Need Tips to Gain Weight

I can help you get a medifast product that helps people either lose or gain weight, whichever they need. It ws developed by a doctor and used for years by doctors, and now is opened up so health advisors can sell it. I am a certified health advisor. I know one lady who was losing 5# a week and the medifast helped her gain. If you want more imformation, please email me at ____@____.com

I would strongly suggest being tested for celiac disease. Celiac is an intolerance to gluten/wheat. It is just a blood test. People with celiac disease have all kinds of different symptoms, but weight loss is one of them. I would strongly recommend it.

I am sure that this time of year living in Alaska you have the shiver factor weight loss going on as well that isn't helping you keep weight on. I would make sure you are not skipping any meals and make sure your breakfast is a good portion size (or whatever meal is before work) because of not getting a 30 minute break. I was in the military so I can wolf down a whole meal in a 15 minute break but not everyone can but if you can at least eat a sandwich or a tuna/crackers snack thing or something to keep you going that would be good. Also have another snack in your car for the trip home so you aren't starving while making a late luch or your dinner. I would think you could eat around 1500 calories and not lose any weight but you need to make sure they are not just empty calories like candy, you would burn that up too fast. You might have hyperthyriodism and a blood test will prove that or you could just be one of those people that will remain naturally skinny, I was your age when I started having kids and then I went from 5'4" 125 lbs to 170 lbs now at 39 years old. My all time high was 186 (not pregnant). Another thing you can do is exercise, muscle weighs more then fat but you will need even more calories a day then. As for your teeth the idea of checking out the university is a good one and I am sure Anchorage has a school you could look in to.

Personally, I'm way overweight so I don't have this issue, but our little daughter does. She's always been small (5 lbs. 14 oz. at birth) and is still small (26 lbs. at age 3). We've had many extra weight-check appointments, met with a nutritionist and had every test run - it's just who she is. We have always had to add fats to her diet: extra cheese, butter, oils, whole milk, etc. But what has helped the most are her PediaSure "shakes" we give her every day.

There are many other options for adults and one that I found (but haven't tried with her yet) is called BeneCalorie. You can find it at many online retailers, but here is one of them:
http://www.cwimedical.com/benecalorie.html
You add it to your food or drink and it adds 330 calories and 7 grams of protein. The supplement was made for cancer patients and people who cannot gain weight. It's a great way to add extra protein and calories without gorging yourself or resulting to junk food. You could start with one a day, and if that's not enough then add one at each meal. I know it's hard to take care of yourself when you're busy with taking care of everyone else and you might not be getting all the calories you need for a hectic life. I hope this helps. Without a healthy mama, no one else gets taken care of. :-)

I had a roommate with your problem. Her doctor told her to snack on olives and eat avocado whenever she could so she would put guacamole on things all the time. Olives are quite portable and an easy snack to eat. I like the black ones. The flavor is milder than the green ones. Also, add cheese to things -- sometimes a little sprinkle of grated cheese adds a spark of flavor to any hot dish. Drink hot chocolate -- has lots of calories in it.

Girl, you are in charge of your body. Good job at seeking medical help and knowing you are OK! For the weight, try to eat every 3 hours. Even if you carry cans of flavored calorie/vitamin drinks at work & protein bars. It doesn't have to be expensive and you can feel confident you are doing what you can to keep your weight up. If you can carry a lunch pail or even a ice chest- pack a lot of protein food: lunch meats, cheese, (sub sandwiches are super), yogurt,of course balance out with fruit and veggies...

What you put in your body affects how your body process and keeps it. If you eat a lot of sugar items and little protein/fruit/veggies(not saying you do), your body will try to dump out all the sugar or your body will react in different ways.

Also, to help with your weight and your teeth. Take a multivitamin AND a calcium pill in the morning and a calcium pill in the evening. Make sure the calcium pill has Vit D , Magnesium, Minerals, Vit K...most of them come with these. It all helps the calcium absorb in your body.

Just be aware of what you are eating, how you are eating, & supplement when you don't think your are in taking what your body requires of you.

I would guess that your 15 minute meal period leaves you no time to really think about what you are eating. As such, you may not be selecting a good meal mid-day. I am no nutritionist but I have learned that when your body does not think it is being fed enough, it feeds on self which results in muscle loss. I would suggest taking a second to really think about what you are enjoying during this 15 minute break - if you brought something with you, such as a sandwich, you could take that time the night before you go into work as opposed to trying to figure it out during your already short break.

Since you only have a moment to sit down during your meal period, I would additionally consider keeping something healthful in your pocket that you can nosh on while you run around - trail mix is a good choice and if you have a type that does not include granola you'll not have all the messy crumbs. If you are inclined to make it yourself just pick some nuts you enjoy and mix it with some dried fruit you enjoy -- it is simple, inexpensive, and healthful

best of luck to you!
*K

You can actually buy weight gain powder at a place like GNC. I don't have this problem, but I was in there getting protein the other day (another good investment) and a man was in there asking what his underweight daughter could take since she wants so badly to make the basketball team but can't keep her weight up no matter what she tries. They had four or five different weight gain powders, usually for ppl bulking up, but had serving suggestions for just getting weight up and keeping it stable. Maybe head someplace like that and see what they have? Also the South Beach Diet is a good one. It's not to loose weight, but for weight maintenance. Perhaps your doctor can help you with a diet that is maintainable once you gain the weight. Best of luck!

Milkshakes pack a lot of calories. You could also try switching to whole milk and full fat/calorie everything - extra butter/dressing on your food. These are the things I used to get my grandmother to gain weight when she was very thin/frail. I wish I had that problem:)

T.,
One thing you might consider is that your body has trouble absorbing the nutrients that you are consuming. This is a very common problem and leads to a lot of illnesses because of nutrient deficiencies. You can eat all you want and take all the vitamins that you want but if your body is not absorbing it then it is not doing you any good.
I use and help others use a two nutritional food products that have a 98% absorption rate. They are called Classic & Innergize. They are simple to use and very effective with a money back guarantee. You won't find them on a store shelf, they are marketed through independent business owners who work with you to make sure you attain the results you are looking for. If you would like to learn more, I would be happy to send you some information.

Best wishes,
N.

Wow, I feel like I could have written this! Well, almost :-) I'm only 5'2 and on average weigh around 100-105. Also, nothing is wrong medically with me either. My goal this year is to gain weight so I'll be keeping up with what replies you get ;-) I've always had a high metabolism so I've always been able to eat whatever I wanted. Maybe someone will have a good idea what will actually help put on weight, not just maintain it :-)
The big thing that caught my eye in your post is you said you have bad teeth. I'm only 25 and already need a top denture due to no insurance growing up (I can count on one hand how many times I went to the dentist growing up). I had dental insurance about a year ago and found out it would cost me over $7,000 to get my teeth fixed. With insurance! I recently got in touch with the dental program at OHSU and without insurance my dental work is only going to be around $4,000 spaced out over a year. I definetely recommend you checking them out. I drive 1 1/2 - 2 hours just to get to them but it's completely worth it to me! They don't charge for the first visit (which is when I got my quote). If you would like the number and address let me know, I'll reply asap with it.

Hi T.,

My daughter had to gain weight when she was little and the doctor suggested putting cream cheese in her scrambled eggs - boy are they ever good and a good way to put a little fat into a good for you product. She is still on whole milk and drinks a glass with every meal. She is still a bean pole, however with her growth she is staying steady in her weight. Interestingly, I eat a lot of the same foods that she does - except whole milk - and as long as I exercise I don't put weight on. So it works out well for all of us.

Positively,
M.

With regards to your dental needs, if you live in the Seattle area, contact the University of Washington's School of Dentistry. They take patients in for their students to work on. Work is closely supervised, the care has always been excellent. If you have alot of work that needs to be done, this could be your answer. I wish I had your problem of weight loss!!! If only we could share our extra pounds!!
Try incrasing your caloric intake with Ensure. It's a liquid meal supplement that folks who have a hard time maintaining weight and keeping nourishment down consume. There are 3 or 4 flavors. It would be easily consumed during a 15 minute break. But if you're working 5 hours you should be getting a 30 minute meal break in addition to the 1 10-15 minute break. It's Washington State law. If your teeth or gums are infected, you may need an antibiotic before you'll get any better. Go see your family dr and he can give you something for any infection you might have. Try to get at least 6-8 hrs of sleep each night. If you don't get real rest, you'll continue to burn up your reserves. Take good care of yourself. Your kids are counting on you to be there for them.

Ive always found it a little disturbing that there are a zillion shows, books, products, companies etc etc for folks who need to lose weight but us "skinnys" (naturally thin people with no medical problems) dont have any immediate resources to help us gain weight, well those of us who want to. Most folks just tell you to "eat more." We do eat more and sometimes that just doesnt help. Currently I am 5'8" and I weigh 130 pounds, which sounds good to most but I am still thin-looking. In highschool I was around 105 and just wished I could get to 115, then 125, and now I am 35 with two kids and at 130lbs, Im still not completely satisfied ,but what woman is completely satisfied with their bodies?

On a different note, I do remember in my early 20's I started drinking ensure 3 times a day (1080 xtra cals a day) and gained 13 pounds in about 6 weeks! The downside is that it makes you feel full longer; and it's a real struggle to get it down sometimes because it is so thick. I had to also keep in mind to eat my food first then drink the ensure or else if I just drank the ensure I wouldnt want to eat. Ive tried other weight gain poweders-which all seemed to have a grity taste and you had to drink a billion ounces to get those 1000 calories per shake that they advertised and they were really expensive and didnt taste well or you had to add other items like icecream $$, bananas$$, peanutbutter$$, honey$$, cookies$$--get my drift? Who has that kind of money in this economy?

Maybe weight lifting would help you bulk up or help you achieve a "bigger" look? But with three active kids I could imagine you must have a busy schedule as it is.

Im planning on gaining another 10 pounds and starting my ensure weight gain 'diet' Feb 1st. So ill let you know how things go. Oh also, I only drink the ensure ice cold and really fast because it does have a yucky aftertaste, but goes down smooth. I hope this helps. Good Luck!

Hi T.,

I can relate! I also have a fast metabolism, and while I haven't lost weight in a while, I do need to eat well to keep it on. I would suggest eating almonds, avocado, low-fat cheeses or peanut butter with crackers for snacks and high protein foods like chicken and tuna salad on whole wheat bread for a more involved snack. Nuts and avocados are packed with 'good' fats, and take a while to digest and metabolize.The key is to try to eat small amounts all day long and even in the evenings.
Its best to combine your sweet snacks (even apples and other naturally sweet foods) with some protein, to slow the digestion and metabolism of the sugar, which will give you more energy for longer, prevent the inevitable (although sometimes imperceptible) post-sugar crash, and prevent your body from breaking down stored fats and proteins for fuel.
If you like smoothies (i'm a big fan, since you can add tasty stuff and take it with you on the run), i would suggest a fruit, yogurt, soy/milk, spinach (can't taste it at all-i promise!), raw oat combo for a energy rich snack. Add soft tofu, protein powder or quinoa flakes* for a extra protein boost that will make this more like a meal.
Hope this helps! good luck, and try to remind yourself that you are beautiful daily- people pick up on self image more than we realize:)
*quinoa is a 'super grain', with very high protein, and other good stuff. I buy the flakes at Whole foods in the bulk dept. Its very affordable and much cheaper than protein powder. You can also add it to hot cereal for a basically tasteless nutritional boost.
E.

Hi T.,
I know how you feel, most people want to loose weight while others do need to put weight on. I also know what it's like having bad teeth which maybe part of your weight loss problem.
I don't know if this will help or not...but when I was having problems with my teeth my dentist recommended brushing them with baking soda and peroxide. Dip your brush in the peroxide then into the baking soda and brush your teeth twice a day with this. I also re-brush them with Crest with baking soda and peroxide tooth paste.
I also work with Shaklee and we have Meal Shakes and Meal Supplements that seem to work. You may need to eat more than once a day, so these may help, especially since you only have a 15 minute break while at work. If you want to check these out you can go to my website at, www.shaklee.net/healthybodyandhome click on "shopping" then "nutrition" then "meal shakes". This will give you the information on these products. You can also give me a call and I can email you the information sheets on these products. My number is: 541--###-###-#### and you can call anytime.
Hope this helps,
I. Lockhart

I can empathize. I had a hard time gaining weight for years but it never got to be a serious problem. My Mother-in-law's doctor advised her to drink a bottle of Ensure or Boost three times a day. She was under a hundred pounds and is gaining. Since you have such a short break this could help you some. Each bottle is 250 calories and has vitamins and minerals. It costs a bit but Wal-Mart has the best price and it has been worth the cost to see her health improve.

Hoping for a better future.

Drink alot on Ensure. That is what we would give our elderly patients when they were losing weight and needed to gain some.
It has tons of vitamins so it is a healthy way to gain, instead of eating boxes of twinkies or something..lol.
Good Luck,
K.

I had a tough time gaining weight during prenancy so understand where you are coming from. If your cholestral is good I would pack cheese and crackers for snacks. Make at least 2 sandwiches for lunch. The more fat in your diet will boost the pounds. BUT make sure your cholestral isn't bad.

<Laughing> As someone who IS anorexic, and who comes from a very medical/sciency background I know of 4 very proven ways to gain weight if your thyroid isn't giving you a hand. Note : These are 4 very different diets. Diet, being defined as it's actual meaning, what one eats on a regular basis.

- Nutrient rich diet
- Calorie rich diet
- Add aspartame to you diet
- Starvation
* A combination of any of the above

Starvation works on everyone, but it's rather unhealthy, and can be life threatening if you damage your heart muscle or other organs. Essentially, you trick your metabolism into thinking you're living in a natural disaster, and it has to hoard every calorie it comes across. So at every meal, you don't eat enough. You leave feeling hungry. You skip meals. You exercise without replacing the calories you've burned, and without replacing the proteins to repair your muscles. You'll lose weight to begin with, but if you do it long enough, you'll grind your metabolism to a halt. I would ONLY do this under constant and competent medical supervision, although most of america does this to try and lose weight. Go figure.

Aspartame is a chemical that was invented when a microbiologist got curious as to why bananas in milk tasted sweeter then either the milk or the bananas separately. (My mum was his lab assistant.) Aspartame is sweet, but actually has NO calories, so like starving...it tends to be used for weight loss, even though it has the opposite effect. After several decades of research it has been proven that aspartame actually makes cell membranes less permeable. This has two effects: 1)What's already there has a harder time leaving...so, for example, fat cells are less able release their calories and shrink. 2)It creates a bit of mini-starvation (because it affects ALL cell membranes, so the cells aren't able to get all the nutrients they need, and the body hoards more calories. You can find aspartame in nearly any product labeled "Diet". Like diet pepsi, diet coke, and most "fake" sugar packets. Splenda, btw, is NOT aspartame.

A calorie rich and a nutrient rich diet are different. For calorie rich think McDonalds & cheesecake, for nutrient rich think sushi &/or rich green vegetables.

Some people lose on one, gain on the other...others the opposite...others have to combine the two to gain/lose. It all depends on your own personal body-type (your sound ectomorphic to me), metabolism, activity levels, etc.

My DH is a body builder, and when he's in training trying to gain he drinks a 4000 calorie shake with every meal. It consists largely of protein powder, peanut butter, & icecream...so it is both calorie and nutrient rich. He finds that works best with his system.

I personally lose weight on a nutrient & calorie rich diet (although I've never drunk the shake)...in large part because I starved myself for so long...but also because I'm really really active. Sadly enough, I do best if I have a PB&J sandwich on white bread WITH every meal. Yuck.

My SIL loses weight on a nutrient rich diet, but is "prescribed" one bag of McDonalds french fries a day, because she'll gain (or stay even) with a calorie rich diet. She also does the peanut butter thing to gain weight.

Anyhow...the point being...that different things work for different people. I'd save starving and aspartame, and see if either calories or nutrients or a combo of the two can help you out.

I'd ALSO get your thyroid checked. I can never remember if it's hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism that causes weight loss...but it's a good thing to have checked out.

Gd'luck!

Is there any way you can snack on stuff at your desk like protein bars, muffins, dried fruit, etc? I used to be a healthy weight no matter what I ate. Now, two months after my 2nd child and tandem nursing and fear of being low energy and undernourished like w/first baby, I eat all the time and high calorie foods. I've also noticed that now that I sleep less again (generally a sleep-a-holic when possible) I easily gain weight with all the more eating hours I'm awake. Bottom line to gain weight? Eat a LOT (think coneheads, massive quantities) and eat constantly -- I never knew what a LOT was really like until now. Lots of dairy fats, pastas, omelettes, ice cream, pastries, as well as healthy fats like avocados and olive oils will help too. Be sure to get your veggies in those pastas and omelettes so that weight gain does not translate into poor nutrition.

On the other hand, now that I think of it, if you want to gain weight, look great, and not get into unhealthy eating habits you could exercise a lot. I was a cross-country runner and I can tell you that if you get really into shape you will gain weight and it will be in the form of muscle mass. Your appetite will also increase to meet your higher calorie requirements. Think Madonna biceps -- lean, healthy, robust and fit looking -- the look that everyone wants! But you have to get into fairly intense exercise - not just 20 minute walks 3 times a week -- to really build muscle mass. Good luck!

Hey T. - You have a lot of choices to try in the answers you've received so far. I don't have personal experience with this (other than having Hyperthyroid during my first pregnancy, where I was prescribed a milkshake a day!) but I read a lot about nutrition and try to cook from scratch for my family. I would only warn you to try to be aware of what you're putting in your body. I agree that you'll just have to get into the habit of eating quite often - just be careful that you don't use "junk" foods to gain weight or you'll end up in very poor health, even if you're still skinny. No use feeling bad when you look good and have a lot to take care of!

Most people should have fat make up 30 percent of their diet, but I would recommend yours be more like 45 percent. The fats that will be good for you come from almonds, avocados, flaxseed oil (put it on salad and always keep it cold - you don't cook with it), eggs, and salmon among other things. You should also stay away from white, processed grains and load up on heavy breads and pastas, seed-grains like quinoa are also complete proteins and you can either use them like rice or as a hot cereal with brown sugar. Bonus: they are cheap in the bulk section of the grocery store!

You might want to invest in seeing a nutritionist, or just head to the library/internet and spend some time researching.
Blessings on your health!
js

Hi T.-

Well I saw your posting the other day but didnt reply. Just now i was doing some research on yogurt and i found thise website showing all the "healthy foods" you can eat to acheive weight gain. Good Luck!! :)

http://www.how-to-gain-weight.net/food-to-gain-weight.html

K.

i have an issue keeping my weight up as well... i found this site that i like though. it's a calorie counter and it counts both intake and out put. www.thedailyplate.com

Maybe try on your breaks almonds also go to the grocery store buy energy bars.. like zone bars.. I know there are some that are higher calorie and protein.. can't think of the name now.. also you could buy the shakes in the can that are like a meal.. I think one of the brands is ensure.. for while you are at work..
best of luck,
Lenc

Have a moderately heavy snack before you go to bed. If you wake up in the night (like I did when I was when I was that thin) from hunger drink a glass of orange juice.

For your lunch have a subway type sandwich --everything on it. If you can't eat it all during your lunch break, finish it off during your next break.

Have a really good breakfast--cereal, fruit, and juice.

Eat a snack if you get home two hours before dinner.

Have you had your thyroid checked? There are two types of conditions - one that makes you going weight and the other makes you lose weight.

As moms, we tend to take care of everyone else first and put things off for ourselves. You say you have bad teeth and I'm guessing that you mean you need some serious dental work which can be expensive. I'd encourage you to pursue a way to get your teeth fixed for the sake of your long term health. In many cities, there are clinics that will charge you according to your ability to pay, private dentists who will take a few patients at little or no cost, or schools who need patients for their classes. Even a community college with a dental hygiene program needs practice patients and can get you connected to a dentist who will work with you and your finances.

It's worth the effort. Your kids will benefit from your being healthy, and you will look and feel better, too.