good source of healthy monounsaturated fats, but don’t let these high-fat little bites fool you. Unlike many other high-fat foods, olives can also be a low-calorie snack all on their own. One serving of 20 small black olives is a great snack with less than 100 calories and will contain a good amount of iron, fiber, vitamin E, and copper.

Perfect Health Tips

Health is all about your diet being sufficiently balanced. You need to be dedicated and determined to maintain it, but not doing anything like comfort eating or rushing through meals, will help your health.

1. Do take a moment off to mentally list out the nutritional value of the food you’re about to eat.
2. Don’t rush through your meals. Set aside enough time to appreciate, enjoy and digest your food.
3. Make every meal an enjoyable experience. Set dishes out attractively and chew slowly to appreciate the full flavor of the foods you eat.
4. Choose to be radiantly healthy. Keep yourself informed about the nutritive value of every food you buy.
5. Shop for groceries yourself. Notice the look, feel and smell of fresh fruit and vegetables and enjoy their intrinsic goodness.
6. Watch out for eating habits paired with emotional states, like reaching for a chocolate when you are depressed. Resist the urge and eat fruit instead.
7. Eat popcorn (rather than chips) while watching a movie.
8. Sit at the table at meal times. Don’t read the paper or review bills while eating.
9. Make it a point to have dinner with the entire family at the table, and not in front of the TV.
10. Eat just to the point of the fullness. Don’t stuff yourself!

Exercise is ONE but THIS will help staying fit also!

I have found this very interesting article from one of the Japanies Health Studies and I must say, IT WORKS!

It is popular in Japan today to drink water immediately after waking up every morning. Furthermore, scientific tests have proven its value. We publish below a description of use of water for our readers. For old and serious diseases as well as modern illnesses the water treatment had been found successful by a Japanese medical society as a 100% cure for the following diseases: Headache, body ache, heart system, arthritis, fast heart beat, epilepsy, excess fatness, bronchitis asthma, TB, meningitis, kidney and urine diseases, vomiting, gastritis, diarrhea, piles, diabetes, constipation, all eye diseases, womb, cancer and menstrual disorders, ear nose and throat diseases.

METHOD OF TREATMENT

1. As you wake up in the morning before brushing teeth, drink 4 x 160ml glasses of water
2. Brush and clean the mouth but do not eat or drink anything for 45 minute
3. After 45 minutes you may eat and drink as normal.
4. After 15 minutes of breakfast, lunch and dinner do not eat or drink anything for 2 hours
5. Those who are old or sick and are unable to drink 4 glasses of water at the beginning may commence by taking little water and gradually increase it to 4 glasses per day.
6. The above method of treatment will cure diseases of the sick and others can enjoy a healthy life.

The following list gives the number of days of treatment required to cure/control/reduce main diseases:

1. High Blood Pressure (30 days)
2. Gastric (10 days)
3. Diabetes (30 days)
4. Constipation (10 days)
5. Cancer (180 days)
6. TB (90 days)
7. Arthritis patients should follow the above treatment only for 3 days in the 1st week, and from 2nd week onwards – daily.

This treatment method has no side effects, however at the commencement of treatment you may have to urinate a few times.

It is better if we continue this and make this procedure as a routine work in our life. Drink Water and Stay healthy and Active.

This makes sense ... The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals ..not cold water. Maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating!!! Nothing to lose, everything to gain…

For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you.
It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion.

Once this “sludge” reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine.
Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

A serious note about heart attacks:

• Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting,
• Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.
• You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack.
• Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms.
• 60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up.
• Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let’s be careful and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we could survive …

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to everyone they know, you can be sure that we’ll save at least one life.

Easy Health & Fitness Tips

How are you dealing with your health? Is it a top priority for you? Or are you too busy bringing home the pay check? You plan to make up for those 65 years of not exercising during your retirement, which may not come. The way things are going the retirement age may shift from 65 to 70 or higher. What is your physical condition these days? Are you fit as a fiddle, a little plump around the mid section, or are you in the same category as more than 50% of our population is - obese?

The American Medical Association is saying we are facing an obesity epidemic right now. To top that off we have every drug company out there selling every type of quick weigh loss pill, powder, lotion, salve - you name it and they are selling it. And you know what - people are buying it. People actually believe that if they pop a pill for thirty days they will lose all their fat and it will stay off forever.

I wish it were that simple, but the truth is, it is not. However, these drug companies are making a fortune selling the quick, easy fix. A counterpart to the drug companies is the diet industry, which offers so many different diets that it is hard to keep track of them at the rate they are coming out.

Both these industries are preying on the pain and angst of the consumer. They have truly found a hungry market, (sorry for the play on words), and are doing everything they can to make as much profit as they possibly can. What we really need is some good old fashioned common sense.

People need to be told the truth, and they need to be given right tools to help them get what they are looking for. Here is the truth, in simple terms - no fluff, no hype, no sales pitch - just the plain honest facts:

Drink more water: Get good quality water and drink at least half your body weight in ounces a day. That is probably more than a gallon for most of us. The water will help flush out the toxins in your body and will keep you hydrated. I saw a dietician recently who recommended 100 ounces of water a day for everyone.

Eat smaller but more frequent meals: It is true that to lose weight we need to eat fewer calories than what we burn. At the same time we need to get our metabolism revved up, so it helps to eat 4-6 times a day, in much smaller portions, of course. Breakfast also helps get your metabolism moving. That is the reason it's called the most important meal of the day. If you can't then at least grab a piece of fruit and a food bar as you head out. Also, stop eating the 'white' foods: white sugar, flour, pasta and rice. They have no nutritional value.

Get your body moving: Exercise is mandatory. Make it a habit and start - NOW. Do everything you can along the way to get your body moving. Walk up those stairs and never use the elevator, take your pet dog for a walk every day or find other fun ways to move, but in the end burn calories. The best way to lose weight is not just to eat less, or exercise more, but to do both at the same time. That is the key to permanent weight loss.

Best Ways to Gain Weight

I know everyone will say "I wish I had to gain weight…" butgaining weight (LBM) is a goal for a lot of people. To gain weight you need to consume more calories than you burn up. To do it efficiently, and to make the weight muscle, not FAT, you'll need to start a weight training program. You want the weight to be muscle, not FAT. To do this you'll need to slowly increase your caloric intake, usually by eating another meal during the day or by using a weight gain supplement. Make sure the food is protein and carbohydrates and not FAT. Give it time. 10-15 pounds of muscle in a year is pretty good.

If you’re trying to gain weight, one of my suggestions would be to increase the amount of protein you’re eating, especially if you’re weight training.

The most common protein rich foods that you can find in any grocery store are the following, just to name a few:

• Milk
• Soy Milk
• Eggs
• Cheese
• Yogurt
• Peanut Butter
• Lean Meats, Fish, and Poultry
• Beans, Tofu, Lentils, and other Legumes
• Grains, including bread and pasta
• Nuts and Seeds

Recommended Ways to Gain Weight

1. Have meals with the right balance of proteins, carbohydrates, and the right kinds of fat (such as unsaturated and monounsaturated fats, olive oil, canola oil, pistachios, almonds and walnuts). Heinemann suggests the following ratio: 60%-70% carbohydrates, 10%-15% protein, and a small amount of fat.
2. Eat foods higher in calories, vitamins, and minerals, as opposed to higher in fat or sugar.
3. Pack more nutritious calories in each serving. For example, you may add grated cooked eggs to mashed potatoes, ground chicken to soups and gravies, cheese in casseroles, eggs, and soups, and nonfat dried milk in soups, shakes, milk, and mashed potatoes.
4. If you get too full too fast, try having more high-calorie foods or slices of foods as opposed to consuming the whole thing (raisins versus grapes, granola and Grape Nuts versus corn flakes, mango slices versus the whole mango).
5. Limit drinking beverages to a half-hour before and after a meal.
6. Drink mixed juices (apple/berry, peach/orange/banana as opposed to one juice beverages) for a higher calorie intake.
7. Try a small amount of alcohol (4 ounces of wine, 6 ounces of beer, or a half-ounce of liquor with juice) before a meal, as it could stimulate appetite. Moore warns, however, that this recommendation must be cleared with your doctor, especially if you are on any medication. Too much alcohol can be detrimental to health, and could lessen your resolve for eating healthy.
8. With moderation, you may add in good fat sources to meals such as nuts, avocado, olives, and fatty fish (salmon and mackerel).
9. Snack in between meals. Nuts, dried fruits, and yogurt are good options, but it's also important to find nutritious foods that you will enjoy.
10. Have a nutritious snack before bedtime, such as a peanut butter sandwich.