Trying to gain weight
shifter 07 Jun 2007
Years ago, I went on a non stop eating frenzy for several weeks. I counted all the calories and was eating just over 6000 calories EVERY DAY. It took 1 week to gain 1kg that would stay on and not drop off again. It did that for 3kgs worth but always lost weight sleeping. I would go to bed at 73kgs (160lbs) after eating plenty of pizza, donuts, biscuts and rubbish throughout the day as well as SOME good stuff But 6 hours later I would wake up and without going to the toilet yet, I would be 71kgs! (156lbs). This happened for a few weeks until I gave up and I stayed at 71kgs for quite some time even when going back to ~2000 calories per day. But how did I lose that much weight in 6 hours of sleep!!!
So is there any supplement that slows down metabolism? I dont want those highly processed and expensive protein body building shakes either.
luv2increase 08 Jun 2007
Try lowering the amount of times you eat in a day. Eat 2 or 3 'huge' meals. Make sure you are getting enough carbs and protein. A good source for carbs would be oatmeal. Get your protein from fish, turkey, beef, and chicken.
You also may want to change your lifting routine around. You are lifting weights I assume??? I would hope so.
I don't know of any supps that slow down metabolism. You may want to look into pro-hormones and pro-steroids. Although, I don't recommend it for health reasons, but if you are fixated enough to forget about all your life-enhancing and/or longevity goals, go for it.
Creatine 'Monohydrate' will add some weight on you also, albeit water weight. Might want to try a slow-digesting protein such as casein before bed also.
Shepard 08 Jun 2007
Other than that, just eat. A lot.
luv2increase 08 Jun 2007
Alcohol + high fat intake will pretty much do it.
Other than that, just eat. A lot.
Don't forget anaerobic exercise.
Gerald W. Gaston 08 Jun 2007
luv2increase 08 Jun 2007
It is similar in a way to a smoker. They look fine on the outside, but on the inside, their lungs are horrible.
Shepard 08 Jun 2007
Gerald W. Gaston 08 Jun 2007
spaceistheplace 08 Jun 2007
shifter 08 Jun 2007
I used to take all that stuff in the past (creatine, weight gainer protein powder etc) and go to the gym. It never really helped. Anything I gained, I lost during sleep.
I can assure you given that I now know that all the excess calories to burn off = more free radical production etc I wont do that anymore!
I am almost 26 now, so hopefully my metabolism will start slowing down pretty soon on its own. I wouldn't say I have a weight loss problem as it remains pretty stable. It just wont increase. I will get some blood tests done to check my thyroid first before trying bugleweed.
08 Jun 2007
Eating slow digesting food is a good way to help try to slow down your digestion. And eating fast digesting foods, particularly alone as a snack, is a bad idea because it can help increase your metabolism.
There is also a school of thought that considers the high histamine type as a fast oxidizer. This may be where there is more info about using diet to slow down metabolism, or just understanding different types of metabolisms. George Watson developed this theory of fast oxidizers and slow oxidizers, but I think Paul Eck continued along this path after Watson.
http://www.herbalroo...DF/MTEXTART.pdf
http://www.encyclope...1-97994371.html
http://www.bloodph.c...k-revisited.asp
I don't know if there is any way to significantly change your metabolism. I think changing your diet with the slow digesting foods may help somewhat, but may not give you dramatic results in terms of putting on weight.
Perhaps one of these books might help.
http://www.amazon.co...c/dp/1556434375
http://www.amazon.co...y/dp/0767905644
luv2increase 08 Jun 2007
Brainbox 08 Jun 2007
Just continue to eat healthy, lift some weights (probably you are a hard gainer like me) to get some definition to your muscles. My small muscle size enables me to lift weights that are way beyond the expectation based on my looks. Most people in the gym are astonished by that and think I must be on steroids. Which, obviously, is not the case. I still have some acne that adds to this strange perception.
Shepard 08 Jun 2007
I don't understand. If you aren't going to lift weights, all the extra weight that you will put on will be 22lbs of fat! That isn't healthy and won't impress anyone.
Well, technically, you'll never see 100% fat gain in a healthy person in this situation. But, yeah, overeating without exercise is pointless for almost all of us.
Gerald W. Gaston 08 Jun 2007
High histamine types have a fast metabolism and can eat maybe 4,000 calories a day and never gain weight. Eventually they do gain weight but I think that is when their deficiencies get worse as they get older. This type has a sulfur deficiency which can make them prone to diabetes later in life.
Eating slow digesting food is a good way to help try to slow down your digestion. And eating fast digesting foods, particularly alone as a snack, is a bad idea because it can help increase your metabolism.
Don't know about shifter, but that does seem to describe me then and now. Even as an old man of 38 I can eat a good deal and not see a perm increase in weight. Morning dump and water loss aside, I still see a large weight drop over night (4-5 pounds typical) too if I'm not eating steady right up to close to bed time (and I only get 4-6hrs of sleep per night max - working on that too). And I now find myself trying to balance mantaining the weight I want and still improve my insulin sensitivity and keep diabetes at bay. It can be done but it requires dedication.
Perhaps one of these books might help.
http://www.amazon.co...c/dp/1556434375
http://www.amazon.co...y/dp/0767905644
I have both of those books here. Back when I was first looking at Metobolic Typing I found that Wolcott, Dr. Kelley, Dr. Mercola and others all had their own take/twist on it. Here is a quick overview though with reference at the bottom: Metabolic Typing - An Introduction
Between those two books you mentioned and a few more like Hormone Balance: Understanding Hormones, Weight, and Your Metabolism by Scott Isaacs, Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st-Century Stress Syndrome, The Optimum Nutrition Bible, and The Holford Low GI diet and trial and error, I have a diet and exercise plan that so far seems to be working pretty good now. But it does require a lot of dedication and will power.
Edited by frankbuzin, 08 June 2007 - 08:11 PM.
ikaros 20 Jun 2007
I would mostly recommend avoiding any types of stimulants if possible, especially caffeine (I suppose you don't do amphetamines lol). When I drink more than a half a cup a day, my metabolism seems to go haywire.
Also I've noticed over the years that everything I do I do it too hastily. I walk too fast, I think too much, I multitask too much etc. This would seem to be logically the consequence of a fast metabolism as I feel this restlessness inside. Anyway it can be dealt by mindfully noticing your behaviour and modyfing it accordingly, which means when you are "speeding" you slow down with mental effort. It's difficult in the beginning, but over time it becomes an habit and the brain adapts to the new approach you have taken. Consequently slowing down the need for fast metabolism and high-energy intake.
mitkat 20 Jun 2007
I've got the same thing. I'm like a jet engine when it comes to energy consumption.
I would mostly recommend avoiding any types of stimulants if possible, especially caffeine (I suppose you don't do amphetamines lol). When I drink more than a half a cup a day, my metabolism seems to go haywire.
Also I've noticed over the years that everything I do I do it too hastily. I walk too fast, I think too much, I multitask too much etc. This would seem to be logically the consequence of a fast metabolism as I feel this restlessness inside. Anyway it can be dealt by mindfully noticing your behaviour and modyfing it accordingly, which means when you are "speeding" you slow down with mental effort. It's difficult in the beginning, but over time it becomes an habit and the brain adapts to the new approach you have taken. Consequently slowing down the need for fast metabolism and high-energy intake.
I have to echo much of what is said here, and shifter especially. I am trying to gain some weight right now myself, but I'm in the prime season for working in my job and am buzzing around constantly. I've been trying to pack it down, but I can't deal with too much food...combine that with the exercies routine I've been hackin', I'm developing some sick popeye arms. And I mean sick in the traditional sense, homeys. Captain ectomorph, reporting for duty.
I've just started eating much larger meals, but less often...I'm wondering if 1/2 hour cardio 5 days a week is too much for a weight gain period? I know anaerobic is most important in this scenerio, but I feel reluctant to give up cardio.
Shepard 22 Jun 2007
I've just started eating much larger meals, but less often...I'm wondering if 1/2 hour cardio 5 days a week is too much for a weight gain period? I know anaerobic is most important in this scenerio, but I feel reluctant to give up cardio.
It probably wouldn't hurt to cut the cardio down to 2-3x/week and see what happens. But, even then, we're not talking about a huge difference from an energy balance perspective.
This article can change your life:
http://www.elitefts....uments/oreo.htm
edward 22 Jun 2007
note: As far as aerobic exercise is concerned, my general rule when I am trying to gain mass is that if I am sore anywhere then I don't do aerobic exercise that uses the muscle groups that are sore. Soreness in general means your body is trying to repair damage and build tissue back up. If I am especially sore in multiple muscle groups and I am trying to build mass I will try not to do aerobic exercise at all (difficult as I am an aerobic exercise addict)
Edited by edward, 22 June 2007 - 03:50 PM.
Shepard 22 Jun 2007
Growth happens while you rest and if lift weights more than once or twice a week (unless you are a genetic freak, or you work out with such low intensity that you barely do anything) your body won't be able to keep up and repair the damage and you end up making things worse.
Tell that to Olympic lifters.
edward 22 Jun 2007
If average people were to use the following formula:
high intensity, high weight and low reps (performed to failure or beyond=> this can be done by progressively lowering the weight without rest thus extending the set)
working one muscle group more than 2 times a week would be pointless
Shepard 22 Jun 2007
Olympic Lifters = Genetic Freaks
According to whom? Now, old Olympic lifters with no joint issues, I might give you that they are suited to that type of activity. It's a volume issue, not intensity.
If average people were to use the following formula:
high intensity, high weight and low reps (performed to failure or beyond=> this can be done by progressively lowering the weight without rest thus extending the set)
working one muscle group more than 2 times a week would be pointless
I'm not even going to get into the failure discussion again. Everyone is either 100% or 0% on the topic and miss the middle ground.
luv2increase 22 Jun 2007
Olympic Lifters = Genetic Freaks
If average people were to use the following formula:
high intensity, high weight and low reps (performed to failure or beyond=> this can be done by progressively lowering the weight without rest thus extending the set)
working one muscle group more than 2 times a week would be pointless
I agree with you 100% in all you said.
meatwad 24 Jun 2007
Set out 1lb of beef every day and come back in a month and tell try to tell us with a straight face that you couldn't gain weight...
shifter 24 Jun 2007
luv2increase 25 Jun 2007
If you think chicken will be just as effective i'll give that a try instead I already know if I eat a lot now, I will probably put on another 3 kgs and be able to keep it a while afterwards without having to sustain a high calorie diet. But what I want to know is, could I put on another 15kgs and be able to keep it on without having to sustain an ultra high calorie diet.
Ok, the way to gain weight without exercising by lifting weights and eating right would be to not exercise at all and eat all the junk food and fast food that you possibly can each and every day!
end of thread...
meatwad 26 Jun 2007
15kg? shoot for this weight over time. You will have days that eating all the beef will be a chore, but do it anyways.
I also don't recommend the "not exercising and eating junk food" idea... I am prety sure he is joking though....
luv2increase 26 Jun 2007
You don't gain muscle by sitting on your ass eating protein all day or even injecting androgenic steroids.
Your reasoning is that of an misinformed, lazy person trying to take the easy way for something.
Ever heard the statement
"no pain, no gain"
?
It is very true. In case you don't understand its meaning, it means that you have to exercise to get bigger muscles.
Shepard 26 Jun 2007
You don't gain muscle by sitting on your ass eating protein all day or even injecting androgenic steroids.
Just for the hell of it: You can gain LBM with exogenous testosterone without training.
http://ajpendo.physi...ull/281/6/E1172