Weight Gain Shakes for Women – 4 Recipes

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When you think “weight gain shakes for women” you may be struck with what an odd thought it is. After all, these are the types of shakes typically reserved for muscle-bound men hitting the gym – no?

• Plenty of women are interested in gaining weight as well.
• The reasons for weight loss in women usually involves social isolation, medications, illness, being homebound, or having dental problems.
• Weight gain shakes – when made healthy – are a great meal supplement to help gain weight.
• There are other, non-shake ways to gain weight as well.

Weight issues in life are a bit funny. Early in life, girls will do anything to gain (or lose) weight and get a great-looking body with curves in the right places. Then during childbearing, weight fluctuations occur. Women gain at least 25 pounds and sometimes a lot more.

After giving birth, it’s time to lose the baby weight, and that’s usually accompanied by a struggle. During a woman’s late 40s and 50s, she goes through menopause, and weight gain happens for many. And by a woman’s 70s and 80s, there’s a new challenge – that of underweight in many women.

How Weight Loss Differs for Older Women

Once an older woman loses muscle mass, life generally falls apart. These things can be expected to happen:

• Greater fatigue during the day
• Moodiness worsens
• Infections can more easily set in.
• Greater chance of falling and getting injured
• Ability to perform usual activities of daily living (dressing, bathing, grooming) which can lead to the possibility of being placed in a nursing home or assisted living facility
• Greater sense of hopelessness
• Loss of bone density
• Vitamin and mineral deficiencies worsen

Conditions that Cause Weight Loss in Women

It’s not only health conditions that can cause weight loss. There are also external circumstances that can bring it on.

Main Reasons Why Weight Loss Happens in Women

1) Social Isolation

Many older women become isolated, which leads to appetite loss and a change in eating habits. This is where many women may change to eating tea and toast if they are eating at all. And tea and toast isn’t going to sustain anyone’s body!

The quarantines of the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in reductions in physical activity and changes in eating patterns that have the potential to accelerate the deterioration of muscle mass and function especially in older populations, as well.

2) Medications That Cause Reduced Food Intake

Medications interfere with the taste of foods and can cause anorexia, nausea, loss of sense of smell and even vomiting. The more medications someone is on, the more likely changes in appetite will happen.

3) Chronic Illnesses

Certain illnesses are related to causing depression which clearly affects appetite. Heart attacks are notorious for causing depression. Cancer and treatments for cancer often cause unintentional weight loss. Parkinson’s disease, thyroid disease, GI disease, and dementia cause weight loss as well either from the disease itself or the medications. Poorly controlled diabetes is also another cause of weight loss, especially if it is type 1 diabetes.

4) Homebound Seniors

As seniors lose range of motion in their joints due to disabilities, trips to the grocery store stop. Seniors may resort to packaged and processed foods which rob the body of nutrients. Qualifying for meals on wheels is a way to both get food delivered to homebound seniors but also have a friendly face check in, even if briefly.

5) Dental Problems

If you can’t chew your food, it’s difficult to want to eat foods you ate when you were younger. Dental health problems are remedied more easily these days, but they do cost quite a bit. In one study, those who had 19 or less natural teeth had a 2.42 times greater chance of being underweight than those who had 20 teeth or more. And if someone had no natural teeth, they had a 2.84 times greater chance of being underweight, according to the Community Dental Health journal.

When is weight loss a problem? The best rule is to evaluate your weight loss in terms of your total body weight. If your normal weight is 150 and you lose 5% in one month (7.5 pounds) or 10% over a 6-month period of time (15 pounds), it’s the time to seek medical attention. If your normal weight is 125 pound and you lose 6.25 pounds within one month, seek medical attention.

Ann’s Death Could Have Been Prevented or Delayed

Here’s a case to explain this type of situation. Ann was 75 years old. She had a dry mouth constantly and food didn’t taste good. This seemed to go on for 3 months and no matter what she did, she found it difficult to get excited about eating and consistently lost weight. Her normal weight was 120 pounds and her weight fell to 105 pounds. Her clothes were falling off her.

She didn’t seek medical attention and was found dead in her bed after a period of time. The social isolation combined with a health problem did her in. The coroner declared that thyroid problems caused her death, most likely hyperthyroid that caused a quick heart attack in her sleep.

If she had strong relationships with friends, stayed hydrated, received medical help, and gained weight, it’s possible she would still be here.

Homemade Weight Gain Shake Recipes

Below are some weight gain shake recipes  you can start with. They will be good to use as snacks in between meals.

Cinnamon Pina Colada Weight Gain Shake

Tropical tastes always perk up the appetite.  Calories: 538

Note:  Add a scoop of ice cream for another 200 calories.

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Almond Dark Chocolate Weight Gain Shake

The combination of almonds and dark chocolate is irresistible.   Calories: 850

Optional:  Pour blended mix into an ice cube tray and freeze. When ready to eat, remove cubes, place in a bowl, and add healthy ice cream and real whipped cream on top. This will add another 200 calories.

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Chocolate Cherry Almond Powerhouse Shake

This weight gain shake combines B vitamins with polyphenols to the nth degree to energize you. Calories: 550+

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 Strawberry Pear Avocado Weight Gain Shake

Strawberries are good by themselves but if they aren’t sweet, the drink leaves your taste buds hanging. Add pear to the strawberries and you get an excellent taste each and every time.    Calories: 750

Optional:  Pour the mixture into a small baking sheet. Smooth out thinly. Freeze for 45 minutes. Then remove from freezer. Break into large pieces. Use it as a dessert bark. Add ice cream and add another 200 calories.

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11 Other Ways a Woman Can Gain Weight Fast

1. Get medications reviewed for their influence over appetite and sense of taste and smell. Demand a change if medications are in any way potentially responsible for your appetite changes.
2. Remember to stay hydrated. Water is stored in the muscles and the water in muscles is related to frailty. If you doubt you are hydrated, contact your physician for an IV. Don’t guess on your hydration status ever.
3. Consider not eating a keto diet. Keto diets don’t contain carbohydrates, and carbohydrates hold water in the body. They contribute to hydration.
4. Eat three regular meals daily. Smaller meals with snacks help a lot.
5. Eat foods high in fiber and protein such as dried fruit, apples, pears, and beans.
6. Eat with family and friends. Hope for them to provide nice desserts at the meal or bring your own.
7. Eat foods moderately high in fat (nut butter, cheese on top of veggies or entrees, nuts, add full fat yogurt to foods, add avocado to meals, use milk and butter in mashed potatoes instead of water, replace tea or coffee with warm full fat milk).
8. Have at least one protein weight gain shake a day. Consider adding a healthy ice cream and MCT oil to the shake along with healthy superfood nutrients such as lecithin, bee pollen, spirulina, wheat grass powder, powders of greens or reds or berries, brewer’s yeast or nutritional yeast, and acacia or other fiber (1 tablespoon).
9. Consider modern technology – EmSculpt Neo by the BTL Company (local physicians that work on body sculpting will sometimes have it), which builds muscle mass 15-19% after four sessions. It helps boost moods, makes your posture improve, and makes you stronger. You might have to have family members chip in and get you these sessions as they can be expensive, but you have to look at the end results. Nothing builds muscle mass faster than Emsculpt Neo and the effects are positive in many aspects of your health. EmSculpt Neo is the fastest way to replenish the muscle mass.
10. Consider having meals delivered to save your strength initially. Cooking can definitely burn up calories and if you have limited movement, then having someone prepare food for you is the best option. Note: Check the calorie levels of the meals being delivered. For example, if the meal will only be 200-250 calories, either you should choose a higher calorie meal (aim for 450-600 calories) or doctor up the meal when you get it. Adding 14 walnut halves adds 190 calories. Adding 2 ounces cheddar cheese (full fat) you will add 229 calories. Thus with walnuts and cheddar cheese added to your meal, you now have 669 calories. It may feel like too much food initially but split it into 2 portions that you eat a few hours apart.
11. Try to get a minimum of 1800-2000 calories daily starting off. You have probably been getting 1000-1200 calories, so this will increase your intake about 40%. This means your meals should be 500 calories three times a day and another 250 calories for one snack and then another 250+ calories with a special dessert or weight gain shake. You can increase the caloric level another 500 calories within 10 days.

Weight Gain Shakes for Women Further Reading

Use a combination  of nutrition (weight gain shakes among other strategies), medication changes, more social activities and body sculpting (yes, even at your age) to turn around your situation of weight loss around. Amaze everyone by how quickly you do this – and all you needed was a plan!

Want to read more? Consider these books on the subject: