Underweightians* Unite!

I'm little. Not in age (or height) but in size. I am 24 years old and I wear somewhere around a Juniors Size 2. I weight roughly 110 lbs and stand at 5'7" - and no matter what I do I can't seem to put on any more weight.

Just about everyone talks about how they need to (want to) lose a few pounds, how terrible they look, how they can't have that piece of chocolate "it'll go to the hips." As much trouble and difficulty people go through trying to lose weight, I think it's much more difficult to be underweight. (Although, I might be slightly biased)

Next time you're watching TV or listening to the radio, count how many commercials you hear for some weight loss program/pill/diet/healthy alternative at yoyu favorite fast food restauaunt. Now tell me the last time you heard about a "gain-weight quick" program. Sure, there are plenty of "diets" for athletes to help them get to the next weight class, but these are not good choices for the average, non-althletic, doesn't work out everyday for hours type of person. Like me.

I can't be alone in this world of underweight-ness. I can't be the only person out there who gets looks from at least one person everyday that reads "she must have an eating disorder." Beyond looking sickly most of the time, things that a normal-weight person can do are too much for me. My daily activities exhaust me. Simply getting up, going to work and making dinner are enough to put me in my bed by 8:30 p.m. A little overtired? You can tell by looking at my eyes, they sink deeper into my face if I lose even an hour or two of sleep. I bruise like a peach (and I'm not anemic).

Problems faced by the underweight can be as serious as problems dealt with by overweight or obese people- only society doesn't focus on this group of people, unless it's an eating disorder or a celebrity. As I continue my fight to get myself to a healthy weight for my age and height, I thought I should share a few "tricks" I have learned.

1) A bowl of cereal or a sandwich before bed everynight will help you build some fat.
2) Aerobic excersize will help build your stamina for making it through the day.
3) Junk food is not the answer. Sure, us underweightians can eat a Snickers bar and not feel guilty, but it's better to eat healthy foods that are high in nutrients, just more frequently.
4) Eat many, smaller meals. I tend to have breakfast twice - first a granola bar of some sort, and an hour or so later a yogurt with fresh fruit and granola. I have lunch a few hours later and a mid-afternoon snack. After work I eat dinner (my biggest meal of the day) and try to get at least one more snack in before bed. Never let yourself get hungry, when you feel hungry your body is already taking from what you have stockpiled.
5) Be lazy after you eat. Let that food settle in and get comfy. If you're up and running around right after eating, fewer of the calories stick around. This is especially important for us underweightians since our bodies tend to convert our caloric intake to energy to get us through the day instead of storing them.

Where are my fellow underweightians? Or, am I really alone?

*I made this term up. I like it.