How to put on weight and make it stay on

[seaviewasia]

Ladies, I really need advice from someone who has had this problem and can suggest how I can make the weight stay on.

I am 5ft4.5 and weigh around 49kg. I need to be 52kg by the end of November if I am to have IUI via the NHS. When I started on this journey I weigh 46kg. I have already put on some weight through eating more snacks and not exercising (I only do yoga these days).

I have always had a healthy appetite and eat big meals all the time but everything I eat is healthy and cooked. I rarely snack but now do under doctors orders in order to put on the weight. I did hit 51.5kg at one point and thought I was okay but my weight can change 2 - 3 kg in one week.

Can anyone advice me on how I can put on the final 3 kg and more importantly make it stay on. I want to do it without eating lots of sugar and junk food which I don't enjoy. Is that actually possible?

I am at my wits end as I have been TTC for 3+ years and the consultant has warned me that if I am not at 52kg, they have to turn me down for fertility treatment.

Any advice would be really appreciated especially if you have been in a similar situation.

[chocoluvva]

Would you manage to eat a good handful of nuts every day? They're calorific and nutritious. Also avocadoes and dates.
Full fat milk, cream and butter are very calorific.
Could you swap bread/rolls etc to enriched bakery/bread products eg brioche, croissants, pancakes. They're nutritionally similiar but have added milk, eggs and or butter.
Do you feel you're underweight?
I'm 5ft3.5 and rarely go over 47kg. I have a small head, skinny limbs, small, thin hands and feet - I'm not a narrow build, but I am slight rather than chunky. It didn't prevent me from conceiving (I lost weight in the first trimester by the way) and my babies were a good weight.
It's genetic.
Good luck - let us know how you get on :)

[eurochick]

I second the nuts advice. Chocolate nuts and raisins are delicious and very calorific

[twilight81]

I used to drink build up shakes after my meals to try and get extra calories for weight gain x

[chocoluvva]

Milky coffees?
Adding mayo to anything and everything?

[seaviewasia]

Thanks ladies.

choco - I don't really have milk or cream but I can eat more butter. The nuts advice is great. I will definitely be snacking on those. Avocados sound like a great idea as well! Thanks!

I don't look or feel underweight at all. I have always been slim and so is my mother who had 3 of us and she weights less than me. I think my doctors know I am just slim build but they have to stick to the PCT rules for funding. It's very frustrating as I can gain the weight but it can go in a day or two.

euro - I don't eat chocolates but will definitely try raisins and nuts.

twilight - I thought about taking protein shakes but I don't drink milk and I am trying to stay away from soya as I hear that is not good for you. Any thoughts of how I could take these shakes but not use dairy milk or soy?

choco - I am not a coffee drinker and milk does funny things to me. I do take rice/oat/almond milk in my tea sometimes.

Will try mayo but again I am not a huge fan.

I have been eating lots of crisps which are the only junk food I actually like but I can't help but think this is bad for me - lot of fat, fried food etc.

[RaspberrysAndIcecream]

I used to be really underweight, I saw a nutritionist who told me to put full fat cream on my cereal & loads of sugar in my tea. I did it for 3 days & it was gross!!!
Basically I did it a different way, every calorie counts. So if u have a biscuit, make sure it's the highest calorie one.
Nuts are also good, high calorie, no low fat allowed!!

Good luck!

[SeveredEdMcDunnough]

Well when I was recovering from 4-5 years of severe anorexia, what worked for me was carbohydrates.

I had basically lived on chocolate for a few years and never put on weight.

Once I began eating plain bread, rice, with cheese maybe or margarine, just the carbs were enough though - th weight crept on and kept on creeping on till I was at the right sort of level.

It's good as you can keep eating things like that without feeling too full - it had to be a question of not 'am I full - maybe - then I'd better stop' but 'can I maybe fit in a little bit more?' and if so, eating a bit more. Without feeling stuffed iyswim - just to keep on if I still had enough room and not stop just in case.

That was what I did. It was 10 years ago + and I'm still around the right weight. I didn't lose it again.

[SeveredEdMcDunnough]

and I didn't put on too much either - just in case you're worried about that! Good luck with the IUI x

[chocoluvva]

I was very underweight last year as a result of surgery and chemo and it was horrible trying to make myself eat when I didn't always feel like it.
(Put some pebbles in your pockets for the weigh in) :o
Good luck.

[akuabadoll]

My sympathies, trying to put on weight is difficult and horrible as choc said. Its really annoying when it's a matter of rules and funding rather than real need. Anyway, needs must so here are my tips..

Make the most out of each meal even when you don't want to as severed mentioned. If you don't eat diary, you like south Indian or Thai curries? Coconut milk is good for calories. Tahini (sesame paste), if you have a blender you can make hommus but you can also use tahini 'straight' with fish or red meat. If you don't have it at home buy a pot and give it a shot.

Snack between meals, nuts are the best, also raisins, dates, dried apricot, avocados, with a drink. Fruit juice is surprisingly high in calories. If you have that blender google some dairy free smoothie ideas, throw in a couple of bananas. Use that hommus on whole wheat bread or peanut butter if you can face that.

Good luck.

[OpheliasWeepingWillow]

I had a BMI of under 16 when I tried IVF. Sod being healthy, this worked getting the pounds on. I am naturally skinny and health conscious but... Needs must. You need to completely change all attitudes to food.

Mars Bar once a day
Can of full fat coke every day

That's a lot of sugar but also many many cals

Chips with mayonnaise for snack.

Eggs and sausages for breakfast. That's eggs, not one egg.

Fried bread.

Add Creme fraiche to the side of everything. Stir into vegetable soups, dip buttered bread into the soup etc

Butter your bread excessively

Have pudding after every meal

Up your portions of meals. Baked potato? Make it a large one. Add half a mashed avocado and butter. Grate on cheese...

You get the idea.

[SeveredEdMcDunnough]

If you can manage it then extra fat will probably do it - but honestly, fat is really hard to digest so you'll probably end up feeling really full quite quickly if you do it that way. And no one enjoys feeling like that - it can make it harder to eat the next thing.

That was my mistake in the years I spent trying and failing to put on weight - well one of them.

So if you don't do too much fat, just stick to the carbs, with a little bit added to make it taste nice - that should be easier to maintain. I couldn't eat a lot of fried stuff but I could keep on eating bread or rice or pasta for quite a while, and actuall finish something made with those, rather than getting half way and feeling too full to carry on.

[seaviewasia]

Thanks ladies for your suggestions.

I will definitely try all your suggestions.

akuabadoll - I like the idea of coconut milk, avocados and tahini. I actually eat hummus quite often which I make myself. I will be having more of those.

severed - I eat quite a lot of carbs already but because I eat mostly rice and noodles and hardly any bread, I don't seem to put on weight from it.
I rarely feel hungry but I do eat big meals normally but most things I eat are boiled or steamed. I think the lack of fat in my diet might be the reason why I don't put on weight even though I always eat huge portions. I'm sorry to hear about your anorexia. I hope you are better now.

Weepingwillow - I get your point and my doctor says I should just eat as much junk food as possible but I just can't believe that is good for me in the long run.

raspberry - I know. No low fat at all. I just never eat biscuits full stop. I tried to eat some chocolate this week and it gave me a massive headache!

chocco - You joke but at my last appointment, I wore 2 heavy watches for the weigh in - seriously. It looked very odd when the nurse ask me to roll my sleeves up to take my blood pressure. I think she understood what I was trying to do. I have genuinely googled to buy small weights to put inside my bra. My hubby thinks I am crazy.

Thanks all!

[OpheliasWeepingWillow]

Hallo - it's not but I promise you that a) you will work it off later and b) it works! Don't miss the opportunity for an IUI. I have been there and it sucks.

[seaviewasia]

Thanks Ophelias. I will take you advice and do my best.. I know I would hate to be deny the funding for the IUI.
Thanks again.