What motivated YOU to gain weight?

I am having the same issue. You are not alone

What if you add 100-200 cal a day of healthy fats? Avocado and nuts, etc?

I was always underweight and always tend to forget about eating or not bother. I never bothered to try gaining weight until about five weeks ago. I went to the doctor complaining of muscle weakness, they ran some tests and told me that my body was breaking down the protein in my muscles for energy - this was from a combination of eating too little carbohydrates, and not replacing calories burned after working out.

I'm motivated to gain weight (and eat more carbs) because I'm tired of being weak and sickly! I want to have enough energy to get things done and enjoy life, and I want to look better (too much weight loss gave me dry and cracking skin, shadows under my eyes, and limp hair... not so attractive).

Nuts and seeds are high-calorie and very nutritious. I soak them overnight and eat them in the morning for breakfast - that paired with a green smoothie gives me about 1100 calories right at the start of the day. Cream-top or traditional greek yogurt is also excellent for weight gain and very easy to eat.

I agree with others here, but also considering cutting back you exercise too.

I've never had to try gaining weight, it's been a struggle to lose any. However, I would assume you could use many of the same reasons you lost weight as reasons to gain... for attractiveness, healthiness, energy, etc. It seems to be similar symptoms. I lost my period due to being over weight, It has become regular again now that I'm losing weight. You just need to find the right medium for yourself where you feel healthy.

I was at a bmi of 16.5 and I had the same problems and still stressed eating over maintenance. I eventually picked up weights and still was spinning my wheels for a while until I met my amazing bf in the gym. With his encouragement I started eating more and after seeing the results that come with it like higher weights I could lift and progress more often in the gym I was just hooked... Now I can't imagine dieting down too much again. I didn't want to lose what I had worked for then....well now it is the same way but in the other direction. I don't want to lose the progress I've made in the gym. I love the thought of more muscle and now at a healthy weight (I was before getting serious about weights but it still came from encouragement and support from my brother) I am still working on gaining to put on muscle.

it was that friggen mirrior i had to look into every day.

I'm not underweight, but I recently read a thread on a clean eating board about coconut oil. This woman's child was under weight for his age, not unhealthy but he was in like the 80th percentile or something like that. She started adding a tbsp of coconut oil to his cereal each morning and his weight has slowly gone up even though his diet hasn't really changed. So that is my advice, start adding in healthy fats. You don't need to eat a huge amount of food, just make a small change.

So I am asking, what motivated you to regain some weight? Any tips/ ideas/ stories welcome! Thankyou xxx

Back in the days of being skinny, I was motivated to gain weight because I wanted to have a healthy pregnancy.

How about osteoporosis, a rubbish immune system, infertility, depression, increased cancer risk, anaemia, poor quality hair/nails/teeth...

If you really are refusing to maintain a normal healthy body weight, then I would consider whether your problem is as simple and innocent as it might first seem. Your long term health should be a good enough reason to gain weight, but if you have a genuine fear of gaining or you won't prioritise your health, then I think maybe you should talk to a doctor. Good luck! It's not easy to gain weight but it is completely worth it (I gained 15lbs and it's the best thing I've ever done).

So a bit of a backstory on me. I was a heavy drinker and well everyone knows when one is drunk one eats. And I ate. And ate. At my "heaviest" I was 125lbs. One day I look in the mirror and see a massive beer belly ( at this point I had been sober for a year but food became my new addiction ) and saggy back and rounded shoulders.

My solution: I had to lose weight. I didn't know what skinny-fat was.

So fast forward to December of 2011 and I'm at a scary 98lbs and my hair was falling out. I was sort of toned but I looked like an emaciated ladyboy. Size 00 Hollister.

I lose weight very easily and have the worst time gaining. I'm trying to gain because I'm tired of the weak waif look and frankly, I'm sick of looking like a transvestite Nicole Ritchie.
I'm at 106lbs and holding but I'd love to be 110lbs and muscular. I want to bulk up. So far I'm trying to get as much protein as I can and eat as clean as possible. I have a nut stash and Ensure for the days I have a hard time getting to 2020 calories. Gaining isn't easy for those of us that tend to the underweight.

All these stupid threads about "Who would want to be a size 2???", look b!tch, if I was a size 00 before and now I'm a 2...that is a victory! Getting rid of my size 00 pants was awesome!

Hello there! I should gain weight as well. I'm underweight (BMI 16, probably a bit more right now since I feel I've already gained something, however I put away the scale so I don't really know) and I'm eating around 2500-2700 calories/day at the moment. Here's the summary of my story that I also posted on some other forum, if you're interested (sorry but english is not my mother language as you can guess, then writing again everything would cause me to consume too much energy! :P)

To cut short, I've been overweight in the past (up to a BMI of 32), then I lost too much and fell into the abyss of anorexia nervosa. After almost 4 years of restriction (and with a dangerously low BMI of 15.3 at its lowest), on february 2012 I finally decided I had better recover before it was too late (I already attempted recovery twice in the past and failed, but this is another story). Previously, I had been eating 700-1000 calories a day if I was lucky, and I also exercised a lot (up to 3-4 hours a day on the exercise bike). From mid-february I slowly started eating more and exercising less, still counting every single calorie (I think I'll never stop doing that - also because even if I try, unfortunately I know the calories of almost everything in this world!). Until Easter I ate from 1200-1300 to 1500 with 1 hour of exercise at least. Then I felt it was not enough and adjusted up my intake to 1700. Until last week my maximum had been something like 1800, but then I read all those amazing things about eating the 2500 minimum (here: http://www.gwynetholwyn.com - if you have an ED and want to recover, it's definitely a site worth visiting!) and I surprisingly made up my mind to stop exercising and reach that huge amount on a daily basis, at any cost.
My aim is to gain at least 10 kg (22 lbs?) and reach 51-52 kg (I still had a regular period at that weight, while below 50 it started being irregular and then disappeared... this happened 3-4 years ago I think), but even ending up at 53-55 wouldn't be that bad (I looked at some pictures where I was that weight and actually I didn't look so bad as I thought at that time).

Well, I use MFP in order to make sure I'm eating enough and it's very helpful. Those of you who are attempting to gain, how many calories are you eating? What's your meal plan like?
Good luck

I understand the concept. I'm about 5'9.5", trying to put on a little muscle weight. I was content, or happy with my weight, but I want to put on some lean muscle. I also found out recently that my body fat might be too low (inaccurate measurement tool, so it could be OK..), but just to be safe I was asking around about what to do. I also go to the gym 5-6 days a week, and am starting to see some results in the tone I want. I generally eat healthy, low fat foods and avoid fast food (most of the time). I was told to not be afraid of eating healthy fats, such as avocado, nuts, etc. Basically, that fats from plants (veggies, fruits, nuts, and what have you) and to some extent fish are good, but to still try and stay away from animal fats (beef, pork, etc.).

i am exactly the same. my BMI is under and ive stopped my periods. i look thin , i feel cold etc... i want to feel andlook good but i cannot get out of the habbit of choosing low calo, low fat, exercising etc... I cannot convince myself it is a good thing to eat junk etc.. its so confusing and hard. help!