FORUMS > Gaining Weight Forum Rules

Soo... I have a little dilemma related to weight gaining. I have a SUPER high metabolism. I've been eating 6 meals (3 regular meals and 3 shakes) and only managed to gain 7 pounds in 6 months. Any tips on gaining weight faster?


Haha a friend of mine suggested drinking a beer everyday... but I don't think that sounds too realistic

Are you doing lots of cardio? What are you eating? How big are your portions? Drinking beer every day is not a good idea as it would just supply you with empty calories and put a strain on your liver.

I wouldn't count the 3 shakes as meals... you should be eating 6 well-balanced meals of food and spacing out the shakes during the day.

yeah. being a hardgainer, i can totally relate. go with the advice above, look into your training, if it's mass you want, focus on getting in more weight training time and less cardio. cardio is still good but supplement if you have to. i know i do.

substitute the shakes for actual meals. and yeah, there are tons of magazines out there. i subscribe to muscle and fitness. they have good tips once in a while. and then there's bodybuilding.com <-- it's totally free. go check out the forums.

I hate to spray vinegar, but seven pounds in six months is spectacular progress. It takes years to add significant muscle.

Slow and steady is also healthier... Your tendons and joints need time to adjust to the changes as well.

It took me five or six years to years to reach 200lbs from 155, so trust me, I sympathize... But it sounds like you are doing a good job now. Just stay with it

Where is chuckystud with the steroids plug? I would just eat and lift heavy weights. Perhaps you need to up your weight lifting regime. I am an easy gainer, both fat and muscle. I gained about 15- 20 pounds in like 6 months, but my body took some time adjusting to it. I am now regaining flexibility and joint support. Like they said, slow and steady is best, especially for permanent gains.

shyguy346 said
Haha a friend of mine suggested drinking a beer everyday... but I don't think that sounds too realistic

That will put weight on you... unfortunately.

What kind of shakes are you taking? Weight gainer? Check out bodybuilding.com for ways to increase your caloric intake in a healthy way.

How much are you actually eating?
the really important numbers are total calories, and grams of protein.

Protein for your size should be about 130-150g per day.
and just a guess on this, but 3000-3500 calories a day

Yeah, 6 meals is not enough in and of itself - they need to be big enough and "clean" enough to promote good mass increase. Do you know your calorie intake? Do you know how many grams of protein you're taking in everyday?

Try some inverted yoga postures. and neck exercises. You will notice that your throat will heat up. Your thyroid is prolly a bit whack and a little stimulation will help tune it up and then you will gain weight.

redheadguy saidAre you doing lots of cardio? What are you eating? How big are your portions? Drinking beer every day is not a good idea as it would just supply you with empty calories and put a strain on your liver.

I've been eating lots of meat, mostly chicken, and I've been adding peanut butter in my diet.

...and I probably should start drinking beer in moderation then

italmusclebkn saidI hate to spray vinegar, but seven pounds in six months is spectacular progress. It takes years to add significant muscle.

Slow and steady is also healthier... Your tendons and joints need time to adjust to the changes as well.

It took me five or six years to years to reach 200lbs from 155, so trust me, I sympathize... But it sounds like you are doing a good job now. Just stay with it

Haha, well if I'm making progress, that actually makes me feel better.

Five or six years is an insane amount of time, so congrats on your 200lbs

You need carbs. You won't be getting that from meat. Potatoes and pasta are good ones, rice is not so good unless u eat tonnes of the stuff.

I agree with redheadguy. And actually someone really needs to start a PR campaign, because too many people are irrational with carbs. I'm a firm believer in the power of pasta. And I would definitely still avoid alcohol and most sweets - that's just sugar without the vitamin and mineral content you have in pasta or bread.

Awesome! Thanks for the feedback everyone. I really appreciate it. I'll definitely focus on more carbs and try to balance all of my food groups out.

Haha I didn't think gaining weight would be so difficult

Carbs? Beer?

I think people are trying to make you fat.

But you just said "gain weight" without any further details, so I suppose fat does equal "weight."

Italmusc is right. Where did your expectations come from? My guess is they came from that impatient, unrealistic, fantastical part of your brain. If you're talking muscle weight, then a pound a month is FANTASTIC progress.

But if your goal is to become a lard-ass, well then, I suppose you should just start stuffing as much potatoes, pasta, and beer down your gullet as soon as possible. Preferably right before bed, or right before you blob out in front of the TV. ;)

Seriously tho -- do your spreadsheet, with 4 columns: calories, carbs, protein, and fats. This is hard. You will, gasp, have to use google! You will have to read labels! Do math! But until you do this, I submit that you have absolutely no freakin idea what you are eating. Until you know, you are a blind man. Get to work, cause no, this shit ain't easy. If it was, everyone would look great.

/www.calorieking.com/>calorieking.com

Best site for food content I've found. They even have a lot of restaurant food.

iguanaSF saidCarbs? Beer?

I think people are trying to make you fat.

But you just said "gain weight" without any further details, so I suppose fat does equal "weight."

Italmusc is right. Where did your expectations come from? My guess is they came from that impatient, unrealistic, fantastical part of your brain. If you're talking muscle weight, then a pound a month is FANTASTIC progress.

But if your goal is to become a lard-ass, well then, I suppose you should just start stuffing as much potatoes, pasta, and beer down your gullet as soon as possible. Preferably right before bed, or right before you blob out in front of the TV. ;)

Seriously tho -- do your spreadsheet, with 4 columns: calories, carbs, protein, and fats. This is hard. You will, gasp, have to use google! You will have to read labels! Do math! But until you do this, I submit that you have absolutely no freakin idea what you are eating. Until you know, you are a blind man. Get to work, cause no, this shit ain't easy. If it was, everyone would look great.

Google?! NOOOOOOO!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!


Haha yea this is infact muscle weight, so I'm pretty proud of myself. And becoming a lard-ass is pretty much close to impossible at my state .

I guess I have a lot of research to do. Not that I don't completely know what I'm doing. I have friends who are bodybuilders and health freaks (haha not including my friend that suggested beer), plus a trainer thats trying to kill me (not literally), that are trying to help out. Problem is that they all have completely different approaches to gaining weight and nutrition in general, which doesn't help at all.

Well a very belated "mucho props" to your muscle weight gain. If only we could all be so lucky as you.

I'll just add one thing: most trainers know SHIT about nutrition. Nutrition is hyper-individualized, all about body and food chemistry, and the educational programs to become a trainer have zero to do with any of this. Trainers lean about kinematics, not chemistry. Scratch trainers off your list for nutrition advice.

As for your bodybuilding friends, if they are doing illegal substances, then scratch them too!

italmusclebkn saidI hate to spray vinegar, but seven pounds in six months is spectacular progress. It takes years to add significant muscle.

Slow and steady is also healthier... Your tendons and joints need time to adjust to the changes as well.

It took me five or six years to years to reach 200lbs from 155, so trust me, I sympathize... But it sounds like you are doing a good job now. Just stay with it

SPRAY VINEGER? I never heard that..I like it........Anyway........weight gain should be gradual, so you don't add fat. Much like you, my metabalism is super high and I have to work to maintain weight.

Add stuff to your shakes........like peanut butter and cottage cheeze. Eat more steak (grilled), tuna and protein. Do less cardio.....and don't overdo the fuking.....that burns a lot of calories.

Here's a formula to show you how many calories you should take in based on activity level and goals. Then, keep a journal of how many calories you are actually taking in and adjust accordingly. Good Luck.

Men:
66 + (6.3 x weight in pounds) + (12.9 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)

Please note that this formula applies only to adults.


Calculate Activity
Step two: In order to incorporate activity into your daily caloric needs, do the following calculation:

If you are sedentary : BMR x 20 percent

If you are lightly active: BMR x 30 percent

If you are moderately active (You exercise most days a week.): BMR x 40 percent

If you are very active (You exercise intensely on a daily basis or for prolonged periods.): BMR x 50 percent

If you are extra active (You do hard labor or are in athletic training.): BMR x 60 percent

Add this number to your BMR.

The result of this formula will be the number of calories you can eat every day and maintain your current weightt. In order to lose weight, you'll need to take in fewer calories than this result.

urbanguy911 saidHere's a formula to show you how many calories you should take in based on activity level and goals. Then, keep a journal of how many calories you are actually taking in and adjust accordingly. Good Luck.

Men:
66 + (6.3 x weight in pounds) + (12.9 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)

Please note that this formula applies only to adults.


Calculate Activity
Step two: In order to incorporate activity into your daily caloric needs, do the following calculation:

If you are sedentary : BMR x 20 percent

If you are lightly active: BMR x 30 percent

If you are moderately active (You exercise most days a week.): BMR x 40 percent

If you are very active (You exercise intensely on a daily basis or for prolonged periods.): BMR x 50 percent

If you are extra active (You do hard labor or are in athletic training.): BMR x 60 percent

Add this number to your BMR.

The result of this formula will be the number of calories you can eat every day and maintain your current weightt. In order to lose weight, you'll need to take in fewer calories than this result.

AHHHH MATH! It was never my best subject. This formula does look top notch though. I am curious, where did you find this formula?