Hardgainers typically find it difficult getting enough calories to gain weight and build muscle. The secret to consuming enough calories is to choose calorie dense foods. You have to be eating lots of high calorie foods and beverages or you will be fighting an uphill battle.
Gaining weight doesn’t have to be a struggle if you are eating the right kind of calories. This can be changed if you begin to analyze your daily diet plan to include more calorie dense foods. Let me explain more about calorie density.
What are High Density or Calorie Dense Foods
High density foods are foods which (measure by volume) contain a high number of calories per serving. Calorie dense foods tend to be high in fat and/or sugar due to the fact that all proteins and all carbohydrates contain four calories per gram whilst all fats contain nine calories per gram. Moreover, some foods are more “calorie concentrated” then others as they contain less water content etc. Let me explain.
Visualize two kitchen measuring cups side by side (both the same size); one filled with chopped cucumber and one filled with raisins. Each cup now contains exactly the same VOLUME of food, right? But did you know that the cup of raisins has 37 times more calories? That’s right! The cup of cucumbers contains 14 calories, while the cup of raisins contains a whopping 520 calories. If cucumbers and raisins both have four calories per gram, then how could this be? The answer has to do with calorie density. The cucumbers have a lower calorie density because they have a higher fiber and water content. The calories in the raisins are more “concentrated”.
Typical calorie dense foods include things like fatty meats, salami, candy bars, rice crackers, cookies, potato chips, anything which is fried, cola, beer (although there is low calorie beers on the market nowadays) and ice-cream. These are all examples of high calorie foods and drinks because they are high in sugar and/or fat.
When making adjustments to your weight gain diet plan to include more calories, do so in a healthy manner. Don’t just look to be consuming more calories, look at the nutrition value of foods. Let me give an example. We all know fruits and vegetables and nutritionally very good for us.
Fibrous carbohydrates and vegetables such as lettuce, asparagus, cucumber, and broccoli are very low calorie foods. This is because these vegetables are high in fiber and your body has a hard time absorbing the caloric content of fiber. These types of vegetables also have a high water content.
So now let’s look at some “calorie dense” foods which will help pack on the pounds. Leave the vegetables in the pantry if you want to gain weight, and replace them with simple carbohydrates such as fruits which have a higher calorie density. This is because simple carbs are more concentrated and they contain less fiber. Fruit juice is even more concentrated then eating the fruit itself. Instead of having the one medium size orange, which contains about 60 calories, drinking a glass of orange juice will serve you better as it contains about 160 calories. Fruit and fruit juice therefore make a great addition to a weight gain program.
Complex carbohydrates (starches) such as whole grains, pasta, cereals, beans, potatoes and rice also have higher calorie densities than fibrous carbs. A typical serving of pasta contains about 800-1000 calories. Pasta and other complex carbs are great foods for gaining weight.
Now that you know what carbs to eat, let’s talk about fat. There is a common misconception that all fats are bad for you and they should be removed from your diet. This is untrue, there are good and bad fats. Fats have a major impact on the calorie content of foods, so they are an important consideration. Just keep in mind that fat should consist of about 15-25% of your total calories. You want to be getting most of you calories from carbohydrates and protein.
In small amounts, unsaturated, “healthy” fats are not only good for you, but they can help you gain weight more quickly. Just one tablespoon of flaxseed oil and two tablespoons of peanut butter would add nearly 500 calories to your daily diet and you’d hardly notice that any extra food was added.
In addition, you can supplement your healthy diet with protein supplements. It is often difficult to eat enough protein each day from normal foods, so supplementing with a weight gain supplement such as a soy or whey protein shake can help increase overall caloric intake. You want to make sure the weight gain supplement is a good mix of both protein and carbs and doesn’t contain too much sugar.
For example, a post workout shake containing 40 grams of protein, 80 grams of carbs, and 2 grams of fat would provide almost 500 calories. If you wanted even more calories, you could mix the powder in juice instead of water and also add flaxseed oil.
So, let’s summarize your plan for quickly and easily adding more calories to your diet. Continue eating the same healthy foods, just eat more of them. Healthy high calorie snacks is a great way to increase calories. Replace low density foods with high density foods. You could eat salads all day until your face hurts, but it won’t do much good for weight gain. Eat plenty of starchy carbs including whole grains, pastas, rice, and potatoes. Don’t be afraid of adding some fat to your diet, just ensure it’s no more then 15-25% of your total calories. Some of the “good” fats will actually help you to gain weight. Most importantly – just because you need to eat more calories doesn’t give you permission to stuff yourself with unhealthy foods.
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Even before there was so much obesity in this country, when I weighed 125-130, people were still commenting on my size. It didn’t help much that sideways I looked like a board wearing clothes with a head on top. I had a friend who told my doctor that I didn’t eat like I should, and another one recently who came to visit, and without ever having been around to see how I ate, told me flat out that I was deliberately starving myself. Who needs friends like that? I think the best way to people who make comments about our weight is not to respond at all but just give them a quick once over, and just smile.
Hello everyone!
So glad to find a group like this! I have been skinny all my life. Didn’t hit 100lbs before i was 21 yrs old. I am 5’7, and am now 38yrs old.
I saw there was some talk about Megace, so I thought i would share my story. At age 36 I had to undergo a Total Hysterectomy (thankfully after having two beautiful children). At the time of surgery i weighed in at about 100lbs. After surgery, my weight dropped to a starteling 86lbs. I was unable to eat, felt sick all the time and was in alot of pain from the surgery. I ended up have two more suregeries as a result of trapped nerve, and hernia with in 18mo of my hysterectomy, so the pain never seemed to let up. My doctor sent me to a Therapist who delt with Eating Disorders. I have not been diagnosed with any eating disorder, which is good to know, but he did put me on Megace ES. I took 1tsp everyday and by the 3rd day I was so hungry and had no nausea!!! By using the Megace, my weight went from 86lbs up to 116lbs (the most i have EVER weighed in my life.) I had no ill side effects from megace, and really felt like it was a life saver for me, as i was in such a BAD place!
I also have Ulcerative Colitis, and with flaring of that, i have lost the weight and now am back at 100lbs and struggling to keep it there. I will likely start megace again, but we are trying first without it, as i can’t take it forever and really need to teach myself what it is like to eat enough food each day to be able to gain weight. I consider myself a very picky eater and don’t really like any veggies, or much fruit. Give me pasta and brownies and i am th happies girl in the world…..
Anyways, just wanted to share my story with Megace. Never in my life have i been able to gain 2-3lbs per week, it was truly amazing! Good luck to the rest of you!
Hey its me again. I have now reached 96 lbs, 5’4 .
BUT I HATEE BEING SKINNY
as i said before it totally makes me less confindent. I HATTE the fact tht i dont know anyone whos as skinny as me
i get called anorexic but i know tht im not becuz my ribs dnt show. i just wish i was normal… is tht so hard?
Anorexia has nothing to do with your ribs showing. Its a mindstate of fearing weight gain, therefore you literally starve yourself. If you really try eating extra calories, exercise, and sleep on a regular basis the weight will come.
Nikki, I can definately say that I am right there with you. I get tired of comments that I hear just because people think they can say what they want. And even though I am sure you know that you are not anorexia, the more you hear it the more you probably start to compare yourself to people who are anorexic. You start to really analyze your body because of what other people are always telling you. I weighed myself the other day and I am now 125 pds and 9 oz. I am in myideal weight range for a 5’6 female according to the weight machine I use. So I have saw improvement from the smoothies I drink from Smoothie King (Hulks – Strawberry 1035) and my 2200 gold shakes from GNC that I break in a two day span. It takes consistentcy and patience!! I started back on my plan back in February and when I get frustrated, I just remind myself that I must be consistent. By the way, I do try to eat many small meals a aday along with my smoothies.
As a hard gainer myself I found it impossible to gain weight until I started taking mass gainers. I buy mine at GNC and they really work as long as your consistent with taking them, working out and drinking plenty of water. If you want to gain weight but not necessarily work out that much make sure you take one that doesn’t have any type of creatine in it as manufacturers usually put concentrated amounts of creatine in some weight gainers for athletes who work out a lot. Also, it would probably be cheaper to buy the same product somewhere else than GNC but I just support the one closest to my house. Hope this helps!
hey everyone.
I am so thankful i found this site, all these ideas have really motivated me to start believing i can gain weight again. i am glad to know im not the only one out there who gets looked at as anorexic everyday. im 16 years old, 6’5 165lb. i have been skinny all my life and those who really care about say ” oh your metabolism will slow ” or ” its a good thing your skinny”. NO! being skinny is not so great with everyone assuming i dont eat saying ” put some meat on those bones” and just laugh like it doesnt affect me … it does it kills my self esteem and it does for us all. the one thing that holds us back from gaining is confidence, which we cant get if were constantly ridiculed. i know my confidence sucks, but im not about to go listen to a psychiatrist tell me bs. what should i do? can anyone help?
Hey Eric, try GOMAD (google it) 25 lbs in 25 days is common. You’re probably just not eating enough, it’s easy to overestimate how much you really eat. Do heavy weight compound exercises and eat like a horse. I suggest stronglifts 5×5, squats and deadlifts cause you to release growth hormone which equals muscle gain! Gaining weight is simply a matter of perseverance, track your calories, then aim to eat 4000 to 5000 a day.
Interesting!!! I’m also really desperate about gaining weight. Im a 24 year old female and I weigh 48kg. Highest I have ever weighed is 50kg. Its crazy! Heard about Megace and decided to carry out my own personal research about it and it landed me here. Though I think I will rather go to the gym first and register to try and add muscles, if not then drugs it will be (was thinkin of combing both – megace and exercise but I ll jst stick 2 exercise alone). I hope to register next month and I really really hopes this works out coz I’m SICK and TIRED of being thin. Any suggestions will also be useful.
Thank you.
Hey there! I’ve not been able to read all the entries yet but I just had to say that I am so happy to find that I’m not alone! 5’3 100lbs. Keep losing weight and hate food for the most part. I think having teeth probs a lot of my life has led me to like/depend on yogurt and bananas too much. But anyway, I have been looking for high calorie foods that are fairly healthy and am having the worst time. I found a few ‘drinks’ in the produce section that were high calorie/proteins and nutrition. Recently, my favorite drink dropped the protein and calorie content by 20% yet still has same volume for same price. I’m still so mad at them. Anyway, I’m going to read and take notes of comments here to see of any other good products or ideas.
Later :-)
V’Ida what are the weight gainer that you take from GNC that you have found to be helpful. My name is james I am 20yrs old now 5’9 when I was 5’11 but I have lowered my testsosterone so much that I lost height I weight 120 when I should and usto weigh 165-170. I will admit I am scared to gain weight I don’t know why but j think people will Judge me. I was taking fat burners and slot of bad things and I lost about 40 lbs of straight muscle. I want to gain muscle so bad!!! I know I must eat alot of calories but I only eat around 1000 a day. I need help with everything especially my diet and supplements if anyone has any advice. Thanks so much.
I am also looking for some healthy foods so I do not have to think so much about what is healthiest for example if I was to eat breakfast cereal what are sone good ones that are very healthy and I will not have to worry about additives and to much fat and BS. I also like waffles and eat alot of pastas.
Hey James, I was taking the Weight Gainer 2200 milk shake whihc was like 50.00 but I have a Gold Card from GNC and the first 7 days of each months gets you 20% off. They are trying to discontinue it and replace it with another similar product which will have 900 calories at one serving Mass Gainer are something. Just ask them can’t remember the exact name. But I haven’t tried that one yet because I am trying to snatch up the 2200 weight gainer I started on because I know that it works. I have been lucky to find the last of some that the stores have left. I also do Hulk smoothies from smoothie king and try to alternate back and fourth between my GNC shakes. Try easting sandwiches from Arbys- Market Fresh smoked turkey, 500 calories. Hope I helped.
hey, im 21, 6″4 and weigh 190 pounds, with me being tall my body spreads out my body fat, so i look quite slim, i want to put some more weight on so i can look more chunky. i also want to build some more muscle. any help????/
Hey, i just turned 18 a couple of days ago and on my birthday a girl told me should could never be as skinny as me it really hurt.even on mhy special day i hear hurtful things and i just take it all in. right now i am 5’5 and i weight 95 lbs. the thing is i eat 24/7 and been have been the same size. I would really like some help, even if its just to gain 20 lbs i will feel better about myself.
-Please and thank you
Nate, i have had the same problem. i am also very tall and very slim. but to put on weight fast i have been on GOMAD ( gallon of milk a day). its much easier than any other weight gain program ive tried and it really helps if you stick with it. that will put more ” chunk” on you. to put on muscle .. stop drinking pop, eating anything very bad. eating smaller healthy but calorie meals throughout the day is much more effective than eating huge fatty unhealthy meals. lift , high high fiber veggies( harder the vegetable, more fiber), whole grains, and alot of sandwiches. eat pb and j before bed. and if you can take ZMA pill before bed itll be good. also taking a multivitamin will really help. so will water. try drinking only water and milk it will help alot
I too have been really thin all my life, been called every skinny name in the book, 2×4, skinny minny, ect. I am so fed up with it. The most I’ve ever weighed is 115lbs. At the age of 23 I gave birth to my first child and lost weight. For 7 years the most I’ve weighed is 98lbs., I am 5’5 1/2″. I just had my second child 5 months ago. I too had bad teeth, so I decided to have them all pulled and get dentures. The prob. is that it’s been a month since my teeth were removed, and right now I only weigh 92lbs. I am so tired of all the How to Lose Weight tips out there. I read a lot of the comments above, and I would like to say that I am very happy to have found this sight. I plan to try almost every suggestion given above. Fingers crossed, I hope something works.
Hey,
Im am practically the skinnniest person in my grade. I hate it because everyone makes comments about me and jokes about my weight. I am to the point where i don’t even wear shorts anymore! But the thing is… I’d rather be skinny than fat. this site will really help because i want to gain weight without hurting my body in any negative way. I’m 5’3 and i weigh 87lb. Hopefully by this new school year i won’t be skinny anymore. fingers crossed:/
THANK GOODNESS! Reading all these comments have made me feel so much better about myself. Just glancing at a few has honestly just helped out a lot. WE ARE JUST SKINNY & screw anyone who thinks that we have eating problems. We like to eat too! Just can’t gain the weight.
I am glad I am not the only one who is thin and having trouble gaining weight. I get sick of people telling my to eat a hoho. Like eating a hoho is going to instantly add 5 lbs to my body. If it where that easy, none of us would have this problem. I am also getting sick of people telling me they wish they were skinny like me. Why on earth would anyone intentionally want to be underweight. It is so confusing. You want to be skinny like me but yet you want to stuff me full of hoho’s? huh? I am going using Boost plus to help me increase my calories. It’s has 350 calories per drink plus much needed vitamins and nutrients. Good luck to all you hardgainers in adding those much needed extra pounds.
Hi:
I just wana tell people that have commented or anyone alse looking to gain weight. best diest is to drink alot of thickshakes everyday as well as cokes :)
its very hard for me to gain weight too but i have been drinking alot of sodas and thickshakes as well as eating woteva fattening thing i can find in the house and i gained 3 kiloz in 2.5 months… for me thats really good… i didnt think it’d work but try it it might work for u =]
oh ya im 5’2″ and weight 53 kiloz :D
Same problem here! Eat and eat and eat but just can’t gain a single ounce. I’m 5’2 and I weigh 75 pounds!!!! And don’t you just DESPISE those people who think their opinions are welcome?? “You shouldn’t wear that, you look like a stick in it” and “OMG you’re so skinny!! You should eat more!” or even those people that think I’m anorexic or have a fatal illness. So damn narrow-minded. Sheesh. But anyway, at least I know I’m not the only one having problems in that area.
im 40 yrs old weigh 145 what foods do i need to gain weight and make it stay i just started to work out i take protein shakes.i need like 3500 calrioes a day
Since February I’ve been eating pastas (never ate them before except for mac’n'cheese) still don’t really care for them, but if they’ll help, I’ll eat them. I have a six inch stadium roll turkey sandwich with everything I can throw on it every day for lunch. I also try to have a glass of Instant Breakfast once or twice a day. My stomach needs to stretch a little more before I can maybe do two or three a day. I also drink a V-8 daily, and eat two toffee/chocolate and nut covered ice cream bars on a stick daily, plus several cookies or rice cakes. And lots of vitamins, which I have to crush and mix into ice cream to get down. All this on top of my regular fresh fruits and veggies and anything else I can find to cram down me. I’ve gone from 98 – 100 to 104 – 106 in that time. Until just a week or two ago though I couldn’t get past 104, but I kind of feel like my body is waking up or something now. My nails are looking and feeling a lot better than they were. For the first time since 2003, I feel like I’m becoming normal again. It’s great. Helps too that it’s stopped raining so I can finally get out and work in my yard.
For a few years I’ve been struggling with keeping my body at a healthy weight. Right at this moment, I’m 19 and weigh around 84 LBS. I’m 5’2” and for my height 84 LBS is pretty thin. I’ve also struggled with my ability to actually ENJOY eating, as sometimes only a little bit of food will make me feel like I’m already full. This is a bit discouraging, and even frustrating when you are trying to gain weight, especially if you are a hardgainer like I am. Adding that few extra bites and pushing my limit in terms of the quantity of food will eventually help my stomach to expand, allowing me to eat more, and I’m hoping that these articles will help me to add lots of high calorie food options to my diet. So far I’ve gotten some great examples and suggestions, & I can’t wait to dive in, eat up, and see the results for myself.
I have always been a skinny twig, and part of it has to do with heredity, but I constantly am hovering between 100 and 110 lbs. I’m 20 years old and am 5’5″ so according to the height weight ratio I’m underweight, but not my much. I weighed more than this in high school which is the part that bothers me the most besides anorexia comments. My sister is always telling me that I’m skinny and pretty but I don’t look unhealthy like if I were to have an eating disorder, but I feel that people that don’t know how I eat, don’t know that I work in a nursing home and am constantly walking, have small parents, they just assume anorexic. So annoying! Even my step moms side of the family made nasty comments to me and it hurts to hear that from people you know and love. Now my 13 year old sister where’s the same size pants (except she’s shorter) as me and she thinks she’s fat when actually she’s like perfect, she’s growing up and has a nice figure going for her right now. I’ve tried eating tons of calories and they were mostly healthy foods and a lot of what was shown above, but I never got anywhere. When it wasn’t working my dumb room mate (who is over weight and doesn’t understand my problem) says to eat cheeseburgers everyday. Well not gonna work, I’ll have a heart attack before I reach 30. Alcoholic drinks have a lot of calories. I don’t drink enough often enough to actually gain anything from it.
I have always been told that people that are making fun of your size are usually really jealous because they are having just as much trouble losing as I am gaining.
It feels really nice knowing that there are more than just a few people that are small like me and have a hard time changing it. I feel like this post was more of a venting for me which lets some of the stress out about it. I’m gonna try and go eat some more calories again and be really on track about it and good luck to everyone else who is still struggling.
Hi Brittany…jana..wilma..Alia et al
I posted a few months back about how I’m unable to gain weight. Since I’ve posted I’ve elected to receive subsequent posts. What makes me kinda sad is that we all find this website so we must be looking for help and answers…but this is an article from a few years back. There really isn’t much out there for us compared to people who want to lose weight.
It’s unfair. I felt better when i vented here too but there must be more.
Still a skinny rake and its because i try and eat healthy I think I dont gain weight.
Chin up girls! I will find a website for us…be patient. I know its out there..damn it i will start my own if all else fails. Check back regularly as you are not alone!
Deb
Hello, Deb. You’re absolutely right. I’m also trying to gain weight by eating healthy things, but to no avail. Actually fatty foods don’t work either! That’s nice of you! I’ll definitely be looking out for that link!
I just wanted to add a comment about weight loss (and gain). When I was 15 I weighed 160 lbs. and am 5’4″. Because I got teased about my weight as a teenager, I decided to lose some weight. My mom was a nurse so I had to hide the fact that I was not snacking or eating except one meal a day with the family. In 2 months I had lost 50 lbs. and went back to school after the summer break and nobody recognized me! They all thought there was a new student in the class until they realized it was me 50 lbs. lighter! What I didn’t know at this young age was that I had damaged my thyroid and reversed my metabolism. As an adult the most I have ever weighed is 135 lbs. and that was 9 months pregnant! Now I’m 67 (yesterday!) and weigh about 100 lbs. I’m so tired of being this thin that perfect strangers comment on my lack of weight! Now I’m desperate to gain the weight. I’m tired of cooking. I’m bored with food! I eat to survive only. I also am a health nut when it comes to sugar, dairy products (I’m lactose intolerant) and starchy foods like potatoes and pasta. I have a tendency to develop candida (too much yeast in my system) so it really makes it difficult to even think about eating these things. I take digestive enzymes which help me with the lactose problem. I’m a breast cancer survivor and realize that sugar is the last thing I want to consume on a regular basis because sugar feeds cancer cells. It’s a serious problem both for my health and my weight. I’ve been consuming glyconutrients and phytonutrients for the past 8 years. I have an organic vegetable garden and things that support a healthy immune system. I have a filter even on my shower head because our skin is the largest detoxing organ and things like chlorine and such are not good for us. I have a water system that takes out all the bad stuff in our water supply like the chlorine, fluoride, arsenic, viruses and other dangerous chemicals and heavy metals (especially aluminum) . I need help! This is a very good site to find the help I need right now at this time of my life.
Hey everyone,
I’ve been skinny my whole life. .and as is I’m barely under 90 pounds. Unhealthy I know, it’s just that my size is slightly more to blame on an extremely high metabolism, and lousy genetics. But am I really stuck this weight just because a parent was? Its hardly fair, and I really want to increase one or two sizes- the healthy way. Help? thanks, (:
– J
Hey.
I’ve figured that i’mm not the only onee with a gaining weight problem. It’s just very hard for me to gain wait, i have a fast metabolism. And people always tell me to eat more, and they tell me i need to put more meat on my bones. BUT what they don’t understand is that i actually eat alot. and somee people have told me that i do eat alot. My friends say that all my food goes to my tallness, but i don’t know. I’m just tired of people judging me.. I’ve been made fun of alot. It’s just something i’m tired of going through. And most of my friends say they want to be skinny like me. But i just tell them that there lucky to be healthy. Some people think it’s bad for them to get called fat. Not really.. it just makes me really madd. Andd I look at somee people with the perfect bodies. and then i just look at myself. I just want to know what kind of foods will help me gain weight before the school year starts back.
Hi guys when i found this site, i was just like amazed at how similar everyones stories are to me. YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING! i’ve had all the skinnies names in the book. like i don’t mind being skinny, like i’ll always accept that. But being a guy and being extremely underweight made me think, its not in my nature to have ‘chicken legs’ and small arms. but i eventually decided to do something about it, i sucked up my pride and went to the gym, as hard as it was. (everyone was probably looking at me)…a couple of months ago i weighed 53 kg and 5’9. i was legit really really skinny and so incredibly self conscious. but as i said i went to the gym, bought ‘International Protein’ and creatine and worked hard out for 2 months straight. so far i’ve gained an extra 5.1kg…AND I’M PRETTY DAM HAPPY, i thought it was impossible to gain weight. but here i am after years of doubt, i’m on the road to victory. my goal is to be 70kg by the end of the year. i think i can do it, just letting u guys know. that ANYONE and i mean anyone can gain weight, because i tell you what i was at rock bottom, so if i can do it you can.
I felt like I was all alone, struggling to “put on weight” as it seems everyone else around me is trying to lose weight. So glad I found this site! I could never talk to anyone about my issue because no-one understands me and I would try and explain to them and say well, me trying to put on weight is just like you trying to lose weight except our desired results are the exact opposite. I’m 5’6 and weigh 55kg. Apparently my BMI is ‘normal’ but I don’t feel normal when I’m always getting told to ‘eat something’ or ‘you’re too skinny’. It actually really hurts when people criticise my weight. As if I’m not already self-conscious about it. I actually eat alot, I just have a really fast metabolism, and I can’t help that. I’ve always struggled to get over 55kg. It’s really frustrating because I can lose weight no sweat. I try my hardest not to fall below 55kg and am trying to eat my way up to at least 60kg (tough ask, I know). When I was pregnant I weighed 70kg and I loved it! But all that weight went within 4-5 months of having the baby and now I’m back to where I started.
It’s really good to know that there are people out there just like me. We’ll get there one day guys :)
Hey I am 5’8 and weigh 45 kgs age 17. I am very desperate to gain weight and i am also ready to perform a calorific diet but i just want to know that after how many days will i able to see a weight gain. Because its driving me crazy, i want to gain weight i want to gain weight i want to gain weight. I am consuming cod liver oil 1 capsule after the diet as peoples say its healthy. I am ok with gym but peoples say that i am so skinny that if i will go to the gym my body will become like brucelee, is that true? I wanna gain weight as soon as possible but i dont know the required diet. Is that true that after a certain age body cant be shaped? if yes than whats that age. What shall i do to gain weight haan?!
I like to read articles on obesity and how people can loose weight by avoiding certain foods. I want to eat what those folks should avoid! One of the worst things for people over weight is to eat potato chips! Check out some of the websites that encourage people to cut back on the things that cause them to be over weight! There seems to be plenty of help for these individuals and it seems that if I can eat (healthy at least) foods that heavy people should avoid, I just might be able to gain more weight! Just a thought.
Rahul – don’t give up! It’s not an overnight thing, and sometimes it can take a couple weeks for you to see any change in weight. It’s easy to get frustrated and feel like giving up but it takes consistency. Lifestyle also plays a big role…but it differs from person to person. Keep eating, and don’t limit yourself to solely healthy foods. Eat some junk food too, the extra calories will definitely help. This is not to say eat junk food all the time, but lets just say more than you normally would. Snacks between meals also increase your calorie intake. The gym was always a weird logic for me to understand because vigorous activity equals burning a lot of calories, and if you’re trying to *gain* weight, that might not be the best idea unless you are putting more calories back in than you are burning. We all know muscle also weighs more than fat, so if you *are* going for a more muscular body then I’d say keep working out. :)
Keeping a Dory-Attitude (Finding Nemo! Just replace her “just keep swimming” with, just keep eating, just keep eating, just keep eating, eating, eating)…Lol! You shouldn’t worry about being overweight right now if you are obviously skinny. If you need the calories, don’t be afraid to take them in. Balance and consistency are 2 things I try to keep in check. Increasing meal portions, snacking more often, and adding high-calorie foods to your diet are all great ways to gain weight. I have already noticed an increase in my own weight: 2-4 weeks ago I was 82lbs and today I am 88.4lbs on the scale. Needless to say, it’s working! Like I said, it’s definitely not an overnight thing, but don’t give up….and eat, eat, eat!
Wow…I am so glad to have landed on this site, not sure how..but God must of sent me here! I have been through Hell and back, with this weight issue. I am 5’6 and weigh 84 lbs. I hate leaving the house.everyone says OMG, are you sick? Well no, except I can go, 3-4 days without eating..and not realize it. I had 4 back surgerys and went from 120 to 82 and am STUCK! I have cried every night, you can’t find a date, when they are discusted…when they see you ! They say gain 20 lbs, then call them, they have NO clue, how it Hurts! I’ve been told, if I don’t get weight on, my organs will shut down! HELP!!
Kimi, I have had a battle in gaining weight, too! Carbs, calories and protein! If you want a great source of protein then go to a health food store and get SPIRULINA. It has 50 – 70 percent protein and you can ask the folks at the health food store about the multiple uses for this blue-green food source. If you have other health issues like drastically lowers your chances of developing cancer, heart disease or stroke, or of contracting a life-threatening virus such as HIV. Some of the amazing benefits of Spirulina: ARMD (Age-related macular degeneration) Type 2 Diabetes
Cardiovascular disease, including hypertension NAFLD (Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease)
Liver health and decreased damage from heavy metal exposure Cerebrovascular disease (including stroke)
Nutritional diseases, such as iron deficiency anemia, pernicious anemia (B12 deficiency), vitamin A deficiency, and kwashiorkor Neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s
Protection from HIV and other viruses.
Reduced allergy symptoms
Cancer protection
Radiation protection
Bone marrow and blood health (especially during use of anticancer drugs)
Strengthening immune defenses and modulating inflammatory response
Reduced pain sensitivity by inhibiting prostaglandins, which contribute to pain and inflammation
Reduction of arthritis symptoms
Protection from the damage of ionizing radiation
Go research more on Spirulina! It is truly natures perfect food for health and packing on more beneficial protein. It has about 60 percent on average more than red meat (which has 27 percent). Hope this helps you! I weigh 99 lbs. and should weigh 125! I know exactly what you mean!
Hello Kimi, I just wated to say to hold your head up high and try to focus on a consistent eating plan for your body to help gain weight. I am 31, 5’7 and 120. I hear constantly how small I am, do I eat , or what kind of food do I eat. I must tell you that some of the things I have wanted to tell people are not too good because it is not right. We all come in different sizes and have no contorl over our genetics whihc has a lot to do with it also. I also have thyroid disease so that does not help. Here’s what I do; I drink Hulk smoothies from smoothie King, a 16 oz. has 1035 calories at one serving . The mediums and karge have more calories of course. I also drink a weight gainer from GNC that really helped once I got to going. Maybe 2 months end I started seeong results around my hip areas. I have been under stress so I have slacked up some but have started back. Sandwiches at Arby’s turkey, about 400 calories. Things are just some things to try, just try to remain consistent and hang in there. I know its hard but we are all here! Stay strong and be blessed!
Add the Vanilla Hulk from Smoothie King. Will definetly put on extra pounds. I am about lbs underweight.
i know everyone has commented the same thing but i am truely glad to have found a site like this, it has gave me confidence and has shown me that i am not alone being ridiculed for being a “weed” or “skinny” by my friends and my family, so thanks once again. i am a 16 year old boy weighing 116.6lb and a height of 5.7,i exercise about 3 times a week, i am not asking or miracles just a way of gaining weight. Iv looked on many other sited all trying to sell this or that and im sick to death of it. can someone tell me a methoud to healthily gain weight without buying those massive pots of protein shakes as they are overpriced and admitting defeat in my opinion.
Hi everyone!!
So glad i’ve found this website!!
I have always been thin, i’m 5ft 9 (very tall for a female!!) and weigh 102lbs, i eat healthy, eat pasta, bread, cakes, cookies, brownies, McDonalds’, you name it i’ll eat it but i find it impossible to gain ANY weight, if i don’t eat for a few hours i can literally drop 1 – 2lbs so i’ve got to constantly eat to keep my weight the same, i recently broke up with my fiance and was on the ‘breakup diet’ and lost 9lbs in a few weeks.
I cannot seem to gain ANY weight and it does get me down :-( i dont get called names or anything like that because i have a great bunch of friends who love me for me, they dont know i’m trying to gain weight because i personally find it embarrasing as i dont like to talk about it.
Is there anything that i could use to gain weight? I live in the UK and am now so desperate that i’ll get it shipped over from America or any other country!!!
I’ve tired drinking milk every day but in the end it made me feel sick, i’ve tried smoothies, milkshakes but nothing seems to work…HELP please!!!!!
I’ve been skinny all my life too, and I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease a year and a half ago, in my 40′s. It really helped to explain why I was able to eat whatever I wanted and never gain weight, even though I wanted to gain weight because I was sick of people judging me and the lack of curves. Even though I haven’t gained much since my diagnosis, I can see how I’m filling out more, for the first time in my life..lol. So, if you get stomach aches, can’t gain weight, get mouth ulcers/teeth problems, lack of energy – ask your doctor to test you. I’m so glad I did.
I use to be skinny as well, I mean not super skinny or anything but skinny enough to always wear long sleeve shirts ,even in hot weather.
No matter how much I ate I couldn’t gain weight, not even unhealthy weight.I tried eating high calorie fast foods 4-5 times a week followed by other high calorie foods but that only caused me to have increased cholesterol levels with little to gain in my weight.
Anyways I have resorted to the only method I know works which is hard, painful 7 days a week weight lifting at the gym.
At first i doubted it would work but after applying protein supplements and a reasonable mix of unhealthy and healthy high calorie meals I got to a decent weight.
I was 145 lbs at 5’11 and I got to a little over 160 lbs .
And all the weight training has done was help me actually store fat instead of burning it quickly, I in no way look masculine(except for my chest maybe).
I still look skinny but its more of a slim body shape rather than me actually being underweight.
So I would recommend weight training to anyone, it is pretty simple. Just make sure you are increasing the amount of weight you lift every 2-3 days.
Don’t expect to get a masculine build up, that is extremely hard for people who have a hard time gaining weight.
I am a 21 year old female, 5’8″ and weigh 119 lbs. on a fat day. I gained 70lbs. while I was pregnant with with my now 15 month old son. I lost all of the weight withing like 9 months. I have always been tall and skinny. I have always heard the same things you have all mentioned. “you need to put some meat on them bones.” “You need to eat more.” “You must be anorexic.” “I could snap you like a twig.”
It gets super old super fast! I’m so glad I’m not the only one. Having a high metabolism isn’t something you hear about very often because people now are so worried about all the obese people there are now. I just wish it was easier to gain even 5 lbs.
I am 5’6 127lb male. I have nice abs cuz i work out my stomach all the time. I eat like a horse sometime, but sometime i forget to eat. I am a small guy and as been a U.S marine i get pick on by the other marines all the time. It doesnt matter that i can outrun all of them or that my abs are way better. From side i look skinny almost like if i starve myself which i dont, I am a chef i can cook. I try everything out there to gain weight and the highest i been 135lb before i got the flu and drop to 126. Everyone hang in there and eventually you will gain weight. I recently got with a weight trainer and i deciede that i am not going put in the pound but focus on define my muscle so i look more cut and bigger but still be my side. So far it look good and it look like i weight more than i do. Hang in there everyone
i’ve always had a problem with gaining weight. i ran cross country and played baseball in high school as well as my first 2 years at college. since i have the runners mentality im always very cautious about what i eat. i try not to eat fast food and if i do its usually subway or something moderately healthy (never fast food burger chains). all throughout high school i was very skinny ( around 6’1″ and 145lbs). after i went to college i put on a few pounds since i quit running so much but nothing really noticeable (i weighed around 150-155 until about 6 months ago). i started working out more and eating better. i don’t eat red meat anymore and i drink protein shakes at least 1-2 times a day (depending on whether or not i work out) and also take creatine (both from GNC). I’m up to around 180-185 lbs now and i feel like i didn’t have to sacrifice my health to do it. its nice to know that im not the only person out there who struggles with weight (even if it is being skinny i feel like people like us do struggle). belive me, if i can do it anyone can. just want to wish everyone good luck and keep at it. results WILL come.
to V’Ida, Lesa, and Catherine…Thanks for your advise…I will try ANYTHING! My Dr. recently put me on, Paxil…and it WILL…INCREASE YOUR APPETITE!!! I have gone from 82 to 93…in last 2 weeks!! it makes a Big difference…but, I also got a medical marihuana card…BUT, I Can NOT smoke it…so I eat cookies, banana bread, coffee cake…that are AWESOME to eat!! I go in spurts, when we go out…to eat..and I will eat,, my WHOLE PLATE…that I have NEVER done, in my life!! then, I have days…where I have to FORCE it..down!! But, its starting to get..where I wake up and HAVE to eat!! So… that is HOW….I am getting some of MY weight back on! Its something..for some of you to try, also..good luck everyone, we WILL do it! :-)
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