How To Gain Weight?

[skinnycow]

I've been trying to gain weight, but I'm not having any luck. I have a really fast metabolism and I eat Asian food everyday, so that doesn't help. Is it healthy to drink those protein powder (muscle milk) to gain weight? I use to drink 1-2 ensures everyday to help with the weight, but I couldn't handle the nasty smell and taste. I don't ever eat fast food because I like eating healthy, but eating healthy isn't helping with my weight gain. Are there like any meal plans for gaining weight?

My goal is to try to gain 20 lbs. Every time I do gain weight, I have trouble keeping it on. My sister had the same problem, until she had a kid, now she's the perfect size, but I'm not planning to have any kids any time soon. I don't like looking skinny and it doesn't help that I'm short either. Any suggestions on how I can gain weight would be awesome =)

[TK-421]

Real food that's high in protein and complex carve are your best bet. Protein powders could work too but stay away from muscle milk at all costs - it has as many fillers as your favorite candy

[GOLFFRR]

its who you are, just enjoy it. you could be the opposite.

[Caddyshk]

McDonald's should do it:

Morning - Big Breakfast, Bacon & Egg McMuffin & Chocolate Shake

Lunch - Double Big Mac Combo with up-size Fries, Chocolate Shake & Apple Pie

Dinner - Double Qtr Pounder with Cheese Combo, and yes up-size the Fries, Chocolate shake, Cherry Pie (you need your fruits)

[leejoobin]

timing is important too.....

[saeedg48]

Answer: To gain weight and be healthy, you need to consume more calories every day from healthy weight-gaining foods and choose the right types of exercise.

What To Eat To Gain Weight

Increasing your intake of junk foods and greasy foods is not a good way to gain weight. Junk foods usually contain unhealthy trans fats, saturated fats and refined sugar. Even though you need to increase your calorie consumption to gain weight, those calories should come from foods that are good for you.
Healthy fats include sources of omega-3 essential fatty acids, such as tuna, salmon, flax, and walnuts. Good sources of protein include lean meats, fish, poultry, nuts, seeds and legumes. Healthy carbohydrate sources include fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

It may be easier to eat five or six smaller balanced meals per day rather than eating three large meals, especially if you are not used to eating much at one sitting.

Protein powders and nutritional supplement drinks can be consumed as in-between meal snacks if you still need more calories. Some protein powders are flavored and only need added water, and others can be blended with your choice of juice or milk to improve the flavor.

Add a small amount of flax seed oil and some psyllium powder to add some omega-3 essential fatty acids and extra fiber.

Dietary Supplements and Gaining Weight

A high-quality multivitamin and mineral supplement is a good idea to make sure you are getting all of the vitamins and minerals you need. Some people find that their muscle mass increases with protein supplements that contain certain blends of amino acids, such as creatine and glutamine. Some people who are very ill may need liquid nutritional preparations that are available through their doctors.
Resistive Exercise To Gain Weight

Exercise is also important for healthy weight gain. Resistance training exercises, such as lifting weights, will help to increase your muscle size. Aerobic exercises, such as running and stationary bicycling, are better for fat loss and excessive aerobic training may cause you to lose more weight. Resistance training can be done at a health club, gym, or at home with the proper equipment.
Remember that it can take a while to gain the weight you need, but be patient and continue to choose healthy foods until you reach your goal weight.

Tools to Help You Gain Weight

Use these tips and tools to help gain weight:
Start with this Calorie and Nutrition Guide to find out how many calories you will need to reach the weight you desire.

Use a food diary to track your calorie intake to be sure you are getting all of the calories and foods that you need.

You can also use an online program such as Calorie Count to track your calorie intake, your exercise and your changes in weight. Calorie Count Plus has a large data base of nutrition information for almost any food you like to eat.

Add healthy calories to breakfast with an extra slice of whole-grain toast and peanut butter.

Mid-morning and afternoon snacks should be nutritious, not junk. Trail mixes contain healthy nuts and dried fruits, and can add healthy calories to your diet.

Don't add calories to your meals by choosing unhealthy fried foods such as french fries, chicken nuggets and fish sticks. Choose healthy foods like baked potatoes, baked chicken and fish; just make your portions a bit bigger.

Keep your meals balanced. One meal should have a healthy protein source, such as fish, low fat meat, chicken or legumes, plus two or three servings of vegetables. Green vegetables add lots of vitamins and phytonutrients, while starchy potatoes and corn add extra calories.

Drink healthy beverages, such as milk and fruit juices, to add calories. Don't choose sugary sodas, which only add calories and no nutrition.

Design a weight training program with help from About.com's exercise site and our weight training site.



from:
http://nutrition.about.com/od/dietsf...GainWeight.htm

[Delta0311]

Protein Powder wont do a damn thing for you. The number one thing to do is work out; if you increase your caloric intake without working out you'll gain weight but it won't be "quality" weight.

1. Work out
2. Eat beef, chicken, whole weat pasta, sweet potatoes, oat meal, and fruits and veggies.
3. Have 2 or 3 protein shakes a day at most BUT do not use them to substitute a real meal.
4. Get plenty of rest.


That's it.. There is not magic trick to it, no magical powders; even steroids won't do a fucking thing unless you follow the steps. The above it what will get you some size.

[BMW_03]

There's a way to gain 20 LBS in one month if you don't mind gaining some fat (you can burn it after through exercise & healthy eating), its called GOMAD or 1 gallon of milk a day, if you drink it consistently you'll gain weight, but you also need to work out to avoid getting fat though. I'm a hardgainer myself, or at least i thought i was, true is i wasn't eating enough. I'm 3 weeks in (its been tough drinking a lot of milk) but I've gained 10 LBS so far.. i think i'm going to slow down now since i'm satisfied with my weight...

[buff_k9_335i]

Originally Posted by leejoobin

timing is important too.....

Correct. Timing is very important. The optimal time to have protein and or carbs is post workout. If you really want to put on solid weight, I would suggest 3 solid meals plus 2 high quality protein shakes a day. Something in the form of isolates is a good idea.

[Dre01SS]

1- Lots of food
2- Lots of sleep
3- Lots of Squats, Deadlifts, Press, Power Cleans, Bench
4- Lots of whole milk (GOMAD as previously mentioned)

[skinnycow]

Originally Posted by ElBolo

There's a way to gain 20 LBS in one month if you don't mind gaining some fat (you can burn it after through exercise & healthy eating), its called GOMAD or 1 gallon of milk a day, if you drink it consistently you'll gain weight, but you also need to work out to avoid getting fat though. I'm a hardgainer myself, or at least i thought i was, true is i wasn't eating enough. I'm 3 weeks in (its been tough drinking a lot of milk) but I've gained 10 LBS so far.. i think i'm going to slow down now since i'm satisfied with my weight...

wow a gallon a day!!! i will TRY this. i eat a lot, well a lot of healthy food that is, so maybe that's the reason. i was a little chubbier when i was younger and my face was really nice and round. i want to gain weight in my face but it usually only goes to my breast and butt lol

[TiAg335i]

i didn't read anything posted above...but eat more carbohydrates, pasta, brown rice, breads, oatmeal, nuts, etc. up your protein as well with foods like tuna in oil, lean meats, chicken, fish, etc...

of course you should also be going to the gym doing weight training exercises...not just cardio

don't bother with those protein powders if you aren't a bodybuilder or trying to gain a lot of muscle. muscle milk is the worst..don't bother with it. IIRC there was an article on here saying it had unacceptable traces of a poison in it (i think it was arsenic). if you must, your best bet is to go with straight optimum whey protein.

the only way to gain weight is to increase your caloric intake daily. you essentially must be eating more than you burn. you MUST eat at least 4 meals a day, spread evenly throughout the day. i gained around 30 lbs of muscle in about a year doing something similar to this, except i was drinking protein powders...

[dragon1761]

eat a lot, then go to sleep. Eat while watching tv, snack as much as possible. You will be FAT in no time.

[Delta0311]

Originally Posted by TiAg335i

i didn't read anything posted above...but eat more carbohydrates, pasta, brown rice, breads, oatmeal, nuts, etc. up your protein as well with foods like tuna in oil, lean meats, chicken, fish, etc...

of course you should also be going to the gym doing weight training exercises...not just cardio

don't bother with those protein powders if you aren't a bodybuilder or trying to gain a lot of muscle. muscle milk is the worst..don't bother with it. IIRC there was an article on here saying it had unacceptable traces of a poison in it (i think it was arsenic). if you must, your best bet is to go with straight optimum whey protein.

the only way to gain weight is to increase your caloric intake daily. you essentially must be eating more than you burn. you MUST eat at least 4 meals a day, spread evenly throughout the day. i gained around 30 lbs of muscle in about a year doing something similar to this, except i was drinking protein powders...

Yeah your pretty much on point there. Try to eat every 3-4 hours. Your right about the shakes too. I been in the game for a while and I might have 2-3 shakes a day (with milk and 2 scoops of protein) tops. People need to realize that these shakes CANNOT substitue a healthy meal.

My meals are as follows

when i wake
Oat meal plus protein shake

when i get to work
4 egg omlet with veggies and some whole weat bread

lunch
chicken breast, sweet potatoe and fruits-n-veggies

around 4pm
oatmeal and shake

about 6pm
steak, pasta, veggies

after the gym
shake upon entering the house, i'll usually have a cup of pepsi for a quick hit of simple carbs to get the insulin up
then I shower and have my last meal
chick breast, sweet potato, and veggies

my snacks are only fruits

My cheat day is usually on sat.. I'll have some pizza or burgers.

Does my diet look spartan, yes. Is it effective? FUCK yes!!
if I want to bulk I'll throw in an extra protein shake here and there, plus a sandwich. At this point I have figured out my diet to the point where I know exacttly what and when to eat to gain or lose weight.


EDIT: I use brown rice in stead of whole wheat pasta from time to time. Although it's rare because I really don't know how to make brown rice not taste like shit. If anyone has any idea please let me know.

Oh and all my meat is grilled. Matter of fact the first thing I did after digging out my ride was dig a path from my deck to my grill.

[Caddyshk]

Originally Posted by Caddyshk

McDonald's should do it:

Morning - Big Breakfast, Bacon & Egg McMuffin & Chocolate Shake

Lunch - Double Big Mac Combo with up-size Fries, Chocolate Shake & Apple Pie

Dinner - Double Qtr Pounder with Cheese Combo, and yes up-size the Fries, Chocolate shake, Cherry Pie (you need your fruits)

Just in case you missed it - this is sure fire to gaining weight! Disclaimer; Other health problems may be encountered on this diet.

[Spool]

drink shitload of beers...it sure did it for me, eat late in the night too, like at mid night


but ur body wont be evenly distributed, most of that will go to ur stomach...if you want to gain weight and even ur body out, u have to work out and keep eating eating eating...

[Raid3n]

Originally Posted by Caddyshk

McDonald's should do it:

Morning - Big Breakfast, Bacon & Egg McMuffin & Chocolate Shake

Lunch - Double Big Mac Combo with up-size Fries, Chocolate Shake & Apple Pie

Dinner - Double Qtr Pounder with Cheese Combo, and yes up-size the Fries, Chocolate shake, Cherry Pie (you need your fruits)

these will give you a good weight indeed

[qtrlifecrisis]

update on this post?

i don't agree with eating a bunch of meat and consuming tons of milk to gain weight, but then again i could afford to gain some weight myself.

if you're interested in a more vegetarian/vegan style diet, let me know and i'll be glad to help. you're arteries will thank you.

[ben14142001]

Over the past 3 years, I've gained ~45 pounds from lifting and realizing that I needed to increase my calories. I'm definitely a hard gainer as well. I swear by milk, I refuse to drink whole milk though, always has grossed me out. I tend to stay away from protein shakes, I really think they are a waste of money. I prefer chocolate milk after a work out, pretty much has everything you need to refuel. But, what everyone else said, whole wheats are great, chicken, fish, eggs, peanut butter, beans, tuna. Oh, and a really sneaky good one that I've been using lately is Quinoa. If you haven't heard of it, it's a grain that is super high in protein, and has a lot of calories as well.

If I ever have a hard time getting in calories for a day, I go to Chipolte. I have a calorie tracker on my phone, and I added it up one day after a Chipolte meal, I had no idea how many calories you can rack up there so quickly. I usually order a burrito and chips/guac, which comes out to be just shy of 2,000 calories. Although the white rice/tortillas aren't particularly good for you, everything else is not terrible (at least in my eyes, it's not fried, it's not sugar filled).

[skinnycow]

Originally Posted by SloMaroZ

update on this post?

i don't agree with eating a bunch of meat and consuming tons of milk to gain weight, but then again i could afford to gain some weight myself.

if you're interested in a more vegetarian/vegan style diet, let me know and i'll be glad to help. you're arteries will thank you.

the problem i'm having is that i eat vietnamese food pretty much everyday, that's all my mom and i cook and everything is really healthy. i just got back from california and i was there for 2 weeks and everyday we ate out at american restaurants (outback, olive garden, chris ruth, pf changs, ect) and i gained 5 lbs ^__^ i was so happy, but surely enough i will lose that weight soon. i just got a 24 hr fitness membership, so i am going to try to work out more and see if that does anything. another problem i have is keeping the weight on, at one point i was at the ideal weight, but it was such a struggle to keep it on =(

[BMW F22]

My opinion is that you shouldn't try to gain weight unless you're trying to bulk up. Trust me once you've started sliding down that slippery slope there is no turning back. Once you've gained 20 lbs your body will have adjusted to eating more and therefore you will continue to pack on more weight. Also keep in mind that as we age our metabolism usually slows down. Add that to people getting lazy and not wanting to exercise as they age, the weight will be impossible to lose/stop. It's not like there is an on/off switch so be aware of what you wish for.

[Kartelli]

Being a hardgainer myself, the most effective method to gaining weight was running / high intensity cardio.

I went from 115 pounds to 165-170ish over 6 years, the biggest gain I've seen was when I added long distance running to my routine. It allowed me to eat large meals consistenly while staying lean. I was always told to take it easy on cardio because you burn calories that are needed for a hard gainer... surprise surprise, my best bulking cycle was from 150-170 pounds while running 30kms + a month. Your metabolism speeds up, so does your conditioning. Try it!