I have been tryna gain weight?? is there any soultion?

Question

I have not been able to gain weight since my freashman year in high school. i am a sophmore in college now. I can't seem to get past 120 pound. I been struggling to get over 120 pounds for a while now.. i was told to drink slim fast with my meals. but that does not seem to help. Plus i hate the taste of slim fast. is there any other solutions???

Answer 1

Hi there :)

I'm a personal trainer (ISSA certified) and have the opportunity to meet many people like you. There are many factors that paly a major role in our physiques: Age, gender, genetics, current eating habits, exercising, etc. There is no a single / simple answer, nor the same answer for everyone. What works for others might not work for you. What works for you might not work for me, etc.

The first thing I urge you to do is to throw away that slim-fast crap!!

Second, you are a teenager, your body has a lot of energy demands because you are growing up. Therefore, you burn calories even while doing nothing. This will go on until you are about 25 or so. The word is testosterone!

I will need a lot more information from you, in order to make an accurate assessment. However, one thing you need to remember is "don't get desperate". Also, you need to learn what works for you and the effects of food in our metabolisms.

These are some basic suggestions, based on the little information you are providing:

1. Eat a minimum of 5 - 6 meals every day. Every meal must be a combination of protein, carbs and fats. Eat protein first!

2. This is a list of good protein, carbs and fats that you might want to start including in your meals:

- Protein: Chicken breast, Turkey breast, Lean cuts of pork, beef, bison, lamb, etc.; Fish (specially fatty fish like wild alaskan salmon, tuna, cod), Eggs, MRP (meal replacement protein) such as whey, egg, casein, etc. Cottage cheese, swiss cheese, feta cheese.

- Good starches: Old fashioned oats (the type that cooks in 5 minutes), brown rice, lentils, sweet potatoes or yams, spaghetti squash

- All kind of veggies and leafs: Green beans, broccolli, squash, zuchini, asparagus, lettuce, spinach... anything that is green!

- Fruits: All tpe of berries, apples, peaches, cantaloupe

- Good fats: Natural peanut butter (ingredients must be salt and peanuts only), Natural almond butter, pistachios, Fish oil, flaxseed oil, Borage oil

3. Clean your act!! Next is a list of foods that you must avoid. Why? Well, it has to do with the glycemic index (long to explain):

- Any kind of alcoholic beverages or coffee

- Complex (bad) carbs like: instant oatmeal, cream of wheat, mufins, any type of bread or bagels, white rice, pizza, cookies, chips and potatoes, all types of cereal (except for old-fashioned oatmeal), pancakes, tacos, etc.

- Fruits and veggies with high glycemic index such as: Bananas, oranges, mangos, carrots, papaya, grapes, orange juice,

- Plain sugar additions such as: Honey, Syrup, jams and jellies, candy, ice-cream, etc., not-natural peanut butter (it has "sugar" in the ingredient list).

4. You shall respond well to free-weight lifting. Leave the machines alone. Try to work out no more than 1 or 2 major muscle groups every day. For example:
- Day 1: Legs, buttocks and calves
- Day 2: Shoulders and traps
- Day 3: Off
- Day 4: Back
- Day 5: Chest
- Day 6: Arms and forearms
- Day 7: Off

Limit your workouts to 40-45 minutes total. Plan 6-7 exercises per workout, trying to target all the angles of the specific muscle group.

5. Please don't do any cardio. Not even as a warm-up. Cardio releases glycogen, which in shuts off muscle response. Instead, pick a couple of exercises to go light for a couple of sets. That's a good warm up.

6. Don't be afraid to go beyond your comfort zone. Instead of doing a ton of reps, opt for 3-4 sets of no more than 6-8 reps per set. That way you will be able to lift heavier and pump your heart rate.

7. Finally, here is an example of what a possible meal plan would look for you. This would help you to put on some good quality muscle, while gaining minimum fat:

Meal 1: Old-fashioned oats (cooked in water) with some cinnamon. Don't add sugar. 3-4 egg whites omelet and 1 table-spoon of natural peanut or almond butter

Meal 2: Lentils soup, chicken breast, some berries or an apple and another table-spoon of natural peanut or almond butter.

Meal 3: Brown rice, veggies and a lean cut of red meat. Take some efas like fish oil or flax seed oil

Meal 4: Spaghetti squash, with wild alaskan salmon and a large serving of salad. Add some efas like olive oil dressing

Meal 5: Cottage cheese or a serving of red meat. Some veggies and efas

Somewhere in between you might need to go work out, right? Try to work out 1 hour after eating your meal. After working out, get a protein shake. Generally whey or egg protein are good choices for a post-work out shake. There are some other options available in the market. Either Cytosport or Isopure have good MRP's. Read the label! Try to avoid those that contain any maltodextrin or soy. Add some berries and peanut butter and enjoy!!

Also, depending on your age and your level of activities during the day, you might need to supplement with a good multi-vitamin and some BCAA's (essential amino-acids).

I'll be happy to be more accurate on my advise. Feel free to shoot me an e-mail or IM at yahoo.

Answer 2

i would reccomend a diet with plenty of healthy fats. pack on olives, olive oil, fish fats and stuff like that.
ditch that slim fast and get some fresh, reduced fat ones instead (fresh as in they're not made with milk solid, or 1%milk. it's 100% milk), and eggs, cheese, yougrt and meats to up the protien, plus healthy carbohydrates like unpolished rice, potatoes and fruits and veggies.
forget about 3 square meals a day. it's best to feed your body steadily throughout the day. try to eat 5 to 6 meals a day instead.
but i'll warn you against going hog wild on fast food and stuff like that, though eating them once a week would be fine. and avoid trans fat at all costs. this mutant fat will ruin you.
all these are to be backed up with a sound bodybuilding programme. find a book from the local library, but skip the supplements, altough most books and magazines tend to tell you to take them.don't! they're an overstatement and a waste of money.
finally, do take plenty of rest. at least 8 hours a day,10 if you can afford to. your body needs it.

Answer 3

Increase your calorie intake without increasing fat and sugar intake. Eat starchy grains, such as potatoes (baked potatoes with sour cream), carrots, rice, pasta, bread. Drink more fluids that supply calories; milk, fruit juices. Be sure to include a protein source at each meal- dried nuts, cottage cheese, eggs, beans. Avocados and peanut butter are a good source of fatty spreads.
Toasted bagels with cottage cheese and avocados (tiny bit of garlic pepper)are really yummy. Try to increase your calorie intake by 1000 a day.

Answer 4

Protein and Carbs.stuff yourself until you feel uncomfortable when your done eating . you should probably start eating alot of mexican food (meats beans tortillas) dont run, just lift heavy (anything you can only lift 5 times or less) run a little like for 20 minutes or less a day. fast food will get you up there fast too.tuna all that stuff

Answer 5

are you underweight or do you have an eating disorder? if so then i understand your question.

some people have higher metabolisms than others. this can be genetic or it can be a medical problem (hyperthyroidism).

if you want to gain weight, weight training may help gain muscle mass and up your weight. you can also eat more healthy snacks throughout the day to accompany your training.

Answer 6

Drink a good protein shake after every meal

Answer 7

why would you want to gain weight for? You seem pretty healthy to me. You could however try to build up your muscles. That might be what you should do, rather then gaining weight.

Answer 8

drink banana milkshake,or mango milkshake,try using more carbohydrates in ur diet

Answer 9

sorry i dont understand why you would want to gain weight?!?!

Answer 10

ssshhh... geeze.
Eat more fattening foods