How to help your baby gain weight. How to feed a newborn with breast milk so that he gains weight well. Why is the child gaining weight poorly: possible reasons
What parent doesn't want their child to be healthy? Health is always associated with the weight and appearance of the baby. After all, healthy children should not look emaciated, but those who suffer from chronic ailments or simply often get colds are often thin. The role of weight in assessing the general condition of children in the first year of life is especially great: here, literally by grams, the weight gain of the baby is estimated monthly, and any deviations make parents worry.
Questions and jokes from “kind-hearted” relatives and friends (“Oh, how thin you are, probably, your mother feeds you poorly”) and comparing your own child with the chubby babies of acquaintances further increase the anxiety of young mothers. At this point, even mothers who are not prone to excessive anxiety begin to doubt: maybe he really is thin? And what to feed him? Indeed, what?
But before we move on to this issue, I would like to remind you that your child is not a piglet, and there is no need to “fatten” him to the delight of others. And the fact of a lack of mass should be established by a doctor (ideally, not even one), and not by the parents themselves, relatives and acquaintances. When assessing the weight of children, not only age is taken into account, but also other parameters (height, constitutional features, mobility of the child, etc.), which will be difficult to correctly correlate with each other for a non-specialist. If the mass is insufficient, then during the measures to restore it (special nutrition, sometimes biological additives, vitamins and drugs are required), it is imperative to find out the cause.
Nutrition for small children in the first half of life
Before the age of 6 months, there are several main causes of underweight, according to which nutritional selection will be made:
Premature babies and babies born with IUGR (intrauterine growth retardation)
Breast milk will help the newborn gain weight well.
Such children immediately after birth have a low (less than 2500 g) body weight, they are often transferred to the intensive care unit, where they immediately begin feeding with artificial mixtures. However, mother's milk will be optimal for them, so the mother needs to support and stimulate lactation even if she is separated from her baby. It is breast milk, even if obtained from a bottle after pumping, that is best absorbed and will help the baby gain weight. Well, when there is not enough milk or there is none at all, children are prescribed special therapeutic mixtures for premature babies, in the name of which there is the prefix “pre” (“Friso Pre”, “Pre Nan”, “Pregestimil”, etc.). In addition, artificial mixtures for premature babies are divided according to the weight of the child ("Nutrilon Pre" - for feeding children weighing up to 1800 g, "Nutrilon Pre 1" - for children weighing over 1800 g).
Special mixtures for premature babies, compared to conventional mixtures, contain more protein, fat and carbohydrates, therefore, more calories. They also contain more vitamins, macro- and microelements. Some manufacturers produce mixtures with partially digested protein ("Nan Pre"). The enriched protein-fat and carbohydrate composition helps the child gain weight faster, the additional administration of vitamins, macro- and microelements helps prevent the development of rickets and iron deficiency anemia, and partial hydrolysis facilitates the assimilation of the mixture in the immature gastrointestinal tract of a premature baby.
If the newborn normally tolerated the mixture assigned to him in the maternity hospital, then after discharge, no experiments are carried out and this same mixture is left either until the child reaches the age of 1 month, or until the weight gain is 3 kg. Then the question is decided individually (in each case by a doctor): whether a mixture is needed (with mixed feeding) or breast milk will be enough, if necessary, a subsequent mixture is selected.
False hypogalactia
They say about false hypogalactia when the mother (or pediatrician) for some reason believes that the baby does not have enough milk, but in reality the child receives enough. Advice: do not rush to immediately supplement the child, first understand the problem: carry out repeated weighings on the same scales, check weighing after feeding, consult another doctor if necessary, exclude pathology (primarily diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, enzymatic deficiency). Premature introduction of supplementary feeding will lead to the gradual extinction of lactation and the development of already true hypogalactia.
True hypogalactia
When the fact of insufficient production of breast milk is established, and no measures to stimulate lactation have an effect, we can talk about true hypogalactia. In such a situation, the baby constantly lacks mother's milk and requires either additional introduction of artificial milk substitutes - supplementary feeding (mixed feeding), or, in the absence of milk, a transition to completely artificial feeding.
Remember that you can only supplement a child under the age of 6 months with specially designed formulas for artificial feeding (usually marked with the number 1 next to the name: “NAN-1”, “Nutrilon-1”). The selection of the mixture should be carried out on the recommendation and under the supervision of a pediatrician.
Do not listen to the advice of omniscient grandmothers and neighbors and other "natural and healthy" food. The gastrointestinal tract of a baby up to six months is not able to cope with the digestion of any other food, except for human milk (or at least adapted mixtures imitating this milk). Otherwise, you risk not only not getting the desired result (weight gain), but also providing the baby with such unpleasant conditions as functional digestive disorders, gastritis, etc.
What and how to feed a child from 6 months to a year to gain weight
Complementary foods for children with insufficient body weight, as a rule, begin with porridge. From 6 months, complementary foods begin to appear on the menu of babies. But the principles of introducing complementary foods for children with malnutrition (lack of mass) are exactly the same as for children with normal weight - you should not rush to include new types of food in the diet.
What helps you gain weight:
- Scheduled feeding. After six months, it is recommended to accustom the child to a certain daily routine, even the breast can already be given not on demand, but “on schedule”. Complementary foods, all the more so - feed the baby at the same time, which will normalize the processes of separation of digestive juices and, in general, will positively affect the state of the child’s gastrointestinal tract, the percentage of digestible food will increase, which means weight gain will go.
- Feeding should be frequent - at least every 4 hours. Night break - 6 hours.
- An increase in the daily calorie content of the diet is carried out only after consulting a doctor. It is recommended to increase primarily the intake of carbohydrates (due to cereals - they can be given twice a day, sweet fruits and vegetables) and proteins (mainly due to milk mixtures). Be sure to give the child daily meat, cottage cheese, kefir - introduced by age. The fat content on the menu is usually not increased.
What to avoid:
- Overfeeding. Overfeeding leads to an overload of the gastrointestinal tract,. With frequent overfeeding, digestive upsets with episodes of diarrhea and vomiting are possible - as a result, the child will lose, not gain, weight.
- Force feeding. Force-feeding often causes the baby to vomit after eating. In addition, with this approach to nutrition, children develop an aversion to the very process of eating, and each time it will be more and more difficult to persuade the child to eat.
- The introduction of fatty foods and easily digestible carbohydrates (sugar, pasta). An excess of fats and refined carbohydrates disrupts metabolic processes and creates the preconditions for the next one. And getting rid of extra pounds will be much harder than gaining them. Fats are poorly digested and lead to a breakdown in digestion.
What and how to feed a child older than a year to gain weight
Which will help the child gain weight:
- Regularity of feeding - we feed according to the schedule and at least 4 times a day.
- Varied diet. Children often refuse monotonous, boring dishes, but willingly agree to new types of food. Experiment, pick up new foods and dishes (according to age, of course).
- Pay attention to food presentation. A plate of porridge decorated with berries or jam in the form of a smiling face, cutlets with “eyes” and “tails” made from pieces of boiled vegetables and herbs, a figuratively laid out side dish and other decorations sharply increase the child’s interest in food.
- If possible, feed the baby at the same time as other children - friends, cousins or siblings. As you know, for the company kids eat much better.
- Avoid snacking, especially buns and sweets between meals - they create a false sense of fullness.
- Before meals, it is good to give sweet and sour fruits and berries (cherries, apples), which stimulate the secretion of gastric juice and increase appetite. In addition, salted fish (herring, mackerel), pickled vegetables, salads from fresh vegetables have a juice effect.
- Enrichment of the diet with fermented milk products, pre- and probiotics, since underweight children often have problems with stool and intestinal dysbacteriosis.
- Additionally, after a year, you can use special mixtures for children with low weight - Pediashur, Klinutren Junior, Peptamen Junior - these are high-calorie, protein-enriched mixtures with a rather pleasant taste.
Please note that all of the above recommendations are for relatively healthy children who have a moderate decrease in body weight compared to the age norm. In the case of a gross lag in physical development and with a pronounced lack of weight, it is required, after finding out the causes of malnutrition, to carry out a full-fledged treatment, including the appointment of drugs. And medical nutrition for children with severe malnutrition is built only under the constant supervision of a pediatrician, with a daily calculation of the daily calorie content of the diet and determining the need for basic nutritional components.
All children are different - this is a well-known fact. However, when it comes to a small child who was recently born, weight gain is not an individual feature of development, but an indicator of the health of the crumbs. The overall well-being of the baby depends on how well the child’s nutrition is organized.
There are no uniform and mandatory norms for the ratio of height and weight for young children. However, experts have already determined a combination of indicators that allow us to state a painful, unhealthy thinness in a child. If low weight and slight weight gain threaten the health of the baby, then we are talking about malnutrition. This is a painful state of the body, which is very dangerous at an early age, mainly because it is during this period that the most active development of all systems, including the central nervous system, takes place.
All of his developmental prospects practically depend on how effective the nutrition of a child in the first years of life will be. Losses during this time can be very difficult to compensate. With malnutrition, many systems suffer at once. The activity of enzyme secretion in the gastrointestinal tract slows down, various digestive disorders appear. This delivers not only the physical discomfort of the baby - his health suffers quite seriously. The body does not receive the necessary amount of nutrients from food, the nervous system does not receive enough energy for development, a lag begins.
How to help your baby gain weight
It is for this reason that parents should urgently take action when they notice signs of malnutrition in the baby. The organization of enhanced nutrition for an infant is not an easy process. A nutritionist will study the features of the life of the crumbs, his daily routine. If the baby is bottle-fed, the type of milk formula may not be suitable for him, or the parents incorrectly calculate the dose. Here it must be remembered that violation of the recipe for the preparation of the mixture is unacceptable. Many parents tend to believe that you can stir the milk mixture thicker to enhance nutrition - this is a rather dangerous myth.
If the baby's nutrition is based on mother's milk, then, first of all, it is necessary to review the mother's diet and analyze the digestibility of food. Perhaps the baby has problems with the intestinal microflora, or he suffers from lactose deficiency. Supplementary feeding of a dairy family after breastfeeding may be prescribed, but for this, parents will need to know exactly how much milk the baby received in order to make up the difference. It is important to observe the main principle: formula is added to the baby's diet only after mother's milk, and not vice versa.
If the weight deficit is no more than 15%, then these measures may be quite enough. If the baby lacks more than 30% of the norm of weight, this is an occasion to apply more serious treatment. Timely treatment is especially important for an infant, whose weight is even normal within ten kilograms, because weight loss is especially noticeable and dangerous to health. In addition to a lack of energy, the baby is also likely to suffer from dehydration, since at this age he receives food in liquid form. It is possible not to supplement additional water for children only when they gain weight within the normal range, and development goes without delay. Weak and small babies need extra fluids, and usually a doctor prescribes a glucose solution or a special hydration formula for this purpose.
The number of feedings will also need to be increased by one or two per day. But it is not necessary to equate feeding with the amount of food received by the child. Fractional nutrition of a child helps nutrients to be better absorbed, but loading a weakened gastrointestinal tract with extra work is not a good idea. When prescribing a therapeutic type of nutrition for a child, the doctor will calculate the amount of food that the baby should receive according to age. Parents should remember how many times a day they feed the baby, add one or two to this figure, and divide the total amount of food by the resulting number. This will be the size of one serving for the baby for the period of restoration of normal weight.
Any doctor will say that the best food for a baby in the first year of life is mother's milk. This unique product is developed by nature in accordance with the needs of each child individually, so adjusting the nutrition of a breastfed baby will be the easiest. However, not every mother succeeds in breastfeeding. In this case, the doctor will select a special therapeutic type of milk formula recommended for small children. It is possible to add a fermented milk mixture to the child's diet, which activates the work of the gastrointestinal tract.
Child nutrition under control
If the baby was born with malnutrition, his nutrition in the first days should take place in the conditions of a hospital in the perinatal department, where the process will be controlled by specialists. With a serious deficiency of weight in the body of a child, serious disorders develop - the electrolytic balance changes, the level of sugar in the blood decreases. The baby should receive at least eight times a day a solution for hydration and glucose. But the basis of his diet, ideally, should be mother's milk, it is for this reason that a young mother is often left in the ward with her baby, and not discharged home after childbirth. When the child's nutrition begins to approach the norm, the amount of liquid in his diet should be reduced.
After the parents bring the physical condition of the baby back to normal, they must organize the proper nutrition of the child so that the baby does not suffer again. The temptation to start feeding the child in large high-calorie portions is great, but you can’t succumb to it. This is the right way to overweight, which is no less detrimental to the child's body than a lack of weight. Fat cells that appear in the body in the first year of a baby's life can significantly impede the physical development of the baby - it will be difficult for him to sit, get up and walk.
Probably, there is not a single parent who would not be bothered by the weight of their own child. Many are worried about being overweight, others because of its lack. From the very birth of the baby, all pediatricians have been telling us that his condition as a whole depends on the weight of the child.
Every month, our baby is weighed and measured at the appointment with the local doctor, comparing his physical indicators with the average statistical curves of growth and weight, and therefore they judge his condition, not only physical, but also psychological. According to these curves, the weight of a six-month-old baby should double compared to birth weight, and the weight of a one-year-old should triple. After your baby is one year old, the pace of his physical indicators somewhat slows down his growth, and the average weight gain per week is only 30-50 g.
Once your little one is on his feet and actively learning to walk, he will lose more and more energy and will not put on weight as quickly. And mothers begin to think about what is needed for the child to gain weight better after a year. Therefore, you should not be particularly upset that your child is already adding more than 900 g per month as in the first year of life. Now more and more attention is paid to proportionality, for example, it is believed that the circumference of the chest should be greater than the circumference of the head exactly by the age of the child in years. The older the child, the longer his limbs and the smaller his head.
In addition, it should be remembered that the increase in height and weight occurs “in leaps” (if he stretched a couple of centimeters this month, then he may not gain weight and vice versa, next month he will gain weight and not gain in height) ; and with all this, the constitution of the parents should also be taken into account (if the parents of the child are short and fragile, then you should not hope that the child himself will be tall and with a dense physique).
A growing child's body needs a balanced diet, it must receive the necessary amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates for normal growth and development. Moreover, not more, but not less than the norm. So after a year, the child should receive about 3.0 g of protein per 1 kg of body weight per day, 5.5 g of fat per 1 kg of body weight per day and 15-16 g of carbohydrates per 1 kg of body weight per day. In addition, the intake of minerals, vitamins, and organic substances, and, of course, water, is mandatory.
If you are still worried about the question of what is needed for the child to gain weight better after a year, and he looks thinner than his peers (bones stick out, there is no fat layer, the baby has no appetite, he is inactive and gets tired quickly), then you should contact a specialist: a gastroenterologist or just a pediatrician. Weight loss or lack of weight gain can cause various diseases: diabetes, food allergies, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, enlarged tonsils, and much more. Usually, after the course of treatment and complete recovery, the weight of the child also normalizes.
However, it is also possible that your child is very active, and the amount of food eaten does not replace the amount of calories burned. In this case, more high-calorie foods (cottage cheese, cheeses, nuts, caviar, etc.) can be additionally introduced into the child's diet.
And so, if you still decide that your baby needs to gain a few kilograms, then first you need to carefully coordinate everything with the pediatrician. Do not cost and overfeed your joy, everything needs a measure.
What to do so that your child gains weight better after a year? Here are some tried and true remedies:
- It is necessary to feed the child at least 5-8 times a day, because the more the child eats, the faster he will gain weight.
- Introduce more fats into your child's diet, especially since they are also useful for small children.
- Increase the amount of protein foods: dairy products (cheeses, sour cream, kefir, fermented baked milk, and so on), meat, fish, eggs.
- Cook for your child what he loves, then he will eat it all with pleasure, and you will not have to persuade him.
- The child should drink a lot, but remember that it is better to drink after eating, so as not to interrupt your baby's appetite.
- While eating, it is necessary to create a pleasant atmosphere so that the child enjoys the food.
- If your baby is naughty while eating, then mothers can also ask for help from their favorite crumb toys, they will most likely be happy to join their friend's meal.
- During the meal, you can also play, offering, feed your favorite toy, or simply invite guests for a cup of tea, all children are more likely to eat in company.
- Mothers are also allowed to feed their babies, but it is desirable that this be only an exception, not the rule.
- Remember that dishes should not only be tasty, nutritious, but also beautifully presented, because when it looks beautiful, you want to try it.
- Let your baby take part in cooking himself, because it is so interesting, and, of course, I want to try if it turned out to be as tasty as mom's.
- Praise your baby, because children are so happy to please their mother.
- You can please the baby and picnics in nature, the fresh air always improves appetite.
But I would like to warn you that you should not overfeed the child, because excess weight, just like its lack of abundance, can be fraught with all sorts of problems. I would like to note once again that everything needs a measure and in no case should you deprive the baby of physical activity, because life is in motion. Be outdoors more often, because fresh air is so necessary for a growing body.
Good luck in achieving the ideal weight for your baby.
In the modern world, there is an acute problem of increasing the number of children suffering from obesity. However, doctors note that the problem of underweight in children also remains relevant, and many children would benefit from gaining a few kilograms. However, this is not such an easy task: it is not enough just to let the child eat whatever he wants. Instead, you should change your eating habits, include nutritious high-calorie foods in your diet, and “secretly” add extra calories to your usual meals. If you think your child needs to gain weight before helping him gain weight, be sure to consult with a specialist.
Steps
Revealing the causes
- Children are quite picky about food, but if your child has a consistently poor appetite, this may indicate some physiological or psychological disturbance. Sometimes excessive thinness is associated with hormonal problems or metabolic disorders, such as diabetes or hyperthyroidism (increased thyroid function).
- Eating may be associated with discomfort due to gastrointestinal disorders or allergies to any foods.
- If your child is taking any medications, be aware that some medications may reduce appetite.
- Unfortunately, factors such as peer pressure can also lead to digestive disorders, even in preschool and primary school children.
- Perhaps your child is just very mobile and consumes more calories than is supplied to his body.
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Check with your pediatrician. If you and your child have regular check-ups, your pediatrician may advise your child to gain weight. Feel free to ask your doctor for advice on what concerns you.
- As noted, intolerance and allergies to certain foods, digestive problems and many other disorders can lead to excessive thinness in a child. The pediatrician will help establish the correct diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment.
- In most cases, the situation can be corrected by changes in everyday life and daily habits. However, expert advice never hurts.
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Follow your doctor's instructions when feeding your baby. Methods for gaining weight in an infant are certainly different from those used for older children. Serious illnesses are rare: underweight is mainly caused by improper feeding, insufficient breast milk, or gastrointestinal disorders.
- If you think your baby is not gaining weight well, be sure to check with your doctor. The pediatrician will examine the child, prescribe the necessary tests, refer you to a nutritionist who will instruct you about proper feeding, or to a pediatric gastroenterologist.
- Treatment will depend on the specific situation, it may include the following measures: supplementing with formula milk (in case of insufficient breast milk); feeding the child not on a rigid schedule, but when he wants; switching to another milk formula (in case of intolerance and allergy to the previous milk formula or switching to a more high-calorie mixture); introduction of complementary foods a little earlier than six months after birth. In some cases, a doctor may prescribe medications for acid reflux.
- Timely weight gain at the beginning of life is very important for later health, so if you have the slightest problem, you should consult a doctor. The lack of weight can almost always be eliminated in time, and it will not affect the health of the child.
Changing eating habits
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Feed an underweight baby more often. In many cases, the problem is not what the child eats, but the amount of food. Young children have a small stomach, so they need to eat more often than adults.
- It is often recommended that children eat five to seven times a day, not including snacks between meals.
- Feed your baby whenever he gets hungry.
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Give importance to meals. Without giving up light snacks, pay special attention to the main meals. Teach your child not to be distracted while eating and enjoy food.
Set the right example. It may turn out that it would be useful for your child to gain a couple of kilograms, but, on the contrary, it would not hurt you to lose weight. However, even in this situation, your diet and your child's diet should not be very different. Nutrient-rich foods are good for everyone, including lean and overweight people.
- Looking at adults, children take an example from them. If your diet is varied and includes healthy, natural foods such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, children will pick up your healthy eating habits.
- Try to eliminate unhealthy food from the family diet, regardless of whether any of the family members should gain or lose weight.
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Encourage your child to exercise regularly. Like eating healthy, exercising is more often associated with weight loss than weight gain. However, if you combine exercise with proper nutrition, they will help you gain weight.
- Generally, an increase in muscle mass contributes to weight gain, especially in older children; this method is certainly more useful than the accumulation of adipose tissue.
- As a rule, exercise stimulates the appetite, so encourage exercise before meals and see where it leads.
Choice of nutritious high-calorie foods
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Avoid junk food. Yes, cakes, pastries, cookies, sodas, and fast foods do contain a lot of weight-gaining calories. However, eating them can lead to a variety of health problems (including even diabetes and heart disease in children) far outweighing the slight benefits of easy weight gain.
- High-calorie but nutrient-poor foods, such as sugary drinks, do not contribute to healthy weight gain. It is better to eat food rich in both calories and nutrients: helping to gain weight, it provides the body with the necessary vitamins and minerals.
- Don't tell your child that he should "get fat" or "grow meat on his bones"—instead, say that you both need to eat healthier foods.
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Eat a diet of a variety of nutrient-dense foods. Variety is important not only because it allows you to provide the body with all the necessary vitamins and minerals, it also maintains interest in food and helps to enjoy it. The monotony of food can discourage a child from eating.
- A high-calorie, nutritious diet for weight gain in children should include foods rich in starchy carbohydrates (bread, pasta, cereals), at least five servings of vegetables and fruits daily, proteins (meat, fish, eggs, legumes), and dairy products (milk, cheese, etc.).
- All children under the age of two need whole milk products, and your pediatrician may recommend that you give your child these products at an older age to gain weight.
- Although a healthy diet should include foods rich in dietary fiber, you should not give too much to a child who is trying to gain weight. After a large serving of brown rice or whole grain pasta, the child will feel full and even overeaten for too long.
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Give your child healthy fats. We tend to think of fats as something bad, but that's not always the case. Many fats, especially plant-based fats, are essential to a healthy diet. These fats also help you gain weight, as they contain about nine calories per gram, while carbohydrates or proteins have only about four per gram.
- Flaxseed and coconut oils work well and can be added to many dishes. Flaxseed oil is almost odorless, while coconut oil is often added for a pleasant aroma; they can be seasoned with a variety of dishes, from vegetable salads to smoothies.
- Olives and olive oil also work well.
- Nuts and seeds, such as almonds and pistachios, will provide your child with enough healthy fats.
- Avocados will give your meals a creamy texture and will also provide your body with healthy fats.
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Choose the right snacks. Children who are gaining weight need to snack from time to time. As with the main meals, you should choose healthy, rather than high-calorie, but low-nutrient foods.
- Opt for nutritious, high-calorie meals that are easy to prepare and can serve as light snacks. For example, you can make sandwiches with peanut butter, jelly and whole grain bread, make a nutritious mix with nuts and dried fruit, apples and cheese, or stuff avocado slices into pancakes.
- As a treat, you can start with bran muffins, oatmeal cookies with nuts and honey, or yogurt, and only then offer guests regular cookies, cakes and ice cream.
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Track what and when your child drinks. It is important for children not to experience lack of water, but too much liquid creates a feeling of satiety and interrupts appetite.
Increasing the number of calories in food
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Don't forget about milk. Dairy products can be added to a wide variety of dishes. By doing so, you will increase the number of calories and nutritional value of food.
- Milk smoothies and shakes are a great way to get extra calories. By adding fresh fruit to them, you will improve the taste and provide the child's body with the necessary nutrients.
- Melted or grated cheese can be added to just about anything, from scrambled eggs to fresh salads or roasted vegetables.
- Try boiling soups with milk instead of water. If you give your child chopped vegetables or fruits, have them dip them in a sauce based on sour cream, melted cheese, or yogurt.
- If your child is allergic to milk or you don't want to use dairy for any other reason, you have an alternative. Soy and almond milk are also loaded with calories and a variety of nutrients, while soft (silk) tofu can be added to a variety of smoothies.
Try to find out the reasons. Just like adults, some children are simply skinny and have a hard time putting on extra weight. However, other possible reasons why your child looks too thin should be ruled out.
We continue to support you on your path to ideal weight and powerful muscles. We remind you that the desired result is possible only if you have a system that includes three components: regular training, enhanced nutrition and adherence to the regime. In this case, your muscles have a stimulus for growth - mechanical and metabolic stress, a material - amino acids, as well as the opportunity to grow and recover during rest.
Nutrition
Bodybuilders know a lot about gaining mass. They say: “Eat often and a lot, and with pleasure, and through force. If you don't feel like eating, drink protein shakes." We admit they are right, but we remind you that calories must be obtained from quality foods.What are the most beneficial foods for weight gain?
There is not always time to cook a full-fledged meal, but what is cooked is already boring. We present you a list of products that are especially useful for people who are gaining weight. They will help to quickly satisfy hunger and replenish the reserves of vitamins, proteins and carbohydrates. Minerals and organic compounds of these products activate the growth of muscle cells.Fish
- Mackerel. In 100 g 305 kcal, 19 g of protein. It contains a lot of omega-3 fatty acids, which prevent the breakdown of muscle proteins after exercise. Mackerel strengthens bones and ligaments due to the abundance of vitamins and minerals. Fish can be independently salted, baked, steamed. Ready-made, it can be stored in the freezer for up to 4 months.
- Herring. In 100 g 218 kcal, 20 g of protein. Fatty acids improve the functioning of the nervous system, increase motivation and muscle innervation. Herring contains selenium, an antioxidant that improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system during exercise. It also provides fast recovery and reduces post-workout pain.
- canned tuna. In 100 g 198 kcal, 21 g of protein. Tuna protein is broken down and absorbed more easily than meat. Therefore, it is recommended to sit down the first half hour after training, during the “protein window”.
- Boiled lentils. In 100 g 111 kcal, 8 g of protein. Accelerates protein synthesis from nucleic acids. Contains a lot of vitamin B9, zinc and iron. Fiber provides regular bowel cleansing.
- Buckwheat porridge. In 100 g 132 kcal, 4.5 g of protein. Biologically active substances and organic compounds of buckwheat improve cell growth and tissue repair. The rich amino acid composition provides muscle cells with building material.
- Asparagus. In 100 g 20 kcal, 2 g of protein. Its advantage is in the mineral composition. In addition, asparagus cleanses the liver well. It is boiled for 5 minutes in boiling water with lemon juice, then poured over with cold water. So it retains color and has a richer taste. Ready-made asparagus can be frozen and then added to side dishes and salads.
- Paste. In 100 g. 345 kcal, 11 g of protein. Paired with vegetables and lean meats, pasta is an excellent energy booster.
- Apple pastille. In 100 g 294 kcal, 0.3 g of protein. Contains egg whites, applesauce, sugar. Provides simple carbohydrates after exercise, causing a rapid rise in the anabolic hormone insulin, which enhances intracellular protein synthesis.
- Kozinaki. In 100 g 576 kcal, 16 g of protein. Containing a lot of vitamin E. Kozinaki improves muscle nutrition, therefore it is especially recommended for heavy physical exertion. A large amount of antioxidants contributes to the speedy recovery after training.
- sesame halva. In 100 g 470 kcal, 12 g of protein. Calcium strengthens bones and joints, while zinc stimulates muscle protein synthesis.
- Kiwi. In 100 g 48 kcal, 1 g of protein. It contains a lot of vitamin C and organic acids, which contribute to better digestion of meat products. Vitamin B9 improves the condition of the nervous system and promotes the synthesis of DNA in muscle cells.
- A pineapple. In 100 g 49 kcal, 0.4 g of protein. Improves digestion. If you want 200-300 g of protein food to be absorbed without a trace, you need to eat a slice of pineapple after eating or drink a glass of juice.
- Bell pepper. In 100 g 27 kcal, 1.3 g of protein. A source of vitamin C, which is indispensable for rapid weight gain. 100 g of red sweet pepper contains 2 daily norms of this vitamin.
- Coffee. In 100 g 57 kcal, 1 g of protein. Helps to increase the intensity of training, increases concentration. Coffee should be drunk 30 minutes before a workout so as not to overload the heart.
- Cocoa with whole milk 3.5%. In 100 g 108 kcal, 4.5 g of protein. Contains a large amount of antioxidants and calcium for bones. Increases levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin to improve well-being and mood.
- Cherry juice. In 100 g 47 kcal, 0.8 g of protein. Improves heart function, has a strong analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect. Great for post-workout pain relief.
- ginger tea- honey, ginger, lemon. In 100 g 30 kcal, 0.4 g of protein. Enhances fat burning, ensuring the growth of lean muscle mass. Therefore, if you have a tendency to store fat, then drink this drink 2 times a day. Ginger has been proven to reduce muscle pain by 25%.
Is drying necessary after weight gain?
Drying is the process of getting rid of fat in order to make your muscles look more prominent. Drying allows you to remove subcutaneous fat, while maintaining muscle mass. However, due to strict restrictions in carbohydrates, this process negatively affects the skin, nervous system and organs of the gastrointestinal tract.What is drying for?
- Reduce the amount of fat in the body to 8-12%, as a result, the body becomes fried and dry.
- Build muscle relief before the competition, draw the press cubes. Subcutaneous fat goes away, and the muscles become clearly visible.
- Those who are preparing for bodybuilding competitions. These are people who have gained the desired weight. At least it corresponds to the formula "growth minus 110".
- People whose subcutaneous fat level exceeds 20-25%.
- Continue intense strength training, increasing the number of repetitions to achieve complete muscle failure.
- Enter cardio training 4 times a week for 2 hours.
- Reduce calories. Avoid foods containing carbohydrates. The daily norm is 200 g of boiled chicken.
- Fats are cut down to 10 g per day.
- The menu is based on chicken breasts, fat-free cottage cheese and kefir, eggs and protein shakes.
- An increase in the level of ketone bodies (acetone) in the blood. This substance is formed during the breakdown of fats and amino acids. It is poison to the brain. General intoxication caused by a high level of ketone bodies is manifested by nausea, sometimes vomiting.
- CNS disorders. An increase in cortisol levels and a decrease in endorphin synthesis lead to chronic stress. Depression, apathy appears, the desire to train and do anything else disappears. The brain is deficient in glucose and fatty acids, which aggravates the situation - bouts of anger develop, the reaction slows down. Taking caffeine and thermogenetic drugs can cause feelings of fear and trembling in the hands or the whole body.
- Hormone synthesis disorders. Disorders of the endocrine system are associated with a deficiency of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Possible consequences: a decrease in testosterone levels, an increase in cortisol titer, which reduces immunity and increases the rate of fat deposition. In women, there is a delay in menstruation.
- Deterioration in appearance. The skin becomes dry, acne and inflammatory spots appear on it. Other problems arise: brittle hair, delamination of nails, wrinkles.
- Problems with the digestive system. Often, during the drying period, thermogenics are taken - drugs for enhanced breakdown of fat, which irritate the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines. In addition, the athlete during the drying period should receive a lot of protein in order to prevent muscle breakdown. And cutting back on complex carbohydrates makes food harder to digest.
If you are a professional athlete, and you think that you cannot do without drying, then during this period you need to support the body. You will need:
- vitamin complexes (complivit, supradin) to improve overall well-being;
- enterosorbents (enterosgel, polysorb) to reduce the level of acetone and reduce intoxication;
- choleretic agents (hepabene, galstena) to normalize digestion and protect the liver;
- mineral water without gas up to 3 liters to remove ketone bodies from the blood.
How to help a child gain weight?
The reason for the low weight of the child may be associated with a disease of the digestive system or lie in the wrong diet. In order to exclude the disease, it is necessary to consult a gastroenterologist, as well as take blood, urine, feces tests (for scatological examination and worm eggs), do an ultrasound of the abdominal organs.To determine whether your child is really underweight, do not rely on your own criteria, but use the age, weight and height ratio table. Also keep in mind that the weight of a child largely depends on his mobility and genetics. For example, with slender parents, children will also be thin and this is normal.
If the child is healthy, but is not gaining weight well, adjust his diet. The table below shows you daily calories and nutrients appropriate for the age of the child.
| Age | Squirrels | Fats | Carbohydrates | calories |
| Early childhood 1-2 years | 37 | 39 | 175 | 1200 |
| Early age 3 years | 54 | 54 | 215 | 1530 |
| Preschool age 4-6 years | 69 | 69 | 280 | 1960 |
| Junior school age 7-10 years | 78 | 80 | 338 | 2350 |
| Teenage boys 11-13 years old | 91 | 93 | 390 | 2750 |
| Teenage girls 11-13 years old | 81 | 83 | 350 | 2400 |
| Boys 14-17 years old | 100 | 100 | 430 | 3000 |
| Girls 14-17 years old | 85 | 85 | 350 | 2600 |
You do not need to weigh each serving to a gram, it is enough to follow the general rules.
- Determine the amount of protein appropriate for the age of the child. Multiply this number by 4.5. This will be the norm of protein foods that the child should eat per day. For example, an 8-year-old boy should eat 78x4.5 = 350 g of protein products (eggs, cottage cheese, meat, fish).
- Determine the rate of carbohydrates and multiply it by 3. This will be the mass of food containing fast and slow carbohydrates. So for an 8-year-old boy, 1 kg of food containing carbohydrates (338x3) is needed. This includes vegetables, side dishes, bread, sweets. Moreover, sugar (in drinks and confectionery) is not more than 60 g - about 3 tablespoons. Sweet is a source of energy for a child, so you should not exclude it from the children's menu.
- Fats must be both vegetable and animal. For an 8-year-old child, 16 g of vegetable oil is needed; it can be added to salads or used in cooking. The daily norm of butter 25 g is 1/10 of a pack. It can be spread on sandwiches and added to side dishes. The rest of the fat the child will receive from food.
- Offer your child a wide variety of foods, except for obviously harmful ones: excessively fatty, fried or smoked. Often cook favorite dishes that he eats with pleasure. The child's body feels what substances it lacks.
- Feed your baby 4-5 times a day in small portions. Don't let him snack between meals. A sandwich or cookie will kill the appetite, and the child will not want to sit down on the dish you offer.
- The child's appetite improves from physical activity, sports, outdoor games, outdoor walks, which should take at least 4 hours a day. A healthy hungry baby will eat anything you offer him.
Menu examples for weight gain
Daily caloric content of the daily diet - 3500 kcal. The menu is suitable for a person of 70 kg during the period of mass gain. By eating this way, you will get 50 kcal and 2 g of protein for every kilogram of weight.]Breakfast 500 kcal
- Salad of 5 boiled egg whites, 2 yolks, 100 g of boiled chicken fillet, pickled cucumber, green onion and low-fat mayonnaise. Rye bread toast. Tea with sugar 200 g.
- Casserole of oatmeal (50 g) and cottage cheese (200 g) with apples. Tea with lemon and ginger 200 g.
- Lazy oatmeal: pour 30 g of oatmeal or cereal mixture into 100 ml of yogurt and leave overnight, add berries or dried fruits before eating. 4 soft-boiled eggs, cheese and ham sandwich. Tea with cream 200 g.
- Baked chicken breast 200 g, 2 medium baked potatoes, 1 cucumber, greens. Products can be mixed by dressing with unsweetened yogurt and spices. Compote 200 g
- Baked mackerel with onions and carrots 250 g, salad of tomatoes, paprika and herbs 150 g. Vegetable juice 180 g.
- Sandwich with chicken (120 g) and cheese, tomato and lettuce 200 g.
- Salad with ham, cheese, tomatoes and mushrooms 200 g. Chicken soup with melted cheese 250 ml. Cauliflower baked with egg and cheese 200 g Boiled veal 250 g Apple compote 200 g
- Salad of chicken hearts, sweet peppers and green beans 200 g, tomato soup with rice 250 ml. Beef schnitzel 250 g, stewed cabbage 200 g. Dried fruit compote 180 g.
- Coated herring 150 g, vegetable soup 250 ml, pea porridge 200 g, boiled pork 250 g. Compote of fresh or frozen berries 200 g.
- Cottage cheese and pasta casserole 300 g. Drinking yogurt 200 g.
- Protein pancakes with cottage cheese and raisins 250 g. Milk 200 g.
- Ham 200 g, protein omelette with vegetables 200 g. Mineral water 200 g.
- Boiled beef 150 g, hard-boiled eggs 2 pcs and tomato 2 pcs. It can be in the form of a salad. Melted cheese toast. Tea without sugar 200 g.
- Grilled fish 250 g, boiled potatoes with dill 200 g. Tomato juice 200 g.
- Beef stew with vegetables in tomato sauce 300 g. Spaghetti 150 g. Tea 180 g.
- 5% cottage cheese 300 g 150 g berries or seasonal fruits, honey 15 g Fat-free kefir 200 g
- Brynza cow 150 g. 2 rye bread. Tea with honey 200 g.
- Muesli with milk 200 g Russian cheese 50 g Milk with honey 200 g
Physical exercise
In the third month of the program, you went from being a beginner to a regular at the gym. Self-confidence has appeared, but the correct execution technique has not yet been brought to automatism. It is at this stage that injuries are possible, so do not lose vigilance. According to statistics, the joints of the shoulder and knee, as well as the lower back, are most often affected. There is a high risk of damage to ligaments and tendons.Carefully observe how the coach performs the exercise, watch the video, which describes in detail the technique and possible mistakes. Increase the working weight gradually, once every two weeks.
What secrets do professional trainers use to gain mass?
- Develop all muscles harmoniously. It is impossible to achieve a significant increase in the biceps if the tissues surrounding it remain weak. The body will inhibit the growth of large muscles so that a strong muscle does not break a weak one. Conclusion: do exercises for the development of all muscle groups.
- Pull more. Rowing machine, pull-ups, etc. involve muscles that are not working enough in training. Their development will help you complete the first point of the plan and strengthen the latissimus dorsi well. Conclusion: include pull-ups in your warm-up, and after training, do a cool-down on a rowing machine.
- Biceps and triceps love speed. We know that in order to cause muscle stress, you need to force the muscle to work to failure. But there is another way, when the repetitions in the approach are performed as quickly as possible, but technically correct. This option is suitable for experienced athletes who can perform the exercise at a high pace, but without jerking. Conclusion: try doing biceps exercises with a barbell or dumbbells at a fast pace. Rest after the approach, reduce to 40 seconds.
- Tighten your buttocks while bench press. This will remove the extra arch in your lower back and make your position more stable, allowing you to lift more weight. Conclusion: throughout the approach, it is necessary to keep the buttocks tightly compressed.
- Perform pull-ups with the disc between your knees. This will enable the hip adductors to work. This weighting helps to harmoniously develop the hips. In addition, strong adductor muscles are needed to secure the knee joints when performing exercises with a large working weight. Conclusion: when performing pull-ups with weighting, replace the belt with a disk.
- For training, you need shoes with flat soles. It will be optimal if the heel does not rise above the toe at all, as if you are in Czech shoes. Any heel transfers the load from the back of the thigh and buttocks to the quadriceps. Therefore, when lifting a barbell, you cannot lift the maximum weight and provoke muscle stress. Conclusion: for the hall, buy shoes with stable flat soles.
- Train your core muscles (abdomen, thighs, buttocks). They are responsible for the stability of the spine and pelvis. Each strength exercise begins with core muscle tension. The stronger they are, the more effort is transmitted from them to the arms and legs, and the result of a strength exercise, impact, bench press improves. Conclusion during the warm-up, perform straight and side planks, glute bridge, hanging leg raises, fitball push-ups.
- Wrestling bridge for calf growth. For some, calf raises with a load do not provide calf growth. In this case, trainers advise to perform a wrestling bridge: lie on your back with your legs bent at the knees and smoothly raise your pelvis as high as possible. Then slowly lower. Repeat until muscle failure.
Training program for 11-12 weeks
At this stage, the workout becomes more intense by increasing the working weight and shorter by reducing the rest between sets. You can shorten your rest periods to the minimum necessary to restore your breath.At 11-12 weeks, the load on the back, buttocks, thighs and calves increases again. The muscles of the chest and arms receive relative rest.
First workout
- Barbell Squats 3*(4*2). Total 24 squats . Basic exercise for the development of the muscles of the buttocks and thighs.
2 squats + rest 15 sec.
2 squats + rest 15 sec.
2 squats + rest 15 sec.
2 squats + rest 1-2 minutes.
2nd cluster (4 sets of 2 squats)
Rest 1-2 minutes
3rd cluster (4 sets of 2 squats)
Rest 1-2 minutes
1st cluster
Bent Over Row 2x + rest 15 sec.
Bent Over Row 2x + rest 15 sec.
Bent Over Row 2x + rest 1-2 minutes.
2nd cluster (4 sets of 2 pulls)
Rest 1-2 minutes.
3rd cluster (4 sets of 2 pulls)
Rest 1-2 minutes.
1st approach 
1st approach
- Bench press (3*10)
Bench press 10 times + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Lifting the bar for biceps while standing (3*10)
2nd approach
10 barbell lifts for standing biceps + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Bench press (3*10)
Bench press 10 times + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Lifting the bar for biceps while standing(3*10)
10 barbell lifts for standing biceps + rest 1-2 minutes.
1st approach - Regular GHR(3*max.) Trains the muscles of the back of the thigh ("biceps" of the thigh), semitendinosus and calf. The assistant should press the toes of your feet to the floor.
- High pull (power pull) with a bar from the floor (3*7)
7 times high traction with a barbell from the floor + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Regular GHR(3*max)
2nd approach Perform the maximum number of times + rest 1-2 minutes.
- High thrust (power traction) with a bar from the floor(3*7)
7 times high traction with a barbell from the floor + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Regular GHR(3*max)
Perform the maximum number of times + rest 1-2 minutes.
1st approach 2nd approach
15 calf raises + 15 sec rest
3rd approach
15 calf raises + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Hanging bent leg raises on the bar(3*max) Knee raises engage the rectus abdominis and obliques.
2nd approach
Max reps + 15 sec rest.
3rd approach
Maximum reps + rest 1-2 minutes.
Second workout
1st approach 
1st approach - (4*8)
8 times traction from the knees + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Shrugs standing with dumbbells(3*10)
10 shoulder raises + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Deadlift from knee level (4*8)
8 times traction from the knees + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Shrugs standing with dumbbells (3*10)
10 shoulder raises + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Deadlift from knee level (4*8)
8 times traction from the knees + rest 1-2 minutes.
1st approach 8 presses + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Fitball push-ups(3*12). It works on the serratus anterior muscle (Serratus Anterior), which is located on the side wall of the chest.
- Close Grip Bench Press (3*8)
8 presses + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Fitball push-ups (3*12)
2nd approach 12 pushups + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Close Grip Bench Press (3*8)
8 presses + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Fitball push-ups (3*12).
12 pushups + rest 1-2 minutes.
1st approach - Pull-ups to the chest with a wide grip, distance between the hands 70-80 cm. (3 * max.) Exercise helps to increase the volume of the latissimus dorsi, deltoid and serratus muscles, lower and middle parts of the trapezius muscles, as well as biceps and forearms.
- (3*12)
2nd approach
12 barbell squats + rest 1-2 minutes. 
2nd approach
The maximum number of pull-ups + rest 1-2 minutes.
- The simplest split squat with a barbell on the back (3*12)
12 barbell squats + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Pull-ups to the chest with a wide grip(3*max)
The maximum number of pull-ups + rest 1-2 minutes.
1st approach 20 lifts + rest 15 sec.
2nd approach
20 lifts + rest 15 sec.
3rd approach
20 lifts + rest 1-2 minutes.
1st approach 2nd approach
The maximum number of twists + rest 15 sec.
3rd approach
The maximum number of twists + rest 1-2 minutes.
Third workout
1st cluster 2 presses + rest 15 sec.
2 presses + rest 15 sec.
2 presses + rest 15 sec.
2 presses + rest 1-2 minutes.
1st cluster 2 pull-ups + rest 15 sec.
2 pull-ups + rest 15 sec.
- Bench press 3*(4*2)
2 presses + rest 15 sec.
2 presses + rest 15 sec.
2 presses + rest 15 sec.
2 presses + rest 1-2 minutes.
- 3*(4*2)
2 pull-ups + rest 15 sec.
2 pull-ups + rest 15 sec.
2 pull-ups + rest 15 sec.
2 pull-ups + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Bench press 3*(4*2)
2 presses + rest 15 sec.
2 presses + rest 15 sec.
2 presses + rest 15 sec.
2 presses + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Reverse pull-ups with weights 3*(4*2)
2 pull-ups + rest 15 sec.
2 pull-ups + rest 15 sec.
2 pull-ups + rest 15 sec.
2 pull-ups + rest 1-2 minutes.
1st approach 
1st approach - (3*15)
15 barbell lifts + rest 1-2 minutes.
- (3*8)
8 barbell presses + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Romanian deadlift with barbell (3*15)
15 barbell lifts + rest 1-2 minutes.
- (bench press with pressure at the top point) (3*8)
8 barbell presses + rest 1-2 minutes.
1st approach - (3 * 15) works out the biceps of the shoulder.
- (3*8)
8 squats + rest 1-2 minutes.
2nd approach 15 lifts + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Squats with a barbell on the trapezius muscles (3*8)
8 squats + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Sitting barbell curls (3*15)
15 lifts + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Seated calf raises (with back support)(3*25) work on increasing the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles on the simulator, with back support.
25 lifts + rest 15 sec.
2nd approach
25 lifts + rest 15 sec.
3rd approach
25 lifts + rest 1-2 minutes.
1st approach 2nd approach
10 crunches + rest 15 sec.
3rd approach
10 twists + rest 1-2 minutes.
Third workout
1st cluster
2 presses + rest 15 sec.
2 presses + rest 15 sec.
2 presses + rest 15 sec.
2 presses + rest 1-2 minutes. 
1st cluster
2 pull-ups + rest 15 sec.
2 pull-ups + rest 15 sec.
2 pull-ups + rest 15 sec.
2 pull-ups + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Bench press 6*(4*2)
- Reverse pull-ups with weights 6*(4*2)
- Bench press 6*(4*2)
4 sets of 2 presses + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Reverse pull-ups with weights 6*(4*2)
4 sets of 2 pull-ups + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Bench press 6*(4*2)
4 sets of 2 presses + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Reverse pull-ups with weights 6*(4*2)
4 sets of 2 pull-ups + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Bench press
4 sets of 2 presses + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Reverse pull-ups with weights 6*(4*2)
4 sets of 2 pull-ups + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Bench press 6*(4*2) hands slightly wider than shoulders. Develops the muscles of the arms, chest and deltoids.
4 sets of 2 presses + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Reverse pull-ups with weights 6*(4*2)
4 sets of 2 pull-ups + rest 1-2 minutes.
1st approach - Standing barbell push press (chest press with top press)(3 * 4) is performed to increase the deltoid muscles and triceps. The muscles of the calves, buttocks and thighs also work.
- Romanian deadlift with barbell (3*8)
8 barbell lifts + rest 1-2 minutes.
2nd approach 4 barbell presses + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Romanian deadlift with barbell (3*8)
8 barbell lifts + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Standing barbell push press (press from the chest with pressing at the top point) (3*4)
4 barbell presses + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Squats with a barbell on the trapezius muscles(3*3). The main load falls on the muscles of the pelvis, hips and lower back, most of the muscles of the body are indirectly involved.
- Sitting barbell curls(3*8) - an increase in the biceps muscle of the shoulder.
2nd approach 3 squats + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Sitting barbell curls (3*8)
8 lifts + rest 1-2 minutes.
- Squats with a barbell on the trapezius muscles (3*3)
3 squats + rest 1-2 minutes.
3rd approach 8 lifts + rest 1-2 minutes.
1st approach 50 lifts + rest 15 sec.
2nd approach
50 lifts + rest 1-2 minutes.
1st approach 2nd approach
15 crunches + 15 sec rest
3rd approach
15 twists + rest 1-2 minutes.
In week 3, do these workouts 1 through 3. On the 4th week, repeat them to consolidate the result.
Daily regime
Today we will tell you a few rules that will help you recover well over the weekend. Competent rest for 2-3 days will prevent the development of overtraining. And if it appeared, then over the weekend you can easily overcome it.Psychologists and physiologists, long before Pavlov and after him, closely dealt with this problem. They developed simple recommendations on how to organize your day off in order to completely get rid of physical and mental fatigue.
- Leave work at work. Set a rule for yourself: when I come home, I don't think about work. Imagine that a recreation area begins outside the threshold of your apartment. In order not to constantly scroll through the list of work tasks in your head and keep them in your subconscious, make a list of things that you need to do on Monday. These measures will help you not to think about working on the weekend.
- Don't raise your expectations. For example, if you are going on a picnic with friends, and you expect this event to be like a Hollywood pool party, then you will experience acute disappointment. It will ruin your weekend and will not allow you to fully relax. Tip: get ready to enjoy what will be guaranteed: barbecue, nature, socializing with friends. All other pleasant moments (interesting acquaintances, continuation of the holiday), take it as unexpected bonuses.
- Friday night go to bed like a weekday. A big mistake is made by those who devote Friday evening to alcohol. Not even talking about harm to health, this is not rational. On Saturday you will suffer from a hangover, and on Sunday from lethargy. As a result, the weekend will not bring recovery to either the nervous system or the muscles.
- Make plans for the weekend. Make a list of things you need to do over the weekend. Include here both duties - cooking for a few days in advance, and pleasures - walking, meeting with friends. The list should be written or electronic, but not in your head. This "document" will make you take all the points seriously.
- Slow down the pace. Plan your day off so you don't rush anywhere. There should not be too many items on your schedule. Take time to walk at a slow pace, paying attention to details that usually escape your eye. Look at the clouds, shop windows, people.
- Follow the rituals. Repeat the same action every weekend. It can be anything: a family tea party, a cultural trip, a game of poker with friends, a visit to your parents. Psychologists have found that such repetitive actions cause a sense of security and enjoyment of life.
- Rest in contrast. If you have physical work, then rest passively. Go to the cinema, to a seminar, read. If you sit all day, then go to the cottage or go on a walking tour. Such a change of impressions, as it were, erases all the files with which you are overloaded in a week.
- Hang out with positive people. It has been proven that when we look at smiling people, a response is triggered in the brain and our mood rises. By the way, psychologists say that it is better to relax not with the people you see every day at work.