Gaining weight

[Organized Chaos]

Apparently I'm clinically underweight, so I was wondering if there are some healthy ways to gain a few lbs. I tried the ice cream diet over the summer, and although I enjoyed it greatly , it hasn't worked for me. Would bread and pasta be a better way to go? Do you have any other suggestions?

 

[Nater_Tater]

Pump some IRON!!!!!

some guys dig chicks with muscles.

 

[fallen^sparrow]

What are your current stats regarding height, weight, bodytype and goals... how many pounds to you want to put on? It's pretty easy to just add pounds to your frame... it depends though on how clean you want them to be. Adding roughly 1 pound per week requires eating an extra ~500 calories per day. Talk to fitmom and/or have a read of the bodybuilding forums... bodybuilders are the experts in gaining and cutting diets. Read through the "Nutrition" and "Female Bodybuilding" or use the forums "SEARCH" utility. One thing you will see alot of is the word "protein", the building blocks for adding more muscle to your frame and not just additional bodyfat. Combine this with some basic core strength building exercises and I think you'll get where your wanting to go.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/

Personally I've had alot of success using nutritional drinks/shakes when I needed to gain a few pounds. There are a tonne of brands out there... each had roughtly 250 to 350 calories and 15 grams of protein. By having 1 or 2 a day you get the additional calories you need and you don't have to worry about adjusting your BMR diet, just eat as you normally do.

fallen^sparrow

 

[Organized Chaos]

Pump some IRON!!!!!

some guys dig chicks with muscles.

LMAO! I'll keep that in mind!

What are your current stats regarding height, weight, bodytype and goals... how many pounds to you want to put on?

I have a small frame, and I'm 5'8" and around 110 lbs. According to the charts, I should weigh at least 125 lbs, so I need to gain a minimum of 15 lbs. It's not a huge amount of weight to gain, but I've been at this weight for years and years (give or take a few pounds) so I'm not sure it will be so easy to gain those extra few pounds.

Adding roughly 1 pound per week requires eating an extra ~500 calories per day. Talk to fitmom and/or have a read of the bodybuilding forums... bodybuilders are the experts in gaining and cutting diets. Read through the "Nutrition" and "Female Bodybuilding" or use the forums "SEARCH" utility. One thing you will see alot of is the word "protein", the building blocks for adding more muscle to your frame and not just additional bodyfat. Combine this with some basic core strength building exercises and I think you'll get where your wanting to go.

I'll look into it! Thanks for the advice. I was concerned that additional exercise would cause me to drop more weight. In the past, whenever I've put forth the effort to exercise, I've lost weight and started looking gaunt. Maybe the combination of a high protein diet with exercise will get me up to a healthier weight.

Thanks again!

 

[Ave Maria]

Have you tried those mixes you can buy at places like GNC that are for gaining weight? Also, I think I heard that protein drinks help. However, you might want to work out. It's best to gain muscle weight rather than fat weight as muscle weight is much healthier. Don't worry though, I don't think you'll look like macho woman if you do gain a little muscle weight though. I think it's actually supposed to be hard for women to do that.

 

[Tuffguy]

Make sure you get a weight gainer not just a protien mix. Having 2 shakes/day will up your caloric intake by about 600-1200 calories. Go for the high carb gainers, like N-Large2. The chocolate tastes good. Buy from an online source. 10lbs cost about 30-35 bucks. GNC will charge you 45-50. Total rip off.

 

[Nater_Tater]

Have you tried those mixes you can buy at places like GNC that are for gaining weight? Also, I think I heard that protein drinks help. However, you might want to work out. It's best to gain muscle weight rather than fat weight as muscle weight is much healthier. Don't worry though, I don't think you'll look like macho woman if you do gain a little muscle weight though. I think it's actually supposed to be hard for women to do that.

unless they are steroid popping freaks of nature.....like that one woman from WWF. I don't care what she says, women don't have the natural testostorone level to beef up that much.

 

[fallen^sparrow]

I'd take it real slow at the start Chaos. Your obviously a very petite girl and have been for some time like you said. Start increasing your calories per day by a small amount and see how your body reacts over the first few weeks. Women in general tend to put on bodyfat alot easier then men in a similar circumstance. Wanting to put on 15 more pounds is a very large percentage change in your body weight. It takes time to build muscle as I'm sure you know. Body fat synthesis however, happens very rapidely as its essentially just moving calories from your digestive tract and transfering them to storage someplace on your bodies frame. Make small changes to your diet and give your body time to react positively to them... by building lean body mass.

fallen^sparrow

 

[pdp27]

How do you feel at your current weight? I don't particularly care for universal height/weight charts, since so many different variables for body composition exist. If you are happy and healthy(rarely get sick, have plenty of energy) at 110, I would suggest eating high quality whole foods and doing strength training exercises and let your weight take care of itself.

Paul