Gained the weight but...

So my weight gain journey started back in May of this year. Im 5’4 and at the time weighed 91lbs. No I did not have an eating disorder, I was just your classic under eater who didn’t realize it. Anywho once i figured it out, i was able to gain the weight pretty fast. 30lbs in about 4 months. Im loving how I look these days, aside from the inevitable gut i now have. Nonetheless Im happy about what I have been able to accomplish. Anywho, this is where it gets unfortunate. I recently had blood drawn, just for a routine check to make sure everything is good. No big deal...My labs are ATROCIOUS. Cholesterol high, triglycerides were in the 600’s. My own doctor did not believe this. My triglycerides have never been above 100 and I’ve never had high cholesterol either. Im not gonna lie this scared the *kitten* out of me. I believe the labs because I have been stuffing my face with garbage these last for months and my labs were just proof of that. I want to gain about 10 more pound, but im definitely not going to continue going about it recklessly as I have these last four months. I want to do gain the rest safely this time around. I have never been the type to exercise, but i want to start doing that as well. Can anyone give ideas on what type of exercises i can start at home on my own for now anyway. I know im gonna hurt but im willing to put in the work. I want to get rid of the gut, build endurance and get stronger. Im not going to the gym because idk wat the hell im doing lol. Also any idea for high calorie foods that wont send me into cardiac arrest if i keep it up too long would be great. I know it’s unreasonable to expect to get all calories from healthy foods only but 80/20 is a great step up from 100/100 which is what I’ve been doing. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Replies

  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,752 Member
    To put in healthy weight (not just fat) you need to start following some sort of progressive lifting program. This doesn't necessarily require a gym, but going to a gym would definitely help.
    Don't use "not knowing what to do" as an excuse to not go to a gym - there are trainers at gyms, there is a mountain of resources available to guide you through exercises, there is usually an "intro" session included when you sign up to a gym, you probably have friends that train at a gym.
  • born_of_fire74
    born_of_fire74 Posts: 776 Member
    I have a friend who swears by Strong Curves. She’s also a huge fan of Kayla Itsines. I personally love the slow, methodical, repetitious pace of Convict Conditioning and you don’t need any equipment for the program other than a chin up bar eventually.

    There’s all kinds of resources online if none of my suggestions appeal to you. Best of luck!
  • SashaCmone1102
    SashaCmone1102 Posts: 7 Member
    Clarque101 wrote: »
    Hey Sasha

    Maybe you should think about adding some muscle mass and doing a healthy, clean bulk. I think it's a great way for you to exercise, and no you won't turn into the she hulk, but you will drop a lot of fat, IF you cut the junk, replace it with healthy foods and strength train - Progressive overload.

    This is just a suggestion. You do what you want at the end of the day, but it's a healthier way to put on weight. It's working wonders for me.

    Brown Rice
    Water
    Quinoa
    Sweet potato
    Advocado
    Legumes
    Spinach
    Skinless Chicken
    Lean beef
    Sardines
    Wild Salmon
    Turkey
    Eggs
    Broccoli
    Feta or Cottage Cheese
    Salads
    Almonds
    Apples
    Oranges
    Water Water and some more Water
    Alpro Milks and yougurts

    Steam and bake your foods. Cut out the frying. Use Olive oil in moderation.
    You get the picture.

    Unfortunately, so many people think putting on weight, equals shoving anything in your mouth. This can have disastrous affects on the body, especially if you are not doing any cardio or elevated cardio for your heart rate.
    You can gain all kinds of fat, subcutaneous and Viceral which can dangerously wrap around your internal organs.

    Not all weight is good weight, and most people who don't train, just put on fat, not muscle.

    Use the app to count your Macros
    Carbohydrates
    Fats
    Protein

    There are too many solutions to your problem. You must start to research more.
    And then some more.
    I would invest in a decent set of digital body fat scales. The ones that you have to wet before standing on and send an electric current through your body. Not literally of course ⚡️
    Start weighing your food
    And check your progress through the app, pictures and fat calipers.
    Scales cannot be trusted to give you proper readings for your BMI or fat index, because it rarely difrenciates between fat and muscle correctly.
    But they can tell you your bone mass, muscle mass, calcium levels, which is great for you.

    If you don't want to go gym, then invest or save some money and buy..

    An Olympic Bar for women
    A pair of 8kg kettle bells
    A set of long resistance bands
    Pull up bar for your door frame - the one that hooks on, not screws on.
    AB WHEEL!
    Exercise mat

    That's enough to get you going. You don't need any weight lifting plates for the Olympic Bar....yet 😈


    What are your thoughts on this?

    For the record, I'm the same height as you and have always been small. I did the same as you and put on loads of fat, now most of it has gone, even though I'm bulking and consuming over 3.000 calories a day, you would never believe it. Trust the system. It works 100%.

    And It's mostly caloricly dense foods ( healthy) which evens out with all the strength training I do. I really have found my sweet spot and you can too.

    And any bodybuilder or strength trainer will tell you...
    These methods work. It's like the training Bible to fitness.

    I'm happy to give you tips to get going, once you invest in these items, let me know.

    Oh, and by the way....

    YOU CAN GET ALL YOUR CALORIES FROM HEALTHY FOOD! Don't listen to no Minutia.

    It's true, no gimmick. Stop eating junk! And please don't use the excuse, you can't afford to eat healthy. Find THAT shop. It's out there.

    Good luck girl x

    Oh I absolutely love you! So much information in here, I cant thank you enough. I guess the biggest issue for me is all the information out there when it comes to this type of stuff. Its overwhelming and a bit intimidating because I have to find out what works for me. But im up to the challenge! One thing I’ve just recently discovered about myself is when I want something bad enough, im like a dog with a bone. And I want to do this. Im determined, but I will be sure to do it right this time...

  • Clarque101
    Clarque101 Posts: 3 Member
    So my weight gain journey started back in May of this year. Im 5’4 and at the time weighed 91lbs. No I did not have an eating disorder, I was just your classic under eater who didn’t realize it. Anywho once i figured it out, i was able to gain the weight pretty fast. 30lbs in about 4 months. Im loving how I look these days, aside from the inevitable gut i now have. Nonetheless Im happy about what I have been able to accomplish. Anywho, this is where it gets unfortunate. I recently had blood drawn, just for a routine check to make sure everything is good. No big deal...My labs are ATROCIOUS. Cholesterol high, triglycerides were in the 600’s. My own doctor did not believe this. My triglycerides have never been above 100 and I’ve never had high cholesterol either. Im not gonna lie this scared the *kitten* out of me. I believe the labs because I have been stuffing my face with garbage these last for months and my labs were just proof of that. I want to gain about 10 more pound, but im definitely not going to continue going about it recklessly as I have these last four months. I want to do gain the rest safely this time around. I have never been the type to exercise, but i want to start doing that as well. Can anyone give ideas on what type of exercises i can start at home on my own for now anyway. I know im gonna hurt but im willing to put in the work. I want to get rid of the gut, build endurance and get stronger. Im not going to the gym because idk wat the hell im doing lol. Also any idea for high calorie foods that wont send me into cardiac arrest if i keep it up too long would be great. I know it’s unreasonable to expect to get all calories from healthy foods only but 80/20 is a great step up from 100/100 which is what I’ve been doing. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

    Livingleanlivingclean has a point about the gym, but in fairness, women do get very intimidated to go, let alone enter the dumbell section. It's a real issue and shouldn't be pushed aside.

    Speaking from someone who suffers from Agoraphobia, I used to find gyms unbearable. This was an absolute positive for me, because I learned to train at home with the equipment I recommended to you and more.
    I managed to lose 2 stone at home with progressive overload and different methods of cardio. It can be done, but the good thing about this method, is it gives you the confidence to then apply your knowledge to a gym!

    NEVER underestimate the power of an Olympic Bar and the results it can produce, I'm telling you it's Pandoras box!

    Trust me, when you go to the gym and bust out a set of pull ups, it gives you amazing confidence, because not many women can do them... well not your average cardio fanatics anway.

    Do your thing girl, but don't let anyone pressure you into going to the gym until YOU' ARE ready!
  • comptonelizabeth
    comptonelizabeth Posts: 1,701 Member
    Hi, I'm surprised you've not had more responses! Another classic under eater here. Well done for your gains but sorry to hear about your blood results. I'd say you maybe gained a bit too fast? 30lbs in 4 months is on the fast side. I did the same thing when I first came here and gained a lot of fat (most of it round my middle) I didn't have any blood tests but felt pretty grim - bloated and sluggish. Personally I find a slower rate of gain, around half a pound a week, suits me better but we are all different. And yes you can gain weight by "eating clean" - I find it much harder that way because I don't have a big appetite and find it a struggle to reach my calories by eating lean chicken, brown rice and broccoli etc. I think it's OK to eat a wide range of food and that can include chocolate, ice cream, whatever.
    Good luck!
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
    I don't understand why steaming and baking to eliminate oils would be suggested to someone who is trying to gain weight.. That is an easy and healthy way to get extra calories.