Need help please :)

Becca539

Hi Everyone,

I need some good old advice. I'm an 18 year old girl who weighs 52kg and is 174cm tall (115 pounds - 5'8" tall). I need some guidance as to what to eat and exercise (if I even should be doing it). I have oats/milk/banana for breakfast at work but can someone provide me with a mean plan or some ideas for food because I need to reach at least 2500 a day. Keep in mind though that I still live at home so my mother still makes dinner and I have no control over that - it's usually between 400-800 calories.
I am struggling with this amount of calories, part because I eat healthy low-calorie foods, part because there's a part of me that is still hesitant to gain weight in fear I'll become all flabby and unattractive.
Any ideas to help me gain these 5-6 extra kg's/ 10-12 so pounds would be greatly beneficial.
I want to be a happy, healthy, average weighing 18 year old who doesn't worry about her food anymore.

Thank you,
Bec

VeganEquestrian

NUTS and AVACADOS! They are healthy and high in cals.
And you wont get flabby, just exercise and you'll gain muscle, not fat.

Ulwaz

any advice would be helpful for me too, i hate being so thin need my curves back

Ulwaz

add me if you need support/someone to talk too

alereck

Lift weights, you will NOT get bulky but since you are already thin you will start building some sexy muscle and you will look healthy and lean instead of underweight. And I mean real weight, not 5 pounds, start with at least 10 or 12.5 for arms and build up, legs start with about 30 pounds. Eat more protein to add more calories and help build muscle, add healthy fats like salmon, avocados and nuts. If you live with your parents go shopping with your mother, I'm sure she won't stop you from getting healthy food in the shopping cart.

Most importantly get used to eating every three hours. I know it's hard specially if you are in school but it's important if you want to gain healthy weight (muscle not flabbly unatractive fat). But I do not mean snack every three hours, I mean healthy meals every three hours. For the times you cannot get a meal drink a protein shake.

Count your calories and make sure you are getting the right macronutrients, 40% carbs, 40% protein and 20% fat sound about right for your, but you could increase a little of the healthy fat.

Good luck

oanamara

completely agree with alereck, the weight you gain should be muscle not fat. Also depending on your body type even if you gain weight to get curves, your body might not store fat in the places you want to add the curves to. Your best bet is gaining muscle, it will make you look healthy and give you a great shape!

LovesGG

The weight you gain doesn't only have to be muscle. It can certainly be a combination of muscle and fat. You can definitely exercise, but go light on the cardio or just eat whatever you burn if you don't go light. Weight lifting has been great to me. I think I didn't have to worry about looking unflattering/flabby mostly because I lift weights. Your stomach will bloat at first but then it gets used to the calorie increase.
I can't exactly give you a meal plan but do your best to meet the nutritional recommendations like incorporating fruits, veggies, protein etc. The biggest mistake I made on my first weight gaining attempt is looking for a quick solution. I did that and when I got to my goal I immediately lost the weight unintentionally. You want to make eating more of a habit that you're not going to kick so that you can maintain your goals and it's easier to increase along the way. And by making it a habit, that takes away the worrying of losing all your hard work or stressing about each meal. Happy eating!

SnuggleSmacks

Peanut butter and cheese are both good sources of protein and can easily help boost your caloric intake.

Ulwaz

healthy calorie dense foods are the best;

avocados, bananas, nuts, dried fruit, eggs, yoghurt, milk, bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, fish, chicken, red meat, cheese, coconut, mangos, pineapple

Car2992

Ask your mother to add a teaspoon of olive oil to your foods for extra healthy calories.

Becca539

Thanks everyone,

I have been lifting but I just realised that they are too light and just causing my to lose weight again as they aren't really ripping my muscles, I will try and get some heavier weights.
I am taking mass gainer and protein extras on top of avocado and eggs etc.

Thank you all