Struggling to gain weight / Can't seem to put on any muscle

coppermason16 said:don't act like you know everything until you actually read up on it😳

based on how much medical stuff I've actually read, you probably haven't even finished a middle school book report.
so i don't need to act smart 👍

Elizabeth Palmer2 said:^^ Oh please, if this guy actually had cardiovascular issues—which you’ve basically already diagnosed him with, wowza—he would’ve been running to a doctor ages ago.
You claimed he’d be sent straight to a cardiologist first—lol, which is totally wrong.
You're forgetting about routine blood work, which is super important here, and then you move forward based on those results.

It isn't true that I said he'd be sent to a cardiologist first,
I just mentioned it was a possibility since he'd be referred to a specialist because, given how low his weight is, his blood pressure is probably all over the place.

Maybe the kid is suffering from anorexia too? Did you even consider that?
And surely, in all that medical literature you claim to have read—you didn't come across any cases where people with eating disorders died from heart failure?Look, I'm not dismissing the advice you and the doctor gave, but again, I'm saying a cardiologist should check him out because that’s the only way to know if his condition has caused actual cardiac damage.
(6'0" 110lbs 😲)

Elizabeth Palmer2 said:OP, you should probably go see a primary care doctor first. They’ll likely start by ordering some blood work to check if your thyroid levels are where they need to be.
It’s essentially like having a low battery on your phone; when you're short on T3 and T4 thyroid hormones, everything just starts running slow.

Are you sure it's a shortage? :-) Hyperthyroidism can really drive up libido, and for men, those symptoms tend to be pretty obvious. It’s basically like having a thyroid that's running a marathon while everyone else is just walking.

Just a heads-up: don't go confusing protein with steroids or creatine. They're completely different things.

There’s really no need to mess around with protein supplements. Since they're highly processed, they can never quite measure up to the real deal—like getting your protein from fish, meat, or dairy.

Creatine is actually being used to help patients dealing with Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. It shows some really positive effects on memory and overall brain health, so it’s probably worth considering if you aren't eating much meat or dairy—kind of like how vegans might need to look for other ways to get those nutrients.

Look, there’s no need to go at each other on my account... I will attempt to address a select few of the questions you've posed—not because I lack the capacity to answer them all 😁, but simply because the sheer volume of inquiries is becoming excessive.
I eat on a regular schedule—breakfast, lunch, and quite often dinner, though I admit I skip the latter frequently. Regarding medical advice, my father is a physician—he was in general practice and has since transitioned to OB/GYN—who constantly tells me, YOU DON'T EAT ENOUGH SO THAT'S WHY YOU'RE THIN; YOU AVOID FATTY FOODS, YOU JUST SLATHER EVERYTHING IN PHISHERMAN'S FRIEND OR MAYONNAISE, BLAH BLAH BLAH... while that holds a grain of truth, the situation isn't quite that dire. As for physical activity, I spent some time training at a buddy's place—he has a small home gym setup—but once I realized I wasn't seeing any tangible results, I just gave up.
The most frustrating part is that I view eating—whether it's lunch, breakfast, or dinner—as an absolute OBLIGATION rather than a biological necessity; honestly, I often find eating to be a chore. I rarely feel actual hunger. And as far as I am aware, I don't have issues with my heart or kidneys, mainly because I never experience pain or any physical discomfort.
Not even with digestion!

Just to add my two cents: last month I was being diligent about taking my Centrum multivitamins every single day—but this month? I’ve scaled back to once every two or three days... mostly because I just forget, or perhaps because I've realized there isn't much point in bothering...

You need junk food. Burgers, fries, chips—eat that stuff alongside your regular meals. Lisa Rodriguez84, do you smoke? If you do, quit. You'll see an easy 10 to 20 pounds of gain in a month or two once you stop. Eat more cereal, have a few spoonfuls of honey daily, and if nothing else, grab some Mega Mass and drink one or two shakes a day. It's simple: increase your caloric intake and you're done.
These are the times we live in. You burn through energy constantly—mostly mental, but physical too. The food we eat just doesn't cut it anymore; it isn't enough to meet our daily needs.
Feed the fire with fuel, and you'll see how much stronger you get. It's like a wood stove—the more you stoke it, the hotter it burns.

Kyle Long6 said:One more thing: I was taking Centrum multivitamins daily last month, but this month I've only been taking them every couple of days. I keep forgetting, likely because I don't see any actual benefit from them anyway..

Now explain to me how you're supposed to gain weight from taking vitamins.

For the most part, I stick to this routine. I'm not really doing any sports at the moment, though I’m planning on hitting the gym starting tomorrow or the day after.
As for smoking, I rarely light up, but I know plenty of people who smoke way more than I do and they stay pretty fit. 🙂
The thing is, I might have a cigarette when I'm out with friends, but even during those stretches where I haven't touched one for six months or a year, I still don't put on any weight...😁

Bradley Barnes90 said:That’s mostly how I play it. I'm not active right now, though I plan on hitting the gym by tomorrow or the day after.
As for smoking, I rarely light up. I know people who smoke far more than I do and they stay relatively fit. 🙂
Even when I smoke "socially," or even during stretches where I haven't touched a cigarette for six months or a year, my weight stays steady.😁

Are you looking for muscle definition or just pure mass to move the needle on the scale?

Sure, most people just look at the scale. But even if I don't look skinny in my arms, legs, or stomach—and it’s not like I look sickly thin or anything—I still need to get my numbers up a bit...
As for some of these muscles, I'm not exactly feeling great about them either...:

Look, if you're hitting the gym, you're burning an extra 1,000 calories easily. If you keep eating like this, you're essentially working against yourself. Furthermore, with these summer heatwaves, your body is losing massive amounts of water. You're exhausted, and honestly, the next eight months aren't the ideal window to try and pack on weight. For now, just focus on high-calorie intake. Grab a breakfast sandwich the moment you wake up, follow it with a sandwich an hour or two later, then have a heavy lunch. Eat more bread. Add another meal between lunch and dinner—maybe some raisins mixed with honey and cornflakes, or another sandwich. Then have dinner, and finish the night with a bar of chocolate before bed. If you have the budget, grab some Mass Gainer and start doing sit-ups, push-ups, and pull-ups at home. I guarantee you'll put on 10 pounds in a month or two.

Look, I guess it’s not like getting my exact weight is the end of the world or anything... it’s not exactly urgent...😁
I’m one of those lucky people who can eat whatever they want without ever gaining a single pound...😁
I'll give those supplements a shot and see what happens, I suppose...😬

There is really no need for us to argue about this... The only thing that comes to mind regarding potential cardiovascular issues would be Marfan syndrome, though since his father is a physician, he or perhaps a pediatrician would likely have flagged that early on. It is also true that malnutrition can lead to heart failure, but I am certain that isn't the case here; during starvation, the body prioritizes the brain and heart, so those are the last organs to fail, and he doesn't fit that profile

Dennis Miller said:Good grief... look, if you hit the gym, you're just burning an extra 1,000 calories—if you're eating the way you currently are, it’s basically a counterproductive effort... furthermore, with these brutal summer temperatures in the States, your body is losing massive amounts of water; you're completely drained. In my opinion, this current stretch—with eight months still left in the season—is hardly the ideal window to try and pack on weight... try focusing on high-calorie intake right now... the moment you wake up, grab a cheese bagel, then maybe a sandwich an hour or two later, followed by a substantial lunch... eat more bread, for heaven's sake. Between lunch and dinner, squeeze in another meal—say, some raisins mixed with honey and cornflakes, or another sandwich... then dinner, and before bed, just have a bar of chocolate... and honestly, if you have the budget, pick up some Mega Mass and hit the sit-ups, push-ups, and pull-ups at home; I guarantee you'll put on 10 pounds in a month or two...

My god, man... if I ate that much in a single day, I wouldn't even wake up the next morning!!! I don't even consume that amount in an entire week, which is why I feel fine. And I should mention—I have never touched a cigarette in my life, nor do I drink alcohol. It makes me wonder what would happen if I actually used one or the other, or both... how much weight I would be carrying by then...

Dennis Miller said:So, why don't you enlighten me—how on earth does someone gain weight from taking vitamins???

Look, I wasn't under the impression I’d be packing on pounds just from the supplements themselves—I figured they might actually improve my appetite, which would lead to gaining a few pounds...

Kyle Long6 said:Guys, I’ve got a massive problem. I’m 21, standing 6'0", and I weigh ONLY 110 lbs. Can anyone tell me how to pack on at least 45 lbs? Thanks

I had a buddy just like you—he was going through some heavy stuff and was skin and bones.
First thing he did was fix whatever was stressing him out and started eating like a man, hitting about seven solid meals a day. Lots of high-quality protein and carbs, plus vitamins and whey.

His appetite didn't even kick in right away; it took a month or two. He runs every single day 3.1 miles. Trains five days a week. He ended up gaining about 35 lbs, and now he's aiming for another 20.

He looks way better, his confidence is through the roof, he’s not embarrassed to hit the pool or the beach, and girls definitely notice him differently... 😉

For your height, you really should be looking at around 175 lbs. Make that your target! Just remember, there are no overnight miracles. It’s gonna take time, but anything is possible if you want it bad enough. Don't quit on yourself. Get your life, your diet, and your gym routine dialed in, and the results will follow.

Kyle Long6 said:If I ate that much meat in one day, I wouldn't wake up tomorrow. I don't even eat that much in an entire week, which is why my weight stays steady. I also didn't mention that I've never touched a cigarette or a drop of alcohol in my life. I wonder what my weight would be if I actually used either—or both. I'd probably be massive.

Hello? If you aren't eating anything, how can you be surprised that you're thin? You can't gain weight without food. Try eating more. If you aren't hungry, force it down anyway.

Apologies if this topic has already been covered, but I couldn't find it anywhere...

So, here’s my issue: During finals week at college, I was under massive stress and ended up dropping about 10 pounds in, say, a month. The thing is, I still haven't gained a single pound back, even though I'm eating normally. 😕 On top of that, I’ve always been someone who gains weight easily, so this whole situation makes zero sense to me. 🤷 I'm starting to get a bit worried and really just want to put on at least 5 pounds because I don't look good like this...😢

Has anyone dealt with something similar, and how did you fix it?

Thanks in advance for any help. 🙂

Honestly, it might not be such a bad idea to head over to your doctor and ask for a referral to get your thyroid levels checked—just to be safe. I remember knowing this one girl who was dealing with something almost identical, and it turned out she had hyperthyroidism (basically an overactive thyroid), which, if I recall correctly, is often triggered by high stress levels.

So, you can just treat that with hormone therapy, right?