How to Help my Husband Gain Weight
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needtokeepgoing
Posts: 5 Member
Hi All! I have been on myfitnesspal many times over the last several years. Always trying to lose weight. That is my huge problem.
But, my husband is the opposite. He is 6'2" and has always been very slim. His weight has ranged from 120-180 over the last 5 years. Currently it's around 165. But he feels so much better when his weight is a little higher. His body fat is around 20%, I believe. I don't know if it makes a difference or is worth mentioning, but he is a very narrow-shouldered man. (I love him, no matter what, though!)
He has Crohn's Disease, which is a contributing factor for it being hard for him to put on & keep on weight. Currently, he would like to gain about 20 pounds. I feel so clueless. I have came over to the weight gaining board, and read, trying to get some help, but everything talks about cutting and bulking and I don't really understand all that.
I am familiar with CI/CO. That being said, my husband does have some dietary limitations because of the Crohn's Disease. He doesn't like to do much dairy. He also likes to stay away from deep fried or greasy foods, excessively sugary foods, and white flours. I know that isn't necessary for everyone, but Crohn's seems to be very individualized, and he currently has the best results avoiding/limiting those items.
What are some ways to get his calorie count high enough to help him gain weight? He drives truck, and does very little physical exercise during the week. Would lifting weights or something like that be suitable for him? How would that affect his goal of gaining weight?
Also, he doesn't like to/isn't able to eat a lot at one time. He eats very slowly and easily gets stomach aches if he eats too much. Volume eating isn't really an option.
I guess I would like ideas. What are things I could prepare for him to eat? What kind of exercise should/could he be considering? I feel like such a novice in this department. I have lost a substantial amount of weight, but it feels like I'm missing something when I try to reverse the process for my husband!
I really want to prepare meals and foods that are good for him and help him to meet his goals. I also would like to be able to help him choose wisely on the exercise front. However, I'm blank. Can someone(s) of you chime in and help a girl out?
But, my husband is the opposite. He is 6'2" and has always been very slim. His weight has ranged from 120-180 over the last 5 years. Currently it's around 165. But he feels so much better when his weight is a little higher. His body fat is around 20%, I believe. I don't know if it makes a difference or is worth mentioning, but he is a very narrow-shouldered man. (I love him, no matter what, though!)
He has Crohn's Disease, which is a contributing factor for it being hard for him to put on & keep on weight. Currently, he would like to gain about 20 pounds. I feel so clueless. I have came over to the weight gaining board, and read, trying to get some help, but everything talks about cutting and bulking and I don't really understand all that.
I am familiar with CI/CO. That being said, my husband does have some dietary limitations because of the Crohn's Disease. He doesn't like to do much dairy. He also likes to stay away from deep fried or greasy foods, excessively sugary foods, and white flours. I know that isn't necessary for everyone, but Crohn's seems to be very individualized, and he currently has the best results avoiding/limiting those items.
What are some ways to get his calorie count high enough to help him gain weight? He drives truck, and does very little physical exercise during the week. Would lifting weights or something like that be suitable for him? How would that affect his goal of gaining weight?
Also, he doesn't like to/isn't able to eat a lot at one time. He eats very slowly and easily gets stomach aches if he eats too much. Volume eating isn't really an option.
I guess I would like ideas. What are things I could prepare for him to eat? What kind of exercise should/could he be considering? I feel like such a novice in this department. I have lost a substantial amount of weight, but it feels like I'm missing something when I try to reverse the process for my husband!
I really want to prepare meals and foods that are good for him and help him to meet his goals. I also would like to be able to help him choose wisely on the exercise front. However, I'm blank. Can someone(s) of you chime in and help a girl out?
1
Replies
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Peanut butter is always the answer
What about fruit/veggie juices and smoothies?
Can he eat whole grains? Oats, rice, pasta can be fairly calorie dense.6 -
My teenage son is about 6'4" and 168 pounds. His appetite is pretty limited, and lots of foods seem to make him nauseous, so he's somewhat is a similar situation to your husband. He lifts weights and plays basketball, and he has gotten stronger, but he really struggles to add weight. He focuses on calorie dense foods (full fat greek yogurt, avocado, peanut butter, juice, fruit smoothies) and getting lots of protein. My son will have a whey protein shake or two when he's not getting enough protein during a day.
To help you understand some of the terms you'll see here --- bulking is trying to gain weight with the goal of adding muscle mass (not just fat). Cutting is trying to lose fat (and hopefully not muscle mass). Suggestions for foods to eat while bulking would probably be helpful for your husband.
How are you estimating your husband's body fat? I wonder if you are maybe estimating a bit high? I'm 51 years old, 6'3" and I weight 194 at about 15% body fat. I lift regularly, but I'm pretty average looking in terms of muscle mass (i.e. I don't have 30 extra pounds of muscle). If I were 165 pounds, I'm not sure how I'd carry 20% body fat. If's he really is 20% BF at 165 and 6'2", he would probably be someone who could benefit a lot from lifting weights. And, he probably doesn't want to gain 20 pounds without doing some resistance training because it would likely be mostly fat, which at 165 would take him to over 30% body fat.1 -
My teenage son is about 6'4" and 168 pounds. His appetite is pretty limited, and lots of foods seem to make him nauseous, so he's somewhat is a similar situation to your husband. He lifts weights and plays basketball, and he has gotten stronger, but he really struggles to add weight. He focuses on calorie dense foods (full fat greek yogurt, avocado, peanut butter, juice, fruit smoothies) and getting lots of protein. My son will have a whey protein shake or two when he's not getting enough protein during a day.
To help you understand some of the terms you'll see here --- bulking is trying to gain weight with the goal of adding muscle mass (not just fat). Cutting is trying to lose fat (and hopefully not muscle mass). Suggestions for foods to eat while bulking would probably be helpful for your husband.
How are you estimating your husband's body fat? I wonder if you are maybe estimating a bit high? I'm 51 years old, 6'3" and I weight 194 at about 15% body fat. I lift regularly, but I'm pretty average looking in terms of muscle mass (i.e. I don't have 30 extra pounds of muscle). If I were 165 pounds, I'm not sure how I'd carry 20% body fat. If's he really is 20% BF at 165 and 6'2", he would probably be someone who could benefit a lot from lifting weights. And, he probably doesn't want to gain 20 pounds without doing some resistance training because it would likely be mostly fat, which at 165 would take him to over 30% body fat.
My 16yo son is 6'3" and just lost 6 lbs during cross country season despite his best efforts (from 154 to 148). He also plays lacrosse in the spring/summer and does JROTC PT twice a week and eats like a boss.1 -
nicsflyingcircus wrote: »My teenage son is about 6'4" and 168 pounds. His appetite is pretty limited, and lots of foods seem to make him nauseous, so he's somewhat is a similar situation to your husband. He lifts weights and plays basketball, and he has gotten stronger, but he really struggles to add weight. He focuses on calorie dense foods (full fat greek yogurt, avocado, peanut butter, juice, fruit smoothies) and getting lots of protein. My son will have a whey protein shake or two when he's not getting enough protein during a day.
To help you understand some of the terms you'll see here --- bulking is trying to gain weight with the goal of adding muscle mass (not just fat). Cutting is trying to lose fat (and hopefully not muscle mass). Suggestions for foods to eat while bulking would probably be helpful for your husband.
How are you estimating your husband's body fat? I wonder if you are maybe estimating a bit high? I'm 51 years old, 6'3" and I weight 194 at about 15% body fat. I lift regularly, but I'm pretty average looking in terms of muscle mass (i.e. I don't have 30 extra pounds of muscle). If I were 165 pounds, I'm not sure how I'd carry 20% body fat. If's he really is 20% BF at 165 and 6'2", he would probably be someone who could benefit a lot from lifting weights. And, he probably doesn't want to gain 20 pounds without doing some resistance training because it would likely be mostly fat, which at 165 would take him to over 30% body fat.
My 16yo son is 6'3" and just lost 6 lbs during cross country season despite his best efforts (from 154 to 148). He also plays lacrosse in the spring/summer and does JROTC PT twice a week and eats like a boss.
I don't know where I was going with this and I got interrupted so just ignore my response please5 -
My 6'3" husband, 158-165 lb. the last few years, would like to gain a little weight, too. He doesn't have Crohn's, although I have twin sons with that problem (not my husband's sons). I'm eating keto/low carb, but I give my husband rice, sweet potatoes, bananas, and some sweets to keep his weight up. He has a restriction going into his stomach that prevents him from eating much at one time, and he has a low appetite. The doctors don't seem concerned that he's starving, so I bought him smaller pants and try not to worry about him too much.
One of my boys, with Crohns, had half his colon and 18" of his intestines removed last year, after he became skeletal. He's back up to a healthy weight, and I pray he's being more careful with his diet now.2 -
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My teenage son is about 6'4" and 168 pounds. His appetite is pretty limited, and lots of foods seem to make him nauseous, so he's somewhat is a similar situation to your husband. He lifts weights and plays basketball, and he has gotten stronger, but he really struggles to add weight. He focuses on calorie dense foods (full fat greek yogurt, avocado, peanut butter, juice, fruit smoothies) and getting lots of protein. My son will have a whey protein shake or two when he's not getting enough protein during a day.
To help you understand some of the terms you'll see here --- bulking is trying to gain weight with the goal of adding muscle mass (not just fat). Cutting is trying to lose fat (and hopefully not muscle mass). Suggestions for foods to eat while bulking would probably be helpful for your husband.
How are you estimating your husband's body fat? I wonder if you are maybe estimating a bit high? I'm 51 years old, 6'3" and I weight 194 at about 15% body fat. I lift regularly, but I'm pretty average looking in terms of muscle mass (i.e. I don't have 30 extra pounds of muscle). If I were 165 pounds, I'm not sure how I'd carry 20% body fat. If's he really is 20% BF at 165 and 6'2", he would probably be someone who could benefit a lot from lifting weights. And, he probably doesn't want to gain 20 pounds without doing some resistance training because it would likely be mostly fat, which at 165 would take him to over 30% body fat.
I bet you are right. I probably did over estimate his body fat. I was going off of what he said our scale said one time, but I do know that could be quite inaccurate, and also, I don't always remember numbers correctly. That's not my strong point. His body fat likely is less than 20%. Thanks for your input.
Love the food ideas and the input on bulking and weight training. That helps me out a lot! Thanks!
I should indeed get hubby going on a couple protein shakes. That's a good idea!0 -
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FarmerCarla wrote: »My 6'3" husband, 158-165 lb. the last few years, would like to gain a little weight, too. He doesn't have Crohn's, although I have twin sons with that problem (not my husband's sons). I'm eating keto/low carb, but I give my husband rice, sweet potatoes, bananas, and some sweets to keep his weight up. He has a restriction going into his stomach that prevents him from eating much at one time, and he has a low appetite. The doctors don't seem concerned that he's starving, so I bought him smaller pants and try not to worry about him too much.
One of my boys, with Crohns, had half his colon and 18" of his intestines removed last year, after he became skeletal. He's back up to a healthy weight, and I pray he's being more careful with his diet now.
Oh my! Sounds you like definitely can understand about people who can't eat a lot at one time and have intestinal issues!
The doctors have never said anything about my husband gaining weight. This is something he wants to do because he knows how much better he feels when he weighs more.1 -
my husband is the same height and weight, and trying to gain.
he also eats relatively low carb and gluten free.
stuff like nuts and seeds, sour cream, hummus, eggs, cheese of all descriptions, mayo, meat like chorizo/salami, nut butters (pip & nut do an amazing coconut & almond butter if you get bored of PB) all feature in his diet.3 -
TavistockToad wrote: »
He might want to be careful with lots of peanuts and the Crons. Almond butter or sunflower butter might be a better option.2 -
Hi, I have ulcerative colitis which is similar to Crohn's. I'm currently in remission so am able to tolerate a wider range of foods but there have been times when my diet has been extremely limited.
Apologies if this has already been mentioned ; can he tolerate dairy? If so then go for full fat dairy. Smooth nut butters are good if he's OK with those. Porridge is my friend when my gut is bad and again I make it with full fat milk. I also have issues with feeling full quickly and find that 5 or 6 smaller meals are easier to handle. I also use whey isolate protein powder and mix it into smoothies, milk and porridge. Personally I find fruit and veg that's soluble fibre (rather than insoluble) easier to digest. No skins or seeds and go carefully with whole grains. My go to meal when I'm flaring is a slow cooked chicken breast casserole with root veg and mashed potato! (or rice or pasta but I find mashed potato more comforting!)2 -
Strength training (my favorite program is Starting Strength) takes minimal time, stimulates my appetite, and encourages me to eat more because I'm always chasing my next personal best lift. I think everyone, especially the elderly and underweight, need to train specifically for strength. I find that my days out of the gym I get lazy and eat more poorly than workout days, for example.
I should add also that you can squat, deadlift, press, bench, and clean in your garage safely with minimal equipment (described in the Starting Strength book).0 -
billkansas wrote: »Strength training (my favorite program is Starting Strength) takes minimal time, stimulates my appetite, and encourages me to eat more because I'm always chasing my next personal best lift. I think everyone, especially the elderly and underweight, need to train specifically for strength. I find that my days out of the gym I get lazy and eat more poorly than workout days, for example.
I should add also that you can squat, deadlift, press, bench, and clean in your garage safely with minimal equipment (described in the Starting Strength book).
That's great but chronic diseases, such as Crohn's, can be exhausting. During flare ups there are days when I can barely get off the sofa. I've found I've had to drastically modify my workouts and accept there are periods when I can't do them. Progress can be slow!
You're right, though, it's still important to stay as active as possible and actually my symptoms have improved since I started strength training, it's just a case of accepting my limits and not having unrealistic expectations2
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