Gaining weight: Appetite

Yes! Any tips would be wonderful.

I eat slowly so i suppose I feel fuller faster. Though i also don't particularly want to eat, it's more that I feel I have to.

What would you say makes your appetite low?

Yeah, getting in some "emptier" calories with less fiber that digest more quickly will help. White rice vs. brown rice, for example. Eat a white potato, skip the skin, add butter. That kind of thing.

Whatever you would have avoided before because you'd just be hungry a half hour later -- eat that.

Yup that happens To me . I eat a lot at one time ,but later I'm hungry but don't eat as much as the first meal.. Its complicated.

thatguy56 wrote: »

I feel you guys.
My apetite ranges from bizaare to nonexistent. On average I'm hungry and eat but feel disgusted with the food I'm eating (regardless of what it is/health content). At worst my stomach tells me it's hungry but I have no desire to eat. At best I'm hungry, I'm eating, and two hours later at most I'm ready for another meal.

Not sure how to get over the disgust because it's random but I've gained weight regardless of appetite by drinking nutrition shakes with high calorie content. Doesn't have to be whey protein and such but things like Ensure and/or Carnation Instant Breakfast. Helps a bit for an added calorie boost.

Does anyone else not like the feeling of being full? (Reading what I wrote makes me realize I have some food issues)

Have you seen a doctor about this? There may be an underlying medical issue or it might just be psychological but sounds like something you might want to have checked out to clear you of any hidden medical conditions.

I appreciate the suggestion. I've been to the doc but physically I'm fine. Probably a head thing.

I'd be interested in more kinds of high calorie foods that wouldn't make someone feel as full. Are peanut butter, shakes, and nuts the major staples or are there others?

thatguy56 wrote: »

I'd be interested in more kinds of high calorie foods that wouldn't make someone feel as full. Are peanut butter, shakes, and nuts the major staples or are there others?

Yep, you got it. In all the advice I've been given everyone is saying nuts/peanut butter, eggs, ice cream, milkshakes and smoothies, or just just milk. Whey protein or putting oats into things also.

If you personally find any more I would love to know about them, but the main advice I got was to drink your calories if you can't eat them.

I weigh over 400lbs and rarely feel hungry because I am also anorexic. Anorexia is a term that means "without appetite" and should not be universalized to mean anorexia nervosa... Those having the nervosa manifestation can incur a lack of proper appetite due to avoiding certain hunger cues.

Being full should not be painful or even noticeable. It should simply be a status quo, lack of need to evacuate or fill.

Every time I've caught myself undereating (this happens all the time, as I usually clock at about half my needed daily intake of 3300), I've had to retrain my belly. At one point, I was 340lbs or so and ate about 1000 calories a day with binges randomly, which was ridiculous.

My best recommendation for refeeding is add 100-200 calories every 1-2 days until you meet you goal intake and then keep yourself consistent. A way I increased my intake was eating a serving of almonds on the hour every hour. Very easy, not insanely filling, and high calorie.

thatguy56 wrote: »

Does anyone else not like the feeling of being full? (Reading what I wrote makes me realize I have some food issues)

I'm like this, it's almost painful. If I eat so much in one go I feel totally lazy and kind of ill and all I wanna do is lie down until that stuffed feeling goes away.

brahmaq wrote: »

I've always had a hard time finishing meals or even starting meals when feeling hungry. I'm 6'6 and 170lbs with a stupid fast metabolism even at 33yo. If I don't get at least 3000 calories a day I lose weight fast.
I've been trying juicing sweet potatoes and carrots and oranges AFTER at least one meal a day. Also adding a protein shake after a meal or with a snack before bed. I'm hoping this strategy will allow me to pack in more calories daily by drinking them as its a bit easier to drink more while full than force more solid food down. We'll see...

Hey Brah, have you looked into other weight gain products? GNC has a biomass powder that is 700 calories per serving, plus whatever fluid you use to mix it. Just a thought. Good luck and stick with it!

f_tothe3rd wrote: »

I personally think low calorie foods are the culprit. Veggies fill up your belly and don't offer much more than some vitamins. Eat high cal veggies like sweet potatoes and squash over broccoli or leafy greens

I do agree with this to some extent. I eat a ton of salads & greens and the nitrients are great but damnit its hard to stay full on that stuff. Im hungry an bour later...like the Chinese food effect.

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When I look at these threads I see some people that I am sure have health issues. People should not feel bad after eating adequate amounts of healthy food. (It's also a bad sign if people feel 'high' after ordinary meals.) Even if it is primarily psychological, which sounds possible for very few, physical health strongly influences psychological health.

Some terms to look up: gut dysbiosis (aka microbial imbalance), leaky gut (aka intestinal permeability, the medical term), hypochlorhydria, gastroparesis... there's a lot more down the rabbit hole though, because digestion is so complex.

A quick solution is to take digestive enzymes with food. Also, to a lesser degree, to drink water with a little apple cider vinegar before eating. And try bitters as well, these are tinctures of bitter herbs. Gentian, ginger, mint, fennel, etc.

If possible, see a naturopathic doctor or functional medicine MD.