Practically Anorexic Guy needing to bulk

SkinnyDude78
SkinnyDude78 Posts: 2
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
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

Replies

  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    Congratulations for stopping using. Were you doing a lifting program before or just naturally fit?
  • SkinnyDude78
    SkinnyDude78 Posts: 2
    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
    tmaryam Posts: 289 Member
    Congratulations on getting clean! I wish you the best. :smile:
  • KaleeCat
    KaleeCat Posts: 152 Member
    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
    TheFitnessTutor Posts: 356 Member
    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
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    Stronglifts 5x5 or New Rules of Lifting are introductory books/programs that many of my friends have used successfully.
  • ChriJMitch
    ChriJMitch Posts: 70 Member
    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
    rock127 Posts: 369 Member
    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
    timbrom Posts: 303 Member
    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
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    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
    MagdalenDreams Posts: 63
    COngrats on getting clean! Umm eat lots of protein and and ask some muscly guy..
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    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
    shano25 Posts: 233 Member
    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
    Biggirllittledreams Posts: 306 Member
    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
    Biggirllittledreams Posts: 306 Member
    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
    k_nicole87 Posts: 407 Member
    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
    suremeansyes Posts: 962 Member
    Congratulations on getting clean! Everyone has covered the bases, but wanted to pile on with the congrats.
  • ottermotorcycle
    ottermotorcycle Posts: 654 Member
    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
    ValGogo Posts: 2,168 Member
    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
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    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.
  • felonebeats
    felonebeats Posts: 433
    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 nails it
  • mcspiffy88
    mcspiffy88 Posts: 90 Member
    Congratz man on getting clean .. thats a huge battle won right there.

    Good news is getting bulky is far from that hard, bad news is theres no such thing as a vegan lifter.. I dont know of many black nazi people. You will mostly have to rely on protein shakes, I havent seen a vegetarian get any muscular without them. Getting 100+ grams of protein in the system consistently on a daily basis will be hard, thats a lot dairly products and eggs right there. If you are a vegan and you dont eat even dairy and want to skip shakes well then you are just ****ed.
  • Needtostart797
    Needtostart797 Posts: 118
    Drink gainers!
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
    www.veganbodybuilding.com
    www.nomeatathlete.com (geared toward runners, but still has some good information and recipes)

    It's harder, not impossible, to meet athletic goals if you don't eat meat. You need to do some reading and educate yourself about nutrition, but that's no different from what omnivores should be doing.

    OP, congratulations on getting clean. That's a huge accomplishment and you should be really proud. Enjoy bulking and have fun!
  • Galatea_Stone
    Galatea_Stone Posts: 2,037 Member
    Do you eat dairy and eggs? If so, then load up on the greek yogurt and protein powder. I can get a huge protein punch in a morning eating 1 cup greek yogurt, 2 scoops protein powder mixed in, and then a cup of egg beaters. Throw in an avocado and a tortilla, and it's a very satisfying and filling meal.

    If it isn't prying, can you tell me what you were addicted to? Some drugs can have a seriously detrimental effect on metabolic function (meth, e.g.,), and you may need to increase the calories slowly so as to avoid adding too much body fat. Lifting heavy is vitally important.
  • raven_ous
    raven_ous Posts: 223
    As already mentioned great job taking initiative to improving your life.

    some links that may help...

    Protein sources

    http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/articles/plant-food-protein-chart.pdf

    http://www.22daysnutrition.com/blog/2013/05/01/15-vegan-sources-of-protein-soy-free-and-gluten-free-too/

    A little guidance for lifting...

    http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/FAQ:The_Lifts


    Weight Lifting - Form /Technique

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/852401-proper-form-and-technique-sources

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1018359-do-you-cave-in-when-you-squat

    Strength Training - the basics

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/850719-strength-training-the-basics

    Barbell routines - when you only have dumbbells

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/902569-barbell-routines-when-you-only-have-dumbbells

    I do however recommend you get a health screen from a medical professional if you are coming out of a long term addiction for safety reasons as your health and fitness will most probably be affected to a certain degree, just for safety's sake.

    Good luck OP the MFP community are highly supportive of anyone who are trying to better their lives.

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