10 Best Ways to Increase Your Appetite

Numerous factors can cause a loss of appetite, including physical and mental ilnesses. Some people naturally have a smaller appetite.
A significant loss of appetite that lasts a more than a couple of days, can cause weightloss or malnutrition.
This can be frustrating, especially for people who are underweight or trying to gain weight and build mass.

In this blog post I will share the 10 best ways to increase it.

1. Eat Small Meals More Frequently

Eating three large meals a day can be challenging task when you don’t have a large appetite.

A more motivative way of eating is eating five or six smaller meals a day. You will find your appetite improves when doing this, and gradually you can increase the portion sizes or add more ingredients and consume more calories.

2. Eat Nutrient-Rich Foods

People with poor appetites tend to eat empty calories like candy, chips, ice cream and baked goods to gain weight.

Even though these kinds of foods might seem more appetizing and contain high amounts of calories, they’re a bad idea since they provide very few nutrients.

Instead, concentrate on foods that provide you with calories and a wide array of nutrients like protein and healthy fats.

For example, instead of ice cream for dessert, you can eat 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt. Add some berries and cinnamon for sweetness.

Similarly, if you feel like eating pizza, you can make your own and add extra veggies and some protein for extra nutrients.

3. Eat More Calorie-Rich Meals

Another way to increase your appetite and ensure you’re eating enough during the day is to add more calories to your meals.

One way to do this is to cook your foods with calorie-dense ingredients like butter, nut butters, olive oil or whole milk.

For example:

• Add 45 calories: Cook your eggs with butter or olive oil
• Add 80 calories: Cook your oatmeal with whole milk instead of water.
• Add 80 calories: Add some olive oil and avocados to your salads.
• Add 100 calories: Spread some peanut butter on apple slices for a snack.

Simple additions like these can pack more healthy calories into your meals and increase your total calorie intake.

4. Schedule Meal Times

Hunger usually cues people to eat. However, if you do not get hungry, you might not be able to rely on your appetite to remind you when to eat.

If this is the case, try scheduling your meals and setting a reminder at each mealtime to make sure you’re eating regularly.

Additionally, having a regular meal schedule is important for stimulating appetite, helping you consume enough calories and nutrients every day.

Your body will get used to eating at certain times too. You will naturally crave food more at certain times if you schedule your meal times.

5. Drink Your Calories As A Shake

Drinking your calories might be a more motivating way to increase your calorie intake than having to chew your food when you do not feel too hungry.

A practical way to drink your calories is by replacing some of your meals with nutritious, high-calorie drinks.

Smoothies, milkshakes and juices can all be good meal-replacement drinks. Try making them using nourishing ingredients like fruits and vegetables. With a high quality mixer like this one will give it an appealing consistency.

You can also add good sources of protein like whole milk, yogurt or protein powder for extra calories and nutrients.

Any shake with oatmeal and peanut butter is a great meal for getting in a sufficient amount of calories if you have a low appetite.

To make the best shakes with the best consistency use a high quality blender.

6. Incorporate Healthy Snacks

Eating big meals can be intimidating, whereas small and easy-to-eat snacks can be more convenient and take less effort to increase your food intake.

Snacks can also be helpful while you are on the go.

However, snacks are not meant to replace your big meals, but rather to complement them. So avoid eating snacks close to mealtime, because it could affect your appetite.

On our blog you will find healthy snack ideas.

7. Include More of Your Favorite Foods

Choose foods you like. No one wants to force themselves to eat meals. A diet is never sustainable if it mainly consists of foods you don’t enjoy eating. Especially if you have a low appetite, it is important to make the meals enjoyable.

When you sit down in front of a meal you know you will enjoy, you’re probably much more inclined to eat it than a dish you find unappealing.

To ensure you consume more of those foods, it is important you take some time to plan and prepare them ahead of time so you can always have them available.

However, if your favorite foods are not healthy — such as from fast food restaurants — you can try cooking or serving them with more wholesome ingredients to make them more nutritious.

8. Consume Less Fiber

For people who are trying to lose weight it is recommended to consume more high-fiber foods. Fiber has been proven to promote feelings of fullness and decrease calorie intake.

For your general health it is also important to consume fiber. It has many health benefits, including normalizing bowel movements. When you are trying to eat more food it could be helpful to consume the minimum recommended amount of fibre, but don’t consume much more than that.

They can slow down digestion and keep you feeling full for longer. Thus, you may want to moderate your intake if you’re looking to increase your appetite.

9. Start With Breakfast

Consuming breakfast on a daily basis is important when you want to increase your appetite and gain weight.

If you’re trying to eat more, having breakfast every day is as important as having regular meals throughout the day.

This way you will also start the day with a good calorie-intake and it will make it easier to reach your calorie goal at the end of the day.

My favorite breakfast recipe to start the day has to be my overnight oats recipe.

10. Make Meal Time an Enjoyable Social Activity

Cooking and eating a meal with others may help stimulate your appetite more than eating alone.

To make foods more pleasant to eat, you can invite friends and family over for meals. If they cannot come over to keep you company, try eating while watching a Netflix series.

Because of the distraction you will eat more food more easily.

Turning meals into occasions for socialization and entertainment may help you enjoy your food more and could increase your appetite.

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