New - Weight... gain!

dsp79

Hi peeps
I'm new here and it seems really useful. I currently weigh 40kg. Last year I tried to gain weight and gained about 5 kilo's but it was really hard work. I've since lost 2kg due to the fact that unless I make the effort to eat more I just loose it.

I have a small stomach so it's always been hard for me to maintain a healthy weight. My goal now is to gain 8kg which will put me in the 'healthy' BMI range.

Does anyone have any suggestions for what I should be eating / snacking on? The key for me is little and often... Anything tasty and 'easy to eat' would be ideal.

Many thanks
Denise

sabrinafaith

nuts? almonds and chashews and macadamia. those are very high in very healthy fats. you can mix with dried cherries and apricots for a nice mix.

Elokyn

nuts? almonds and chashews and macadamia. those are very high in very healthy fats. you can mix with dried cherries and apricots for a nice mix.

Indeed, and avocado. YUM!

gecallo

I'd like to see what your food diary looks like, but as far as protein goes, along with your lean meats and fish, you can also include some high quality whey protein. They come in a variety of different flavors, and it's a great supplement if you just don't have the time to cook up some egg whites, chicken breasts, fish, etc. I usually have a whey protein drink with some fruit or nuts, or with a slice or two of whole wheat bread or crispbread and some all natural almond butter or some other healthy spread or condiment.

dsp79

I've just made my diary public but only started it yesterday so might not be too useful at this stage. I gave up coffee yesterday and intend to replace the cappuccino sachets with something a bit more appropriate, suggestions welcome but I don't want something that's going to fill me up since then I won't eat anything!

Thanks for your help. What's more important to gain weight? I always thought it was calories to gain fat and protein to gain muscle - but if I'm not working out how would that benefit me?

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/dsp79

Cheers!
D

becca09

wow i just looked at your food diary, it looks like your eating all the wrong things, wayy too many cappuccinos. you need to drink water and lots of it, i know people who say water is not nice to drink and that it has no taste, so my advice to those sorts of people is to add something to it, like fruit squash (i personally love water but adding squash once in a while can make it a bit more interesting.)
it looks like your foods are on-the-go snacks like buttons and coke cans. i know your trying to gain weight but i dont think eating the things your currently eating will get you there. try having small meals, not snacks. i know you had pasta the other day but for dinner/tea try having a small bowl of pasta with some veg in it (i like pasta with vinaigrette (my nan is french and she taught me how to make it properly) and sweetcorn and some copped up bell peppers, maybe some onion in it too. its delicious. you can put tuna in it, if you like tuna that is, i dont like tuna at all), maybe cerial or toast for breakfast with a glass of milk and a sandwich for lunch, some fruit like an apple for a snack and some crisps for an afternoon snack? you can have a hot drink like your cappuccinos, i have a hot chocolate sometimes but when i say sometimes i mean maybe twice a week at most. you need to be eating 2,000 cals a day. eating less then that will make it difficult for your body to gain anything. why not try adding muscle workouts to your daily routine, you would gain muscle weight and you would be a bit stronger and healthier i dont mean get huge body builder muscles, just a bit of muscle all over.

dsp79

I know I know... I'll increase my target to 2000 calories. At one point last year I did close to 3000 so I know it's possible (I was also drinking nutritional shakes at the time but found them hard going).

Can I replace tuna with chicken? Does anyone have any suitable recipes, I'm not much of a cook but would love to be able to prepare a couple of decent snacks / lunch the night before I could just do with a bit of inspiration. I like all cooked vegetables and love pasta as it's easy to eat. Cheese too just not too much in one go. The vinaigrette sounds like a fab idea.

How does water help with the whole process? Should I replace the cappuccino / coke with water / squash or fruit juice or something with milk in or a supplement drink instead?

Sorry for so many questions, just want to understand as much as possible and do it properly, and sustained, this time around.
Thanks very much
D

gecallo

If your goal is to gain weight and to look and feel healthy, you have to have well balanced meals which consist of lean proteins, healthy fats, carbs, and fiber AND you have to include some form of exercise as well. Water is THE BEST liquid you can put into your body. It helps process and transport all those healthy nutrients that your body utilizes.