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amounts of food at a time it is darned near impossible to take in enough calories to gain weight. They are lucky if they can even slow down the weight loss. But, don't be too discouraged because there is hope.

The first rule of thumb is to avoid unhealthy foods. Steer clear of most fast foods, fried foods, pizzas, sodas, cakes, cookies, chips, candies, and pretty much anything you might find in a typical snack machine. The key is to make each bite of food and each sip of liquid count. You also should avoid drinking plain water, teas, and coffee. Okay, I know we need water to survive, but when people are having trouble getting in calories and can barely get in a few ounces of liquid at a time you have to go for liquids that have nutrients and calories. Instead of water, try drinking milk or fresh lemonade sweetened with honey or mollasses. Other drinks that add nutrients and calories are smoothies made from fresh fruit, orange juice, grape juice, V8 Splash, and Ensure.

I'm discovering that protein seems to be the key element in healthy weight gain. Protein is found in animal products such as beef, poultry, pork, and seafood. It is also found in milk, eggs, yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese, tofu, beans, and nuts. You need to aim for at least 1 gram of protein for every pound you weigh each day. So, if you weight 85 pounds, then you need to eat at least 85 or more grams of protein every day. If you weigh 130 pounds, then go for at least 130 grams of protein. You're probably thinking that you would have to eat half a cow to take in that much protein, but it really isn't as bad as it sounds. Just make sure that you eat a minimum of 6 small meals each day and eat protein with each meal. If you eat fruit for a snack, then eat yogurt with it. If you want some breakfast cereal, then pour milk over it.

In addition to eating lots of protein, you also need to take in dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese. Wait, didn't we just cover those under proteins? YES! Again, we have to make every bite count, so foods that fall under more than one category are excellent choices! Try your best to get in at least 4 or 5 servings of dairy products throughout the day.

That takes us to vegetables. You have to eat vegetables in some form or another. If you can stand to eat the green, leafy vegetables then you're ahead of the game. Also, try to eat plenty of vegetables rich in color such as bell peppers, carrots, and beets. The bolder the color of the plant, the more nutrients

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