Anyone else trying to GAIN weight?

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blackwidowfairy
blackwidowfairy Posts: 5
in Introduce Yourself
Please don't throw stones at me! :-) It's hard to find others who suffer from malnutrition and the related health issues. Gaining weight is hard, too, when eating is a major chore. Anyone else here using the site/app to gain weight, increase calorie intake, and improve nutrition?
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  • StormieWeather08
    StormieWeather08 Posts: 2
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    Hello I actually am! I weigh 92lbs and am 5'4" trying to gain a half pound a week, i have alot of calories to eat and idk how im going to do it when i have a easily upset stomach and cannot keep food down. I am hoping to get healthier by gaining weight and getting ahold of my digestive system.
  • greengraci
    greengraci Posts: 8
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    DUDE I am trying to gain weight too! I've actually weighed roughly the same weight for YEARS, and my annoyingly high metabolism is making it SUPER hard to gain weight!
    Then there's the fact I'm trying to get my body souped up for a metric ride in October.

    But holy cow- I'm a vegan- and its super hard to get all of my calories to gain weight(especially with all my exercising/workouts) without eating junk food!

    I hear its super easy to gain weight with clifbars and luna bars, hasn't happened for me, but I think I'll try swapping those into my diet instead of chips.(hell the healthy nut option from the vending machine at work is actually cheaper pound for pound and calorie wise than potato chips! I just learned that yesterday! xD

    But yeah, I was gonna post a topic just like this(tho I don't think I'm undernourished, i just have a problem with calories not vitamins)when I saw yours!

    EDIT: But if you have a hard time trying to keep down meals, perhaps try eating a lot of tinier meals- and much more often. Slowly up your caloric intake. Also, I know this is a bad habit of mine, but to help up your intake, try eating when you're bored.

    Popcorn fills me up super easy- and its not many calories, I'd avoid that because its not really much food(unless its topped with nutritional yeast).
  • StormieWeather08
    StormieWeather08 Posts: 2
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    Good luck, and yes I am thinking smaller meals and protein bars and shakes will help me reach a healthy weight. I am also working out daily for at least 30 min Just started yesterday. I need to grab some vitamins soon also. how much is your calorie intake supposed to be?
  • blackwidowfairy
    blackwidowfairy Posts: 5
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    YAY! I'm adding you all as friends (if you don't mind)! For the past 3 days, I have been able to get my calories and nutrition to my goal line with Equate Nutritional Shake Plus from Wal-Mart. But, I have to drink 2 or 3 a day with frequent small meals and snacks (mostly nuts, chips, and soups). The shakes are great because they are small and easy on my stomach. In my opinion, they taste great. If I can afford to keep buying them, I think this may be the answer for me. :-) But, the PLUS is 350 calories. They also have regular that's 250 calories. I plan to go back and more of the Plus. I also have Celiac disease, so I can't eat anything with wheat gluten, which makes meal planning very difficult.
  • blackwidowfairy
    blackwidowfairy Posts: 5
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    Oh, right now I am trying to reach 110 lbs from 101 so I can go back to karate, so my calorie goal is 1860/day. The first week of tracking showed that I was getting an average of 500 calories/day.
  • hmjensen13
    hmjensen13 Posts: 4
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    YESSS!!! Finally more people who are trying to GAIN weight!! I just had my 5th baby and lost about 50 pounds immediately after her birth...I only gained about 45. I'm back down to 100 and I'm 5'9". I'm having health issues because of being too skinny and my doctor actually made me get on this website. I was dreading it, but turns out it's not so bad! I need to add you guys to my list. This is super hard and I'm sure we could all use the help. :)
  • greengraci
    greengraci Posts: 8
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    Haha your doctor sounds AWESOME! :P

    And ouch- celiacs. My little sister has that. What really sucks is at my local coffee shop there's these special premade "gluten free" and vegan cookies... They are delicious! But on the back of the package- you see a little "made in a facility that processes wheat and gluten blah blah" when it appears the gluten free is supposed to be their SELLING POINT. >_>

    *sigh*

    But yeah- its pretty insane. Her pediatrician kept prescribing gas drops and shizz and when my mom finally took her to a different doctor to figure out what was causing her so much pain- well her organs were on the verge of shutting down!

    But yeah- our house isn't gluten free- but everything she eats had to be(no cross contamination) which is likely why im not an a-hole about vegan cross contaminating with nonvegan things. Because its (im reluctant to call it this) a "luxury" cuz it's not an allergy.
    That said- Ill eat things processed in facilities with eggs and such so long as its not an actual ingredient.

    So yeah- I'm sure you'll gain weight much more easily than I! :)
  • blackwidowfairy
    blackwidowfairy Posts: 5
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    Welcome, hmjensen13! 35 lbs. is a lot to gain. I also gained 45 lbs with each of my 3 kids, but quickly lost 55-60 lbs within weeks of their births. Breastfeeding made it worse for me. At one point I weighed 82 lbs. I am only 5' tall, but I need extra calories and nutrients. My doc said I need to get above 110 before going back to karate because I was getting weak and having dizzy spells every few minutes. I didn't have enouh calories to burn or enough nutrients to support my activity. My average caloric intake the first week was 500, and my potassium, cholesterol, vitamins, etc. were mostly at 1/8 of the RDA.

    I started using this site 3 weeks ago, but it took 2 weeks for me to start reaching my calorie and nutrition goals. I set the site to help me gain 1 lb per week, but I actually gained 2 lbs last week even though I didn't reach my goal every day. I do recommend the nutritional shakes and Vitamin D milk though. Without them, I would not meet my goals. I drink 2 or 3 shakes and a glass of milk each day. However, I have to keep Gas-X chewables on hand because of my sensitive stomach. I also had to add bananas, kiwi, and egg yolks to my diet to meet my cholesterol and potassium needs.

    Hope this helps!


    greengraci, I know what your sis is going through. I wasn't diagnosed until I started having seizures. The bad thing is... my brain would shut off but my body would continue on memory. I realized something was wrong when I got up to get dinner from the oven. Somewhere between the couch and oven, my brain shut down. My body continued to remove the glass dish from the oven without thinking. When I came to, I had already set the dish on the stove (without oven mitts). Needless to say, I had severely burned my hands and fingers, but didn't even feel it or have a memory of it. Fortunately, I haven't had any problems with cross-contamination. It takes more than a grain of wheat contamination for me to have a reaction.
  • greengraci
    greengraci Posts: 8
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    *hugs* thats good that you got diagnosed, although I doubt the burns were much fun, and im sure that must have been a super scary situation! D:

    But yeah, she has yet to meet anyone else with celiac's, which probably makes her feel all outcast and whatnot. :/
    At 12 years old and having to pack "special food" to go to parties and its not a decision of you own has got to be rough.
  • tamago23
    tamago23 Posts: 2
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    Hi all,

    I'm trying to gain weight too. I've been stable at 112 lbs and 5'7" for years, but I was also totally sedentary. Finally I decided it was time to get in shape because I had no stamina and I was sick all the time. Well, as soon as I started working out, the pounds started dropping; three weeks later I was down eight pounds, and I have NO weight to spare to begin with. Now it's a real struggle just to maintain my weight, much less put on the 15 lbs of muscle that I want to gain. I hate the hassle of counting calories but if I don't, then I lose weight. I just don't feel enough natural hunger to make me consume the calories I need (to put on one lb of weight per week, I need a minimum of 2100 calories).

    It occurred to me that maybe other people were having the same issue and might want to be friends on MFP, so that's how
    I found my way here. :) I'll try adding people (if I can figure out how, heh).
  • tamago23
    tamago23 Posts: 2
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    Weird, it double-posted. Sorry about that. :)
  • dr1981
    dr1981 Posts: 76 Member
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    Having trouble taking in calories and fat are we?! LOL...wow! it's amazing to see people struggling on the other end of the spectrum! I want to say that I wish I had those struggles but I guess the grass is always greener on the other side. Good luck and I'm sure others here can help! cheers!
  • tafh
    tafh Posts: 1
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    Hi all, I'm also trying to gain weight! My new scale isn't giving me a consistent readout but i guess it's close enough. I've been tall and thin all of my life, but recently through a move lost major weight. Didn't realize it until my britches started falling off! Egads! Lol. I started drinking ensure plus (vanilla) and found this site today. Am so glad to know I'm not alone! I'm 5'11" and 137 if the scale is accurate? I'd like to be up to at the very least 145. I've weighed 145 for many years, which is still quite thin for my height. My goal weight is 155. Is there enough ensure plus and peanut butter on the planet? Best wishes to all,
  • pinkstang23
    pinkstang23 Posts: 1
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    Hello all!!
    I too am in the "too skinny and can't gain" boat. It's been a struggle my entire life. I started this 2 days ago and have been able to eat my calories in fact I've found myself going over the calories by quite a bit. I think the fact that I want to hit my goal each day is making me eat more however I do notice that even after I eat it all I'm still hungry. I started this because I wanted to see if the reason for me not gaining is because I'm not intaking enough. Since I am trying so hard to hit my goal I'm not sure that is giving me the right read but I will take what I can get. I am 5'6 (female, I might add) and weigh 100lbs. There was a time that I weighed 115 but that has been ages and I have never been able to regain it.
    I think the biggest issue I have is...I get bored with my food! After awhile of eating (5 mins probably) I just don't want it anymore. It begins to taste bland and I completely lose interest in it. I also, don't allow myself to get full. I hate the feeling of being full so I usually stop myself before I get to that uncomfortable place.
    It is great to get on here and see that other people are facing the same things I am. I was never aware that actual health problems might come from being under your ideal weight. This just makes me want to push myself even more. I wish there were more people out there that recognized that being too small is just as big of a problem as being too big. Thank you all for you wise words and for not making me feel alone in this battle!! P.S. I think I am going to add you all as friends too!! A support system always helps!!
  • Solomonre0
    Solomonre0 Posts: 143 Member
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    I'm not trying to gain weight, trying to lose it. But celiac's, one of my friend's has it, she's also lactose intolerant and she can't have corn syurp!!! I know she makes a lot of thai inspired dishes and switches the ingredients if she has too.
  • bruinjames
    bruinjames Posts: 18
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    im also on here trying to use mfp to my advantage and gain some weight , for years ive stayed the same been able to do eat as much as i like but not put on weight.

    i joined here 10 days ago and with out changing anything in my diet but just recording exactly what i eat and how much i have managed to succesfully gain 1kg in 10 days :-) .

    anyone wants to add me as a friend i will accept
  • HannahJBoorman
    HannahJBoorman Posts: 1 Member
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    Hi everyone, I am also here to to gain weight! I am 5ft 5 and in 2009 i weighed 122lbs. I had curves in the right places and was more than happy with my body (even though everyone moaned i was slim!)

    In April 2009 i was diagnosed with Glandular Fever and this was proceeded by post-viral fatigue syndrome which really hit me hard in the weight department. I dropped to 105lbs, it took me a year to get up to 112lbs but since then i haven't managed to gain a lb over.

    If i get ill (even a cold) i can easily lose 4lbs in a few days and it will then take me months to put it back on. If anyone has any tips on food etc to help gain weight, i am all ears!
  • miaka51
    miaka51 Posts: 10
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    I know this is an old post now, but finding a good one for gainers is hard! I am about 5'3"-5'4" and initially I weighed about 94lbs. I didn't much care that I weighed so little, but I know it was a problem because I would lie about my weight like a fat person does... its SO the same thing. Weight is a struggle for me, too, and I couldn't seem to keep weight on. The highest weight in my life was 112 and I felt great (although I lied and told people it was 115 lol). Its still "underweight" but I have a small frame and I felt good- that was the key. Stress and life got in the way and before I knew it I was down in my basement weight of about 90 lbs. Yikes. Well anyway, I was never all that motivated to do anything about my weight issues, but I went and got myself preggers, and now its not just my health on the line. I have been on here for a few weeks now and I sporadically hit my goals, but 9/10 i am below my calorie goals still. I am so afraid I wont gain enough to have a healthy baby! As it is, I am running behind. I am about 100 lbs (my scale sucks so I am kinda guessing) and about 15 weeks along. I started at about 96 I think, so I have only gained 4 lbs... not really enough for where I am in my pregnancy. My doctor has been nice enough not to comment just yet since some women lose during their first trimester, but I wasn't sick - I just didn't eat. For instance, I am hungry now, but not doing anything about it. Its 1:30 and I have had an apple today... GRR! I need to make food a priority but I struggle SO much...
  • ste78
    ste78 Posts: 1
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    I'd thought I'd go ahead and throw in my name while I was looking around this forum. I, too am using MFP to gain weight versus lose. I'm gaining weight and taking in more calories to help in my goals working out and in fitness. I've always been a small guy and now I'm really focusing on getting the diet portion of my training under control. Starting out at 5'3" and 116lbs, I'm already up to 122ish. My trainer is wanting me to get to ~140lbs with 3k calories and 250g of protein daily. MFP has been a blessing to keep track of this ><

    I've always been a hard gainer and never really been a hungry person. I could all day sometimes and not want to eat or feel hunger pains at times and I was always one who would eat only if i felt like i needed to. I had no idea that at times I wasn't even making my daily caloric needs at times. Anyways, glad to see there are others out there who are trying to gain too ^^
  • nytwing807
    nytwing807 Posts: 5
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    Same boat, trying to gain weight. 5'5 floating around 115... for the last decade.

    been training myself for the calorie counting (+2400) which is a pain for me. starting the gym regimen this week but hitting it hard next week and that will be my "starter" week. Haven't touched the gym for a month so I got real sore. Happy to meet other "hard gainer" type people.

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