Help Tinker683 gain weight

[tinker683]

Hello all,

With so many threads about losing weight, I thought I might change things up and actually ask for some advice/tips/guidelines/support/etc.. about the problem that I have, which is GAINING weight.

Some things about me: I'm 6'0", 136 lbs and only somewhat active (I'd say 60% sedentary,40% active). In my freetime I'm using watching TV, playing video games, or reading a book but I also go out ballroom dancing (which is very active but strain me or tire me out very much) once or twice a week and I also am learning kung fu (which is VERY physically intense and leaves me sore for a couple of days) also once or twice a week. I also like to go for long walks everyday to think about stuff and sort things out.

I am both lactose and soy intolerant, which can work for and against me sometimes. It prevents me from eating or consuming things that are "bad" for you but it can sometimes prevent me from eating things that are good or helpful for me as well. Also, I don't like eating "junk" type foods as they always make me feel like shit.

During the day I am primarily in my office and the level of activity I have varies from day to do. I am a real estate property manager and the maintenance coordinator for my company so most of the time I'm at my desk working on my Macbook and but other times I am bouncing around the county doing inspections, showings, and getting supplies for vendors and such.

My target weight is between 150-160 lbs (so 15 to 20 lbs give or take). I like being lean, but I wouldn't adding some definition or tone to my body. Actually exercising and taking time out to do that is a motivational issue for me. The mornings work best for me as I feel fresh and ready to go then but working out after work in the late afternoon/evening can be a challenge but my job, while not very physically stressful, is very mentally stressful and by the end of the day....I'm just burnt out and want to destress.

Diet wise, I just eat whatever I feel like (provided it has no soy or dairy in it) whenever I'm hungry. I really hate trying to feed myself when I'm not hungry because it feels wasteful and stupid. I have a very fast metabolism (which is a blessing). Generally I like to eats lots of fruits and veggies and carbs but meat wise I prefer lean, well cooked meats. By well cooked I mean not fried or really greasy as greasy and really sugary foods make me feel like shit, the exception to this being Bar-B-Q. I'm born and bred in the south, I love me my BBQ

Exercise wise I'm starting small and working things into my routine slowly. I often feel one of the biggest reasons people fall out of exercise routines or plans is because they try to change too much too fast and they can't handle it. Right now I'm doing push ups, sit ups, and squats in the mornings with usually a set of 5-10 of each and as many reps as needed until my body says "NO MORE!". Cardio-wise I do walking and some bike riding every now and then, I don't like high impact stuff. I also practice my kung fu forms which, after a time, can become physically draining (which my Shifu told me is part of the idea, it trains my body to move the way I need too).

I have a *very* fast metabolism which I know is a huge blessing. I've *always* been the skinny guy my whole life and the only time I've cared about what I eat is because of how it makes me feel after the fact, not because it gave me any weight. The most I've ever weighed is 173 lbs and that was because I was on Seroquel and Effexor at the time. I dropped to my current weight as soon as I got off of those pills back in 2007 and have been around 135 lbs ever since.

What I need from you guys

1) Thoughts, perspectives, and experiences in trying to gain weight yourself. Being an Si-dom, I figure the sharing of experiences would be most beneficial for me

2) Motivation! I need someone to cheer me on and keep pushing me.

Thanks! Looking forward to responses

 

[FDG]

Supposing your activity levels remains roughly the same: Add some weigth training (once a week is enough) and eat more carbs (rice, pasta and dark bread). If you have a fast metabolism, this is the easiest way; the carbs will be burnt "fast" and your body will have some reserves to "put on", so to speak. The best time to try and eat more is right after a workout (or rather, after 40-50 minutes), such that you will surely be hungry.

If you do this, you won't even need a lot of motivation, since it'll likely be extremely easy.

 

[The Ü™]

There's a restaurant called the Heart Attack Grill on the corner of Fremont Street and Las Vegas Blvd. They have a burger there with 9,000 calories. And that doesn't include the fries and a milkshake garnished with butter.

If traveling is not an option, eat mayo out of the jar. Eat bacon cooked in lard and glazed with butter. And of course, you'll have to give up bad habits such as ballroom dancing and eating vegetables and lean meat. Play video games and do some computer programming instead, with bags of potato chips by your side (okay, technically they're vegetables). Smoke weed to increase your appetite (technically another vegetable). We need to bring that metabolism down to a crawl, and then you will become PürOCM™.

 

[Guy V. Malaxia]

There's only so much to be gained from body-based exercises (push ups, sit ups, weightless squats, etc.). I suggest you start an intense lifting program centralized around the three core compound exercises: the dead lift, squat, and bench press. A balanced regimen with all three will give you the kinds of results you want.

What I need from you guys

1) Thoughts, perspectives, and experiences in trying to gain weight yourself. Being an Si-dom, I figure the sharing of experiences would be most beneficial for me

Last fall I entered college at around 130 lbs, 5' 11". Similarly to you, I was born with a thin frame and a high metabolism. A typical long-distance runner's body. I decided to shake things up and see how much weight I could gain by revamping my diet and trying an intense exercise regimen of weightlifting. Since then I have gained around 35-40 pounds and seen dramatic increases in strength, productivity, and overall well-being.

2) Motivation! I need someone to cheer me on and keep pushing me.

Don't be fret about being intimidated! I was pretty much lost and had no idea what I was doing when I first started, but by tenaciously consulting friends and peers and also doing quite a bit of research online about nutrition and exercise science in general, weightlifting has become a newfound passion of mine.

It helps to have a social group to which you can report your concerns, experiences, progress, etc. Some fitness clubs could help with that, or it may be as simple as joining some forum groups and discussing your experiences there, like I did. It helped me on days when I felt particularly discouraged and thought I couldn't do it.

 

[pollyfes]

I think really some nice work outs and exercise suggestions by Guy V. Malaxia, but adding little more, that along with such exercise and weight lifting also need to have a proper diet plan with some really healthy food. Increase the amount of fat and calories you take in your diet with some banana shakes and other juices which would also help you in gaining weight and strengthening your physic.

 

[Giggly]

Someone really should write a book about this. There is not much info out there about it.

Maybe we can start our own forum about this, Tinker.

I am skinny and would like to gain weight too so I am no expert, but my intuition tells me that you should not start by working out heavily or lifting weight, but by GRADUALLY eating more. I say gradually so you get used to it and make sure your diet is heavier on the proteins (fast-acting and slow-acting). Try to fill your stomach before bedtime too. Once you begin to get a little body mass then you can start weight lifting, but avoid cardio. Keep increasing your caloric intake until you feel comfortable and start seeing a pattern of weight/muscle gain. If you want more fatty tissue, like I do, then go easy on the exercise.

 

[skylights]

I'm no expert, but I support your endeavors and I have two nuggets of knowledge from the fitness gurus in my life

My brother has gotten "buff" over the last few years. He's always been skinny (still is, TINY waist), but has gained muscle mass through weight training and protein shakes/bars.

A friend of mine in college who's going to be a dietician also explained to me that we have two different types of "twich" fibers in our muscles, slow and fast, and we can emphasize either. The slow expend energy and "burn out" less quickly, while the fast are great for energy bursts. Muscle bulk and pure strength come from fast-twitch fibers - think of a thick sprinter's body, versus the lean, skinny slow-twitch muscle of a distance runner. So instead of doing long cardio and lots of reps on low weight, to bulk up, you want to do a smaller amount of reps on heavier weight with short, fast bursts of cardio.

 

[Rasofy]

I suggest you start an intense lifting program centralized around the three core compound exercises: the dead lift, squat, and bench press. A balanced regimen with all three will give you the kinds of results you want.

Excelent tip, and worked very well for me. So well that I had to stop weight lifting and switch to muay thai to start burning fat.

I suggest 3 workout sessions per week, as your muscles need recovery to grow. It would be wiser to cut down the kung fu to once a week max.

So instead of doing long cardio and lots of reps on low weight, to bulk up, you want to do a smaller amount of reps on heavier weight

Also this.

And perhaps you could try some weight gain supplement, as they seem to help a lot with calorie intake increasing. I don't know enough about them to give good recommendations though.

 

[Riva]

Please stop your Kung Fu crap. Kung Fu and Wushu not only burns fat, if I am not mistaken they exhaust/burn muscles too.

I am yet to see a Kung Fu/Wushu practitioner who looks atleast okay. All the practitioners I've seen look butt ugly skinny.

It's a highly impractical method of self defense. Try Judo or Jijitsu or maybe even boxing if you want to learn how to stay fit and fight.

 

[Guy V. Malaxia]

It's also worth mentioning that extended periods of LISS cardio are actually catabolic. Running for several miles at a jogging pace one or two times a week can actually reduce overall muscle mass and testosterone/cortisol levels. With that in mind you should stay away from the treadmills and focus on squats for leg work. Tough leg routines actually stimulate the body to release growth hormone, which in turn helps with the development of smaller muscle groups all over the body.

 

[Winds of Thor]

Just eat carbs and protein and fats. If you already do, eating more should do the trick. Making sure to combine the three beause if you do mostly protein/fats with low carbs you'll get skinny again.

Please stop your Kung Fu crap. Kung Fu and Wushu not only burns fat, if I am not mistaken they exhaust/burn muscles too.

I am yet to see a Kung Fu/Wushu practitioner who looks atleast okay. All the practitioners I've seen look butt ugly skinny.

It's a highly impractical method of self defense. Try Judo or Jijitsu or maybe even boxing if you want to learn how to stay fit and fight.

How is your progress going?

 

[tinker683]

Hello all,

Thanks for all the feedback and responses! I'll post my responses

Supposing your activity levels remains roughly the same: Add some weigth training (once a week is enough) and eat more carbs (rice, pasta and dark bread). If you have a fast metabolism, this is the easiest way; the carbs will be burnt "fast" and your body will have some reserves to "put on", so to speak. The best time to try and eat more is right after a workout (or rather, after 40-50 minutes), such that you will surely be hungry.

If you do this, you won't even need a lot of motivation, since it'll likely be extremely easy.

Good to know! I only started this whole process very shortly before making this post. Upon reading your reply I've since switched some things around (white rice with brown, whole wheat bread instead of italian bread, etc..). My weight lifting younger brother told me something similar about eating after a work out so I've been doing that as well.

Thank you!

There's only so much to be gained from body-based exercises (push ups, sit ups, weightless squats, etc.). I suggest you start an intense lifting program centralized around the three core compound exercises: the dead lift, squat, and bench press. A balanced regimen with all three will give you the kinds of results you want.

Last fall I entered college at around 130 lbs, 5' 11". Similarly to you, I was born with a thin frame and a high metabolism. A typical long-distance runner's body. I decided to shake things up and see how much weight I could gain by revamping my diet and trying an intense exercise regimen of weightlifting. Since then I have gained around 35-40 pounds and seen dramatic increases in strength, productivity, and overall well-being.

Don't be fret about being intimidated! I was pretty much lost and had no idea what I was doing when I first started, but by tenaciously consulting friends and peers and also doing quite a bit of research online about nutrition and exercise science in general, weightlifting has become a newfound passion of mine.

It helps to have a social group to which you can report your concerns, experiences, progress, etc. Some fitness clubs could help with that, or it may be as simple as joining some forum groups and discussing your experiences there, like I did. It helped me on days when I felt particularly discouraged and thought I couldn't do it.

Your post was extremely helpful, thank you for posting

I'm just now transitioning from a mostly sedentary life with occasionally going out dancing or practicing martial arts to occasionally practicing martial arts and going out dancing and doing a lot more exercise. I'm starting off with body basic exercises to warm myself up and get my body up to a place to where I could throw myself at the weights and not hurt myself. I've already injured myself a couple of times at my martial arts classes, once that causes me to be able to do nothing but limp around for a few weeks, and I'm trying to keep that down to minimum

The reason I'm posting here is to find that support group. Some of the guys in my kung fu class are also very supportive so that helps as well

I think really some nice work outs and exercise suggestions by Guy V. Malaxia, but adding little more, that along with such exercise and weight lifting also need to have a proper diet plan with some really healthy food. Increase the amount of fat and calories you take in your diet with some banana shakes and other juices which would also help you in gaining weight and strengthening your physic.

If you know any banana shakes that don't have soy or milk in them, I'm all ears.

Someone really should write a book about this. There is not much info out there about it.

Maybe we can start our own forum about this, Tinker.

No there's an idea

I am skinny and would like to gain weight too so I am no expert, but my intuition tells me that you should not start by working out heavily or lifting weight, but by GRADUALLY eating more. I say gradually so you get used to it and make sure your diet is heavier on the proteins (fast-acting and slow-acting). Try to fill your stomach before bedtime too. Once you begin to get a little body mass then you can start weight lifting, but avoid cardio. Keep increasing your caloric intake until you feel comfortable and start seeing a pattern of weight/muscle gain. If you want more fatty tissue, like I do, then go easy on the exercise.

Very wise, but I'm a tad impatient and want to start working some exercise routines into my day now. But yes, eating more is a definite must. I just hate eating when I'm not hungry, it feels contrived and it irritates me. I'll probably have to do that, but right now I'm resisting that and just eating when I'm hungry or feel like eating something.

I'm no expert, but I support your endeavors and I have two nuggets of knowledge from the fitness gurus in my life

My brother has gotten "buff" over the last few years. He's always been skinny (still is, TINY waist), but has gained muscle mass through weight training and protein shakes/bars.

All the protein shakes and bars that I've been able to find at my grocery stores have milk and/or soy in them so I'm thinking my protein shakes are going to have to be the Rocky Balboa kind

A friend of mine in college who's going to be a dietician also explained to me that we have two different types of "twich" fibers in our muscles, slow and fast, and we can emphasize either. The slow expend energy and "burn out" less quickly, while the fast are great for energy bursts. Muscle bulk and pure strength come from fast-twitch fibers - think of a thick sprinter's body, versus the lean, skinny slow-twitch muscle of a distance runner. So instead of doing long cardio and lots of reps on low weight, to bulk up, you want to do a smaller amount of reps on heavier weight with short, fast bursts of cardio.

This is VERY useful and good to know. I'll keep this in mind with m

I suggest 3 workout sessions per week, as your muscles need recovery to grow. It would be wiser to cut down the kung fu to once a week max.

Good to know, I'll definitely keep this in mind. I do NOT want to hurt myself.

And perhaps you could try some weight gain supplement, as they seem to help a lot with calorie intake increasing. I don't know enough about them to give good recommendations though.

For economic reasons I'd like to try to avoid supplements but I know it's something I may have to consider. Thank you though.

Please stop your Kung Fu crap. Kung Fu and Wushu not only burns fat, if I am not mistaken they exhaust/burn muscles too.

I am yet to see a Kung Fu/Wushu practitioner who looks atleast okay. All the practitioners I've seen look butt ugly skinny.

It's a highly impractical method of self defense. Try Judo or Jijitsu or maybe even boxing if you want to learn how to stay fit and fight.

My Shifu has about the build that I would like and I've seen him take down guys 2-3 times his size. He's also evidently has a great deal of stamina and is able to do a lot of physical training and keep up with guys that do this stuff regularly in the army (He works with the local Guard unit as a private contractor). No, he's not big and bulky, but none of us or some of the guys he spares with would want to really get in to it with him.

Some of the guys that are in my class come from Kido or Karate schools and they're pretty big guys, so you may be on to something, but from what I've seen, I'm good with it. I like the class, I like how it makes me feel, so I'm content with it for now.

I am learning self defense in it but it's not the primary reason I went and still go there. As trite as this may sound, I'm going there for the physical AND the emotional and mental benefits as well. The school I go to is a very traditional Chinese school and has elements of Tai Chi, QiGong, and Taoism and I really like that. The word "Kung Fu" literally translates to "Work Skill" (or maybe the other way around) but basically "Skill gained through hard work". It's not just self defense, it's a frame of mind, a way of being, and I really like that.

But...still, what you said has merit and bears consideration so I'll keep that in mind as this goes along. I like the fluidity of Kung Fu but a friend of mine teaches JuJitsu so I may talk to him, bounce some things off of him.

It's also worth mentioning that extended periods of LISS cardio are actually catabolic. Running for several miles at a jogging pace one or two times a week can actually reduce overall muscle mass and testosterone/cortisol levels. With that in mind you should stay away from the treadmills and focus on squats for leg work. Tough leg routines actually stimulate the body to release growth hormone, which in turn helps with the development of smaller muscle groups all over the body.

Very useful info, thank you! I'll keep this in mind

Just eat carbs and protein and fats. If you already do, eating more should do the trick. Making sure to combine the three beause if you do mostly protein/fats with low carbs you'll get skinny again.

Really? That's interesting, I'd figure that would just make me fat

How is your progress going?

I JUST started so right...much of no where. Right now I'm trying to discipline myself to doing pushups and such every day and thus far I've stayed on track so I'm proud of that at least. I'm also adding more to my diet, which is kind of tricky as I'm trying to stay within a food budget, eat right, but also find time to get enough juggling what can at times be a hectic schedule.

So it's been a bit tricky thus far, but I feel really good so I'll keep on grooving and the good times rolling

 

[Giggly]

*considers joining you in the weight gain challenge*

Just remember to keep eating more.

 

[tinker683]

*considers joining you in the weight gain challenge*

Just remember to keep eating more.

Yersh. Must eat moar!

And yeah, we can call "The ISFJ Weight Race!" or something much more marketable that I just can't think up right now

 

[Giggly]

Yersh. Must eat moar!

And yeah, we can call "The ISFJ Weight Race!" or something much more marketable that I just can't think up right now

No, just "Weight gain challenge' so anybody can join. I, for one, would not be racing. It would be more of challenge to myself. I think being speedy about it is not for me. I think the more comfortable it is, the more it will become habit and just be. I supposed deadlines and goals are good though. Gives you a type of motivation.

 

[skylights]

All the protein shakes and bars that I've been able to find at my grocery stores have milk and/or soy in them so I'm thinking my protein shakes are going to have to be the Rocky Balboa kind

My bad, hur dur

You'll probably laugh, but I have a thought. What about that stew that sumo wrestlers eat to gain bulk? Chankonabe. It's just like chicken broth with lots of meat in it. Lots of protein, some veggies. And lots of rice. Not that you have to eat that, but it's the ratios that are useful. Keeping your diet low on fat and sugar but high on protein and calories ought to make you gain the right kind of weight.

Just eat a steak after every workout

 

[tinker683]

No, just "Weight gain challenge' so anybody can join. I, for one, would not be racing. It would be more of challenge to myself. I think being speedy about it is not for me. I think the more comfortable it is, the more it will become habit and just be. I supposed deadlines and goals are good though. Gives you a type of motivation.

I was making a joke Giggly-chan

But yes, that's a good idea

My bad, hur dur

You'll probably laugh, but I have a thought. What about that stew that sumo wrestlers eat to gain bulk? Chankonabe. It's just like chicken broth with lots of meat in it. Lots of protein, some veggies. And lots of rice. Not that you have to eat that, but it's the ratios that are useful. Keeping your diet low on fat and sugar but high on protein and calories ought to make you gain the right kind of weight.

Incidentally that's what my diet looks like now. Me likes Asian food

Just eat a steak after every workout

I like this idea! Dunno how expensive it would be or what sort of havoc that might wreak on my health/digestive system....but it's a tasty idea

 

[Giggly]

I was making a joke Giggly-chan

But yes, that's a good idea

Oh sorry.

I'm way too serious today.

 

[Habba]

Guy V Malaxia already covered the topic pretty well. Not going to repeat (too much) what he said.

In short, I believe that strength excercises are the best (as he suggested). Nutrion might be something like 1/3 of each (fats, proteins and carbs). You should give your body few days of rest after each excercise, and it might be even helpful to keep shifting workouts to give longer perionds of rest to your body. Muscles grow only when you rest. You might also want to look for Arnold's Golden Six training program.

I am both lactose and soy intolerant, which can work for and against me sometimes. It prevents me from eating or consuming things that are "bad" for you but it can sometimes prevent me from eating things that are good or helpful for me as well. Also, I don't like eating "junk" type foods as they always make me feel like shit.

Don't you have lactose-free variants? At least here in Finland you can have anything as a lactose-free variant. And there's also lactose-pills, too?

My target weight is between 150-160 lbs (so 15 to 20 lbs give or take). I like being lean, but I wouldn't adding some definition or tone to my body. Actually exercising and taking time out to do that is a motivational issue for me. The mornings work best for me as I feel fresh and ready to go then but working out after work in the late afternoon/evening can be a challenge but my job, while not very physically stressful, is very mentally stressful and by the end of the day....I'm just burnt out and want to destress.

Physical excercising is actually very good way to destress. And if you are physically tired, you might need to check your nutrition. After few times of after-work excercising, you'll actually notice how it will make you more energetic.

2) Motivation! I need someone to cheer me on and keep pushing me.

Set yourself a clear goal and make sure it's measurable. Then keep measuring yourself on steady intervals (daily, weekly, depending on metrics) and witness progress. I'm currently in progress of weight loss, and I've kept a daily weight log. It really encourages me to see actual results (on paper).

Scheduling your exercise is also vital to your motivation. If you do not have a set system for something, your mind is constantly looking for excusess not to do it ("I'm tired today, I'll just do it tomorrow"). I mean, your job is by far a more demanding task, yet you do it almost automatically since you do not really have an option to skip a day. Right?

 

[Guy V. Malaxia]

I'm just now transitioning from a mostly sedentary life with occasionally going out dancing or practicing martial arts to occasionally practicing martial arts and going out dancing and doing a lot more exercise. I'm starting off with body basic exercises to warm myself up and get my body up to a place to where I could throw myself at the weights and not hurt myself. I've already injured myself a couple of times at my martial arts classes, once that causes me to be able to do nothing but limp around for a few weeks, and I'm trying to keep that down to minimum

Ha. I know the feeling. I went from a primarily sedentary life to hitting the gym five, sometimes six days a week. It rocked my poor little body.

Let me know how it goes for you!