How to gain weight

[melly11]

The title says it all....any tips on how to gain weight? I'm doing the whole working out thing trying to gain muscle, but feel so discouraged

[EvaGina]

Just live healthily, your body will fall into its natural shape.

Im sorry to ask, but are you male or female?

[Reluctant Rebuilder]

I'm doing the same thing. Eat lots. Lift lots. Sleep lots.

 

Repeat.

 

Go see a nutritionist or a trainer with experience in this area. They will put together a diet plan that will get you on the right track. Key point here: lifting isn't enough, you have to get enough calories spread out through the day to gain weight the right way (you know, more muscle less fat)

[kellbell]

Hey there,

 

I have heard in order to put on weight is to eat a lot of protein. There is a lot of protein in tuna, meats, beans, nuts, yogurt, soy products, and even protein shakes and bars.

 

Also, try lifting or toning. Cardio can help but I would not do cardio exclusively because that keeps off weight.

 

Hope this helps and good luck.

[Reluctant Rebuilder]

Protein is good, but it isn't enough. You need carbs for energy, fats, and water. Drink lots of water (I drink about 3 or 4 liters a day)

[Cardinal]

Track your calories for a few days or a week. If your weight isn't changing you pretty much found your maintenance intake. If you don't have a clue what that might be try taking your bodyweight X 15 and adjust based on what the scales says.

 

To gain a lb a week, shoot for 500kcals per day over your maintenance. Look for calorie dense foods and get adequate protein (1g/lb bodyweight).

 

Good bulking foods:

 

Milk

Peanut butter

Oatmeal

Brown Rice

Olive oil

Lean meats

 

etc. etc.

[melly11]

Im sorry to ask, but are you male or female?

I'm a female...19 yrs old. I grew up playing sports my whole life, crazy active...its just that I can't gain weight. I'm doing everything. My doc helped me change my diet (says my metabolism is crazy) and I eat plenty of protien and carbs...I rarely do any cardio anymore. I usually just bike because running makes me lose weight. I need some cardio though. I've only started lifting since early december. Its crazy I can add or gain a couple pounds in only a couple days. Its driving me crazy...thanks for the tips...more are welcome. I just feel so discouraged.

[charley]

You have not been lifting long enough to expect weight gains. Strength gains maybe, but not weight gains.

 

I was the weight training T/A in high school weight classes and I studied strength training for health class in high school and part of my college health class as well.

 

I'm years rusty at this, but I'll try to remember. Your muscle cells are bundled into units. I think I remember those units are called bundles. Anyhow, your nervous system is not fully efficient before you start weight training. thereforeeee, not all muscle cells or bundles are firing. This makes you less strong and also have less firm muscles.

 

For example, if a person is very out of shape, then perhaps only 60% of their muscles cells are firing. The other 40% are doing nothing. The typical teenager (I think I recall) has about 80% efficiency.

 

I'm trying to remember this stuff from when I was in high school. I got an A in this stuff, but that was 20 years ago. So my numbers may not be exactly correct, but the concept is.

 

As you workout, your nerves and nervous system improves its efficiency by adding-growing better and more electrical insulation to send a stronger signal to each muscle cell and bundle. As you weight train, the electrical signal to each muscle cell gets stronger. Some cells used to get little or no electrical signal at all to flex, but now they are getting signal and that signal is getting stronger all the time as you lift more. The outward signs of more efficient nerves and electrical signals in your muscles is that you get stronger and gain muscle tone. Muscles that have a good nerve electric signal stay online, getting a partial signal all the time, which causes muscle tone. The more muscle cells that are getting signal, the more muscle tone you have.

 

At some point, usually after a few months of weight training, your nervous system reach full 100% efficiency where all your muscle cells, bundles, and fibers are all firing when you lift. At this time you are at the strongest for your body weight that you will likely ever be and you still have full cardio endurance.

 

Now, if you continue lifting and increasing weights slightly after your nerves are 100% efficient, then you body has no other option but to grow new muscle. So then you start gaining weight and getting bigger.

 

I do not recommend force feeding to gain weight because your body will automatically adjust your appetite as it needs to. You appetite, especially for protein, will increase once you get to the point where you body starts adding new muscle mass. Up till that point, eating extra protein won't help because you aren't ready to add muscle.

 

I do not recommend protein supplements because they can dehydrate you and are bad for your kidneys. Just a multi-vitamin, C, and E and that's it. Well, some extra non fat milk so you bones can gain necessary density to support the strain of lifting and new muscle. Yogurt is excellent. Lots of water, and 45 min before lifting a nice ripe, spotted banana because it has carbs, a little sugar, and potassium. Muscles need potassium to excercise and it prevents cramps. A half orange just before starting to lift, or 1/3 of an orange juice. Then other half orange halfway though workout, or another 1/3 of an orange juice, the another little bit of sugar from any fruit source after workout to help you recover. To much sugar is bad for immune system. To little and you'll have a sugar crash while working out. Weight training burns sugar (is anarobic excercise). You should still do some arobic exercise during the week to for your cardio and to burn some fat, because weights don't burn all that much fat. Also eat Knox gelatin mixed with some juice for flavor or mixed with Jello for flavor. Why? Because it provide nutrition for growing and rebuilding cartlidge, tendons, and ligaments. That's important to prevent injuries. You need your joints to grow stronger with your muscles so you don't get hurt.

 

Your appetite will increase, not only because of exertion and muscle mass gains, but also because it takes energy to keep all those muscles partly flexed all the time (muscle tone).

 

Jumping rope and stretching for 8 to 10 minutes BEFORE and jumping rope for 5 minutes AFTER weights is helpful because this prevents injuries, and it's been scientifically proven that stretching stimulus + weight stimulus increases strength gains. The warm down after is to remove lactic acid from your muscles so you don't get as sore and so they will grow faster. Lactic acid damages muscles and nerves. So you warm down to flush it out.

 

Hot tubs or Jacuzzi's are also helpful to remove lactic acid from muscles. A hot shower too. But NEVER do that right after working out because it's dangerous. I think heat stroke is the danger. Don't remember for sure.

 

Drink lots of water. Only eat as much as your appetite dictates. Protein supplements are not needed because the average American diet has way more protein than we need or use. It just comes out the other end and is wasted, normally. When you are lifting, the protein you eat in your normal diet will be used. Don't eat extra protein, unless you crave it in your appetite. If you do, tunafish packed in water is a convenient, safe, and healthy way to get extra protein in addition to your normal diet. But don't go crazy on protein or you can get dehydrated and that reduces your improvements and can harm your kidneys.

 

Extra sleep helps a lot because muscles grow mostly while you sleep. The less alcohol and caffeine, the better.

 

Also, reps of 10 with more weight add more muscle mass and strength than reps of 15 with less weight. However, reps of 15 add some strength and endurance.

 

At age 16 to 24 my muscles had their own muscles and I had less than 3% body fat. I learned this stuff from my High School weight coach and it works. However, it's healthier to have some extra fat. I wouldn't want to be that lean again.

 

Men and women are on equal terms for strength gains up to the point where nerves and muscles become 100% efficient and fully toned. After that, the body needs to add muscle mass to increase strength and men have an advantage there due to testosterone. However, you can add some mass to a female frame, and add a lot of tone and strength. Initially, you will only gain in strength, tone, and definition. Later, after a few months, you will start gaining muscle mass, assuming your reps are anywhere from 5 to 15 reps per set. I do not recommend 5 reps per set because that is to much weight and can cause injuries. 10 reps per set is safe and will eventually add muscle mass. 15 reps per set is safe and will eventually add a little bit of muscle mass and a lot of endurance. 20 or more reps per set will increase tone and endurance, but not increase strength much. 20 reps per set will not add muscle mass. I'm assuming you do anywhere from 2 to 5 sets, depending on which excercise, how much weight, etc.

 

My info was state of the art 15 to 20 years ago. I have no idea what things have changed in last 15 years.

[Kevin T]

I'm a female...19 yrs old. I grew up playing sports my whole life, crazy active...its just that I can't gain weight. I'm doing everything. My doc helped me change my diet (says my metabolism is crazy) and I eat plenty of protien and carbs...I rarely do any cardio anymore. I usually just bike because running makes me lose weight. I need some cardio though. I've only started lifting since early december. Its crazy I can add or gain a couple pounds in only a couple days. Its driving me crazy...thanks for the tips...more are welcome. I just feel so discouraged.

 

I think you're fighting an uphill, impossible battle. I'm the exact same way. Hell, you probably out weight me. In fact, I guarantee you do... and I don't even know what you weigh. EDIT: (Actually, I missed the part about you being female. Sorry. I REALLY hope you don't outweigh me, then I might as well just crawl under a rock and die already. lol)

 

Work out. Do that.

Life weights. Do that too.

Eat more. Not a problem, do that as well.

 

Gain weight? Nope.

 

It just doesn't happen. I imagine your metabolic rate is insanely high just as mine is, hell, just as my dad's is (and probably his before his and his before his). Sadly, your metabolism is genetic and there's nothing you can do to change that.

 

I'm not saying don't try... be all means. But don't expect to put on a lot of weight if your metabolism is ridiculously high, because it will never happen. Simply put, "our bodies aren't build that way." Sad, but true.

[TheRedQueen]

My friend drinks Ensure to gain weight, gross I know, but supposedly effective.

[easyguy]

Make nutrition your focus. Don't splurge to gain weight, as that is not the most healthy way to go about gaining weight. Eat a variety of foods, but do not deprive yourself of calories. 2500 calories a day is considered normal. If you can take in just a little more than that, you will gain weight... but it won't be an overnight process.

 

Don't try and do anything too fast if it involves your body and health of it. Be patient. The last thing you want to happen to you is to go into this with the unnatural way of doing it and adopting an eating disorder, or come out hurting yourself instead of helping it.

[charley]

My friend drinks Ensure to gain weight, gross I know, but supposedly effective.

 

Actually, it tastes rather good. Like a vanilla milkshake. I've only had one a time or two, but it tastes fine and is a convenient way to get some nutrition fast.

[melly11]

Hey thanks guys,

I am being patient...its not like I have recently decided to gain weight, its been for a looong time now. I appreciate everything you guys have said. Charley you had a lot of great advice...thank you.