In the United States and elsewhere, it’s not uncommon for people to be unhappy about their weight. For most of these people, this unhappiness stems from the belief that they are too heavy, but for others, the problem is that they seem too thin. While this may not seem like much of a problem to some, the fact remains that being too skinny and failing to manage your weight can lead to health issues every bit as severe as being overweight.

To help determine whether you are at risk for this, let’s examine what weights are generally considered healthy and what the difference is between simply being “skinny,” a term without a hard definition, and being underweight. You can be considered underweight if your body mass index (BMI) is below 18.5. However, it might not take a trip to the doctor’s office to know if you’re too skinny or not. If you’ve noticed that you’re underweight, it might be time to incorporate shakes for weight gain into your diet.

At ENU, we strive to formulate nutritious products to help underweight people reestablish their health. Our ENU Nutritional Shakes are fortified with important nutrients that can promote safely weight gain. To learn more about ENU Nutritional Shakes for weight gain, visit our website today.

Being Skinny vs. Being Underweight

In many people’s minds, the concept of being skinny is an ideal, one requiring extensive dieting, frequent workouts, or other lifestyle commitments. However, exactly what qualifies someone as “skinny” is up for debate, as there is not really a specific point at which your weight qualifies you for this descriptor.

Generally, a person is deemed skinny if their appearance meets the observer’s visual standard for minimum body fat, meaning that the definition can be entirely subjective. In addition, a person’s body proportions – the result of many factors, including genetics and the ratio of height to weight – play a big role in determining whether they look skinny, and proportions can be independent of whatever the scale reads.

On the other hand, being “underweight” is a medical condition that can be very clearly defined and applied in a much more consistent manner than the term “skinny.” A person must have a BMI of below 18.5 to be considered underweight – something we’ll look at in greater detail below. It’s possible to become underweight for many reasons, including as a result of cystic fibrosis or a lack of proper nutrition for cancer patients. Because this definition relies on a set number instead of a subjective judgment, it’s fairly easy to identify when someone is underweight, making it a more reliable tool for determining a healthy body weight than simply asking whether a person is skinny.

That being said, it can be hard to recognize if you’re too skinny yourself. Because being thin is often seen as an ideal, a person can become wrapped up in achieving their goal weight. This can lead to eating disorders or unhealthy eating habits that transform how you see your body and how you approach eating. Developing an eating disorder can have a severe impact on your weight and cause you to become malnourished. Malnutrition can affect your thought processes, making it even more difficult to recognize if you’ve become too skinny.

If you’re coping with an eating disorder, it’s best to seek medical and mental guidance. The right support system of professionals can help you healthily regain weight.

How to Tell if You Are Too Skinny or Underweight

As mentioned above, determining whether a person is too skinny or underweight requires first finding that person’s body mass index (BMI), which is essentially a measure of the ratio of their weight to their height. This simple tool uses a fairly straightforward equation to determine BMI; all you need to use it is your height in inches and your weight in pounds (or, if you prefer the metric system, your height in meters and your weight in kilograms). The BMI formula looks like this:

• Metric system: (Weight (kg) Height (m)²) = BMI
• English system: (Weight (lbs) Height (in)²) x 703 = BMI

As you can see, calculating BMI isn’t too difficult, especially since there are a number of online BMI calculators freely available. If you choose to find yours manually, remember to round it to the nearest tenth of a point. Once you know your BMI, you’re ready to check whether your weight is considered – by general standards – a healthy one. The thresholds for a healthy BMI are as follows:

• A BMI of lower than 18.5 is considered underweight
• A BMI of between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered a normal weight
• A BMI of between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight
• A BMI of 30 or higher is considered very overweight or obese

In short, while there is no particular weight that is considered skinny, there is a BMI at which you may be deemed underweight – basically meaning that you are probably too skinny.

However, the BMI system comes with a caveat: This method of judging weight fails to account for important factors like body composition or genetics, both of which could skew the result significantly. For example, someone who works out frequently and has built up a lot of muscle mass probably weighs more than many other people of the same height, so their BMI could be in the overweight or obese range, even if they are quite healthy. In the same vein, someone whose BMI indicates that they are underweight could also be in good shape; it can vary from person to person.

Reasons Why You Are Too Skinny or Underweight

Significant weight loss can occur for many reasons. Physical and mental illnesses can affect a person’s appetite, causing unintentional weight loss. People with eating disorders might have difficulty accepting that they’re too skinny, which can delay treatment. Regardless, being too skinny can have negative health benefits. Because of that, it’s important to identify the reason for your weight loss to treat it.

Medical Treatment

Those undergoing medical treatment may notice unintentional weight loss. During treatment, patients can experience a decreased appetite and extreme nausea. This can make it very difficult to consume solid foods. If that aligns with the reason why you’re too skinny, consider adding ENU Nutritional Shakes to your diet.

Our shakes for weight gain contain 4 grams of MCTs – medium-chain triglycerides – per serving. MCTs promote quick absorption making ENU Nutritional Shakes easy on the stomach. People experiencing nausea or lack of appetite due to medical treatment should be able to get the nutrients they need without causing an upset stomach. That’s possible with ENU Nutritional Shakes.

Underlying Physical and Mental Conditions

An underlying medical condition may be causing your weight issues. Sometimes, if you don’t know underlying the issue, it can be hard to pin down the reason for being underweight. An undiagnosed chronic medical condition could be the culprit for your weight loss.

Ignored mental illness can also play a part in your being underweight. Extreme anxiety and stress can reduce your appetite, so much so that you stop feeling hungry. It’s not that you’re intentionally not eating. When your mind is distracted, it can’t recognize that your body needs sustenance. It’s so focused on the feelings of stress and anxiety that it ignores ghrelin, the hunger hormone. When these problems go unaddressed for too long, you might notice that you’ve become too skinny.

Eating Disorders

Developing an eating disorder can result in a vicious cycle that feels impossible to break. Being malnourished can have a significant effect on your brain and how you think. Eating disorders require medical and mental attention. When recovering, you’ll need to change the way you view food. That can be incredibly difficult for people with eating disorders.

While in recovery, eating large meals can feel unmanageable. ENU Nutritional Shakes are small in size, yet have the right blend of nutrients for a healthy meal. For some eating disorder survivors, drinking an 8.5 fluid ounce shake might be easier than eating a full meal.

If you’ve begun to notice that you’re too skinny or underweight, it’s best to see a doctor. A medical professional can assess you and advise you on how to gain weight with ENU Nutritional Shakes healthily. Being underweight or too skinny isn’t something to be taken lightly. Malnourishment can have a profound effect on your bodily processes and your thought patterns. Visiting a doctor is the first step to make yourself well again.

What to Do if You Are Too Skinny or Underweight

While your BMI can give you some idea as to whether you are at a healthy weight, the final determination should always be made in consultation with your doctor. A medical professional can help create a plan to healthily regain weight based upon your individual needs.

If you think you are too skinny or underweight, make an appointment with your healthcare provider, as your lack of body fat could lead to some serious health risks, including osteoporosis, an impaired immune system, or fertility problems; being too skinny could also be an indication of some underlying health problem.

In addition to seeing your physician, there are some steps you can take in your life to boost your weight in a healthy way. Purposefully maintaining a calorie surplus of 500 calories per day will lead to gaining about one pound per week. Make sure that you get plenty of protein to build muscle mass, not just fats and carbs. And finally, if you have little to no appetite, consider breaking up your main three meals into five or six smaller ones spaced throughout the day, as it can be easier on your stomach and spare you from having to force down lots of food at once.

ENU Nutritional Shakes for Weight Gain Can Help if You’re Too Skinny or Underweight

If you’re too skinny or underweight, it can be hard for you to reach that calorie surplus on your own. Whether you’ve experienced unintentional weight loss due to medical treatment, chronic or mental illness, or an eating disorder, it might be difficult to get the nutrients you need to gain weight healthily.

ENU Nutritional Shakes offer a boost of healthy calories and nutrients to help you gain weight in the right way. Just upping your daily calorie count isn’t enough. While many foods are high in calories, that doesn’t mean they’ll promote healthy weight gain. Empty calories offer no nutritional support or energy. Foods that have a large number of empty calories often contain saturated fats as well. Neither are contributors to healthy weight gain.

Each ENU Nutritional Shakes contains 400 calories per serving, helping you increase your daily calorie intake. A healthy diet isn’t complete without the three macro ingredients – protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Made with 20 grams of whey protein, our shakes for weight gain are easy to digest. The complex carbohydrates in ENU Nutritional Shakes are derived from brown rice, tapioca, and quinoa. With heart-healthy fats from sources like sunflower and coconut oils, ENU Nutritional Shakes offer whole nutrition to underweight people.

Gaining weight isn’t the only important goal when you’re too skinny. Being underweight can cause you to lose muscle mass. Because ENU Nutritional Shakes are made with whey protein, incorporating them into your diet can promote muscle growth. Whey has the highest leucine content of any other protein substance, at 10%. Leucine is a powerful amino acid that promotes protein synthesis like nothing else. The leucine in ENU Nutritional Shakes can spark significant muscle growth to help you regain your strength.

Not only are our shakes for weight gain nutritious, but they’re tasty and convenient too. Available in Creamy Chocolate and Vanilla Cream flavors, ENU Nutritional Shakes suit any lifestyle. They’re easily transportable when you need an extra boost of calories throughout the day and can eliminate the need to cook an additional meal when you’re unable to.

Nutritional Supplements for People Who Are Too Skinny or Underweight

Whether you want to bulk up to build strength, improve your health, or simply change how you look, ENU has products that can help. To learn more about ENU Nutritional Shakes for weight gain and purchase them for yourself, visit our website today.