Hey all, haven't been around on these forums lately because I've been undergoing a new awakening of sorts. In my last acid trip I came to realize that I am VERY out of touch with my body and have been all of my life. I usually eat healthy and I have a high metabolism so even if I eat unhealthy, I don't gain any weight. I'm 5' 11" and weight 120 pounds, which is unhealthy according to many sources I have read from. I've been working out more lately and trying to get between 30 and 60 minutes of exercise a day, but in two weeks I haven't gained any weight. So now I'm going to start eating more than I think is necessary and attempt to eat around 3000 calories a day. I would like to be around 135-140 pounds. Being a skinny guy isn't good because you can't stand up against anyone without getting the shit beat out of you. I think this extra mass would help my confidence and my self-image. Does anyone have any tips/ stories that may help me? Thank you!
I am about your height and at your age I weighed about as much as you do. I could eat as much as I wanted, get all the exercise and work out but I couldn't gain weight. I say forget about all that crap you have read about ideal weight. Those are just averages and may not be ideal for you or me. Just strive to be healthy and everything will take care of itself. If you wish to be able to stand up for yourself then you should look into something that relies more on technique than on mass. Try taking some martial arts classes.
There's a good chance you will begin to fill out a lot in the next couple years without even really trying. It's happened to most guys I knew that were skinny in high school (and its not just because of binge-drinking :tongue: ). My boyfriend was skinnier than me when we first got together five years ago (he was 18) and now he's a good 30 pounds heavier, around 180 at 6'1". Same thing happened to my dad between the time he left high school and got back from the army. I'm not saying this will happen to you guaranteed, but I just thought I'd mention the possibility because I've seen it happen so often. What you can do now to maximize your gains is remember to eat healthy and often. Get plenty of protein and a decent amount of healthy fats every day. What does your diet look like right now? Also, what kind of exercise do you do? Any weight-lifting? Lastly, just because you have a lower weight does not mean you are unhealthy. The BMI chart, which tells people what their "optimal" weight range is, is inherently flawed. It doesn't take into account so many important factors. For example, a man can be muscular at 5'8 and 197 pounds and be considered obese according to BMI, even though his body fat percentage is in a healthy range.
The smart way to fight is to avoid it. As has been said above, you're basing a self diagnosis on averages. In time you'll gain weight. Keep in touch with your body and consider carefully everything you put in it. Exercise is a good idea. Cardio (running, biking, swimming, etc.) will take weight off. Weight training will make you stronger but with a fast metabolism the pounds will be difficult to pack on. As you get older your metabolism will tend to slow.
Ok thanks for the advice guys. I knew all along that I was healthy, I have a great immune system, a great set of lungs, and a healthy blood pressure. The only things I'm a little worried about is my lack of energy lately, which could probably be explained by the current dull and cold weather accompanied with high school drudgery. Currently I wake up, eat a large bowl of Honey bunches of oats (sometimes waffles and occassionaly a banana or an orange). Midmorning I eat a bagel and cream cheese or some other snack. For lunch it usually varies from pizza to a chicken sandwich to whatever odds and end I can cook quickly in my oven. From lunch until dinner I eat a fruit like an apple or another large fruit, and depending on how hungry I am I might eat another more sugary snack or maybe some trail mix. For dinner I almost always have a meal with 1/3 meat 1/3 vegetable and another 1/3 of some other filling dish. And about 1-2 hours before bed I'll have another snack of whatever I crave most accompanied with a multi-vitamin. Looking at it now, that's quite a bit of healty food isnt it? Well I guess I'll just work out more and learn to be happy with my weight.
Become a label reader and take a gander at the novel featured on your box of Bunny Hunches in Moats. Count the sugars (and ingredient ending in -ose as well as corn syrup- if any)... those are not good for you. Your young metabolism is taking care of all the low grade poisons being laughingly marketed as food but the metabolism slows in nearly every case and chemicals that have no place in any diet, human or animal, linger in the system longer, get metabolized and assimilated into one's physiology. THAT is when problems arise, insulin resistance and diabetes rear their ugly head... serum cholesterol levels depart the chart and pre-cancers generate themselves. Don't lose your interest in health- that could prove to be your biggest asset.
My friend had to gain weight because he wanted to do weightlifting or some shit. He bought this really nasty-tasting protein powder that you mix with water that's like pure protein and he would drink it before he worked out. I dunno, it's worth a try if you really want to gain weight.
As stinkfoot said, read labels and avoid unhealthy ingredients. Ideally avoid processed foods and fast foods as much as possible. If you are eating a diet high in sugars it can actually make you feel tired and lazy. Try to eat as much quality, fresh, whole foods as you can.
you want to gain weight? you need to eat...you need to eat a lot. you can out eat your metabolism. most guys who say they have a fast metabolism, yet say they eat a lot are highly miscalculating the amount of actual food they are intaking to begin with. just because you eat unhealthy, doesn't mean you'll gain or lose weight. it goes both ways. its not the best way to gain weight, and its not the best way to lose weight. like others have said, eat fresh, quality foods - lean meats, get healthy fats in (lots of omega 3s...lots get way too many omega 6 fatty acids vs omega 3, which isn't good), lots of dark green leafy veggies and other veggies, fruits, healthy grains.
Some people are just naturally skinny... my boyfriend is 24 and weighs 127 and he's about the same height as you. You might gain weight as you get older you might not. Either way, if you eat healthy and get some exercise then don't worry about what the charts say. If you want to get some muscle so that you don't get beat up, weightlifting takes a while to see results so its a long process.
Yeah I'm already starting to put some of these ideas into effect. Twice a day for 10-15 minutes I do miscellaneous stretches because I am not nearly as flexible or limber as I would like. Four or five days a week I'm doing weight training/ heavier workouts. I'll just see where I am in a month or two and take it from there.
Yes I do feel healthy, but I could feel healthier. It is a fact that you can always defend yourself with your brain, what happens if someone attacks you? I feel that my body is my main weakness as a person, so I would like to make it stronger to serve me better.
man did not conquer the earth with his hands alone he made and used the tool. you will find that throughout history that the society with the most effective tools won. if you feel that you are in personal danger move from the area and go somewhere else without the danger factor. half of winning the battle is not allowing yourself to be inharms way and assessing your living spaces in a clear headed way.
actually i'm wrong i think the answer to your problems is to just put on weight and spend hours pumping weights.
I have the same body composition. I used to be about 125 when I was 23. I started lifting weights, took 3 protein shakes a day and ate way more. About a year later, lifting weights up to 4 times a week, I was about 160 with a very low body fat %. I found that if I wasn't taking shakes, I wouldn't gain. Seems I needed the bonus protein and calories. Also, I did no cardio exercise of significance in my gaining period. At 25, I haven't exercised in about 6 months and I've dropped down to about 145. My metabolism still hasn't slowed down significantly, and yours might not either for a while. In short, though, to gain weight eat shitloads, supplements are probably a good idea, and lift weights. In your first year of training you should be able to gain up to 40lbs and you'll have a good physical foundation for the rest of your life. Feel free to PM me if you want some more specific advice or info. I really got into exercise after improving my own life and became a personal trainer.
yeah I'm a thin guy too around 6'. heavy lifting is pretty much the only way I gain weight. And even then I have to eat like 5 or 6 meals a day, which I want to when I work out like that cause I'm always hungry. but seriously there's nothing wrong with being a little skinny. It definitely hasn't hurt my sex life. They all exclaim how skinny I am but then everything goes great anyway! Some people prefer skinny guys.
when you work out you cant gain weight or get any stronger unless you eat and i mean a lot! you need to get a lot of protein like start your day with 4 or 5 eggs and make sure you eat throughout the day not just the 3 meals and during the 3 meals rlly eat a lot! and if u dont mind spending some extra money it would really really help you a lot to get some protein mix at a gnc type store and drink protein shakes....
I know I'm underwieght being 5' 10" and wieghing only 115. I just don't care to much right now cause I know that I'm only 18 and what I eat doesn't really affect me and it is very difficult to gain weight. I also do almost any drug and smoke cigarettes so that doesn't help me much either.
