Are you a hard gainer, please read!

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Replies

  • Tedebearduff
    Tedebearduff Posts: 1,155 Member
    Is there another post for people who are in fact hard gainers, work desk jobs, not active at all and can still weigh 90lbs at 5"8 while eating pizza, boxes of cookies, all you can eat sushi... etc etc?

    Trying to help a friend and can't seem to find any info, everyone talks about peoples misconceptions and "they're probably more active then they assume" what about the exceptions?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Is there another post for people who are in fact hard gainers, work desk jobs, not active at all and can still weigh 90lbs at 5"8 while eating pizza, boxes of cookies, all you can eat sushi... etc etc?

    Trying to help a friend and can't seem to find any info, everyone talks about peoples misconceptions and "they're probably more active then they assume" what about the exceptions?

    the same rules apply... if they want to gain they need to eat more.

    they also might want to get checked out for medical conditions, juuuuuuuuuuuuust in case they are one of the few special snowflakes.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    edited July 2016
    Is there another post for people who are in fact hard gainers, work desk jobs, not active at all and can still weigh 90lbs at 5"8 while eating pizza, boxes of cookies, all you can eat sushi... etc etc?

    Trying to help a friend and can't seem to find any info, everyone talks about peoples misconceptions and "they're probably more active then they assume" what about the exceptions?

    the same rules apply... if they want to gain they need to eat more.

    they also might want to get checked out for medical conditions, juuuuuuuuuuuuust in case they are one of the few special snowflakes.

    Agreed

    If you do fall within the 5% of people who would have a medical condition (e.g., hyperthyroidism), the same methods would still apply. But the magnitude of consumption wold be much greater.

    I would also ask them to baseline the data. Get them to start tracking calories to see where they stand. Also, we would need to know what kind of exercise, if any they are doing. For what it's worth, many people they are hard gainers because they eat pizza, burgers, etc... but when you start looking at the supporting data, you find it's not at the quantities required.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    edited July 2016
    Is there another post for people who are in fact hard gainers, work desk jobs, not active at all and can still weigh 90lbs at 5"8 while eating pizza, boxes of cookies, all you can eat sushi... etc etc?

    Trying to help a friend and can't seem to find any info, everyone talks about peoples misconceptions and "they're probably more active then they assume" what about the exceptions?

    I had this problem eating foods like this because I had a malabsorption disorder. When I kept a food diary tracking my symptoms in relation to food I was able to understand what was happening. And I gained all my weight back with diet change. I have a good Rheumatologist (I have elevated auto-immune markers in my blood test). If the person has GI problems. That would be something to look at. There are various things that can cause malabsorption. Auto-immune disorders such as celiac disease, Crohn's, Ulcerative colitis. Dysbiosis (there are many different types). It can be triggered after overtreatment with antibiotics. Pancreatic disorder (sometimes occurs along with other auto-immune disease when parts of the pancreas are damaged by the immune system), and there are pills you can take if that's the case (it's tested by fecal elastase test). Or damage can be caused by excessive alcohol. It may be rare to be ill. But, some people have illness and excessive weight loss can be a symptom of illness. Might be worth checking with a doctor. Sometimes people struggle undiagnosed. It's not like we live in Star Trek times and they can use a tricorder to diagnose people. It takes investigating. I was tracking my calories for three years before I developed the malabsorption disorder.

    http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/gastrointestinal-disorders/malabsorption-syndromes/overview-of-malabsorption
  • inspiration2443
    inspiration2443 Posts: 2 Member
    I'm a hard gainer, but my question is simple. If you eat more calories than what they suggest to you, and the amount after the equals is negative, does that mean I'll gain weight if I keep going negative?
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    I'm a hard gainer, but my question is simple. If you eat more calories than what they suggest to you, and the amount after the equals is negative, does that mean I'll gain weight if I keep going negative?

    What mfp is an estimate. You may need to eat more or less depending on your actually metabolic rate and energy expended. I am not following on the negative thing though.
  • inspiration2443
    inspiration2443 Posts: 2 Member
    Ok thanks
  • klove808
    klove808 Posts: 346 Member
    Another thing that is quite prevalent, but not necessarily in the general medical realms eye (unless severe and immediately life threatening) is something else inside ones body macking out on all the lovely food put in - parasites. I've known many people myself included that have had this issue.
  • janejr2016
    janejr2016 Posts: 9 Member
    Pour olive oil in the pizza
  • jeremys325
    jeremys325 Posts: 10 Member
    Well I'm a carpenter/construction worker tryna bulk, preferably without supplements this go round, I always bulk during the year to lose it during summer, guessing cus I cut out the supplements. Idk why but it's hard to keep my supplement regiment going in the summer. Increasing my calorie intake, but no results. Should I increase more or what, and how can I gauge the calories I burn during a day of work
  • GregStone2
    GregStone2 Posts: 45 Member
    hI gain healthy weight you should eat whole sinle ingredient foods that have alot of calories rer each serving and 3 meals per day and lift heavy weights 2-4 days per week
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    GregStone2 wrote: »
    hI gain healthy weight you should eat whole sinle ingredient foods that have alot of calories rer each serving and 3 meals per day and lift heavy weights 2-4 days per week
    No, you shouldn't. There are plenty of very healthy multi-ingredient foods, like greek yogurt, granola, etc..
  • brizzlar
    brizzlar Posts: 86 Member
    I've been using as Aussie ectomorph gainer called 'muscle Food 101' y Bulk Nutrients. Gained about 2 pounds in a couple weeks use!
  • VividDawn
    VividDawn Posts: 111 Member
    Great information here. Thanks a lot. I wanted to know if anyone could suggest some drinks that are high in calories (other than protein shakes and easy to make/come by-no time for using the blender :). Some times I just cannot eat anymore, but I am always drinking something (usually water) so that would be an easy way to get in some extra calories. I only drink one whey protein shake per day after pilates. I do not want to drink another one as they fill me up pretty well and then I end up not eating what I should. Thanks again.

    Whole milk = 150 calories
    Chocolate milk = 200+ depending on brand
    Minute Maid Mixed Berry 100% juice = 150
    Most other fruit juices are about 100-120 (be sure to get 100% juice, not "cocktail"...that's just flavored sugar water)
    Sprite = 120
    Some root beers are up to 160 (if I remember right, Shasta is 140)
    Carnation Breakfast Essentials is 130 if made with water... 280 if made with whole milk, and it tastes just like regular chocolate milk, but has the extra vitamins and minerals ;)
  • s_hossein
    s_hossein Posts: 143 Member
    Does white/brown rice or potatoes matter?
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    s_hossein wrote: »
    Does white/brown rice or potatoes matter?

    Matter for what? They count as calories and are fricken delicious. Potatoes are highly rated for satiety and you can slap a lot of good stuff on there to make things high calories. And they are nutrient dense.
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    brizzlar wrote: »
    I've been using as Aussie ectomorph gainer called 'muscle Food 101' y Bulk Nutrients. Gained about 2 pounds in a couple weeks use!

    What's the first ingredient listed?
  • GregStone2
    GregStone2 Posts: 45 Member
    GregStone2 wrote: »
    hI gain healthy weight you should eat whole sinle ingredient foods that have alot of calories rer each serving and 3 meals per day and lift heavy weights 2-4 days per week

    Not If sugar is on the ingredients list or or some type of sugar like cane sugar or frutose which is all added sugar' swill cause fat gain which cause all sorts of health problems and wont cause fat loss while trying to gain or maintain weightIm at a healthy weight 124 pounds and almost at my goal weight 127 or 128 and I'm want to quit the foods with the added sugars and just eat fruit and vegetables hard to over eat frutose just eating fruit and or vegetables and whole single ingredient foods animal and plant foods
  • GregStone2
    GregStone2 Posts: 45 Member
    foods like granola are made with sugar
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    GregStone2 wrote: »
    GregStone2 wrote: »
    hI gain healthy weight you should eat whole sinle ingredient foods that have alot of calories rer each serving and 3 meals per day and lift heavy weights 2-4 days per week

    Not If sugar is on the ingredients list or or some type of sugar like cane sugar or frutose which is all added sugar' swill cause fat gain which cause all sorts of health problems and wont cause fat loss while trying to gain or maintain weightIm at a healthy weight 124 pounds and almost at my goal weight 127 or 128 and I'm want to quit the foods with the added sugars and just eat fruit and vegetables hard to over eat frutose just eating fruit and or vegetables and whole single ingredient foods animal and plant foods

    This is utterly false. Sugar spikes insulin which cause muscle protein synthesis to occur and activation of mTOR. Additionally it prevent protein degradation and refills glycogen. This allows for proteins to be used to rebuild muscle mass.

    You ever look at the ingredients of a protein shake? You will find dextrose and maltodextrine. The two fastest occuring sugars to aid muscle recovery and maximize protein synthesis.

  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    edited August 2016
    GregStone2 wrote: »
    GregStone2 wrote: »
    hI gain healthy weight you should eat whole sinle ingredient foods that have alot of calories rer each serving and 3 meals per day and lift heavy weights 2-4 days per week

    Not If sugar is on the ingredients list or or some type of sugar like cane sugar or frutose which is all added sugar' swill cause fat gain which cause all sorts of health problems and wont cause fat loss while trying to gain or maintain weightIm at a healthy weight 124 pounds and almost at my goal weight 127 or 128 and I'm want to quit the foods with the added sugars and just eat fruit and vegetables hard to over eat frutose just eating fruit and or vegetables and whole single ingredient foods animal and plant foods

    What?

    I ate added sugars while on this cut. (Although admittedly not as many of them in the last couple months only because I didn't have the caloric capacity to eat them and still hit my protein minimums and reasonably timed meals for my workouts.) My "go to" MRP had plenty of added sugars

    3vuorwx9ctam.jpeg

    TL;DR - added sugars don't make you fat. Too many calories do. (But there's some evidence that they may make someone AW on MFP. :wink: )
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    Jof, awesome results. But I am taking points off for your quoting skills.
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    psulemon wrote: »
    Jof, awesome results. But I am taking points off for your quoting skills.

    Yeah, I know. But I have to. On mobile, clicking "quote" once does nothing. Then I scroll back up to click it again and nothing. Eventually, I get pissed and click it a half dozen times and great success! I think it has something to do with the iPhone 6 and that 3D Touch thing.
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  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
    psulemon wrote: »
    @BinaryPulsar I didn't know food intolerance could prevent gain. I guess that makes sense if I think about it....If your body isn't processing the nutrients from the foods they are probably on a quick trip out...Glad you discovered part of the issue.

    Yeah, it appeared I was not able to digest food because my body was freaking out and rejecting foods from reacting to the foods I am intolerant to. But, cutting those out allowed my body to calm down and heal. Now I am digesting my food and everything is getting better.

    The more trouble I had with weight gain, the more food I would eat (the foods I was intolerant to), and it got worse and worse. I was scared to cut out food, but that's what made me better.

    If you don't mind me asking, what condition do you have that cause malabsorption? I have only heard of this one other time and find these kinds of things interesting.

    I don't know what condition I have. I have been to 13 doctors and had tests done. I see a Rheumatologist (because I have elevated rheumatoid antibody factor), and she has been most helpful. She says I have all the same symptoms as celiac disease. I stopped gluten. But, ate tons of quinoa. And I had the worst reaction to quinoa. I can't digest most grains and legumes. It might be temporary. Maybe I will improve. It all started because I had a minor issue that a doctor said was an infection (although my test ended up showing no bacteria). I was prescribed antibiotics. It got worse, not better. So, they prescribed a stronger antibiotic. I had side effects and also scar tissue in the cartilage in my nose from the infection (I would have slight nerve sensations and dizziness). But, the infection was definitely gone. They misdiagnosed the side effects and gave me two, very strong, double strength antibiotics. I had a very bad reaction. I had pain, dizziness, couldn't even stand up, then on the last day every inch of my body was covered in a rash and I had very bad facial flushing. I live in Canada. I went to the United States to see a friend that is an ent. He said I was having a severe allergic and adverse reaction and they had given me too many antibiotics that I didn't need. He said I needed some testing for auto-immune disease and to see a neurologist. But, they referred me to a dermatologist. I was recovering so well. But, the dermatologist very very wrongly prescribed a topical vasoconstrictor. I used it just a few times. It triggered a severe nerve disorder in my face. I had debilitating nerve pain. Eating food increased the pain. Lying down increased the pain. So, I could barely sleep four hours a night. I was in a constant traumatic stressful state because of the pain in my trigeminal nerves in my face. I was eating a very weird diet because of it. Lots of quinoa and chickpeas. Then my belly would swell and food would pass through me undigested in just five hours after eating it. I weighed 95, couldn't gain. I started getting swollen welts all over my face. When I changed my diet, the welts all went away (still healing from it), and I began digesting my food again. I also managed my stress better. And I started some probiotics and fermented foods. I still have nerve pain in my face. But, it's improved a lot. And I can mostly sleep normally again. This happened seven months ago.

    Did they check to see if you had something simple like diverticulitis? My understanding of that is that any small, granular things like nuts, seeds, quinoa, can irritate whatever part of your intestines is inflamed. That can affect absorption. I'm not a doctor, but my aunt had a severe case and had to get a bunch of her intestines removed...then she never had those issues again.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    psulemon wrote: »
    @BinaryPulsar I didn't know food intolerance could prevent gain. I guess that makes sense if I think about it....If your body isn't processing the nutrients from the foods they are probably on a quick trip out...Glad you discovered part of the issue.

    Yeah, it appeared I was not able to digest food because my body was freaking out and rejecting foods from reacting to the foods I am intolerant to. But, cutting those out allowed my body to calm down and heal. Now I am digesting my food and everything is getting better.

    The more trouble I had with weight gain, the more food I would eat (the foods I was intolerant to), and it got worse and worse. I was scared to cut out food, but that's what made me better.

    If you don't mind me asking, what condition do you have that cause malabsorption? I have only heard of this one other time and find these kinds of things interesting.

    I don't know what condition I have. I have been to 13 doctors and had tests done. I see a Rheumatologist (because I have elevated rheumatoid antibody factor), and she has been most helpful. She says I have all the same symptoms as celiac disease. I stopped gluten. But, ate tons of quinoa. And I had the worst reaction to quinoa. I can't digest most grains and legumes. It might be temporary. Maybe I will improve. It all started because I had a minor issue that a doctor said was an infection (although my test ended up showing no bacteria). I was prescribed antibiotics. It got worse, not better. So, they prescribed a stronger antibiotic. I had side effects and also scar tissue in the cartilage in my nose from the infection (I would have slight nerve sensations and dizziness). But, the infection was definitely gone. They misdiagnosed the side effects and gave me two, very strong, double strength antibiotics. I had a very bad reaction. I had pain, dizziness, couldn't even stand up, then on the last day every inch of my body was covered in a rash and I had very bad facial flushing. I live in Canada. I went to the United States to see a friend that is an ent. He said I was having a severe allergic and adverse reaction and they had given me too many antibiotics that I didn't need. He said I needed some testing for auto-immune disease and to see a neurologist. But, they referred me to a dermatologist. I was recovering so well. But, the dermatologist very very wrongly prescribed a topical vasoconstrictor. I used it just a few times. It triggered a severe nerve disorder in my face. I had debilitating nerve pain. Eating food increased the pain. Lying down increased the pain. So, I could barely sleep four hours a night. I was in a constant traumatic stressful state because of the pain in my trigeminal nerves in my face. I was eating a very weird diet because of it. Lots of quinoa and chickpeas. Then my belly would swell and food would pass through me undigested in just five hours after eating it. I weighed 95, couldn't gain. I started getting swollen welts all over my face. When I changed my diet, the welts all went away (still healing from it), and I began digesting my food again. I also managed my stress better. And I started some probiotics and fermented foods. I still have nerve pain in my face. But, it's improved a lot. And I can mostly sleep normally again. This happened seven months ago.

    Did they check to see if you had something simple like diverticulitis? My understanding of that is that any small, granular things like nuts, seeds, quinoa, can irritate whatever part of your intestines is inflamed. That can affect absorption. I'm not a doctor, but my aunt had a severe case and had to get a bunch of her intestines removed...then she never had those issues again.

    I'm on waiting list to see a GI specialist. It's often very difficult to get referrals in Canada. That's why I ended up medically injured like this (and needing to go to the US to see the ears, nose, and throat specialist). Oddly it is lucky I have elevated rheumatoid antibody factor because my GP referred me to a Rheumatologist. My GP would not refer me to a GI specialist or neurologist (I have trigeminal nerve pain in my face). My Rheumatologist referred me to a neurologist. And she tried four GI specialists and got me an appointment. But, it's a year long wait. I have about six more months until my appointment. I don't think it's that. Because when I eat the food my belly swells up, I get D (sorry tmi), and five hours later it exits me fully undigested, and then I get welts all over my face. My Rheumatologist says it's malabsorption (like what she sees in her celiac patients). I'm doing much better now on a diet that works for me. I can eat brazil nuts and walnuts. I have a good understanding now of what's happening and what to avoid and why. Thanks so much though! I appreciate your thoughtfulness.
  • atyrone
    atyrone Posts: 120 Member
    This is great thanks
  • xali1995
    xali1995 Posts: 1 Member
    edited September 2016

    Thanx man
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    GregStone2 wrote: »
    GregStone2 wrote: »
    hI gain healthy weight you should eat whole sinle ingredient foods that have alot of calories rer each serving and 3 meals per day and lift heavy weights 2-4 days per week

    Not If sugar is on the ingredients list or or some type of sugar like cane sugar or frutose which is all added sugar' swill cause fat gain which cause all sorts of health problems and wont cause fat loss while trying to gain or maintain weightIm at a healthy weight 124 pounds and almost at my goal weight 127 or 128 and I'm want to quit the foods with the added sugars and just eat fruit and vegetables hard to over eat frutose just eating fruit and or vegetables and whole single ingredient foods animal and plant foods

    You're a guy who weighs 124 pounds?
  • BobbyBooSh4y
    BobbyBooSh4y Posts: 15 Member
    My maintenance before was around 6500, ridiculous huh? Talk about being bloated all day lol