how to put weight ON...suggestions and ideas over here please?

[MrsShrek3]

insane events over the last year have meant constant stress and worry. when worried I either can't eat or (avoiding tmi) my system gets upset. However, have done my best to eat regularly and keep worry under control. But simply have to put some weight on as I look like crap.

[MrsShrek3]

bump for the morning

[Littleturkish]

Good ways to gain weight:

Complan
Adding the milled goji berry mix stuff to your breakfast/soup/salad (find it in the cereal aisle)
Good fatty foods like Brazil nuts and avocado
Eat little and often
Full fat milk
Still exercise (good for digestive system too) and eat before and after.

[MrsShrek3]

wow - thank you! had no idea about most of that. hadn't thought of full fat milk either
never heard of goji berry - what is it?

[twojumpingbeans]

My DD2 has to have a very high calorie/fat diet. Have you tried coconut oil and coconut milk? They are both pretty fattening to cook with but not too heavy if you see what I mean. Also foods like fish pie, and those mega fattening desserts like the rolo and yorkie ones. Adding double cream instead of milk when cooking too, also cream instead of milk in coffee.

Nigella has a really good recipe for home made ice cream with condensed milk too, very very fattening. Also a KFC meal though a bit grim is super calorific! As are other fast foods too...

Unfortunately, although this is 'healthy' for DD2 it is not for me, I seem to have the opposite problem to you, my reaction to stress and upset is to eat, eat, eat!

Hope you're ok.

[LooseyMy]

I'm jealous, wish I had that problem!

[MrsShrek3]

thank you jumpingbeans


and loosey, believe me it's not fun.

[DrinaDancesInParis]

I'd try not to be tempted to eat lots of fast food/cake/biscuits etc as that won't help with stress and worry, it will just give you sugar spikes and crashes and make you feel low. You still need lots of nutrition, vitamins and minerals to help you through the stress. (I know you haven't said you are doing this but it would be my first thought!)

Instead I'd try loads of healthy fats. Things like nuts and nut butters, eggs, olive oil, full fat dairy (eg full fat greek yogurt with raw almonds and honey is calorific and good for you), high calorie fruits/veg like bananas and avocados. Try making smoothies with banana, oat flakes, full fat milk and peanut butter, etc.

Hope things get better for you.

[StrangeGlue]

You don't want to send your blood sugar mad so how about little and often with lots if nuts ie

Breakfast: wholemeal toast with peanut or almond butter with glass of whole milk and a piece of fruit. Or scrambled eggs with salmon.

Lunch: sandwich with cheese or meat and salad, full fat yoghurt, some veg sticks with humous and a bun

Dinner: steak and chips with lots of veg and nice pudding like cheese cake or ice cream

Might be worth seeing a dietician so they can set you on the right track

[SomethingOnce]

Not healthy at all, but if you want to chunk up it will do the job (voice of experience): Guinness punch made with vanilla Nurishment.

Mmmmmmmm!

[HollyMadison]

My ideas:
Higher protein and carb to veges ratio on your plate.
Slightly bigger meal portions.
Add sauces to things eg cheese sauce on veges.
Add cream to things like porridge and curries.
Cream cheese to pasta sauces.
Maybe take a multivitamin to make sure you are getting the nutrients you need.
You can get high calorie drinks from the pharmacy at a hospital.
Avocado, peanut butter, roasted potatoes not boiled, fish pie instead of grilled fish.
Make sure you always have a lot of food in the house so you make yourself meals instead of just having a piece of toast.

[Littleturkish]

The goji berry mix is like a milled mix of grains and dried berries. High calorie but GOOD calorie. I have an ED and will restrict food, bollock up my digestive system, then need to regain quickly and eating food that won't upset my stomach. Fucking nightmare. Wish I didn't do it. But my above advice is pretty fail safe and will help you safely gain weight again.

Adding pine nuts to salads is an easy way to add calories too. Bananas are high calorie, so adding one in with your porridge is a healthy calorie booster.

Good luck!

[IHeartKingThistle]

I've put back the weight I lost through illness mainly through butter and chicken skin . Also 2 breakfasts, eat a bit of the kids tea then proper tea later. It's taken me 3 years but I'm there! Trouble is I now need to stop putting on weight but nobody has told my stomach! I miss 2nd breakfast!

[MrsShrek3]

huge thank you to all of you. Have only just realised that having two dairy free children is no help whatsoever as it tends to bias our family meals to that. I do make sure the dc get good fats other ways but generally forget to do same myself
food for thought, thank you (pun intended)

[adagio]

Flapjack: the one with condensed milk in it (a mumsnet recipe) and added ground almonds, mixed chopped nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds etc. You can also sub half the marg for rapeseed oil (omega 3 good fat) and I am also playing with how little marg/oil you can get away with while maintaining the texture at the moment.

The high density of oats means it is almost good for you (I am still breastfeeding and this is my excuse?) and the nuts add protein.

[gingeroots]

Ooh those flapjacks sound gorgeous.

I like to drink Supermalt ,lots of vit B and I'm afraid sugar .
According to my friend it tastes like liquid malt loaf !

Soft blue cheeses on oatcakes .

Oh and I swear by Aloe Vera juice ( I like the honey one ) for soothing a troubled gut .

And if you can drink I think alcohol is supposed to be very calorific ,though possibly not healthy . But all things in moderation .

[ChippingInWiredOnCoffee]

Drinking a lot of your calories will help and it is 'easier' to have in addition to meals. Juice, complan type drinks, hot chocolate etc.

In addition to eating good fats (avocados & nuts are great if you can't have too much butter/oil etc) make sure you are eating carbs with each meal (so your body can readily use those for energy and then use the protein to build muscle & lay down some fat.

Bloody shame I can't just 'gift' you some I don't want!!

[MrsShrek3]

ooh yes please chipping esp if you have a bit spare in the boobs too

[MrsShrek3]

cheers ginger

[ChippingInWiredOnCoffee]

there could quite possibly be spare boobage

[MrsShrek3]

oops meant flapjack idea - it was adagio thank you!

[MrsShrek3]

right chip. Deal

[ChippingInWiredOnCoffee]

Wouldn't it be fab if it were that easy :)

[MrsShrek3]

certainly would...
boobtransfer - I like

[NeverKnowinglyUnderstood]

thanks for this
My lovely boy is underweight and I find it so hard to get him to put on weight.. I will go and find him some of the things mentioned above..

MrsShrek3 good luck to you I totally get that putting on can be as hard for some as losing can be for others.

[MrsShrek3]

good luck KNU and ds
I'm sitting watching bgt with my brazil nut chocolate and blue milk thanks to you lovely lot. Made a nice shopping list and will start eating separately from the dc a couple of times a week, just to get butter, cheese and cream back into my diet mn is awesome. And very surprised impressed with so many constructive comments