Hubby wants to gain weight...any ideas how to help?
KayleighIsGoingFatToFit
Posts: 203 Member
Hi.
I am looking for some advice on gaining weight.
Not for me (im trying to lose) but for my hubby. He had anorexia when he was younger and has overcome that and is in okay health but he is still very slim and he wants to put on more weight but finds it very hard unless he has a week off/holiday etc.
He eats a hell of a lot but he is a Vehicle Technician (full time, 5 days a week, 46 hours a week). So he burns off what he eats during the day.
Typical work day includes:
Breakfast
2 x Wholemeal toast with butter and marmalade
2 x Weetabix with semi skimmed milk and 1tsp of sugar
Snack
1 x Jam and butter sandwich
2 x Satsumas
Lunch
3 x Sandwichs (normally ham or cheese and pickle)
4 x Digestive biscuits
1 x Pear
1 x Cereal Bar
1 x Lunch box biscuit (KitKat, Rocky etc)
1 x Crisps
Dinner
1 x Meal (depends on day but approx. 700-800 calories)
1 x Large bowl of Sugar Puffs and semi skimmed milk
1 x Pieces fruit
Snack
1 x Teacake or Scone
Approx. 2500 calories a day at a minimum.
Any ideas how he can eat more calories?
He has tried protein shakes etc but he doesn't like them so won't do that again.
He also won't change what is has for breakfast so any high calorie snacks or any ideas to what I can add to meals would be great
I am looking for some advice on gaining weight.
Not for me (im trying to lose) but for my hubby. He had anorexia when he was younger and has overcome that and is in okay health but he is still very slim and he wants to put on more weight but finds it very hard unless he has a week off/holiday etc.
He eats a hell of a lot but he is a Vehicle Technician (full time, 5 days a week, 46 hours a week). So he burns off what he eats during the day.
Typical work day includes:
Breakfast
2 x Wholemeal toast with butter and marmalade
2 x Weetabix with semi skimmed milk and 1tsp of sugar
Snack
1 x Jam and butter sandwich
2 x Satsumas
Lunch
3 x Sandwichs (normally ham or cheese and pickle)
4 x Digestive biscuits
1 x Pear
1 x Cereal Bar
1 x Lunch box biscuit (KitKat, Rocky etc)
1 x Crisps
Dinner
1 x Meal (depends on day but approx. 700-800 calories)
1 x Large bowl of Sugar Puffs and semi skimmed milk
1 x Pieces fruit
Snack
1 x Teacake or Scone
Approx. 2500 calories a day at a minimum.
Any ideas how he can eat more calories?
He has tried protein shakes etc but he doesn't like them so won't do that again.
He also won't change what is has for breakfast so any high calorie snacks or any ideas to what I can add to meals would be great
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Replies
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swap semi skimmed milk for full fat, swap the jam sandwich for peanut butter, swap the digestive discuits for nuts, dried fruit and seeds. swap the sugar puffs for granola or a more calorific cereal.0
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It's tricky having to feed someone who is trying to gain weight while at the same time you're trying to lose weight--I'm going through the same thing with my teenage son.
It comes down to the same thing as weight loss--the number of calories in versus the number of calories out, just you want more going in! It doesn't really matter where the calories are coming from, but I think it's better to have them coming from protein and a bit of fat rather than a lot of sugar. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are our go-to. Omelettes with with cheese and ham. Nuts, cheese, turkey/chicken for snacks. Chocolate milk (as high of fat content as possible).
I don't know if they sell it in the UK, but my son likes chocolate Muscle Milk--we've tried other protein shakes that he didn't like, but he'll drink the Muscle Milk.0 -
ice cream, bagels, cook with olive oil, steak, pork, pasta, rice, cottage cheese, etc…
my diary is open and i am eating about 2800 a day ..feel free to browse it...0 -
Thank you for advise and I will have a nosey at your diary
It is hard when someone is trying to lose and the other is trying to gain but we will get there
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Too many calories from carbs, anyway if he is not gaining weight after increasing caloric intake, then he has some digestive problem, and considering how many carbs he eats I wouldn't be surprised.0
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eat every 2 hours, 7 meal a day with protein packed foods like lean meat, fish and protein shakes. workout using heavy weight lower set. replenish with whey protein shake and banana0
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Scarecrowsama wrote: »then he has some digestive problem, and considering how many carbs he eats I wouldn't be surprised.
There is nothing wrong with his digestive system, as I have stated his job burns a lot of the calories.proanthonylee wrote: »eat every 2 hours, 7 meal a day with protein packed foods like lean meat, fish and protein shakes.
He can't eat every 2 hours, he has a full time job and I have stated he won't have protein shakes.
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Some people tend to eat more than they burn and have a hard time losing, and other people just gravitate toward eating less and have a hard time gaining. If he's one of those, he may need to track his food carefully in order to maintain a surplus and gain at a consistent rate. A lot of people who are trying to lose think it should be so easy for everyone to gain, but that's BS.0
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He doesn't have time to track etc.
Hence why I have to do it lol, plus he doesn't make his own meals. I might make one for him but I will log everything 0 -
He doesn't have time to track, and he doesn't want to change what he's eating...are you sure he wants to gain? You can't make someone gain weight, just like you can't make someone diet.0
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I see a whole lotta carbs and not a lot of protein and fat…..0
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I know you said he won't drink protein shakes but he probably just haven't found one that he actually likes. I use BSN's Syntha6 and it is absolutely amazing. I haven't tasted anything else like it and I've tried a lot of them. It tastes just like, has the consistency of and appearance of a milkshake, even with just water. I swear by this stuff. The good thing for him is that it has around 200 calories per serving and suggests men take two servings per drink, two drinks a day which gives him about 800 calories from carbs and about 88 grams of protein per day, just from the drink. Even with a full time hectic job, he should be able to find a moment to have a drink. Eating is going to be a little more difficult because you not only have to prepare the food but you have to find the time to get it down your throat and into your stomach, not good for someone with little time. I guarantee if he tried Syntha6, he'd fall in love with it or I'll send you a check for the remainder of what he won't drink. Any flavor will do.0
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He doesn't have time to track, and he doesn't want to change what he's eating...are you sure he wants to gain? You can't make someone gain weight, just like you can't make someone diet.
He works alot so doesn't want to do this in his down time. He does want to gain weight, I am not making him. He won't change his breakfast as that is all he can stomach at 5am.FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »I see a whole lotta carbs and not a lot of protein and fat…..
He has protein and fat at dinner time. I am not going to force him to change what he eats at work if thats what he wantsI know you said he won't drink protein shakes but he probably just haven't found one that he actually likes.
He has tried a few different brands and flavours and doesn't like them
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Does he have coffee or tea daily? You can pack on a lot of calories by adding cream and sugar. But I echo what others have noted. He's a little short on his proteins and fats. Nuts are very compact, portable, and add on the calories quickly.0
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He has tea, and I havent stated his dinner as that changes daily, he does get protein and fats at dinner0
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What's wrong with bulking up with a creamy, sugary drink?0
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MrsScott, as a diabetic I work to get protein in every snack, every meal. That's why his meal plan looks a little short. It doesn't take much to add. Small changes.0
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Turn those lunch sandwiches into Monte Cristos ...0
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1.) he needs his own account.
2.) It takes 5 min to track if you plan your meals and take food with you- the app is seriously not that hard to use.
3.) look- reality he has to eat more- plain and simple- crying about not having time to do so is just an excuse. EVERYONE has stuff- EVERYONE is busy.
4.) Double up on what he DOES eat.
5.) more fat. if he likes smoothies- blend a scoop of vanilla or chocolate into an ice cream smoothie- and a slice of cheesecake while you're at it.
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1.) he needs his own account.
2.) It takes 5 min to track if you plan your meals and take food with you- the app is seriously not that hard to use.
3.) look- reality he has to eat more- plain and simple- crying about not having time to do so is just an excuse. EVERYONE has stuff- EVERYONE is busy.
4.) Double up on what he DOES eat.
5.) more fat. if he likes smoothies- blend a scoop of vanilla or chocolate into an ice cream smoothie- and a slice of cheesecake while you're at it.
This. You say he wants to gain weight, but you're offering a lot of excuses for him.0 -
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Easy things:
Whole milk instead of skimmed
Double meat in his sandwiches, or add in some fattier cuts like ham or salami
Full fat cheese
Cooking veggies in olive oil, or drizzling on top (yum)
Agree with the others that he needs to make his own account. This seems more like you are solely responsible for his nutrition, and that's never going to work.0 -
He doesn't at the moment because he doesn't have much weight on him. And don't criticise my husband - even if its not what you are meaning to do, it sounds like it.
Don't get all defensive about the critique. Realize that we all put hard work into this game. Day in and day out. . [/quote]
I will get defensive when it comes to my husband. If you had a wife (I dont know if you do or dont) you would get defensive as well.
I only asked for ideas and have got a good few one but some things are not helping and don't actually read what I have put.0 -
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We've all read what you've written, but we're questioning whether or not he's going to be able to do it. Gaining weight takes a lot of work. If he just wants to gain weight and doesn't care if it's mostly fat, he needs to eat more than he burns. If he wants a reasonable portion of his gains to be muscle, he's going to need to lift weights.
Given that he has eating issues in his past and seems to naturally maintain a slim build, if you just start over-feeding him, he'll probably naturally regulate either his intake or his energy output to maintain his current weight. (He'll either start moving a lot more or his appetite will drop and he won't eat everything you feed him.) Both of those things naturally start to happen when you bulk on purpose, and it can be an uphill battle to keep gaining. If he's not an active participant in the process, it's not going to work.0 -
He needs more calories. He won't change breakfast so that leaves lunch & dinner & snack to fill out. As others have mentioned, use full fat dairy. Since we don't know exactly what he likes or doesn't like, here are some general ideas:
More meats
Nuts
Peanut butter
Olive oil
Avocados
Bananas
Pasta
Nutella
Real Butter (not margarine spreads)
Fruit juice
Salmon
Protein bars (instead of cereal bars)
Ice Cream
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