Weight gain is difficult

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So, I guess this is the other end of the spectrum from what's normally on MFP's forums.

I joined so that way I would keep the motivation to GAIN weight, not lose it. I'm 6'7, and a sickly 116.8lbs, according to my scale (I'm sort of skeptical about it, but I would rather be making sure that I am that weight and just go from that weight instead of not believing it). I'm attempting to eat as many calories that I can, but being a college kid, well, it's not really easy to be able to afford meat and potatoes, haha.

Anyways, I'm eating about 2000 ish calories, or at least attempting to, but it seems that even when I gain the weight, it just goes right off as soon as I go to bed. It's a bit discouraging. I don't really have that unrealistic of a goal. I want to be 160lbs by the end of the year, but it seems a bit harder than I thought. I know that pounds aren't just going to be packing themselves on as quickly as I want them, but weighing myself at the end of the day and seeing that I'm 128 when I go to bed, then when I wake up I'm 115 really sort of makes my heart sink into my stomach. I'm trying weight gain suppliments and I am trying to make sure that I am doing things that I normally do like going for walks and such, but I just don't know what it is that I am doing wrong. Any suggestions, moral support, or ripping my head off for being that skinny would be muchly appreciated.

Replies

  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    So, I guess this is the other end of the spectrum from what's normally on MFP's forums.

    I joined so that way I would keep the motivation to GAIN weight, not lose it. I'm 6'7, and a sickly 116.8lbs, according to my scale (I'm sort of skeptical about it, but I would rather be making sure that I am that weight and just go from that weight instead of not believing it). I'm attempting to eat as many calories that I can, but being a college kid, well, it's not really easy to be able to afford meat and potatoes, haha.

    Anyways, I'm eating about 2000 ish calories, or at least attempting to, but it seems that even when I gain the weight, it just goes right off as soon as I go to bed. It's a bit discouraging. I don't really have that unrealistic of a goal. I want to be 160lbs by the end of the year, but it seems a bit harder than I thought. I know that pounds aren't just going to be packing themselves on as quickly as I want them, but weighing myself at the end of the day and seeing that I'm 128 when I go to bed, then when I wake up I'm 115 really sort of makes my heart sink into my stomach. I'm trying weight gain suppliments and I am trying to make sure that I am doing things that I normally do like going for walks and such, but I just don't know what it is that I am doing wrong. Any suggestions, moral support, or ripping my head off for being that skinny would be muchly appreciated.

    Eat a lot more then 2k cals, shoot for 3-4k. Ditch the weight gainers, they are a waste of money.

    Eat calorically dense foods;

    nuts

    nut butters

    oils

    avocados

    pasta

    ice cream
  • weisses
    weisses Posts: 14
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    Eat a lot more then 2k cals, shoot for 3-4k. Ditch the weight gainers, they are a waste of money.

    Eat calorically dense foods;

    nuts

    nut butters

    oils

    avocados

    pasta

    ice cream

    Love pasta, I'm actually making some of it for dinner.
  • ratellcm
    ratellcm Posts: 170 Member
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    Buy some lentils, and add them to pasta or to ground beef, as a way to add calories or stretch the serving of expensive meat to another meal! And you can afford potatoes... but you might have to buy a massive bag!!! Buy big bags of rice and potatoes, that way your meals won`t be limited by cost.
  • jenlarz
    jenlarz Posts: 813 Member
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    Have you had your thyroid checked? Maybe its overactive. Just an idea, I know an underactive thryoid can make you gain though.
  • weisses
    weisses Posts: 14
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    I never thought of that. Any suggestions for weigh ins? End of the day or start of the day?
  • weisses
    weisses Posts: 14
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    Have you had your thyroid checked? Maybe its overactive. Just an idea, I know an underactive thryoid can make you gain though.

    No, I haven't. And I didn't really think of that either.
  • Spinelli2288
    Spinelli2288 Posts: 188 Member
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    I have two friends that had that exact same problem, both male, both 6'6 and 6'7. You're a boy, so you have that miracle metabolism that people like myself envy lol.You need to consume more than 2000 calories a day, my friend Mike (6'7) when he was in his late teens had to consume 8000 calories a day so he could work out and put on muscle. You basically have free reign lol Eat as many calories as you want, more than actually. Try to keep it healthy food, I know it's hard at college, but do your best, I'm sure you'll gain exactly what you want.
  • DQMD
    DQMD Posts: 193
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    Weight gainers are just pure sugar.

    Eat nuts, nut butters, avocados, potatoes full fat cheeses, etc.

    Get a physical to see if there is a underlying problem.

    When I get to my goal if I decide that I am to thin, I will gain weight using nuts and nut butters. Not chocolate and junk food. Pure sugar that goes to the wrong places.
  • carrie_eggo
    carrie_eggo Posts: 1,396 Member
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    So, I guess this is the other end of the spectrum from what's normally on MFP's forums.

    I joined so that way I would keep the motivation to GAIN weight, not lose it. I'm 6'7, and a sickly 116.8lbs, according to my scale (I'm sort of skeptical about it, but I would rather be making sure that I am that weight and just go from that weight instead of not believing it). I'm attempting to eat as many calories that I can, but being a college kid, well, it's not really easy to be able to afford meat and potatoes, haha.

    Anyways, I'm eating about 2000 ish calories, or at least attempting to, but it seems that even when I gain the weight, it just goes right off as soon as I go to bed. It's a bit discouraging. I don't really have that unrealistic of a goal. I want to be 160lbs by the end of the year, but it seems a bit harder than I thought. I know that pounds aren't just going to be packing themselves on as quickly as I want them, but weighing myself at the end of the day and seeing that I'm 128 when I go to bed, then when I wake up I'm 115 really sort of makes my heart sink into my stomach. I'm trying weight gain suppliments and I am trying to make sure that I am doing things that I normally do like going for walks and such, but I just don't know what it is that I am doing wrong. Any suggestions, moral support, or ripping my head off for being that skinny would be muchly appreciated.

    Eat a lot more then 2k cals, shoot for 3-4k. Ditch the weight gainers, they are a waste of money.

    Eat calorically dense foods;

    nuts

    nut butters

    oils

    avocados

    pasta

    ice cream

    ^This....high calorie foods....

    You're 6 foot 7 inches? I recommend seeing a doctor if you don't start gaining....how did you get so skinny, if you don't mind me asking?
  • shiseido_faerie
    shiseido_faerie Posts: 771 Member
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    When I was younger I actually worked with a dietician to gain weight, at the time I was 5'2 and had been 95lbs for about 5 years, and 2000 calories was what *I* was eating to gain...so you definitely need to eat more :)

    Things that were suggested to me are pasta, peanut butter & nuts, adding real butter to things, drinking ensures for 'snacks'. Basically you can eat whatever you want. But I agree you should take a trip to the doctor first to ensure there is no underlying problem, maybe they can hook you up with a dietician to give you some tips too.

    Some hope, it seems as I gained weight, my metabolism shifted and it became uh...easier to gain lol as i'm now up to 130, when I really only wanted to stay at 115ish.
  • weisses
    weisses Posts: 14
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    So, I guess this is the other end of the spectrum from what's normally on MFP's forums.

    I joined so that way I would keep the motivation to GAIN weight, not lose it. I'm 6'7, and a sickly 116.8lbs, according to my scale (I'm sort of skeptical about it, but I would rather be making sure that I am that weight and just go from that weight instead of not believing it). I'm attempting to eat as many calories that I can, but being a college kid, well, it's not really easy to be able to afford meat and potatoes, haha.

    Anyways, I'm eating about 2000 ish calories, or at least attempting to, but it seems that even when I gain the weight, it just goes right off as soon as I go to bed. It's a bit discouraging. I don't really have that unrealistic of a goal. I want to be 160lbs by the end of the year, but it seems a bit harder than I thought. I know that pounds aren't just going to be packing themselves on as quickly as I want them, but weighing myself at the end of the day and seeing that I'm 128 when I go to bed, then when I wake up I'm 115 really sort of makes my heart sink into my stomach. I'm trying weight gain suppliments and I am trying to make sure that I am doing things that I normally do like going for walks and such, but I just don't know what it is that I am doing wrong. Any suggestions, moral support, or ripping my head off for being that skinny would be muchly appreciated.

    Eat a lot more then 2k cals, shoot for 3-4k. Ditch the weight gainers, they are a waste of money.

    Eat calorically dense foods;

    nuts

    nut butters

    oils

    avocados

    pasta

    ice cream

    ^This....high calorie foods....

    You're 6 foot 7 inches? I recommend seeing a doctor if you don't start gaining....how did you get so skinny, if you don't mind me asking?

    Oddly fast motabilism. I was the kind of guy that most girls hated hanging around with because I could chow down on three Big Macs (feel crappy afterwards, but hey) and not gain a pound from it. Haha.
  • carrie_eggo
    carrie_eggo Posts: 1,396 Member
    Options
    So, I guess this is the other end of the spectrum from what's normally on MFP's forums.

    I joined so that way I would keep the motivation to GAIN weight, not lose it. I'm 6'7, and a sickly 116.8lbs, according to my scale (I'm sort of skeptical about it, but I would rather be making sure that I am that weight and just go from that weight instead of not believing it). I'm attempting to eat as many calories that I can, but being a college kid, well, it's not really easy to be able to afford meat and potatoes, haha.

    Anyways, I'm eating about 2000 ish calories, or at least attempting to, but it seems that even when I gain the weight, it just goes right off as soon as I go to bed. It's a bit discouraging. I don't really have that unrealistic of a goal. I want to be 160lbs by the end of the year, but it seems a bit harder than I thought. I know that pounds aren't just going to be packing themselves on as quickly as I want them, but weighing myself at the end of the day and seeing that I'm 128 when I go to bed, then when I wake up I'm 115 really sort of makes my heart sink into my stomach. I'm trying weight gain suppliments and I am trying to make sure that I am doing things that I normally do like going for walks and such, but I just don't know what it is that I am doing wrong. Any suggestions, moral support, or ripping my head off for being that skinny would be muchly appreciated.

    Eat a lot more then 2k cals, shoot for 3-4k. Ditch the weight gainers, they are a waste of money.

    Eat calorically dense foods;

    nuts

    nut butters

    oils

    avocados

    pasta

    ice cream

    ^This....high calorie foods....

    You're 6 foot 7 inches? I recommend seeing a doctor if you don't start gaining....how did you get so skinny, if you don't mind me asking?

    Oddly fast motabilism. I was the kind of guy that most girls hated hanging around with because I could chow down on three Big Macs (feel crappy afterwards, but hey) and not gain a pound from it. Haha.

    Wow. Eat like mad and see a doctor. :smile:
  • tabbydog
    tabbydog Posts: 4,925 Member
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    Eat well, lots of protein and lift weights to build muscle. You don't just want to gain "weight" I assume you want to be fit and healthy, so definitely work on building muscle at the same time. Lucky you! When you get older, you will wish you had this problem back! Good luck!
  • weisses
    weisses Posts: 14
    Options
    So, I guess this is the other end of the spectrum from what's normally on MFP's forums.

    I joined so that way I would keep the motivation to GAIN weight, not lose it. I'm 6'7, and a sickly 116.8lbs, according to my scale (I'm sort of skeptical about it, but I would rather be making sure that I am that weight and just go from that weight instead of not believing it). I'm attempting to eat as many calories that I can, but being a college kid, well, it's not really easy to be able to afford meat and potatoes, haha.

    Anyways, I'm eating about 2000 ish calories, or at least attempting to, but it seems that even when I gain the weight, it just goes right off as soon as I go to bed. It's a bit discouraging. I don't really have that unrealistic of a goal. I want to be 160lbs by the end of the year, but it seems a bit harder than I thought. I know that pounds aren't just going to be packing themselves on as quickly as I want them, but weighing myself at the end of the day and seeing that I'm 128 when I go to bed, then when I wake up I'm 115 really sort of makes my heart sink into my stomach. I'm trying weight gain suppliments and I am trying to make sure that I am doing things that I normally do like going for walks and such, but I just don't know what it is that I am doing wrong. Any suggestions, moral support, or ripping my head off for being that skinny would be muchly appreciated.

    Eat a lot more then 2k cals, shoot for 3-4k. Ditch the weight gainers, they are a waste of money.

    Eat calorically dense foods;

    nuts

    nut butters

    oils

    avocados

    pasta

    ice cream

    ^This....high calorie foods....

    You're 6 foot 7 inches? I recommend seeing a doctor if you don't start gaining....how did you get so skinny, if you don't mind me asking?

    Oddly fast motabilism. I was the kind of guy that most girls hated hanging around with because I could chow down on three Big Macs (feel crappy afterwards, but hey) and not gain a pound from it. Haha.

    Wow. Eat like mad and see a doctor. :smile:

    Worse part is that I have seen my doctor and he has no idea why I'm like this. He said that I should just eat as much as I can through-out the day to try and keep the calories on. He even recommended me start to drinking Ensure Plus' to try and gain the weight or help it, but at 15$ for a pack of 6, that makes things a bit... pricey, to say the least.
  • sixisCHANGEDjk
    Options
    How old are you. When I was in my late teens I could eat like that; 2 double big-macs (when they made those), fries, dr. pepper and ice cream and never gain a pound. Then I turned 31 and that changed.

    I'd try everything said previously here regarding high calorie intake. I weigh in the morning but it's because that's when I weight 'less'. It likely has to do with your metabolism as that's what I credit my pre-31 abilities to.

    [/quote]
    Oddly fast motabilism. I was the kind of guy that most girls hated hanging around with because I could chow down on three Big Macs (feel crappy afterwards, but hey) and not gain a pound from it. Haha.
    [/quote]
  • _magnolias
    Options
    Worse part is that I have seen my doctor and he has no idea why I'm like this. He said that I should just eat as much as I can through-out the day to try and keep the calories on. He even recommended me start to drinking Ensure Plus' to try and gain the weight or help it, but at 15$ for a pack of 6, that makes things a bit... pricey, to say the least.

    When you saw the doctor did he have you get any blood work done? Just a normal visual physical isn't going to help him to determine if you have an overactive thyroid (which is a concern when you can't gain weight). At your age it may just be that your metabolism hasn't slowed down, growing teenagers (particularly males) tend to have much high rates then adults. For most guys it tapers out around 30 to 35, though begins its downward slope in their 20s. My brother is very similar in his eating habits to the guy above (to the frustration of us female family members) but it will slow eventually. Still, if your doctor didn't check for an overactive thyroid I would go back and demand it; it is really difficult to lose weight while you sleep, your metabolism actually shuts almost completely down when you do, and for you to be losing in the middle of the night could be indicative of an underlying problem.
  • Scatterdragon
    Scatterdragon Posts: 225 Member
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    My fiance is the same way, he is 6'4 and he can eat 5000 calories a day (we tracked his calories for a month) and not gain a pound. He is 34, and everyone said it would catch up with him, but it hasn't. The only time he ever gained weight was getting to the gym and lifting weights.
  • NaturezGifts
    Options
    Note: I'm no doctor, but I am a nutrition student.

    When you need to gain a significant amount of weight, do resistance (strength) training to ensure you're adding muscle and not just fat (muscle weighs more, so you want that too).

    It's hard to force yourself to eat enough calories at 3 meals a day. Eat 6 meals a day, with a protein, fat, and carb at every meal. Don't try to cram yourself full of junk food (anything from fast food joints, anything deep-fried, and packaged baked goods)--those just spike your blood sugar level and then it crashes later (probably why you weigh so much less in the morning, cause you burn through it during the night). If you eat potatoes, leave the skin on and don't eat 'em as french fries. That'll help balance blood sugar. And make sure you're drinking enough water!!! Water makes cells bigger = stronger and more efficient. Simple way to figure out how much water: your weight divided by 2 = number of ounces.

    Buy your food organic as much as possible (even the dairy and meats). You'd be surprised how sick the regular store-bought stuff can make you with all the pesticides, hormones, preservatives, sweeteners, and coloring agents that get added.

    If you can find a good holistic nutritionist in your area, hire him or her! It'll be worth it. (Holistic nutrition is about eating food that isn't refined or processed. It's the way nature grew it: meat, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and whole grains like oats, millet, amaranth, corn, quinoa--which cooks up just like rice and is a complete protein to boot--, and so on. Basically any grain except wheat which has been bred to be a anything but healthy).

    Good luck.
  • weisses
    weisses Posts: 14
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    How old are you. When I was in my late teens I could eat like that; 2 double big-macs (when they made those), fries, dr. pepper and ice cream and never gain a pound. Then I turned 31 and that changed.

    I'd try everything said previously here regarding high calorie intake. I weigh in the morning but it's because that's when I weight 'less'. It likely has to do with your metabolism as that's what I credit my pre-31 abilities to.
    Oddly fast motabilism. I was the kind of guy that most girls hated hanging around with because I could chow down on three Big Macs (feel crappy afterwards, but hey) and not gain a pound from it. Haha.
    [/quote]
    [/quote]

    I'm 20.
  • shiseido_faerie
    shiseido_faerie Posts: 771 Member
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    Ensure is expensive, I had to use it too...a cheaper alternative is the carnation instant breakfast, the powdered kind mixed with milk (and it tastes better)