How to gain weight without working out
maya_mhb
Posts: 6 Member
I am a 27 years old female and I current weigh 48.7kg. I’ve been trying everything to gain weight and nothing’s been happening. I’ll be honest, im very lazy and get tired easily which is the reason why I’m not considering working out, plus the way I see it is that if I’m not gaining weight normally and my body can’t flushes out any fat how would lifting make me maintain the fat that I barely have?
My diet isn’t exactly the healthiest but I wouldn’t say it’s unhealthy. I mainly eat at home (home cooked meals + vegetables) for the past few days I’ve been eating fast food just to try to increase my calories intake everyday and I also started eating too much sugar. I hate eating fast food and I really hate sugar and sweetened things and I have a family history of diabetes!
I just need advice and suggestions as to how I can gain weight in a healthy way. My diet normally consists of meat/chicken/rice/potato’s/salad etc however it still doesn’t provide me with the calories I need everyday. Please help before I give myself diabetes instead of a thick body.
My diet isn’t exactly the healthiest but I wouldn’t say it’s unhealthy. I mainly eat at home (home cooked meals + vegetables) for the past few days I’ve been eating fast food just to try to increase my calories intake everyday and I also started eating too much sugar. I hate eating fast food and I really hate sugar and sweetened things and I have a family history of diabetes!
I just need advice and suggestions as to how I can gain weight in a healthy way. My diet normally consists of meat/chicken/rice/potato’s/salad etc however it still doesn’t provide me with the calories I need everyday. Please help before I give myself diabetes instead of a thick body.
2
Replies
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Well if you just want to gain fat, than just consistently eating over your maintenance levels is all the is required. But if you have a family history of diabetes, that wouldn't be ideal. Have you had a recent check up? Because your lack of energy levels could be a vitamin deficiency or if you are underweight, that can have that effect too.
Anyways, if you want to gain some muscle, you will need to work out. It doesn't have to be much, it can be 3x a week for an hour or less. And gaining muscle is a good thing. Not only does it help keep you leaner, but it's generally associated with being insulin sensitive.. all things to help prevent diabetes. Adding fats is one of the simplest ways of adding calories. Eating things like cheese (which also has protein) is a great way of adding calories without impacting fullness too much. Ultimately, it will come down to calories. So if you start tracking and slowly increase calories each week until you start gaining 1/2-1 lb per week, you will be in a good position.
Overall, the below 2 threads can be very helpful. The first one is about how to get more calories. And the latter is about structured lifting programs. Even starting off with something as simple as AWorkoutRoutine's beginner program is a great way to start. And that one can be done in probably 30-45 mins.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10326769/are-you-a-hard-gainer-please-read/p1
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p15 -
Well if you just want to gain fat, than just consistently eating over your maintenance levels is all the is required. But if you have a family history of diabetes, that wouldn't be ideal. Have you had a recent check up? Because your lack of energy levels could be a vitamin deficiency or if you are underweight, that can have that effect too.
Anyways, if you want to gain some muscle, you will need to work out. It doesn't have to be much, it can be 3x a week for an hour or less. And gaining muscle is a good thing. Not only does it help keep you leaner, but it's generally associated with being insulin sensitive.. all things to help prevent diabetes. Adding fats is one of the simplest ways of adding calories. Eating things like cheese (which also has protein) is a great way of adding calories without impacting fullness too much. Ultimately, it will come down to calories. So if you start tracking and slowly increase calories each week until you start gaining 1/2-1 lb per week, you will be in a good position.
Overall, the below 2 threads can be very helpful. The first one is about how to get more calories. And the latter is about structured lifting programs. Even starting off with something as simple as AWorkoutRoutine's beginner program is a great way to start. And that one can be done in probably 30-45 mins.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10326769/are-you-a-hard-gainer-please-read/p1
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
Thank you so much for this. I do keep an eye on my sugar level and get checked every few months.
I loved the list of food you put in and most of them didn’t even cross my mind.. I’ll just not be able to limit clean food because it’s literally what I live on.
I’ll trust the program and see how it goes. As for the working out part I’ll start little by little like you suggested but I really do believe I have a problem somehow.. I get tired from doing the slightest physical tasks.. I can barely take walks for more than 10mins without feeling the need to sit down or taking a break so you can imagine how big of a challenge 40mins of building muscle can be.
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Well if you just want to gain fat, than just consistently eating over your maintenance levels is all the is required. But if you have a family history of diabetes, that wouldn't be ideal. Have you had a recent check up? Because your lack of energy levels could be a vitamin deficiency or if you are underweight, that can have that effect too.
Anyways, if you want to gain some muscle, you will need to work out. It doesn't have to be much, it can be 3x a week for an hour or less. And gaining muscle is a good thing. Not only does it help keep you leaner, but it's generally associated with being insulin sensitive.. all things to help prevent diabetes. Adding fats is one of the simplest ways of adding calories. Eating things like cheese (which also has protein) is a great way of adding calories without impacting fullness too much. Ultimately, it will come down to calories. So if you start tracking and slowly increase calories each week until you start gaining 1/2-1 lb per week, you will be in a good position.
Overall, the below 2 threads can be very helpful. The first one is about how to get more calories. And the latter is about structured lifting programs. Even starting off with something as simple as AWorkoutRoutine's beginner program is a great way to start. And that one can be done in probably 30-45 mins.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10326769/are-you-a-hard-gainer-please-read/p1
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
Thank you so much for this. I do keep an eye on my sugar level and get checked every few months.
I loved the list of food you put in and most of them didn’t even cross my mind.. I’ll just not be able to limit clean food because it’s literally what I live on.
I’ll trust the program and see how it goes. As for the working out part I’ll start little by little like you suggested but I really do believe I have a problem somehow.. I get tired from doing the slightest physical tasks.. I can barely take walks for more than 10mins without feeling the need to sit down or taking a break so you can imagine how big of a challenge 40mins of building muscle can be.
How tall are you? And i would probably get a check up.0 -
It may be that your lack of energy is because you're not eating enough and I agree with the above about getting checked out just in case there's an underlying reason.
If you get the all clear, you could try starting with short workouts and build up gradually - that's how I started. But you will need to eat enough to fuel the workout. I weighed around the same as you when I started, and I waited until I'd gained a few pounds before starting to work out.1 -
comptonelizabeth wrote: »It may be that your lack of energy is because you're not eating enough
This was going to be what I was going to say too. It's not guaranteed to be the issue but it's definitely something to consider.2 -
How tall are you and how many calories do you eat in a typical day?0
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Hate to break it to you, but inactivity is a risk factor for diabetes, just as much as being overweight. Definitely get a checkup from a doctor to make sure there's no reason for your tiredness. But it seems possible that the reason you get tired easily is that you don't do anything. If you start doing more, you will be able to do more. Just ten minutes at a time is better than no minutes - you can start with bodyweight exercises, do one five minute video, then gradually build up to more. You may even find you like it once you start seeing changes in the way you look and feel.
Since you dislike sweets, the good news is that sweets are not the easiest way to gain weight! Carbs and protein are not as calorie dense as fats, so the most calorie dense foods are ones that contain a lot of fats. Some healthy options include nuts, avocados, fatty fish such as salmon, and olive oil. Just a couple of tablespoons of olive oil on your salad gets you a couple hundred calories! Two tablespoons of peanut butter, same thing. And cheese, as mentioned above.1 -
rheddmobile wrote: »Hate to break it to you, but inactivity is a risk factor for diabetes, just as much as being overweight. Definitely get a checkup from a doctor to make sure there's no reason for your tiredness. But it seems possible that the reason you get tired easily is that you don't do anything. If you start doing more, you will be able to do more. Just ten minutes at a time is better than no minutes - you can start with bodyweight exercises, do one five minute video, then gradually build up to more. You may even find you like it once you start seeing changes in the way you look and feel.
Since you dislike sweets, the good news is that sweets are not the easiest way to gain weight! Carbs and protein are not as calorie dense as fats, so the most calorie dense foods are ones that contain a lot of fats. Some healthy options include nuts, avocados, fatty fish such as salmon, and olive oil. Just a couple of tablespoons of olive oil on your salad gets you a couple hundred calories! Two tablespoons of peanut butter, same thing. And cheese, as mentioned above.
Thank you so much for the fatty suggestions you mentioned. I fish, olive oil and nuts, not a huge fan of peanut butter but I’ll try to have it at least once a day because I feel like it would help put on weight fast.
And to the part where you mentioned that inactivity is a risk factor for diabetes as well, I literally never knew that.. i thought the trick is not to allow myself to starve for many hours (I don’t starve myself intentionally but I can easily forget to eat all day) since I thought that’s a risk factor and had nothing to do with my level of activity.
When you say get checked up, do you mean i need to take a certain check up or just for diabetes? Oh and the last time I got a full check up was about 7 months ago and everything came back clear.1 -
Have you been diagnosed with an ED, @maya_mhb? Do you have a treatment team? Have you discussed this with them?2
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comptonelizabeth wrote: »It may be that your lack of energy is because you're not eating enough and I agree with the above about getting checked out just in case there's an underlying reason.
If you get the all clear, you could try starting with short workouts and build up gradually - that's how I started. But you will need to eat enough to fuel the workout. I weighed around the same as you when I started, and I waited until I'd gained a few pounds before starting to work out.
Is there a certain check up I need to get? The last time I got a full check up was about 7 months ago and everything came back clear.
This is exactly what I’m trying to do.. put a few pounds on then consider working out. It’s already taking too much time of the day for me trying to figure out what to eat throughout the day in order to stay healthy and gain weight at the same time (especially after notice that I’m normal meals do not provide me with nearly as many calories as I need). So once I feel like I’m comfortable with that then I can start working out..0 -
Well if you just want to gain fat, than just consistently eating over your maintenance levels is all the is required. But if you have a family history of diabetes, that wouldn't be ideal. Have you had a recent check up? Because your lack of energy levels could be a vitamin deficiency or if you are underweight, that can have that effect too.
Anyways, if you want to gain some muscle, you will need to work out. It doesn't have to be much, it can be 3x a week for an hour or less. And gaining muscle is a good thing. Not only does it help keep you leaner, but it's generally associated with being insulin sensitive.. all things to help prevent diabetes. Adding fats is one of the simplest ways of adding calories. Eating things like cheese (which also has protein) is a great way of adding calories without impacting fullness too much. Ultimately, it will come down to calories. So if you start tracking and slowly increase calories each week until you start gaining 1/2-1 lb per week, you will be in a good position.
Overall, the below 2 threads can be very helpful. The first one is about how to get more calories. And the latter is about structured lifting programs. Even starting off with something as simple as AWorkoutRoutine's beginner program is a great way to start. And that one can be done in probably 30-45 mins.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10326769/are-you-a-hard-gainer-please-read/p1
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
Thank you so much for this. I do keep an eye on my sugar level and get checked every few months.
I loved the list of food you put in and most of them didn’t even cross my mind.. I’ll just not be able to limit clean food because it’s literally what I live on.
I’ll trust the program and see how it goes. As for the working out part I’ll start little by little like you suggested but I really do believe I have a problem somehow.. I get tired from doing the slightest physical tasks.. I can barely take walks for more than 10mins without feeling the need to sit down or taking a break so you can imagine how big of a challenge 40mins of building muscle can be.
How tall are you? And i would probably get a check up.
I’m 5’6. What kind of check up? The last full check up I had was about 7 months ago and everything came back okay.0 -
So being underweight and barely consuming calories is the most probable reason you are lethargic. Increasing calories to a reasonable level and getting into a healthy weight range should be a priority and should help you feel better. Being on top of frequent eating can help this. And it is possible, that you might need a treatment team if you are struggling to eat more calories.2
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I would just tell the doctor you are feeling tired, ask about thyroid, iron levels, and whatever else he wants to check. Those are the two obvious things that commonly cause fatigue in women. It could be you had those tests at your last check up in which case you don't need them again so soon.1
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This is why you are tired and have no energy! You really need to consume a MINIMUM of 1200 calories a day just to fuel your body and for health reasons. You don't need to eat sugar and desserts, etc. to get to that. There are plenty of high fat and protein foods to help you get there. You really seriously need to talk with a doctor about having a possible eating disorder.
If 400 is your normal, how many calories were you getting in a day when eating the fast food to deliberate increase calories?1
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