At a loss trying to put on weight!

Keitel

Hi all i hope i'm in the right place!

I'm looking for dietary advice on how to put on some weight.
I'm 26yrs old, 6"2' and i'm under 10 stone.

My BMI is completely out of proportion and i think my body fat is only around 11%.
It annoys me that no matter what or when i eat, it makes no difference to my weight at all. I've been just under 10 stone for they past 5/6 years without fluctuation. I feel i am too skinny for a guy in his mid 20s and i'd like to bulk up.
I tried doing weights for about 6 months but it made no difference, the reason (i think) is because my diet was all wrong.

I'm completely clueless where to start but i will take any advice given seriously.
Thanks.

EileenG

I'm guessing the basic problem is that you are not eating enough. If you want to bulk up, you have to lift weights AND eat serious amounts of food. Think 50% more than you are eating now. Heavy on the protein and carbs.

What are you eating now?

rubadub

Many thin/fat people think they eat normal amounts, but do not. All thin guys I know pick at food and just do not even enjoy food, most attack it like it is a chore to have to eat. If you do not have a weighing scales and are not actively measuring and calculating your portion sizes then there is no way of telling how much you are eating. 1 persons "ham sandwich" could have 5 times the calories as another persons. I know a big enough lad in work who would have 2/3 of a vienna roll as a sandwich.

Drinking a litre of full fat milk and 100g of nuts extra each day is an easy way to get in ~1300kcal per day.

Also many people who "do weights" are doing very bad routines which are not particularly effective, e.g. many thing that doing bicep curls is doing weights, when many people with good programs would not even bother doing them.

Check www.exrx.net and www.stronglifts.com

Keitel

Cheers Guys,Yeah, i'm possibly not eating enough, but i think my appetite is fairly good.My average weekly diet would be something like: 8.30: Cereal + Coffee + Croissant1.00: Footlong Subway / similar type sanwich or roll6.30: Dinner; Usually quite healty & filling like pasta, fish, steak, chicken or spagboll... always with veg; carrots, broc & cauli or beans etc..1 or 2 days a week i might just have a Pizza/junk out of laziness. 8-9pm: snack food (ham and cheese sambo)I dont drink much (if any water per day) usually just tea/coffee and i tend to eat on average 1 bag of crisps 1 choc bar per day.@EileenG, how/where do i fit in eating more?

Drinking a litre of full fat milk and 100g of nuts extra each day is an easy way to get in ~1300kcal per day

Thanks, i might give that a go. Re: weights, is it possible to get a workout without actually using them? i.e solely from pushups, chin ups & situps

seanybiker

jaysus boss thats skinny for yer height. I was trying dns ages to put on a few stone. Almost got to my target of 14 stone. I eat some load of crisps. Probably about 40-50 bags a week nom nom nom. Anytime I order a pizza I get a large just for meself ha ha. Tis great.

billyhead

Keitel,

Your eating a lot of crappy food their to be honest. The only way you will be able to bulk up is to eat about 6 meals a day including 1.5-2 litres of full fat milk and plenty of water. Spread out your meals to every 2-3 hours (never go hungry) and try and make sure the meals contain about 600 calories each but eat clean food and take up a heavy weight lifting program in the gym 3-4 days a week focussing on the heavy compound lifts. Eat plenty of fruit and veg but also porridge, sugar free muesli i.e alpen, steak, eggs, fish (tuna/salmon/sardines,makeral etc), lean meats such as chicken, Turkey, ham), nuts (also peanut butter) and good carbs i.e wholemeal rice, pasta and bread. Ensure you eat twice the amount calories you eat currently but dump the crisps and crossants, pizza etc (crap food). You will see improvements in no time if you adopt this approach.

Keitel wrote: »

Cheers Guys,Yeah, i'm possibly not eating enough, but i think my appetite is fairly good.My average weekly diet would be something like: 8.30: Cereal + Coffee + Croissant1.00: Footlong Subway / similar type sanwich or roll6.30: Dinner; Usually quite healty & filling like pasta, fish, steak, chicken or spagboll... always with veg; carrots, broc & cauli or beans etc..1 or 2 days a week i might just have a Pizza/junk out of laziness. 8-9pm: snack food (ham and cheese sambo)I dont drink much (if any water per day) usually just tea/coffee and i tend to eat on average 1 bag of crisps 1 choc bar per day.@EileenG, how/where do i fit in eating more?Thanks, i might give that a go. Re: weights, is it possible to get a workout without actually using them? i.e solely from pushups, chin ups & situps

Keitel

Thanks Billyhead, much appreciated.I'm gonna make a conscious effort to try and double the amount i eat from next week on. Also, to drink more water, milk & nuts! (Never knew nuts were good for weight gain. )Must start eating fruit aswell come to think of it.The only thing i cant do is lift weights as i'm not joined a gym nor can i afford to. I do exercise regularly though (cycling & swimming) so hopefully that'll be some consolation.

billyhead

Keitel,

You will need to forgoe to cycling and swimming because cardio i.e swimming and cycling will burn calories which you will need for bulking up. Can you not join a cheap gym somewhere to get access to weights. How about the YMCA gym in Aungier street or one of those council gyms. They usually have cheap membership. Cardio aint going to help with a bulk (and you need to put on weight lad) or the crows will soon start feeding on you when you go outside.

EileenG

Keitel wrote: »

Re: weights, is it possible to get a workout without actually using them? i.e solely from pushups, chin ups & situps

You can, but it's easier with weights.

Press-ups: standard, on floor. Also incline with hands on step. Or decline with feet on step or chairs. Graduate to one-armed press-ups.

Squats: basic body weight. Prisoner squat (hands behind head), overhead (hold light weights like water bottle above head). Jump squats. One leg squats.

Lunges. standing (ten on one side, then switch) and walking.

Step-ups and calf raises.

Wall shoulder press.

Crunch, V-ups, plank,

Weighted good morning (hold a weight to your chest while doing a bow type movement).

Vegeta

EileenG wrote: »

You can, but it's easier with weights.

Press-ups: standard, on floor. Also incline with hands on step. Or decline with feet on step or chairs. Graduate to one-armed press-ups.

Squats: basic body weight. Prisoner squat (hands behind head), overhead (hold light weights like water bottle above head). Jump squats. One leg squats.

Lunges. standing (ten on one side, then switch) and walking.

Step-ups and calf raises.

Wall shoulder press.

Crunch, V-ups, plank,

Weighted good morning (hold a weight to your chest while doing a bow type movement).

Chin ups and dips with weight are also great. They don't cost the earth either

EileenG

Oh yeah, forgot those. There are lots more, it's a matter of imagination. And actually doing the exercises.

Keitel

Thanks for this help guys, its great.

Now that i kinda know what to eat i better head to the Fitness forum to find out how to um.. use weights. :oI'll head down to YMCA place tommorrow to check out the prices etc too.

seo-ireland

Hi Keitel,

I was in a similar position to you last year. I'm 5' 8" but weighed just over 8.5 stone (55 kg). Not great for a 29 year old. I never used to exercise and frequently tried to bulk up by eating more but to no avail.

10 months later and I'm 1.5 stone (10 kg) heavier. Here is what worked for me:

- You must lift weights / workout at the gym. Ever part of your body should be worked on. I go 3 times a week, Monday is chest and triceps, Wednesday is legs, stomach and shoulders, Friday is biceps and back. Establish a routine and stick to it, no excuses! Make it an integral part of your life which you plan other things around not vice versa. Without training all other measures will be lost.

- Eat every 2-3 hours and never go hungry as a previous poster said. "Prevention" is better than "cure" so eat even before you start to feel the pangs of hunger.

- Eat lots of protein. I eat my fill of tuna, eggs and chicken. But also remember to eat a balanced diet. My flatmates make fun of me for having such a regimented, boring diet but it works for me and that's all I care about

- Invest in a decent protein powder and gainer powder. I drink 2 large protein shakes a day and also a gainer directly after the gym (gets your energy levels back up and also contains protein). These definitely have made a difference.

- Cut out the crap food such as fast food, crisps, chocolate bars etc... Don't drink beer the day before you train, you won't be able to lift anything and it'll demotivate you.

- Get a decent sleep, especially the night before you train.

- Weigh yourself in the morning and make a note of your progress. Also try to take photos of yourself so that you can see the difference visually. I did this for the first few months and by flicking through the photos you can see the muscle growing! (try to take yourself standing in the exact same position with the same lighting also).


At the beginning I was a little nervous and self conscious at the gym because everyone seemed to be heavier than me but now that I am an healthy, average weight my confidence has increased and I feel much, much healthier.

Best of luck!

Keitel

Woah, thanks seo-ireland for taking the time to write all that, seems like excellent advice!
Looking forward to putting it into practice.
Final (prob dumb) question, but should you eat before or after the gym?

slicus ricus

Keitel wrote: »

Woah, thanks seo-ireland for taking the time to write all that, seems like excellent advice!
Looking forward to putting it into practice.
Final (prob dumb) question, but should you eat before or after the gym?

Both. Ideally, you would want to eat a high in carb & protein meal about 1-2 hours before you start training. Then, after training, high in protein food is essential. Protein basically repairs the muscle you wear down while lifting weights which is why you need a lot of it to put on muscle mass. It's also a good idea to get some simple carbs (sugars, preferably glucose/dextrose) in after lifting as well, it gives your body an insulin spike.

niallith

hey everyone im currentlyhaving the same problem as keitel
i am 6'4 and only about 10.5stone my aim to get to at least 12.5-13 stone and hopefully gain some upper body strenght, going to the gym is out of the question for me so id havto try something at home for that, but could anyone
give a more accurate suggestion for a daily diet eg.
7-9am breakfast (cereal or whatever else)
11am sandwich
1pm "...."
3pm "...."
etc thanks alot

current diet is terrible to be honest, very little milk other than in cereal, about 1-1.5l of coke/7up a day maybe 2 toasted ham sandwiches a day, and dinner is usually just some waffles and some chicken burgers or something and a hot chicken roll in work , with some regular snakcing throughout the day (crisps and chocolate)

billyhead

First off. Stop eating the crappy food you currently do and start incorparting these into your diet. (eat every 2-3 hours) Also drink 2-3 LITRES of water (if not more) per day. Reduce your alcohol, tea/coffee intake and also drink plenty of milk (1-1.5 litres a day). Oh yeah and every time you take a crap make sure you eat something to replace what you excreted;)
ROOT VEGETABLES: beets, sweat potatoes, yams

GREEN VEGETABLES: asparagus, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cucumber, field greens, mixed salad greens, green beans, romaine lettuce, snap peas, and spinach

OTHER VEGETABLES: bell peppers, carrots, celery, eggplant, mushrooms, soybeans, squash, tomatoes, organic (low sodium) vegetable soup (be careful in the selection).

○ Try eating 5 to 6 smaller meals during the day

But if your lifestyle will prevent eating frequently, do not get all upset. The main issue is getting your calories and nutrition for the day.

○ Balance your meals out during the day so in one day you have a mix of Protein, Carbohydrate and good Fats

○ Drink lots of water during the day and before, during and after exercise

○ Simple Carb Examples: (Various fruit) Grapefruit, Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Strawberries, Oranges, Apples, Pineapple, etc

○ Complex Carb Examples: Whole Wheat Pita Bread, Oatmeal, Long Grain Brown Rice, Brown Pasta, Malto-Meal (Plain, whole
wheat),etc

Difference between Brown and White Rice:

There is no difference between them until the milling process removes the outer husk layer leaving a bright white kernal.

Brown Rice simply is rice with the outer natural husk still attached.

IMO and from what I have read, the husk contains most of the nutrients, fiber, and bran. Therefore Brown Rice is slightly more nutrient dense than White Rice. The Carbohydrate content between brown and white rice are "virtually" the same. I have seen different reports on the GI score between Brown and White Rice. But overall Brown Rice tends to get the lower score than white rice (50, 69, respectively).


○ Good Protein Examples: White or Dark Tuna, Chicken Breast, Lean Turkey, Lean Ham, Very lean Beef, Quality Whey Protein Powder, etc

And, I add Bison to this list.

○ Good Fats Examples: Natural Peanut Butter, Avocados, Various Nuts, Flax Seed, Fish Oils.

○ Dietary Fiber: Whole Grains (Bran), Some fruits (like Apples), and vegetables, nuts and seeds

Dietary Fiber


And, I will provide cereal suggestions:

1. Steel Cut Oats, Old Fashioned Cut Oats, and Regular Cut Oats (quick cook type), in large containers.

2. Various types of Go Lean Kashi cereals.

3. Fiber-One. (60 calories per 1/2 Cup, and source of fiber)

4. Grape Nuts

GRAPE-NUTS:

Ingredients: WHOLE GRAIN WHEAT FLOUR, WHEAT FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, SALT, DRIED YEAST, SOY LECITHIN. VITAMINS AND MINERALS: REDUCED IRON, NIACINAMIDE, ZINC OXIDE (SOURCE OF ZINC), VITAMIN B6, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2), THIAMIN MONONITRATE (VITAMIN B1), FOLIC ACID, VITAMIN B12, VITAMIN D.

Its devoid of any "added in" sugars, and from what I have read on Lecithin, this is used in many bread products for various reasons, and isnt a bad ingredient.

5. Shredded Wheat and Shredded Wheat and Bran: (NOT SUGAR TOPPED)

POST SHREDDED WHEAT ORIGINAL SPOON SIZE

Ingredients: WHOLE GRAIN WHEAT

TO PRESERVE THE NATURAL WHEAT FLAVOR, BHT IS ADDED TO THE PACKAGING MATERIAL--If you dont like perservatives, dont select this one
==========================================================
Post Shredded Wheat and Bran

Ingredients: WHOLE GRAIN WHEAT AND WHEAT BRAN.

TO PRESERVE THE NATURAL WHEAT FLAVOR, BHT IS ADDED TO THE PACKAGING MATERIAL. If you dont like perservatives, dont select this one

Both are devoid of any "added in" sugars.


Alpen No Sugar Added Cereal

Serving size: 2/3 cup servings per container:7

calories:200
total fat:3g
sodium:30mg
potassium: 250mg
total carbohydrate:40g
sugars:7g (mostly from raisins)
protein:7g

Ingredients: rolled oats, whole wheat, raisins, pearled barley, roasted hazelnuts, skim milk powder, whey powder, sliced almonds, malt extract. 14 ounce box



Alpen No Sugar Added Cereal

This naturally delicious swiss style cereal has no added sugar or salt and is very low fat. A combination of oats, wheat, barley with raisins and roasted hazelnuts and almonds makes this a healthy alternative for your morning meal.


Heres a agood weblink to read

http://bodybuilding.about.com/od/nutritionbasics/a/bulkingupdiet.htm

Carawaystick

billyhead wrote: »

Difference between Brown and White Rice:

There is no difference between them until the milling process removes the outer husk layer leaving a bright white kernal.

Brown Rice simply is rice with the outer natural husk still attached.

IMO and from what I have read, the husk contains most of the nutrients, fiber, and bran. Therefore Brown Rice is slightly more nutrient dense than White Rice. The Carbohydrate content between brown and white rice are "virtually" the same. I have seen different reports on the GI score between Brown and White Rice. But overall Brown Rice tends to get the lower score than white rice (50, 69, respectively).

If a brown rice grain contains "other stuff" (fibre/bran etc) then obviously a hundred grammes of brown rice will have less carbohydrate than white rice, as the nutrients will replace the starch of the white rice.
this assumes you don't count insouble fibre as carbohydrate, as you get no calories from it.

vard

Whether or not you eat a lot, what it comes down to is that you're not eating enough.

Sounds like you have a high metabolism and have been consuming less calories than you burn.

All you need to do is up your calorie intake.

Try do some weights and get a good protein shake too and you should start going the right way.