How to gain weight?

I'm thinking about breasts, obviously (for that Norris lady)

Brian Hayes26, luckily for me, I can't stand ketchup, mustard, or even Coca-Cola! I don't touch carbonated drinks, pizza, or alcohol at all, and fast food isn't really my thing. But chocolate and pastries? Oh, now that is a true addiction.
Why do you think—and I hope you’re speaking from experience here—that my sweet tooth will eventually just fade away? When I really sit down and think about it, a person can get used to anything. I remember last time when I decided to skip dinner; on the first day, my stomach was growling so loudly it was almost unbearable! By the second day, it had settled into just a sad little whimper. By the third, I knew I was hungry, but it felt like just an uninteresting fact. After a week, by seven in the evening, I felt totally free from any food cravings. But then, three weeks later, I found myself desperately craving those burgers my dad brought home for dinner, and everything just went out the window.

Hey, Kenneth Hernandez67, thanks so much for the advice regarding vegetables! To be honest, I can't stand salad dressings—especially vinegar, and definitely not tomato or pepper based ones. I can't handle anything sour, so a meal consisting solely of raw veggies (if that's what you meant) is absolutely unthinkable to me. Do you have any suggestions? Should I just slice up some plain lettuce, kale, or carrots? What else?
And one more thing: I don't have any issues with food cravings in the morning or during the day. I can actually be quite disciplined when it comes to resisting temptation. But in the evening? It's brutal! Especially if I'm just hanging around the house, and there's always something sweet tucked away somewhere. I feel like I’d have to walk around downtown every single night just to make sure I don't accidentally grab a massive meal and top it off with dessert. My appetite hits its absolute peak after ten PM...
Also, I completely agree with your conclusion about wanting to tone my body. I would be so incredibly happy if I could pass by a store window, catch a glimpse of my silhouette, and instead of critiquing every single part, just say, "Wow, I really love how I look." The biggest problem is that everyone seems to love it except for me.

George Bailey2, let's get back to the topic of a flat stomach—what kind of aerobic exercises should I do to burn fat? I don't exactly have the extra cash to join an aerobics class, so I would be so grateful for some suggestions on exercises I can do right at home.

Maria Kelly6 said:Hey, Kenneth Hernandez67, thanks for the advice on veggies. To be honest, I can't even stand salad dressings, let alone tomatoes or peppers. Anything sour is a dealbreaker, so a raw veggie meal (if that's what you meant) is basically impossible for me. Any suggestions? Should I just stick to slicing up raw cabbage or carrots? What else?
Also, I don't have issues with hunger in the morning or during the day; I can actually be pretty disciplined about skipping things. But at night? It's brutal, especially if I'm just hanging out at home, and there’s always something sweet in the pantry. I feel like I’d have to walk through the city every single night just to avoid snacking on a massive dessert. My appetite peaks right after 10 PM...
Anyway, I agree with your point about wanting to shape my

You can swap out a raw veggie meal for steamed vegetables instead.

I'm not sure what else to tell you if you aren't into eating 😕

Anything that can be eaten raw, I eat raw—I usually just cut them into sticks so they're easy to munch on.

Sometimes I'll grate some stuff together—like celery and carrots; it's a decent flavor profile.

Other times I'll just steam certain veggies (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, etc.) and eat them that way.

And honestly, that's usually how I fuel up late at night.

Because if my stomach isn't completely full, I can't get to sleep.

Why do you think—and I’m hoping this comes from experience—that my sugar addiction will eventually just fade away?

Some people are going to love sweets their entire lives. Me, for instance. And honestly, it isn't even that big of a deal if everything else stays on track—exercise, healthy eating, all that stuff.

Hey, Kenneth Hernandez67, thanks for the advice about veggies, but I actually can't stand salad dressings—especially anything with tomato or pepper. I can't do sour stuff, so a meal consisting of raw vegetables (if that's what you meant) is basically unthinkable for me.

You don't like sour things? Well, I never even pickle tomatoes when I eat them plain—just a tiny bit of salt. Same goes for cucumbers.

Being hungry is a mistake. That's when you lose your mind and raid half the fridge. You don't need to be hungry. Instead of trying to feel full on cake, try filling up on fish or a salad instead.

But after only three weeks, I was already craving those burgers my dad brought home for dinner, and it felt like everything just went out the window.

So? If you’re too hard on yourself, you’re way more likely to slip up. If you allow yourself little "sins," you won't end up obsessing over everything and bingeing.

Why didn't you just skip the burgers and get right back to your routine the next morning?

Eating a little bit of fresh cheese (like quark)—maybe with some chopped herbs thrown in—isn't a bad choice for dinner (assuming veggies aren't your thing). In fact, that's exactly what I'm having right now.🙂

from Winona: Sir, is it sour? I really can't stand anything sour.
The hardest part is definitely the mental preparation for deprivation. Honestly, that’s what kills me mentally! I usually manage to hold out for a week or two, but then I just snap because my brain starts spinning with visions of all the delicious food combinations I crave. You see, I am quite the gourmet; I don't eat because I'm hungry, I eat for pure pleasure. I remember watching an episode of Oprah once where some women were talking about how after just two or three bites, they couldn't even taste the food anymore—they were just eating to soothe their sadness or their pain... Well, I savor every single bite! And strangely enough, my biggest appetite hits when I'm not even hungry. I mix and match flavors in ways that seem totally impossible; my mom can hardly look at me at home! She always uses phrases like, "You'll feel sick if you mix those together," or "Don't eat that now, lunch is coming soon so you'll be too full," and I just have to laugh... As if I could ever skip lunch! ha, ha...
Thanks for all the advice! So, here's the thing: I did something a bit silly today. I had a toasted sandwich—or whatever you want to call it—around 7:30 AM before heading off to work. Once I got there, I had a little After Eight chocolate and drank two glasses of juice (non-carbonated, obviously, since I know how unhealthy carbonated drinks are) and a glass of water. It's already 3:00 PM and I am absolutely starving, but I had to hop online, so I won't get to eat lunch until I'm back home later. It feels just like skipping a meal, doesn't it? When I finally get home, I plan on having a massive, honest-to-goodness feast. Lunch is always wonderful, and I tend to eat a lot, though I know it might cause weight gain because I know the body starts storing everything when it hasn't been fed for a while... I wonder, is it actually smart to cut out bread? I never have trouble eating bread with lunch. Also, I know certain things shouldn't be paired together—like potatoes and dough (even though it tastes amazing!)—so does anyone have tips on which food combinations to avoid to prevent unnecessary calories? One more thing: is it okay to drink a large amount of liquid immediately after lunch? I can't quite remember if that's a good idea; I think I read somewhere that it might not be...

placidjackal97: Is it sour? I really don't like anything sour.

Nah, it isn't. I mean, local farm-fresh cow's milk is one thing, but this stuff you find in the grocery store—like Quark, for instance—isn't actually sour. If you don't add a little salt, it’s honestly pretty bland.

Since I'm living in Germany, I could suggest maybe five or six non-sour brands, but I wouldn't know what's available back in the States.

I consider myself quite the foodie; I don't eat just to fill up, I eat for the pure pleasure of it.

I get that, I'm definitely 😉
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The way you describe eating nothing but a sandwich from sunrise until now—honestly, I’d have collapsed already. I eat pretty frequently, though I don't overdo it—at least not during my snacks.

People seem to think I'm constantly 😳 but that’s just how I keep my system steady—prevents the dizzy spells and those sudden energy crashes.

Lunch is always amazing and I feel like I need to eat a ton, but I know it’ll just sit there because when your body hasn't had food for a while, it starts hoarding everything...

You've certainly done your homework on the theory side of things 😉 👍
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By the way, I used to follow the Zone diet—Life in Zone, you've probably heard of it—and it actually works for me. I'm not the most disciplined person, but eating in blocks like that keeps me on track.

As for fluids, I'm drinking all the time—before, during, and after meals. It's much easier to manage when I "push through" a bit 😉 😁

The most effective way to lose weight is to simply stop obsessing over it. I have observed this pattern within myself—whenever I manage to push the thought aside, the pounds seem to vanish on their own; however, the moment I fixate on the idea that I *must* lose weight, I either plateau or find myself gaining even more.
Regardless of how many different methods one attempts, it seems inevitable. I cannot quite pinpoint what underlying forces are at play here, yet several people have confirmed this exact phenomenon to me.

The less one dwells on food and body mass, the better the results tend to be.

I recall a time when I stayed at a hotel for ten days with full board service. I ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner just as anyone would (including dessert)—since everything was provided for me, I didn't give a single thought to the food itself. My routine was simple: wake up, eat breakfast, hit the beach, have lunch, head back to the beach, eat dinner, and then I was out.

That was the only time I successfully lost weight.

This leads me to believe that the ideal strategy is to plan your meals in advance—ideally prepping them a day early—set a schedule for three or four specific meals at consistent times, and then completely disregard the scale. When the scheduled time arrives, you simply sit down, eat, and move on.

Spending an entire day ruminating on nutrition and weight loss? It achieves absolutely nothing.

What Mrs. Norris is saying is the absolute truth.
I used to call it self-transcendence once, but honestly, just describing it as focusing your attention on someone or something outside of yourself works fine... because obsessing over your own self doesn't exactly lead to much happiness.
That goes for pretty much everything in life, and this is probably the most harmless version of it.
So, if anyone thinks this sounds like total nonsense—feel free to just scroll past.
I know it's true.

If I may just add one thing—we tend to fixate far too much on our own flaws.

While maintaining a positive outlook certainly wouldn't cause any harm, isn't it true that we primarily direct our attention inward through a negative lens? We find ourselves constantly obsessing over how unattractive, overweight, or clumsy we might be...

Man, some of the folks on this Forum might try to tear you apart for that last comment, mostly because they’re totally obsessed with attacking anyone who stays "positively focused" on themselves. Not that they'll call it being conceited—that's just how they'll spin it...

I don't quite follow.
If anyone wants to spit venom, go ahead; this is a free country.
What I was actually referring to was something akin to LOVING ONESELF.
Not the vanity, the arrogance, or anything of that nature.

Of course, I wouldn't want to jump straight from insecurity into pure egoism; that's just far too much for anyone to handle...

I was hoping someone could throw some suggestions my way regarding working out at home.

Honestly, just grab an Elliptical. It’s a killer machine for getting that cardio in at home and actually burning off fat. And just a heads up—doing endless sit-ups won't melt the fat off your midsection; those are really just for strengthening the muscles underneath.
If you aren't exactly swimming in cash for equipment, then just head outside and go for a run. In my experience, the most effective way to torch fat is hitting those aerobic workouts in the morning on an empty stomach—since your body doesn't have those carbohydrate reserves sitting around to stall the fat-burning process.

As for the sweet tooth situation, I’m telling you this from firsthand experience. Once you finally cut back on the sugar, your insulin levels start to stabilize, and after a little while, that intense craving for sweets just... vanishes.

Norris said:Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of LOVING YOURSELF.
It’s not even about egoism or being self-important, for that matter.

Much appreciated. 👍

Look, there’s a massive difference here... and the line between them is razor-thin.

Brian Hayes26 said:Pick up an Elliptical—it’s a killer tool for home cardio and burning fat. Just a heads-up, you can't spot-reduce belly fat with sit-ups; those just build the muscle underneath.
If you aren't looking to drop cash on equipment, just head outside and run. The most effective way to torch fat is hitting your aerobic workout first thing in the morning on an empty stomach—since your body isn't sitting on carbohydrate reserves, it gets straight to the fat-burning process.

As for the sugar cravings, I was speaking from experience. Once you cut it out, your insulin levels stabilize, and after a little while, that intense sugar itch just disappears.

Well, look, I actually made a bet once (my friends were certain I couldn't last a few hours without sweets) and I managed to go a full month without a single gram of sugar. 😎

Mind you, during that time I had a part-time gig selling candy, chocolates, and donuts—I could have easily grabbed a free snack for lunch every single day. 😉

But after those thirty days were up? My craving for sugar hit the roof. I remember literally watching the clock, and the second that final second ticked by, I bolted to the store for a chocolate bar... so much for your theory. I guess, unfortunately, it doesn't work for everyone.

placidjackal97 said:...regarding your theory. Honestly, I don't think it works for everyone.

..well, damn then 😁

Just to be clear—that insulin thing isn't even my own theory—and besides, I can't really hold a coherent thought when someone starts waving chocolate right under my nose. Plus, if you actually want that to kick in, you have to cut out all those high-GI carbs, not just the sucrose. Btw, I suspect you haven't even been consuming actual sugar at all, because like I said before, they put it in pretty much everything in the food industry nowadays.

I’m being intentional about cutting out sweets—not talking about actual candy, though 😉

I was still getting sugar, obviously—from juice, fruit, and stuff like that.

placidjackal97 said:I’m making it clear right now—I haven't been eating sweets, or rather, sugary treats 😉

Of course, I was still getting sugar—from juices, fruit, and all that stuff.

Well, you basically just answered your own question as to why it didn't work. 😉

Brian Hayes26 said:Looks like you just answered your own question about why it didn't work. 😉

Well, now 😁

I guess a person needs something to live for. 😉

comment from placidjackal97:
I remember having one of those deep, heavy conversations with my dad once. He looked me right in the eye and asked what actually gives my life meaning, and I just blurted out, "Food!"... Honestly, he thought I’d completely lost my mind...
Now, look, I know I can hold off on sweets for a little while, and I can even handle cutting out junk food, meat, or bread for a bit. After a few days, I'm usually pretty disciplined about abstaining, but once that ten-day mark hits? It's game over. I'm basically in a coma.