Gaining weight

[temp256]

As crazy as it seems, some of us are having trouble gaining weight. I'm 6'2", and I weigh only 120 pounds. Everyone keeps nagging me and telling me I'm anorexic, but I've never cared about my weight. I rarely even step on a scale. Only recently do I have a desire for weight gain, and that is so I can start developing a feminine figure with the help of hormones.

Three problems are keeping me from gaining weight:
I have absolutely no appetite. I simply don't care about food, and I never get hungry. I occasionally even miss meals without even realizing it.

I have a tiny stomach, so I can't each much at a time. 1/2 to 3/4 of what everyone else eats, and I'm full. And I'm full for hours, so I can't eat lots of little meals.

I'm a picky eater. I hate so many things, and too many of them make me feel sick, preventing me from eating any more.
-----

What can I do about this? I can't grow breasts without body fat...

 

[phoenix1224]

The only thing that I can suggest is that you begin to eat things that are high in fat and calories but are small in size... I.e. candy, chips, cookies, etc.

OR...

You could even go to your local GNC (or similar store) and look for the wait gain and protein powders that are typically used by body builders.

 

[EJFan]

The only thing that I can suggest is that you begin to eat things that are high in fat and calories but are small in size... I.e. candy, chips, cookies, etc.

this would surely work... but just like losing weight, there's a healthy and an unhealthy way to GAIN weight.

You could even go to your local GNC (or similar store) and look for the wait gain and protein powders that are typically used by body builders.

this is an excellent suggestion. the "must" that goes along with this is that you have to give your body an application for these supplements. protein powders work if you're putting your body in an anabolic mode after weightlifting. then, in order to GAIN the lean mass, you have to use the supps AND consume a caloric surplus... which seems to be temp's problem.

frankly, if you can't eat (correctly) more than your maintenance kcals then you're not going to gain weight. there's simply no way around that. excess kcals add body mass and your lifestyle & eating habits determine WHAT kind of mass that is (fat or lean or both).

the only thing i can suggest to you temp is that if you want to gain weight, eat more... eat 'til you're full and eat some more. you should keep in mind that the way your body is could just be the way your body is. the answer to your question is to eat more good foods, stretch that stomach out and stay active to avoid becoming malnurished or unhealthily overweight.

 

[Raidho]

Have you ever had your thyroid checked? If not, you may want to have that done. Hyperthyroidism would definitely cause low appetite and make it difficult to gain weight.

 

[Straight-8]

First rule out medical problems. It sounds as if you've got some food issues. If there are none then I agree that the basic issue is more calories=more weight; but, strange as it may seem, I think the best way to put on weight is to excercise more. Excercise will give you a healthy appetite and allows you to put on some dense muscle mass. Indulge your appetite. I am less certain about those health food store drinks but I have no real experience with them. I have heard some contain steroids but I don't know if that is true. With excercise and full meals you will be pleased with the way you put on weight - trim and athletic rather than a bulging ponch.

 

[EJFan]

I am less certain about those health food store drinks but I have no real experience with them.

essentially they're supplements that are designed to provide proper nutrients when they can't be readily gotten from food for whatever reason.

phoenix suggested protein shakes which work great (as long as you know what kind of protein you need and when) for adding the necessary building blocks for your body to make lean mass. others work in much the same way... they're not too dissimilar from vitamins in that regard.

users just need to have an understanding of what they need and be sure to use the correct product. and, like all supplements, they're not a replacement for actual FOOD.... just a supplement. remember, too, that health food stores tend to be overpriced for these types of products unless it's a highly specialized item that's impossible to get elsewhere.

edit to add: there ARE weight gainer shake mixes that are calorie-dense supplements. that's probably what phoenix was thinking of and just accidentally typed the wrong thing. those might work for you temp. just remember to exercise as well, like straight8 suggested... very important.

 

[temp256]

I've been to many doctors, and had many tests done. The tests are normal, so everyone tries to claim I'm anorexic. I've always been thin, and never really cared, it's just what everyone else tells me.

I already add "instant breakfast" powder whenever I drink milk. I try to eat more, but I simply can't. I try to exercise, but I'm always exhausted. Doctors are no help there either.

It would be so much easier just to get an IV drip and never bother with eating again...

 

[Snowman5933]

You might ask your doctor to prescribe "periactin - appetite stimulant". You may also want to think about meeting with a dietician.

I wish I had trouble gaining weight. At 5' 10" I weigh in at 230. Obviously I never miss a meal. I just bought a treadmill and have started walking a mile each day. Hopefully it will help me shed a few pounds.

Snowman

 

[EJFan]

I've always been thin, and never really cared, it's just what everyone else tells me.

why would you care more about what other people think about you than what YOU think about yourself?

 

[NaiveOne]

Have you started taking estrogen yet? Estogen might cause yout o gain weight in the first place. And fat produces estrogen. So maybe if you can get a jump start on the weight gain you won't have to force it once you have a little fat and more estrogen?

 

[temp256]

why would you care more about what other people think about you than what YOU think about yourself?

Because my mother keeps saying I'm anorexic and killing myself, and the doctor says I need to gain weight to be healthy and get a better effect of the hormones. I haven't started estrogen yet, but I hope to soon.

 

[Brainboyz]

I know exactly what you mean. Changing your eating style probably won't do a damn thing. I'm the rail-thin figure you describe at 6'5". 185lbs. I've tried gaining weight by eating hearty Mexican meals constantly for a few months (cooked by my girlfriend). Over the course of a year, I gained 5 lbs and haven't been able to go higher. I take in well over 6k calories a day and can't gain an ounce. Lately, I've been randomly missing meals from lack of appetite and I haven't lost a pound either. Healthy at 112/60, 68bpm too, but still waiting on blood results for the chemistry side of things.

Something tells me you'll have to wait until you start on the hormones to change your metabolism and body chemistry in order to reach normal gain/loss trends.

 

[leeroy jenkins]

Not sure if anyone has said this so here goes temp I am like you but I am a bit smaller and 10 pounds heavier been this way for like 12 years, I walk as my only exercise and eat anything I want and still I cant gain weight. So maybe you body just wants you where you are, the body is a wonderful machine if you were seriously lacking something the it will tell you. I know this does not answer your question but obsessing on gaining weight is almost as bad as when you focus obsess on losing it.

 

[Chicklet]

I agree with a lot of things I'm reading in this thread - the estrogen might help, you should feel good about yourself, and yes, maybe your body is just happy where it is.

I have to wonder though if maybe you should just try to eat a little something regularly - I have the issue of never being hungry, although it causes me to gain weight when I don't eat regularly... I try to eat something three times a day, at scheduled times, even if it's just a piece of bread, 'cause I feel like it makes my body happier to get fuel. Maybe that'd help you?

 

[phoenix1224]

edit to add: there ARE weight gainer shake mixes that are calorie-dense supplements. that's probably what phoenix was thinking of and just accidentally typed the wrong thing. those might work for you temp. just remember to exercise as well, like straight8 suggested... very important.

Oops.

I can't believe I typed "wait" instead of "weight".

 

[EJFan]

Oops.

I can't believe I typed "wait" instead of "weight".

actually, that wasn't what i was referring to but i see that I'M the one who made the error... i thought you mentioned protein shakes but MEANT weight gainer shakes. i see now that you actually DID mention the weight gainer shakes and i never even saw the "wait" typo. my bad.

 

[NaiveOne]

Have you always and forever eat so little?

Ok, so I hope you're not offended at all when I say this.

But I'm guessing you've gone through some depression and anxiety or other interesting emotions while you have been figuring out your sexual identity. We all know that depresion can affect eating habits. So maybe if you're still a little depressed, you can get that checked out, which may improve your appetite? So then you can gain weight?

 

[blue eyed muse]

i was really skinny all my life till i got pregnant and had a child. now i am still small but i am mushy and i hate it. i've gained weight though, thats a good thing. maybe your hormones need adjusted. thats basically what happened to me. i'm still pretty skinny but now i gain weight and it's foreign and slightly repulsive to me. i just remind myself that i'm still skinny, i just need to get off of my lazy ass and work out to get some tone back. sorry about my babbling there, but my advice would be to check out hormones like previous people have suggested. i was 5'6" and 90 pounds to 98 pounds for a very long time, now i'm around 125. the only thing that changed for me was some crazy hormone action because of pregnancy.

 

[Straight-8]

. I try to exercise, but I'm always exhausted.
It would be so much easier just to get an IV drip and never bother with eating again...

This is evidence of a problem that goes a lot deeper than just being 'naturally skinny'. If you are always exhausted your body is telling you that you don't get enough fuel. That's not the only reason peaople feel that way but it is the most likely one from what you've told us. Start slow and fun on the excercise front. Find out what you like to do and pursue it. But don't give up just because you feel tired out.

Eating is not supposed to be a chore. It is a tremendous sensual pleasure which you are afraid of. So many young women have been so screwed up by the advertising and fake nutritional crap in our media that they turn their back on food or allow eating to become completely disfunctional. You may not be 'anorexic' but you clearly have a problem coping with food. It sounds as if you are being offered help. Try and accept it.

I also happen to think that the current eating disorder epidemic is due to what Freud called a 'sexual hysteria'. Too many young people (mostly girls) are pressured and sexualized too early. This results in an obsession with appearance and, of course, that means being 'thin' above all else in this society.

Good luck Kiddo!

 

[Vixandra]

You mentioned you were picky, so what foods do you like to eat?
Are you eating mainly prepackaged foods?

If so, that might be the problem. There is a wide assortment of chemicals added to foods to make them a certain color, texture etc.
One example is bugs to yogurt to get that red color.

I'd suggest taking control of what you eat- literally. By cooking your own foods, your way, from scratch you're making a healthier meal that can also be more calories.

Heaven knows my cream cheese brownies are far more fattening then the standard box mix's.

Need recipe help? Check out sites like www.recipezaar.com or www.allcooks.com
I'm a member of the former and adore it.

 

[Straight-8]

There is a wide assortment of chemicals added to foods to make them a certain color, texture etc.
One example is bugs to yogurt to get that red color. QUOTE]
This is an example of the kind of half-baked nutrional information that drives me nuts!
1) Give a specific example of a 'bug' being added to yogurt to make it red.
2) Is a 'bug' a chemical?
3) Is the 'bug' nutritionally harmful?
4) Is there any reason a human being cannot eat a 'bug'? In many cultures they are prized!

 

[A_Fire_InsideII]

hey temp, i know how you feel, i can usually eat whatever i want and nothing happens. however as of late i've been going to the gym regularly, and have changed my diet quite significantly and i've that for the first time in a long time i've gained weight. first of all i suggest not eating a lot of sweets (ie chocolate and what not) as these aren't very healthy to start with, and excessive intake can lead to some serious problems later in life (diabetes etc). i would suggest eating lots of fresh fruit and veg, to make sure you keep your energy levels up (i'm pretty sure your body will burn these slower than any other processed food). I would also, as many other's have suggested, increase your intake if protein, be it by supplements or food. i'm not a big fan of supplements, so along with red meat you can try: fish, poultry, beans, nuts and whole grains. i hope you can achieve your ideal weight

 

[jadefirefly]

There is a wide assortment of chemicals added to foods to make them a certain color, texture etc.
One example is bugs to yogurt to get that red color. QUOTE]
This is an example of the kind of half-baked nutrional information that drives me nuts!
1) Give a specific example of a 'bug' being added to yogurt to make it red.
2) Is a 'bug' a chemical?
3) Is the 'bug' nutritionally harmful?
4) Is there any reason a human being cannot eat a 'bug'? In many cultures they are prized!

I think what Vix is referring to is a particular sort of beetle's shell. I don't recall the name of it, but when this shell is ground up into a powder it makes an excellent, non-harmful red dye.

It's not exactly a bug, any more than jell-o is made "from" horse hooves. But it stills squicks people out sometimes.

 

[Little Bird]

This all is not that uncommon. I'm very thin myself (6", 54 kg) and I thought it strange at first but now I know many people who are the same. In fact half of my family seems to have it. We can eat as much as we like and gain almost no weight and even if we do it's away two or three days later.
Don't know if it has been suggested before, but muscles weigh four times as much as fat. Simply eating more does not really help but try to start practicing sport of any kind. The results are better, it looks better at the body and is even more healthy.
It does also make you needing more to eat, which is a very nice side effect.
Unfortunaltely my way to Uni is to long to make it by bike so my most important source of exercise is gone, but I really hope to change that this summer.

 

[NaiveOne]

Just to make it clear, he's looking to gain fat. He doesn't want bulky, lean muscles. He wants to gain fat.

So how can he gain body fat?