Anyone Know How I Can Put Weight On?

[jasonD2]

im sick of everyone telling me how skinny I am - i eat 3-4 meals a day and usually have a Lara bar or fruit as a snack but i still cant get past 144 lbs. I should be 155-157 but that all changed when i cut out gluten and dairy.

i cant over eat and dont want to load up on too many carbs or too much protein so i guess theres really no other way to gain weight, but im open to some suggestions

thanks

Jason

[runningcrazy]

im sick of everyone telling me how skinny I am - i eat 3-4 meals a day and usually have a Lara bar or fruit as a snack but i still cant get past 144 lbs. I should be 155-157 but that all changed when i cut out gluten and dairy.

i cant over eat and dont want to load up on too many carbs or too much protein so i guess theres really no other way to gain weight, but im open to some suggestions

thanks

Jason

Have you tried gaining more muscle. Maybe you could go to the gym and do some lifting and strength training. It would be a good way to gain weight without excess fat.

[burdee]

im sick of everyone telling me how skinny I am - i eat 3-4 meals a day and usually have a Lara bar or fruit as a snack but i still cant get past 144 lbs. I should be 155-157 but that all changed when i cut out gluten and dairy.

i cant over eat and dont want to load up on too many carbs or too much protein so i guess theres really no other way to gain weight, but im open to some suggestions

thanks

Jason

If you're absolutely certain that you don't have any parasites or other gut bugs or conditions that could cause malabsorption, you might try journalling everything you eat, the exact amounts and corresponding calories you consume. Then compare that to what you should consume for your height and desired weight. When I don't feel well and don't digest food normally, I feel full after eating much less than most people and don't eat as many calorie dense foods (like fats). However, I am happy to weigh much less than the average (usually overweight) person at my age.

SUE

[missy'smom]

im sick of everyone telling me how skinny I am - i eat 3-4 meals a day and usually have a Lara bar or fruit as a snack but i still cant get past 144 lbs. I should be 155-157 but that all changed when i cut out gluten and dairy.

i cant over eat and dont want to load up on too many carbs or too much protein so i guess theres really no other way to gain weight, but im open to some suggestions

thanks

Jason

If you are worries about health risks with "too much" protein, I would say, don't worry about it. I have been low-carb for a while now due to diabetes and went from basically a semi-vegetarian to eating 5 oz. of meat per meal everyday and very few carbs. All my bloodwork shows that everything's functioning well-my cholesterol is great, kidney function, liver function etc. all very healthy. Doc and I laughed when I said that the test results give me free reign to eat all the bacon I want and I go through a pound myself pretty fast these days. I can vouch that protein(from meat) alone can help a person gain weight. It is the main way that I have been able to keep my weight on and gain. That plus sufficient fats. I set out to GAIN weight on a lowcarb diet How crazy is that? But I've been able to do it! by steadily upping my protein. Now I have a pretty good sense of how much I need. I'm still a little under what I would like to weigh but I can happily compromise with what I've achieved.

[Looking for answers]

I drink pea protein smoothies (sometimes twice a day). Each contains 25 grams of protein per scoop. It's super easy to digest. I add a whole avocado and stevia to taste, and just blend it with plain old filtered water and I break in whole food vitamins. Very tasty, actually! No pea flavor either!

I would recommend that, other good naturally fats (like coconut oil and olive oil) and weight lifting.

[kareng]

I would be happy to donate 10 pounds to you. Look for the UPS man in a few days.

My 17 year old son was trying to gain muscle weight. He lifts weight and tries to eat a lot of PB and milk after. Was told to eat protein after working out and those are his favorites. He gained 15 lbs of muscle in one year with out getting taller and he has a very skinny basic build. He is one of the bigger varsity players weight wise - 6 ft 172 lbs. We have a skinny football team.

[sandsurfgirl]

I would be happy to donate 10 pounds to you. Look for the UPS man in a few days.

My 17 year old son was trying to gain muscle weight. He lifts weight and tries to eat a lot of PB and milk after. Was told to eat protein after working out and those are his favorites. He gained 15 lbs of muscle in one year with out getting taller and he has a very skinny basic build. He is one of the bigger varsity players weight wise - 6 ft 172 lbs. We have a skinny football team.

I'll send you some of mine too! LOL

What if you mix up the extra calories between carbs, protein and healthy fats? Add avocado, maybe some extra olive oil on veggies or salad. Also smoothies can be high in calories and pack a lot of nutrition. Of course without any stuff you don't eat in them.

[Wolicki]

My 13 yr old son went on a weight gain campaign with some guidance from Mom on June 15. He has gained 30 pounds since then, and is now 6 ft, 135#. I realized that for him, living in a gluten free household, he was not getting enough carbs. So I started making him gluten free grains: spaghetti, rice, quinoa, etc. added to his dinners. He can tolerate dairy, so I started buying him ice cream on top.

He started using the Iron Gym- pullups and pushups one day, abs and lunges the next. Worked like a charm.

[jasonD2]

My problem is I cant weight train enough to gain muscle mass because the lifting causes indigestion and may aggravate my upper gi for a few days. I cant tolerate protein supplements (pea, hemp, etc constipate me) and I get very full if I eat too much. Not doing well w/ avocados now and I probly shouldnt be eating nuts but I do snack on pumpkin seeds and pecans here and there. bottom line all the high calorie foods that should help me put weight on are not tolerated - thats my dilemma

[BRUMI1968]

I don't know how tall you are, but I do think it makes sense to really think about whether or not you are "too skinny", or if you are just lean. Again, I have no idea what you look like or what your height/weight/body type is... but there is plenty of thinking out there that being a bit on the lean side can be good for you. Too thin, though, does cause problems.

I would try some Qi Gong or Tai Chi for exercise. It's harder than it looks, works your core muscles, but also has a real body-mind connection and relaxing quality that can help with digestive disorders, rather than irritate them. Neither of them is going to have you burning a lot of fat - it is more about toning.

Just food for thought.

[BRUMI1968]

And also, I don't know where you live or if this would help you, but I have heard of folks using medicinal marijuana for appetite and nausea problems. I don't know how your upper GI symptoms manifest themselves, but if all else fails, you might look into it.

[jasonD2]

Umm, thanks but I don't need to be putting psychotropic substances in my body with all the sensitivities I have- thats just asking for trouble. Might wanna retract that statement

[burdee]

My problem is I cant weight train enough to gain muscle mass because the lifting causes indigestion and may aggravate my upper gi for a few days. I cant tolerate protein supplements (pea, hemp, etc constipate me) and I get very full if I eat too much. Not doing well w/ avocados now and I probly shouldnt be eating nuts but I do snack on pumpkin seeds and pecans here and there. bottom line all the high calorie foods that should help me put weight on are not tolerated - thats my dilemma

Rather than focus on lack of muscle mass, you might want to consider WHY you can't tolerate so many high calorie foods, which could help you gain weight. Why do pea, hemp, etc. constipate you, when they provide fiber for most people? Why don't you 'do well' with avocado and other high fat foods? You seem to have answered your own question about why you can't gain weight, i.e., you can't tolerate the very foods which could help you gain weight. You only listed a few diagnosed allergens. What's happening in your gastrointestinal system which prevents normal digestion and absorption of nutrients from healthy foods? Do you still have gut bugs (parasites, bacteria or fungus) which might challenge digestion? Do you have hypochloridia, which deters digestion of protein and fats? Do you have stomach (not intestinal) sensitivity or pain when you eat certain foods? (You could have a thin stomach lining associated with achloridia or extremely low stomach acid.) Rather than treat the symptoms (underweight), you might want to explore and treat causes of your problem.

SUE

[missy'smom]

I get very full if I eat too much. bottom line all the high calorie foods that should help me put weight on are not tolerated - thats my dilemma

I really struggled with these things for a long time-dairy-free, can't stand eggs, no "real carbs", no fruit, no starchy veg., etc. etc. No convenient calories and there's only so much oil you can drench a salad with and couldn't lift weight because it caused me too much fatigue.

I get it. I was very unhappy about it for a long time, and a little scared, and really couldn't see much hope.

Jason, it's all about consistancy over time and small steps, step by step. It was hard for me to learn that. Hard to keep going when I couldn't see what I wanted happen in the way and time I wanted it. I have fought SO hard for every pound I've gained. Many times I would go right back to my starting weight. I'd just walk the outlets one day and loose a few pounds and then it would seem to take a month of consistant meals to get it back-sometimes a month to get one pound back. I didn't walk around the block for a year! just because I was afraid to loose weight. I wrote down my weight each week just to make sure that I didn't go below my starting weight. I started to notice, over time, that each time I hit a new record, the next time I would hit just a bit higher, even though I bounced back to the beginning in between. I really thought I would never get it up to where it is now. And I may loose again, but now I know it can get up to that number and after two years I know how to get it up there so I'm not sweating it anymore. I still work at it everyday though, it takes a conscious, consistant effort for me. Upping my protein(from meat) was a very gradual process. My body wasn't used to digesting it, among other things. I literally started with something like just 2 deli slices of ham in the a.m. and maybe a month later added in one more and so on. Sometimes increasing at just one meal at a time. Just a slice or two, or an extra ounce, upping it every month or few months. I've gradually gotten accustomed to more fats too. But I didn't set a vague "I'll TRY to eat more meat" kind of goal, leaving it up to the flow of the day. I set a minimum amount that I had to eat each and every meal and ate(things that didn't upset my system of course) it whether I felt like it or not. I had to take it there because I REALLY could not stay at the weight I was at.

[kareng]

Hey Jason, I'll try again! .

Maybe your guts need time to heal and later you can do more weights and foods. In the mean time, have you tried eating every 2 hours a little bit of food? Rather than eat bigger meals, keep food going thru. Eat a high calorie snack like the coconut ice cream at bedtime.

Will doing small amounts of weights or exercises work? Insultingly low weights that don't strain you. Exercises without weight like squats. Leg lifts at your desk. Spaced throughout the day and not intense enough to make you sweaty and stinky. This is just to maintain some muscle tone until you can get back to regular workouts. You can roll your eyes, young man, but give it a try. It's better then nothing.

[jasonD2]

yeah i try to eat as frequently as possible but with my schedule its no always easy to eat every 2 hrs and usually when i do eat im so hungry that a small meal doesnt satisfy me.

i love coconut ice cream but it causes severe bowel spasms esp if i eat too much...i will try it again but take digestive enzymes, which i recently started

im doing light workouts now and so far so good

[kareng]

yeah i try to eat as frequently as possible but with my schedule its no always easy to eat every 2 hrs and usually when i do eat im so hungry that a small meal doesnt satisfy me.

i love coconut ice cream but it causes severe bowel spasms esp if i eat too much...i will try it again but take digestive enzymes, which i recently started

im doing light workouts now and so far so good

Eat something else, if you can't eat coconut ice cream! AHHHH! Like talking to my teenage boys!

(And you're thinking: "It's like talking to my mom!")

[RiceGuy]

How tall are you, Jason? How have you determined that you "should" be 155-157 pounds? IMHO, 144 pounds doesn't seem too far from the mark though. I find a lot of people believe they are underweight if they aren't as heavy as others their height, but I would point out that the average person these days is in fact overweight. Not that you shouldn't gain any more, but something to consider. I have always been told I should gain more weight (especially by overweight people), but I reply; "why?". My ribs aren't showing, nor are my cheeks sunken, nor are my fingers bony. I may be slimmer than most people areound me, but I don't look malnourished or emaciated.

While it does sound like you're having considerable difficulty gaining, the amount of muscle mass the body naturally maintains depends upon physical demands, amongst other factors. So if you aren't maintaining an elevated level of strength-dependent activity, you're bound to have less muscle mass than you might otherwise. So the bottom line is that since you find it difficult to keep a work out routine, it seems reasonable to expect somewhat less body mass/weight.

I'm guessing you're already taking digestive enzymes and probiotics, yes? What kind? Also what sort of nutritional supplements do you take? Many brands and types are inferior or inadequate, so it might be worth going through them to see if you could benefit from switching to something else.

[missy'smom]

I was eating 4 meals a day for over a year and a half, hoping that that extra meal would give me a chance to get extra calories thus bringing my weight up. At some point it became a PITA to get in and cook 4 meat and veg meals a day, so I gave up and said to hell with my weight and 4 meals and went to 3 meals and upped my protein another notch because I was a little hungrier. It was a few months after that that I got my big suprize on the scale when I saw my highest number yet. I don't know the science but I'm thinking 4 meals was keeping my metabolism up and switching to 3 brought it down a notch. At the very least, the extra protein alone made a difference. I really thought I would lose, dropping that extra meal.

I agree with Riceguy about our perceptions.

[BRUMI1968]

Umm, thanks but I don't need to be putting psychotropic substances in my body with all the sensitivities I have- thats just asking for trouble. Might wanna retract that statement

I hear you. I don't partake myself. But I don't want to "retract my statement" as it is a legitimate option for folks with problems of weight gain and stomach problems and this board is about getting all the information you can, sorting through it, and finding what's best for you. So I leave the statement standing, but respect your opinion. Take care and good luck.

[jasonD2]

Thanks- I'm 5'11"

i so take probiotics and HCL/dig enzymes along with a product called Mediclear Plus (which has 30g protein per 2 scoops) and is a comprehensive formula for inflammation, nutrition and liver support

[RiceGuy]

If the digestive enzymes aren't derived from microbes, they may be getting destroyed by the time they get into the small intestine. Also, many enzyme formulas lack certain types of enzymes which other formulas have. So it may be that you aren't getting the right kind, or enough of, the specific ones you need. Both NOW Foods and Doctor's Best make a formula derived from microbes, having some of the enzyme types which most formulas don't.

I agree with the suggestion of taking it slow. Small steps over a period of time. Consider how long it took for the damage to occur. Seems to me it'll take time to repair. That has certainly been my experience.

[jasonD2]

True but I can only be restricted for so long before I go nuts..its painful! i went 3 months w/o sugar and carbs and thought i was gonna die...there are things i eat now that i probly shouldnt but i just cant live on chicken, salmon, rice and vegetables all the time - ya know?

[burdee]

True but I can only be restricted for so long before I go nuts..its painful! i went 3 months w/o sugar and carbs and thought i was gonna die...there are things i eat now that i probly shouldnt but i just cant live on chicken, salmon, rice and vegetables all the time - ya know?

Are you saying that you can't tolerate any foods beyond chicken, salmon, rice and vegetables? Can you tolerate all vegetables? Do you not tolerate fruit, nuts, other gluten free grains or gluten free grain products? What about other meats or legumes as protein sources?

I can certainly understand feeling horrible after eating almost anything. I'm still taking Iodoquinol for my d-frag parasite. So I suffer horrible cramping pain (drug side effects) after every meal, because I take that antiparasitic drug with meals. Also I can't take my HCl supplements now, because the Iodo also causes reflux, which is disastrous with HCl supplements. So I don't digest much of anything very well. However, rather than thinking I have new intolerances, I just eat whatever seems easy to digest and then suffer the drug side effects. I know what causes my current digestive difficulties.

However, I suspect you are blaming various food intolerances or digestive problems, without considering what causes your digestive problems. Until you determine why your digestive system is so challenged, worrying about weight gain is overlooking the cause of that symptom.

SUE

[missy'smom]

Just offering some perspective.

The way I see it, you do what you gotta do. I really don't like meat. I would really prefer to be a vegetarian but eating meat works so well for me and I can't argue with the results and I have made my peace with it. I hate being the weight I was and having high blood sugar and I like feeling well, more than I hate meat, so I've made my compromises. There are some foods that I will never eat, but as long as it's not completely revulting I eat it. Many things I eat, I could take it or leave it but it's not disgusting so I try it or keep it in my diet because it gives me variety and doesn't bother my system. Like red cabbage, I'm not allergic to cabbage and was already eating green cabbage. It's boring but I tried out red just for a change of color. Sometimes I cut things a different way just for variety. I've taken the emotional expectation out of my meals and look at them as fuel for the car. It's no small sacrifice but it's worth it to be able to live and be well. I choose to focus my emotions on other things and try to enjoy other things in life. I'll probably never have a piece of cake or slice of pizza, gluten-free or otherwise for the rest of my life but feeling well lasts much longer than a piece of cake or slice of pizza. There are others foods that I do enjoy and can have-a good glass of wine, a cup of quality tea and a fwe others. I chose to honor those. I do have tasty meals sometimes.