Any advice on gaining weight, please?

[royohz]

Hey people! This is something that's been bothering me for a while, and especially the last year. I'm an 18 year old male, I have celiac disease, (most probably) ADD, I'm vegetarian and I've got high combustion. For a while now I've been trying to gain some weight because I'm rather skinny, and it's become kind of a major confidence issue in the last couple of years. I've always been very thin, and it hasn't become any worse since I decided to stop eating meat, so please don't start with that. I was, however, diagnosed with celiac disease only back in november, so after going completely gluten-free my body should be able to absorb more nutrients than ever (because gluten pretty much burns off the insides of my intestine) about now. What I percieve to be high combustion could well have been caused by going undiagnosed for a long time, and it may also explain the ADD and frequent depressions through the years.

Problem is, as I'm sure you've figured, I'm not gaining any weight! I try to eat as often as I can and as soon as I'm hungry. I eat lots of fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, gluten-free oats, legumes, beans, lentils, mushrooms, fats, dairy and eggs. I've tried supplements and protein shakes, I eat a lot more now than I used to and I'm not avoiding high fat and sugar sources such as chocolate, crisps and soda. I even started eating spoonfuls of extra virgin olive-/hemp seed oil, and there arent't any results at all! I'm rendered completely dumbstruck, I don't know what to do anymore! My body is healthier than all my life (food-wise), but I'm still convinced that I would have enourmous benefits from gaining weight. I'm about 177 cm tall, and weigh about 52 kg. Money is also kind of an issue. I can't affort expensive... "diets". There has to be something I can do (that doesn't involve meat). Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

EDIT: I actually eat a lot of rice, potatoes, gluten free pasta and other carbs. So uh, yeah. Forgot to mention that. Also, I just weighed myself, and I'm 55 kg now, so I have gained some weight. Yay, I guess. Thanks a lot for the great response!

 

[Keepitclean]

177 and 52 Kg? Holy shit son, you sound like you just escaped from Auschwitz. But don't worry, you can gain weight quite easily. It comes down to calories in vs calories out. If you want to gain weight you must eat more than what you are expending.

I would recommend that you take up weight lifting as well. Starting Strength is a great beginner's routine. Read the book too, you'll be able to find it online. If not I can help you get it too.

1g of protein pr lb of bodyweight will get you increasing muscle at a good rate. Since you are really skinny don't worry too much about the clean the rest of your diet is at this stage.

I have to go to uni right now but I will be back on in a few hours and will give you a better explanation on what you can do. About 2 years ago I was in a similar position to you.

But while I'm gone can you answer this for me?

Do you not eat meat because of moral reasons or is it something else?

 

[Danhoyt]

The lack of eating meat could be having some effects. I've trained in martial arts with a few vegetarians and they all have issues with trying to make sure they get a normal diet without meat, while leading a healthy and active lifestyle. If they substitute one thing they end up losing another or some random vitamin or something strange. It was a huge pain for them and one of the biggest solutions they found was trying to eat more eggs. It didn't solve everything, but it helped.

 

[FilipJPhry]

Protein powders are great. Non-whey protein will give you gains as you are working out. Whey protein will give you gains, but its mostly used for people who want to look cut and not bulky.

 

[Amethyst Wind]

Don't really have any answers for you. Try frying everything? Lots of heavy sauces?

 

[Weaver]

Try gluten free pasta and bread. It costs like 3-5x more than their gluten filled counterparts, but it should help a bit.

 

[Rastien]

snip

Just read through what your eating... i'm not sure how to get around it mate, but what your eating is kinda similar to me and im doing this to loose weight!. I'm on high protien and veg diet but less than 20g of carbs a day, honestly awesome for loosing weight but for gaining your gonna have issues.

"I eat lots of fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, gluten-free oats, legumes, beans, lentils, mushrooms, fats, dairy and eggs"

You don't seem to have any carbs in your diet... being gluten intolerant i'm not sure how to counteract this... carbs are great for getting fat, bread crisps potatoe pasta noodles all that kind of stuff.

Okay bro i googled a list for you:

Anything that doesn't contain wheat or wheat flour.

For example:
* Oatmeal
* Rice - brown, basmati
* Vegetables - potatoes, kumara, pumpkin, beans and lentils
* Couscous
* Chickpeas
* Fruit - bananas
* Nuts

By the looks of it your gonna wanna be porking back rice as much as you can and plenty of fruits high in sugar is gonna help to

Hope this is useful.

Source:http://anabolicminds.com/forum/nutrition-health/163577-what-some-good.html

 

[royohz]

Wow! Thanks to everyone for the great response!

But while I'm gone can you answer this for me?

Do you not eat meat because of moral reasons or is it something else?

It's a moral and environmental issue Thanks for the help.

snip

I forgot to mention it in my list, but I actually eat as much carbs as can fit onto my plate with the rest
I love rice, oats, nuts and bananas! I eat such things all the time. I can't eat couscous, though. Thanks a lot, bro!

 

[Rastien]

Wow! Thanks to everyone for the great response!

But while I'm gone can you answer this for me?

Do you not eat meat because of moral reasons or is it something else?

It's a moral and environmental issue Thanks for the help.

snip

I forgot to mention it in my list, but I actually eat as much carbs as can fit onto my plate with the rest
I love rice, oats, nuts and bananas! I eat such things all the time. I can't eat couscous, though. Thanks a lot, bro!

Good man carbs and protien are the way forward for weight gain, protien is kinda hard on a vegetarian diet i would advise looking into hemp powder.

Vegetarian in work says it tastes like major fucking ass but is insanely good source of protien and carbs for someone trying to gain weight.

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?hl=en&pq=hemp+suppliment&cp=7&gs_id=9x&xhr=t&q=hemp+powder&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1280&bih=855&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=5808341319960470880&sa=X&ei=NpQFULvoM6Wf0QWPqYDQBw&sqi=2&ved=0CHgQ8wIwAQ

 

[royohz]

snip

I forgot to mention it in my list, but I actually eat as much carbs as can fit onto my plate with the rest
I love rice, oats, nuts and bananas! I eat such things all the time. I can't eat couscous, though. Thanks a lot, bro!

Good man carbs and protien are the way forward for weight gain, protien is kinda hard on a vegetarian diet i would advise looking into hemp powder.

Vegetarian in work says it tastes like major fucking ass but is insanely good source of protien and carbs for someone trying to gain weight.

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?hl=en&pq=hemp+suppliment&cp=7&gs_id=9x&xhr=t&q=hemp+powder&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1280&bih=855&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=5808341319960470880&sa=X&ei=NpQFULvoM6Wf0QWPqYDQBw&sqi=2&ved=0CHgQ8wIwAQ

I actually have a bag of hemp powder! It does taste like crap, but I try to use it in gluten free bread, cereal, oatmeal/porridge, smoothies and such. Almond powder is also very high in protein, 40%, whereas (my) hemp powder is 30. Thank you so much!

 

[Keepitclean]

snip

I actually have a bag of hemp powder! It does taste like crap, but I try to use it in gluten free bread, cereal, oatmeal/porridge, smoothies and such. Almond powder is also very high in protein, 40%, whereas (my) hemp powder is 30. Thank you so much!

All these food are well and good but it is very important that you eat over maintenance.

I highly recommend that you start lifting. Gaining mass is not all the same. If you eat over maintenance and do no resistance training you will get fat. Gaining fat and no muscle will just make you 177cm and 52kg + some fat, achieving nothing. Unless you are <6% body fat you shouldn't really have fat gain be your main focus. When you gain muscle you will also gain some fat, this is unavoidable.

Do you eat fish?

Protein powders are great. Non-whey protein will give you gains as you are working out. Whey protein will give you gains, but its mostly used for people who want to look cut and not bulky.

I don't know where you are getting this from. If you want to look bulky, you bulk. If you want to look cut, you cut. No one food will make you one way or another, it's the whole diet is what matters. Whey and whole foods will help in both processes.

 

[royohz]

snip

I actually have a bag of hemp powder! It does taste like crap, but I try to use it in gluten free bread, cereal, oatmeal/porridge, smoothies and such. Almond powder is also very high in protein, 40%, whereas (my) hemp powder is 30. Thank you so much!

All these food are well and good but it is very important that you eat over maintenance.

I highly recommend that you start lifting. Gaining mass is not all the same. If you eat over maintenance and do no resistance training you will get fat. Gaining fat and no muscle will just make you 177cm and 52kg + some fat, achieving nothing. Unless you are <6% body fat you shouldn't really have fat gain be your main focus. When you gain muscle you will also gain some fat, this is unavoidable.

Do you eat fish?

I don't eat fish, but I get a fair amount of amino acids and omega 3, 6 & 9 through hemp seeds, hemp oil, hemp seed powder and chia seeds. I know I should start exercising to gain muscle and not just fat, you're right about that, but I find it very hard to maintain a routine and schedule, so after just a few days or weeks, I drop out.

 

[Quaidis]

If you're going the completely vegetarian route, I highly suggest chickpeas. They are the protein source of the vegi world (next to tofu/soy). If you scarf down chickpeas, rice (any), quinoa (if you can find it), lentils, and throw in any kind of sauce or vegis or fruits - as well as lift weights and do anaerobic to properly direct where all the stuff you eat goes towards - you will be slightly better off.

As for vegis and fruits, try out eggplants, broccoli, bananas, pineapple (my fave fruit to use with the above mentioned big ones), tomato, green beans, kale/leaf lettuce, bok choy, and water chestnuts.


edit - to be clear, I am an omnivore. I love beef and venison as much as the next omnivore. It's just that my doctor told me to include those things, as well as freshwater fish, into my diet.

 

[Keepitclean]

snip

I actually have a bag of hemp powder! It does taste like crap, but I try to use it in gluten free bread, cereal, oatmeal/porridge, smoothies and such. Almond powder is also very high in protein, 40%, whereas (my) hemp powder is 30. Thank you so much!

All these food are well and good but it is very important that you eat over maintenance.

I highly recommend that you start lifting. Gaining mass is not all the same. If you eat over maintenance and do no resistance training you will get fat. Gaining fat and no muscle will just make you 177cm and 52kg + some fat, achieving nothing. Unless you are <6% body fat you shouldn't really have fat gain be your main focus. When you gain muscle you will also gain some fat, this is unavoidable.

Do you eat fish?

I don't eat fish, but I get a fair amount of amino acids and omega 3, 6 & 9 through hemp seeds, hemp oil, hemp seed powder and chia seeds. I know I should start exercising to gain muscle and not just fat, you're right about that, but I find it very hard to maintain a routine and schedule, so after just a few days or weeks, I drop out.

Hang in there mate, the first few weeks are the hardest. If you have a structured program and you log each achievement you will find it easier to stay organised and track progress. If you feel you are making progress, you will keep at it and make more progress.

Counting calories and macros will help a lot and you'll find after the first week it is quite easy as your diet is made up of a few things you regularly eat. The other food that you don't consume that often will be easy to mix into your count.

 

[the doom cannon]

So um, as long as you eat well protein powders don't really do anything. Learned that in biochem this semester ; you just end up pissing it out. Anyway, it can help if your diet is deficient in protein, which often happens with vegetarians. However, you did mention protein-rich items (like lentils) so I don't think you have that problem. Try snacking between meals. Not like potato chip and cookies snacks, I mean like fruits and stuff. Nuts make very good snacks as well, since they're high in proteins. Supposedly eating constantly throughout the day is the healthiest way to go.

You will also need carbs, so eat a lot of breads/grains. Don't eat too much of them tho, because that will just get turned into fat if you have too much of carbs. Also, for your meals, make sure you are eating several types of veggies(I'm sure you are, just saying) so that you get ALL your proteins. Different veggies have different proteins in them, and you need all of them.

I'm an omnivore with a preference for the meaty foods, so I get my proteins from eggs and red meat, which means I don't have to worry too much about protein from veggies. However, I have a ton of friends who are both vegetarian and biochem majors, and they pass on any interesting tidbits of information about foods that they learn to me.

 

[Keepitclean]

So um, as long as you eat well protein powders don't really do anything. Learned that in biochem this semester ; you just end up pissing it out.

If your body is pissing out any proteins, amino acids or anything in between something is seriously wrong...

 

[the doom cannon]

So um, as long as you eat well protein powders don't really do anything. Learned that in biochem this semester ; you just end up pissing it out.

If your body is pissing out any proteins, amino acids or anything in between something is seriously wrong...

yea not really. all excess nutrients except carbs get pissed out.

 

[Guy from the 80's]

Drinking beer is the easiest way. It contains tons of calories.

 

[Keepitclean]

So um, as long as you eat well protein powders don't really do anything. Learned that in biochem this semester ; you just end up pissing it out.

If your body is pissing out any proteins, amino acids or anything in between something is seriously wrong...

yea not really. all excess nutrients except carbs get pissed out.

The body turns excess amino acids to glucose. It is then stored as fat if not used.