How do you stay motivated to eat more? (hard gainer's)

Sam_squish21

Hey guys,

I'm 20 yrs old 5' 9 and weigh only 120 lbs. I am a hard gainer trying to pack in a few pounds. How do you all stay motivated to eat so many calories? This is such a big struggle for me, the food can be very delicious but if I am full I just feel nauseous and hate stuffing myself. According to the app I need 2400 calories and even this can get so challenging. If you have any high-calorie and delicious meal suggestions, do let me know!

AnnPT77

I think you might find a higher percentage of people with similar goals over in the gaining weight part of the Community, maybe:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/categories/goal-gaining-weight

They also have a thing in "Most Helpful Posts" over there with specific advice for hard gainers:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10326769/are-you-a-hard-gainer-please-read/p1

I'm afraid I can't offer much personal advice, as one of the folks on the other side challenge-wise: I have no problem eating my 2000+ maintenance calories, and could easily be on a slippery slope to 3000+ if I were inattentive, even though I'm older (65), shorter (5'5"), only a little heavier (125ish) and 100% female-er.

It's a puzzle to me what creates so much variation among people, and please don't take any of the above as criticism of you, or disrespect for the very real challenges you face. I'd help if I could.

Hoping you can find a path to success with your goals!

callsitlikeiseeit

As Ann said, the other board may be of more help to you.

I do truly sympathize though. My husband is much older (50) , 5'7 and 130 pounds. he's lost 10 pounds in the past year. After pretty much every test imaginable and his weight holding steady the past 3-4 months, we've (us and his doctors) have come to the conclusion that its just HIM. crazy high metabolism, very physical job plus our farm, small appetite. He averages 15,000 steps a day without trying. And thats a typical day. A busy day? 25K easy. If left to his own devices, would eat MAYBE 1500 calories. maybe.

What I've done with him, and he's MAINTAINING, not gaining, but we are taking the maintenance as a win for now, since he WAS losing, is he is eating protein and breakfast type bars throughout the day. He leaves for work early (6 am typically), and isnt a breakfast person to begin with, but throughout the workday probably eats 4-6 bars that vary in calories from 200-300 each. This is also his lunch. Occasionally he will take a homemade lunchables type thing (cheese, meat, and crackers) but not terribly often. During the winter when its cold he will often take soup. For dinner, I make whatever I make, he gets a much larger portion, and then more bread and dressings, butter, etc to increase the calorie count of his portions. His dinners usually average out to 1000 calories, depending on what we have. If we have something like a grilled chicken salad (which we do often), I add cheese and croutons, extra dressing, etc to bulk it out. He almost always has desert- in the fall and winter i bake A LOT - so whatever Ive made- pies, cakes, cookies. In the warmer months, he will fix a giant bowl of ice cream or eat cookies, chips, a giant peanut butter milkshake (if i make it for him), whatever junk we have. it is hard for him to eat this much. truly. and hes not eating what he needs to, to gain. Not with his activity level. He averages about 2500 calories a day. Some days a bit more. Some a bit less. I had him wear my fitbit and I logged his food for a month. I knew he had an active job, but seeing those numbers blew me away. every day.

Obviously he and I have very different problems. LMAO

Maybe some of the things I'm doing for him will give you some ideas. But as Ann suggested, the other board will probably be the best place to get a lot more ideas and focused help. Good luck to you!

coryhart4389

Eat nuts!! 1 oz of nuts, imo, seems like nothing and pack lots of calories. A handful, generally 2 or 3 oz. adds hundreds of good nutritious calories.