all this about weight loss.. but what about weight gain!?

[jane1995]

Everyone these days seems to be trying to loose weight, especially after having a baby. Theres so many products out there now to help with weight loss.. but what about if your the opposite! I have always been very thin and I have tried desperatly over the years to put weight on so I have a nicer curvier figure, but everything on the shelves these days is 'now reduced fat' ect, when ds was born 8 months ago I lost alot more weight as I felt I never had time to eat much as he fed every hour and a half,and when I did have time to myself, I just wanted to rest, now hes older I am back to normal eating but still look unhealthy! Ive always ate quite alot but it seems to never stick! anyone got any tips for quick weight gain as I want a better body for this summer!

Protein shakes, muscle builder, that sort of thing.

Our body shape is genetic though, you can only play around with about 25% of it, it's mainly down to genes

If you gain quickly you'll lose it again.

You need a steady gain of a lb or 2 per week.

When I was younger I used to drink protein shakes and Complan (like body builders do).

The trouble was, it killed my appetite so I was in danger of replacing food with the drinks.

Are you being unreasonable what?

Yes, you need to do the shakes as well as rather than instead of - don't make it a meal replacement.

A friend of mine had the same issue. For her we worked out that having a cereal bar and a banana, or a smoothie in the morning (she never ate breakfast) and a large portion of nuts and seeds in the afternoon as a snack, added around 600 nutritious calories to her daily intake and encouraged a slow healthy gain.

yeah I was looking into the shakes just dont know how successfull they are, yeah I agree with the genes thing.. both my mother and father were sticks growing up but my fathers the size of a house now

It's horrible if you aren't happy with your body, regardless of which way you aren't happy.

Be careful what you wish for though, I used to be super skinny, I've gained weight but it's not on my boobs or hips, but on my tum, I have to keep it off to avoid me looking 3 months pregnant when I'm not...

Anyway, I'd keep a diary of what you are eating, possibly look at MyFitnessPal but put in that you want to maintain your weight (or even put in a target weight that's 2-3kgs heavier than yours. Also track your exercise, are you doing a lot of walking etc?

There are products for weight gain for body builders and athletes,(protein shakes like maximuscle) it'd be better than just eating lots of crap (there's no point gaining a nicer body if it means you end up with rubbish skin!).

Its amazingly tricky to gain weight. I bounce around slim/skinny and at times dip into underweight. When I try to up my calories by body seems to notice and like worra I lose my appetite. It can be a bit frustrating around holidays and Christmas where I actively want to eat more!

I'm learning to accept that this is where my body likes to be.

I think as long as you are eating healthily and are well it may be just as useful to try and be happy in your skin (easier said than done). It might be that there is nothing you can do if it's your genes. Also, I'd guess weight doesn't go where you want it to. I'm overweight but have a really slim face. Whenever I lose weight it comes off my face first so I look like a gaunt pea head on a giant's body

Could you use my fitness plan to check how many calories you are eating? You might think you eat a lot but maybe it's not as much and you could set a target of 2000 a day or something.

Big meals with a mix of carbs, proteins and fats tend to be quite calorific but still balanced and healthy(ish). Such as spag Bol with cheese. Lasagne, cottage/shepherds pie.

yeah thanks ladies, been looking at a muscle and size gainer and it says if you drink two a day you can put on 2lbs a week! guess ill give that a try and stick with trying bigger meals x

I've lost a lot of weight lately due to ill health and lack of appetite.
I look truly awful, I'm about 5'4', used to hover around 8 stone and now I'm closer to seven.
I won't wear short skirts and wooly tights or leggings at the moment as I look shit.
I'm getting prescription forticep drinks from the dr as well as shakes and it is helping me not to lose any more.
I'ts so hard to try and eat when you feel constantly feel nauseous, I have to force myself.
It's not as easy as stuffing your face with cake unfortunately.

I have the exact same problem! I finally am now a size 8 after being a 6 my entire life. What worked for me was gyming, in particular resistance exercises which builds muscle. In addition I had a high calorie shake which really helped.

I reckon your best bet would be to speak to a personal trainer. They coykd give you a diet plan and exercise regime to gain muscle mass in the desired areas. Suddenly upping your calories will just mess with your metabolism.

yeah people seem to think 'if you want to gain weight judt eat loads of cake' but they dont understand theres only so much cake one can eat! & because im really short it makes me look skinnier, yeah I didnt think of trying a personal trainer!

As others have said, it's not just about eating more - unless you just want to get fat.

You need to speak to a good trainer about the sort of exercise you need to do to increase muscle mass in those areas that you want it - this will typically involve lifting heavy weights.

Also try posting in the Exercise area, people there will also be able to give you good advice

No its not as simple as eat a lot of cake, but you could try intentionally adding in extra high calorie snacks e.g. nuts, chocolate, avocados, bananas. Or expanding the meals you do have, for example full-fat yoghurt and honey for desert in addition to fruit etc. Swap to full-fat milk. Try and keep your portion sizes up.

My pal who was underweight when pregnant was told to eat 4 meals not 3 and so she ate with her toddler and then ate with her husband later in the evening.
Good luck.