Which is more difficult? Gaining or Losing?

CFaulkner97

I get that both have mind over matter factors. I just feel that people believe gaining is easier because obesity is such a big/common issue in comparison. I have a hard time thinking losing is easier even though I've never tried myself. Most of the time I am at the point where my mind is telling me I can't intake any more but I have to force myself to keep going. Anybody agree/disagree?

Christine_72

For me it is ALOT easier to eat more than it is to eat less

CFaulkner97

Christine_72 wrote: »

For me it is ALOT easier to eat more than it is to eat less

Have you had experience with trying to gain weight?

Christine_72

CFaulkner97 wrote: »

Christine_72 wrote: »

For me it is ALOT easier to eat more than it is to eat less

Have you had experience with trying to gain weight?

ah ha Good question. No I have not. However I could easily eat upward of 1000 calories of my TDEE most days if left to my own devices.

I assume you're trying to bulk?

CFaulkner97

Yes I am in taking a minimum of 3500 calories. I get that both goals can get discouraging and every bodies bodies are different but I sometimes tell myself I wish that I needed to lose weight instead of gain

juggernaut1974

Obviously - in the first 37-ish years of my life, I found it much easier to gain than lose.

That was before I really cared though.

Once I put my mind toward a fitness goal, and educated myself on calories, macros, etc, I really didn't find losing all that difficult. Mentally, I'd say I had a bigger problem once I decided to stop losing, and bulk back up a bit.

There was a great article posted some time ago on the weight gain forum regarding the "former fat boy syndrome" and the mental hurdles one has to overcome to stop 'dieting'.

ETA: Here it is

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1069962/the-former-fat-boy-girl-syndrome/p1

cwolfman13

As an 18 year old male, you're likely to have a harder time gaining, particularly if you're active as your body is going through a lot of changes that require a lot of energy...I never used to believe people when they told me that would all change...then I turned 30 and gaining weight was not something I had to try very hard to do. It is far easier for me now to put on weight than to take it off...not that it's particularly hard to take off necessarily, but it's a lot easier for me to unconsciously overeat now than it is for me to consciously decide to restrict calories.

ladydsb

I have never tried to gain weight. I'm thick so losing weight is for me. I have heard it is hard to gain weight because most thin people metabolism is high.

harrybananas

You said it yourself. Gaining simply is easier because if not, there would not be an obesity problem, or at least to a lesser degree. It's good that you can control your intake, as that is essential for losing weight if you ever decide to lose.

Instead of eating high amounts of food in weight, eat food that is higher in calories.

CFaulkner97

cwolfman13 wrote: »

As an 18 year old male, you're likely to have a harder time gaining, particularly if you're active as your body is going through a lot of changes that require a lot of energy...I never used to believe people when they told me that would all change...then I turned 30 and gaining weight was not something I had to try very hard to do. It is far easier for me now to put on weight than to take it off...not that it's particularly hard to take off necessarily, but it's a lot easier for me to unconsciously overeat now than it is for me to consciously decide to restrict calories.

Right. I guess it varies person to person. There probably isn't any right answer. I was born in a little Japanese family so my family don't have overweight problems in their genetics.

CFaulkner97

harrybananas wrote: »

You said it yourself. Gaining simply is easier because if not, there would not be an obesity problem, or at least to a lesser degree. It's good that you can control your intake, as that is essential for losing weight if you ever decide to lose.

Instead of eating high amounts of food in weight, eat food that is higher in calories.

I can't fully agree with this statement. I've had multiple attempts to bulk where I end up not gaining a pound. Then when I give up my diet I somehow lose a pound or two

chastity0921

I've always heard gaining was more difficult. Just think having to routinely eat more than your body wants. Sounds horrible to me. I'd rather have a little tummy growl than feel like I need to throw up all the time.

CFaulkner97

chastity0921 wrote: »

I've always heard gaining was more difficult. Just think having to routinely eat more than your body wants. Sounds horrible to me. I'd rather have a little tummy growl than feel like I need to throw up all the time.

Yeah it's hard. But I feel my workouts would be weak without the amount of carbs i intake. Also I bet restricting calories makes you feel less energized as well

CTRLplusZ

I think that specifying what you are gaining or losing is important. It's easy to gain fat by overeating and being sedentary however gaining muscle is hard because you must eat and do activity that promotes muscle growth.

Losing pounds is easily done by manipulating food and water, however lower weight does not always give the desired result in overall bodyfat and appearance.

Therefore, I conclude that the goal of gaining muscle and losing fat is hardest as it requires the most effort and strategy.

Christine_72

abysmalbeauty wrote: »

I think that specifying what you are gaining or losing is important. It's easy to gain fat by overeating and being sedentary however gaining muscle is hard because you must eat and do activity that promotes muscle growth.

Losing pounds is easily done by manipulating food and water, however lower weight does not always give the desired result in overall bodyfat and appearance.

Therefore, I conclude that the goal of gaining muscle and losing fat is hardest as it requires the most effort and strategy.

Nicely explained

ForecasterJason

For me, gaining weight (any kind) is harder than losing, though at 21 I do have age on my side in this. I also have a small frame size due to genetics.

AnvilHead

Gaining is very easy for me because I love food and have a huge appetite. If left to an ad-lib diet I could (and did) easily take in 4000+ calories/day without batting an eye. It always puzzles me when I see posters complaining about how it's soooo hard to hit their 1200 calorie per day goal, because not reaching my goal has never been a problem for me. I didn't put on 50 extra pounds by not eating enough!

I don't find losing weight particularly difficult because I have a very flexible palate and can easily tailor what I eat to more nutrient-dense foods for satiety. I also understand that trying to lose as fast as possible comes with a lot of drawbacks, so I have no problem with losing at a reasonable rate - which means a smaller, more comfortable deficit. But compared to gaining, losing involves more self-discipline and vigilance. The hardest part about gaining would be staying the course on a small'ish surplus for best body composition results - it would be a lot easier to throw caution to the wind and go on a GFH bulk!

rybo

I've always laughed at that phrase "you can't out train a bad diet". They've obviously never met a young adult male hammering the weights and trying to gain.

SingRunTing

I think a lot of is comes down to what your TDEE is.

For me, my TDEE works out to ~2150. So a cut means eating below 2000 calories, which can be hard after a while when balancing with real life events like birthdays, holidays, and just going out. A bulk means still eating under 3000 calories, which is pretty easy to do.

For someone who's TDEE is 3500, a cut can still be over 3000 calories, which is manageable. But a bulk means being 3750 to 4000 calories which can be hard to do on a day to day basis.

It's all about perspective. My bulk = your cut. So it's very different based on where you fall.

becky10rp

Neither. Maintaining is the hardest.

Everdomad

I'm losing for the first time in my life, after deliberately gaining about seven years ago. As long as I'm calorie counting, I find losing to be easier.

If I eat as much as others say I should I feel intolerably full.

CollieFit

Gaining what?

Gaining fat is a lot easier than gaining lean mass.

stevencloser

Whatever you're not used to from your life leading up to this point. Habits are the main reason one is hard for someone.

auddii

stevencloser wrote: »

Whatever you're not used to from your life leading up to this point. Habits are the main reason one is hard for someone.

This. People who naturally eat less and easily maintain a lower weight may find it very difficult to gain; those who often over eat may find it very difficult to lose. Neither one invalidates the other (which is why statements like "I wish I had you problem" always bother me).

MyDogsLoveMe

I am trying to gain muscle weight, and not fat. This is harder than losing for me, but if I was trying to put on fat it would be easy. I am around 110-113 on any given day, and can't lose more weight without questioning my sanity. Gaining muscle while losing fat is difficult. I thought I had gained weight and lost inches, but the scale said I lost two pounds this past two weeks. I just started weightlifting just the past two weeks, and thought I would gain weight, but it hasn't happened yet. I'll keep trying...

stealthq

Truthfully, I found both hard.

On the one hand, cutting has you eating less and wishing you could have more of the high calorie things you enjoy. And it can really seem endless depending on your starting point and your rate of loss.

On the other hand, bulking has you playing mind games with yourself, plus after the first couple of weeks I was hungry all the time. Much hungrier than when I was cutting. And it's not like I got all that many more calories to compensate. Then, of course, your macros are more critical so you focus on food more. You must put in quality workouts or you end up with more fat than you want. Plus, you get to look forward to cutting again at the end.

If you're talking fat gain, then yes. That would be the easiest up to a point. Turn off all inhibitions and go.

juggernaut1974

AnvilHead wrote: »

Gaining is very easy for me because I love food and have a huge appetite. If left to an ad-lib diet I could (and did) easily take in 4000+ calories/day without batting an eye. It always puzzles me when I see posters complaining about how it's soooo hard to hit their 1200 calorie per day goal, because not reaching my goal has never been a problem for me. I didn't put on 50 extra pounds by not eating enough!

I don't find losing weight particularly difficult because I have a very flexible palate and can easily tailor what I eat to more nutrient-dense foods for satiety. I also understand that trying to lose as fast as possible comes with a lot of drawbacks, so I have no problem with losing at a reasonable rate - which means a smaller, more comfortable deficit. But compared to gaining, losing involves more self-discipline and vigilance. The hardest part about gaining would be staying the course on a small'ish surplus for best body composition results - it would be a lot easier to throw caution to the wind and go on a GFH bulk!

Yes - I should clarify my first post.

Gaining in and of itself I don't find difficult at all. I could eat hundreds of surplus calories per day (probably pizza and/or chips and salsa or guacamole) with no difficulty whatsoever.

What I find harder (mentally hard, primarily when compared to cutting weight) is a controlled, purposeful gain. And not so much now as my first bulk after coming off of a couple years of purposeful weight loss.

TheGimp

The problems some people have with gaining weight can be attributed to other medical issues. There are issues where after eating a little the person becomes uncomfortable, or their throat gets sore, or they reflux form everything, and the list goes on. For some they need some kind of food that could deliver 1000 calories with all the nutrients they need in maybe 1/2 cup or less.

datsundriver87

IMO gaining fat is way easier than losing fat, but gaining muscle is way harder than losing muscle

singingflutelady

Gaining muscle is harder than losing fat and losing muscle is easier than losing fat.

robininfl

I find it easier to gain, in general. Losing weight does happen naturally for me during times of stress, and I am "ectomorphic" under stressed conditions (if I don't work out I lose appetite, my body reverts to skinny not fat, usually). But have found it pretty easy usually to eat more and work out and gain muscle mass, without doing anything extreme. So going from skinny to fit was a natural feeling process.


If you are only 18, you are probably still growing. My brothers had that body type, wiry, were athletes but did not build mass, very lean, fast, strong, skinny. They grew up, not out, until they reached their adult height, and that did not happen until college. After that, they were able to get a more muscled look.