Practically Anorexic Guy needing to bulk

SkinnyDude78

Hi guys as the title says...I am extremely thin...unhealthily so as I used to be fairly big.

I have been on drugs for the past 10 years and lost all muscle mass and most fat. I am now off the drugs and looking to re-gain some muscle mass and not look so god damned skinny!

Any helps on diet, or fitness is much appreciated. Im a vegetarian too if that helps

thanks in advance

likitisplit

Congratulations for stopping using. Were you doing a lifting program before or just naturally fit?

SkinnyDude78

Thanks for the encouragement....Ive never done a weight program (since i was 18 and playing rugby...now 35)

But keep reasonably active - skating, surfing, paddleboarding etc

I dont think i would have classed myself as fit though in a good few years!

tmaryam

Congratulations on getting clean! I wish you the best.

KaleeCat

Just work your way up with the intake of calories, you don't want to make yourself sick eating too much or end up overweight again. But yeah you should definitely try a weight lifting routine and find a protein powder you like to get some extra protein! Congrats on taking the initiative, quitting and living a healthier life!!

TheFitnessTutor

1. Eat
2. Keep eating
3. Lift heavy stuff
4. Rest
5. Repeat
6. No seriously.
7. Oh wait you're vegetarian? Eat again!
8. See if you can get 150 grams protein being vegetarian
9. See number 1

likitisplit

Stronglifts 5x5 or New Rules of Lifting are introductory books/programs that many of my friends have used successfully.

ChriJMitch

Eat all the things. Lift all the things. This is your new life motto.

They sell commercial "weight gainer" shake mixes if you are having a hard time eating enough calories (we are talking like eating roughly 3000 a day and lifting 4 times a week to put those calories to good use), but really you should be able to knock out the calories eating whatever, just make sure they aren't empty calories.

Glad you got clean, I had a spell with opiates in my college years and I know how incredibly difficult it can be to get away from the drugs.

rock127

Hi guys as the title says...I am extremely thin...unhealthily so as I used to be fairly big.

I have been on drugs for the past 10 years and lost all muscle mass and most fat. I am now off the drugs and looking to re-gain some muscle mass and not look so god damned skinny!

Any helps on diet, or fitness is much appreciated. Im a vegetarian too if that helps

thanks in advance

I am a vegetarian too.

Make a 3-6 month goal and go to gym. Check all the veg food stuff having high protein content.

Workout>Eat>Sleep.

timbrom

Eat all the things. Lift all the things. This is your new life motto.

Yeah. Pretty much that. Get plenty of protein, 150 grams a day should probably be a bare minimum, 200-250 is probably a better goal. This will be harder as a vegetarian, but not impossible. Animal-source proteins have superior amino acid profiles. Whey protein, eggs, milk, greek yogurt, other dairy sources are all good places to turn.

Pick up a copy of Starting Strength for learning the lifts, best resource out there.

Congratulations on getting clean.

auddii

Seems like you're getting some good advice. Someone suggested 150g of protein, and it might be hard as a vegetarian. Here's a good list of protein sources including vegetarian and vegan:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/926789-protein-sources

MagdalenDreams

COngrats on getting clean! Umm eat lots of protein and and ask some muscly guy..

JoRocka

1. Eat
2. Keep eating
3. Lift heavy stuff
4. Rest
5. Repeat
6. No seriously.
7. Oh wait you're vegetarian? Eat again!
8. See if you can get 150 grams protein being vegetarian
9. See number 1

this sums it up.

congrats on your new path in life!!!

shano25

If it's available near you, look into buying some Vega products. They make great vegan nutritional supplements including protein powders and will help with your intake. I'm vegetarian as well and protein is my biggest struggle.

Biggirllittledreams

Hi guys as the title says...I am extremely thin...unhealthily so as I used to be fairly big.

I have been on drugs for the past 10 years and lost all muscle mass and most fat. I am now off the drugs and looking to re-gain some muscle mass and not look so god damned skinny!

Any helps on diet, or fitness is much appreciated. Im a vegetarian too if that helps

thanks in advance

Anorexia is not an adjective to describe being very thin- it's a mental illness, with many diagnostic criteria/requirements. I'm not saying whether or not you have Anorexia (because I don't know the ins and outs of your personal life and I'm not a licensed mental health professional), but I do urge you to be more careful about your language.

If you want to gain weight in a healthy manner, increase your intake of healthy fats, increase your intake of calories, and if you want a bit more energy for your workouts to build muscle, increase your carbohydrates a slight bit. Protein will help a bit in your muscle repair, and overall you just need to increase your calories, while also making it a point to track your macronutrients to make sure those calories are coming from healthy sources. Best of luck!

Biggirllittledreams

PS. It's believed that the protein from plant sources are not as readily absorbed, in comparison with meat. So you may need to consume a bit more protein than is calculated by macro-nutrient calculators.

k_nicole87

No advice there but everyone else has it covered. I just wanted to say that I am a drug and alcohol counselor and congratulations on your success. You should be very proud. I see the cycle too often and it is almost rare to hear success stories. You are an inspiration.

suremeansyes

Congratulations on getting clean! Everyone has covered the bases, but wanted to pile on with the congrats.

ottermotorcycle

Anorexia is not an adjective to describe being very thin- it's a mental illness, with many diagnostic criteria/requirements. I'm not saying whether or not you have Anorexia (because I don't know the ins and outs of your personal life and I'm not a licensed mental health professional), but I do urge you to be more careful about your language.

Glad someone said this, because that's what I came in here to say. There are a lot of people, especially on the "gaining weight" section of the forums, who are recovering from eating disorders and may find this offensive. Though, OP, it's clear you didn't mean to upset anyone and congratulations on getting clean!

ValGogo

Three years, one month and 14 days here. Keep up the good work. I hope you are working a "program."

Carbs, stay away from the cardio, proteins for muscle maintenance, the list goes on. I think the others have covered the basics.

Contrats and keep coming back.

MyChocolateDiet

There is a really awesome lady on here who lifts weights and is a vegetarian. She can lift weights as heavy as a grown man. She rocks. Maybe she will make an appearance in this thread and help you understand how to meet your protein goals without meat.