How to gain weight?

Maria Kelly6, hey, you interested in learning how to quote stuff? I've already picked up a few tricks—want to give it a shot together? 🙂

Basically, you just copy the text you want to quote (handy if you don't want to drag the whole post along), hit "reply," and then paste that text under the "quote" icon right above the typing box.

It makes everything way easier to read.

As for what you said earlier—look, I’m a huge foodie myself, but if food becomes the *entire* purpose of living (regardless of whether someone is overweight or not), then the value system is pretty much broken—something fundamental is missing there. 😉

Alright, here’s a foolproof tactic for you:
1. Wake up in the morning, grab some cookies, and take a supplement. (Look, I'm talking about stuff like Mega Mass or weight gainers, but don't go touching any anabolic crap or proteins—and don't even get me started on steroids). Always mix it with milk.
2. Then, once you're at work, school, or college, make sure you eat your lunch box.
3. For lunch, eat a ton. Potatoes, meat, pasta, salad, eggs... and definitely go for whole grain or at least black bread since it's got the good fiber.
After lunch, knock back a Mega Mass.
4. A light snack—maybe some fruit or a pastry.
5. For dinner, here’s my secret recipe: grab a can of Rio Mare tuna. Throw that tuna into a blender with two slices of cheese, half a packet of mayo, a little bit of butter (just a small cube), and a few drops of lemon juice. Blitz it all together and spread it on some whole wheat bread. Once that's done, drink a Mega Mass.
Since you can't live on this every single day, try eating as many eggs as you can for dinner every now and then. But WITHOUT the yolks!!! You can handle maybe 2 yolks, but trying to eat 8 would be way too much.

Of course, you’ve gotta hit the gym for mass training (heavy weights, low reps). When you're training, drink a Mega Mass two hours before you start and half an hour after you finish. Obviously, you aren't going to drink Mega Mass with three meals plus twice around your workout. Mega Mass is meant to be taken three times a day, so if you're hitting the gym, you just have it after breakfast, before the gym, and after the gym.

gentleviper12 said:Here is a foolproof strategy:
1. Wake up in the morning, eat a few cookies, and take a supplement (look, things like Mega Mass or weight gainers are fine, but don't go touching any anabolic steroids—not even mentioning them). Always take it with milk.

You're being a bit contradictory here. You recommend "Mega Mass" as a supplement—which is basically just high-calorie protein—yet you advise against "drinking proteins." Plus, you're grouping them together with steroids (in the US, "anabolics" and "steroids" refer to the same thing).

BTW, regarding gym workouts, you shouldn't eat anything heavy about an hour before training. However, having one or two bananas, an energy drink, or something carb-heavy is highly recommended. Then, about an hour after your workout, have a protein-rich meal and make sure to nap for at least thirty minutes to an hour (growth hormones activate while you sleep).

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Maria Kelly6 & placidjackal97

The only way to handle a carbohydrate addiction is to bring your intake down to reasonable levels, but to do that, you first need to know exactly what foods contain carbs and how much they have.

As for breaking a sugar habit, the "total restriction for a set period" approach is a mistake. If you do that, the only reason you'll resist sweets is because you know you can binge on them again once the deadline passes.
Instead, try gradually reducing your sugar intake and cutting out the most problematic items (like chocolate 🙂) first. When a craving hits, eat something else instead—provided it’s carb-free, even if it isn't technically a sweet.

Frank Lee6 said:You’re being a little contradictory here. On one hand, you’re recommending "Mega Mass" as a supplement—which, let’s be honest, is basically just straight protein—but then you turn around and tell people not to "drink protein." Plus, you’re tossing them all into the same bucket as anabolic steroids, acting like there's no difference between the two.

Yeah, yeah... alright, fine. I’ll admit it. I totally blew it. But look, you can't deny that Mega Mass is packed with carbs and amino acids!

gentleviper12,

That’s correct; amino acids are essentially proteins (or more precisely, proteins are composed of amino acids).

In any case, you need carbohydrates before a workout, and both proteins and carbohydrates after one.

Don't forget plenty of fluids during your training sessions and throughout the day as well.

gentleviper12 said:Yeah, yeah. Fine, I messed up. But look, Mega Mass is just carbs and amino acids!

And what exactly is your problem with protein? You think they aren't good? Or that they aren't healthy?

Maria Kelly6, hey, do you want to learn how to use the quote function? I've already practiced a few times, so maybe we can try it out together?

placidjackal97, I just gave it a shot... thank you so much for mentioning it! I actually had no idea how to do it, and I was really curious about how it works since I didn't have anyone else to ask. Hopefully, I did it right!

Honestly, when you get hit by that sudden craving for sweets, just grab something else to eat instead!

The real issue is that I simply cannot swap chocolate for anything else. I’ve tried replacing something delicious with something healthy, and it just doesn't work! To make matters worse, I am a total "all or nothing" type of person. Once I open a bar of chocolate, I feel like I have to finish the whole thing, or don't bother at all. That's why it feels easier to just give things up entirely, but after a while, all I can think about is what I'm abstaining from. After two weeks—which is my absolute limit—I just snap! I end up overindulging, feeling completely satisfied for a moment, and then immediately swallowed by guilt. It’s just awful...

Maria Kelly6 said:Hey placidjackal97, I actually just tried that out... Thanks for the heads-up—I had no clue how to pull it off and didn't really have anyone to ask about it. Hopefully, I did it right...

*Claps* 🙂

Proteins are essentially just chains of amino acids—but you can actually buy those amino acids separately on the market, like L-Glutamine, so there’s really no need to get them mixed up with standard protein powders.
When you're shopping for protein powders, you really want to look for the highest biological value possible, and honestly, some of the best stuff out there is Whey Proteins. At the end of the day, the specific amino acid profile of a protein is what matters most—you want something that covers all your essential amino acids.

Now, anabolics and steroids aren't strictly the same thing—it's a common misconception. Anabolics are any substances that promote anabolism (basically muscle building), whereas steroids are hormones that happen to have anabolic effects as a side effect.

The more carbs, and naturally, chocolate every single day 😉

Maria Kelly6,

If what you say is true, there really is no saving you. 😉 Eating an entire bar of chocolate isn't a smart move even for someone who doesn't care for sweets, let alone for you with your massive sweet tooth.
I suppose you'll have quite a bit of work left to do on yourself. 😉

Brian Hayes26,

The product mentioned ('Mega Mass') consists of carbohydrates and whey proteins; so, we aren't talking about isolated amino acids here, though one must admit the individual does know that proteins are actually made of amino acids.

Jerry Morales4,

That is simply a recipe for gaining excess body fat (and potentially some illnesses along the way), whereas one would assume a guy would want to gain mass by building muscle.

Frank Lee6 said:Maria Kelly6

If everything is truly going exactly the way you say it is, then I’m afraid there is absolutely no saving you!

Geez, don't say things like that to me! Honestly, that doesn't help one bit.
Geez, I eat so little in the morning! For instance, a friend of mine put me on this "Fit for Life" style diet where you only eat fruit until lunchtime. On top of that, I don't touch any solid food after 7:00 PM—liquids only. So, if I give in and indulge in some "forbidden fruit" (aka chocolate) during the afternoon, isn't it a total waste to have sacrificed both breakfast and dinner? Or am I just being unwise here?

Maria Kelly6,

Regarding skipping meals, "moon diets," and that sort of nonsense... here is the situation.

1. Skipping meals—essentially starving yourself—is NOT a healthy way to lose weight. It can be quite deceptive because you might see results in the short term (the first 15-30 days) and drop 4-5 pounds, but it isn't sustainable.

2. Any diet that demands you only eat specific food groups (like refusing to mix proteins and carbs or eating nothing but fruit) REPRESENTS A SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM. Regardless of any temporary progress they might show, they pose a potential risk to your health.

3. For the human body to function properly, it requires certain "ingredients": carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, and vitamins. By starving yourself, you deprive the body of carbohydrates (which causes fat stores to melt away, which is fine), but you also deprive it of protein. When that happens, the body begins pulling protein from muscle tissue to support metabolism—THAT IS VERY BAD because you end up losing both fat and muscle mass. Furthermore, you lose minerals, which is DANGEROUS since you cannot synthesize them and must get them through food, and you lose vitamins, which is EVEN MORE DANGEROUS because most must be ingested rather than produced by the body.

So, DO NOT SKIP MEALS. Instead, STRIVE TO REDUCE YOUR CARBOHYDRATE INTAKE, especially those with a high glycemic index (the ones that hit your bloodstream quickly). This includes white bread (unlike real whole grain or rye bread, which are perfectly fine), fruit juices, and fruits without fiber (like bananas or cherries). To save time, just find a good book on the subject; it will help you.

Additionally, don't forget to drink water. Without water, there is no metabolism, and the only way to flush excess fat from your system is through sweat and urine.

Good luck.

I don't think anyone even mentioned the yogurt.
It’s solid stuff—easy on the digestion and packed with protein. Honestly, the more you have in a day, the better. 👍

Yogurt is healthy and particularly great for digestion, though one shouldn't overdo it since it does contain carbohydrates.

Furthermore, fruit yogurts are quite popular these days, yet they are higher in carbs than almost anything else, so it might be best to avoid them..

🙂 Thanks, Frank Lee6! Honestly, I really don't want to lose more than 9 pounds. The issue is that I usually manage to drop about 4 or 5 pounds, and then I just lose my grip on everything and start overindulging again. My goal is to hit 110 pounds and stay there—but I don't want to be skinny, I want to be toned and solid, which is exactly why I'm working out! I know skipping meals isn't smart at all, but if I just have two or three apples in the morning and drink plenty of water, that doesn't count as skipping a meal, does it?
I’m definitely not depriving myself of anything. I actually find cooking a bit overwhelming sometimes because of the extra effort involved, so I always make sure to have hearty meals waiting at home. For example, today I had some soup (does soup actually make you gain weight? What should I avoid besides that layer of fat floating on top?), then a piece of roasted meat with a little bread, followed by a boiled carrot from the soup, a leaf of cooked kale, and some parsley. I read somewhere that if you don't mix different food groups together, digestion is much easier. In about two or three hours, I'll have some mashed potatoes.
I'll grab one more small snack in about seven hours, and then I'm done for the day. I have a three-hour weightlifting class later, so that should burn off some calories! And yes, I totally get how important hydration is.
Just to reiterate, there is absolutely nothing I've completely cut out of my diet. I eat meat, fruit, veggies, and bread (though it's seed bread), so I feel confident that my body isn't missing any essential nutrients.
By the way, is it true that if you do lower ab exercises incorrectly, they can actually make your stomach look bigger instead of slimmer? I read that in a magazine once. Could you please recommend some books I could borrow to learn how to exercise properly?

Frank Lee6 said:Brian Hayes26,

That "Mega Mass" blend they mentioned consists of carbohydrates and protein (Whey Protein), so we aren't talking about isolated amino acids here, but hey, at least the guy knows that proteins are actually made of amino acids.

Actually, if you look at Mega Mass, I don't think it's Whey Protein. It's likely casein, maybe some Egg Albumen, and probably just standard milk protein.

George Bailey2,

Proprietary protein Blend: 85g 170% (from Whey protein Concentrate, Calcium/Sodium Caseinate, Soy Protein Isolate, Whey Powder, and Egg Albumen)

Maria Kelly6,

Having a morning snack with some apples and water isn't skipping a meal.

Soup doesn't make you gain weight if it's healthy (don't worry about the fat on top, as long as the soup itself isn't overly greasy).

Mixing different food groups is essential for one major reason: metabolism requires all those nutrients mentioned earlier to function correctly. If you only eat one thing, like carbs, you create an imbalance, and your body starts pulling protein right out of your own muscle tissue.

Regarding that idea about improper ab workouts—I have to admit, that's news to me. Given how limited most ab exercises are (standard sit-ups on a flat or incline bench, leg raises at 90°, and those trendy machines), it’s hard to imagine someone doing them so wrong that they actually deform their muscles to the point of looking like weight gain.

The most likely issue, which happens quite often, is simply poor form. People drop their torso too fast without resistance or use momentum to jerk themselves upward. That won't deform your muscles, though it certainly could lead to a spine injury if you're slamming your back against a machine.😉

Unfortunately, I can't suggest any specific fitness books since I haven't even looked at the covers of most of them. My understanding of nutrition and training comes strictly from talking to experts and my own personal experience.

Frank Lee6 said:Yogurt is healthy, especially for keeping things moving downstairs, but you can't go overboard since it's packed with carbs.

Plus, those fruit yogurts everyone loves? Total carb bombs. Avoid them if you actually care...

There are some great light versions out there too—super tasty and only about 45 calories per 100ml (so a whole 200ml cup is just 90 cal).
Grab one of those in the morning with some fruit and maybe a light coffee or cappuccino. And water. Tons of it. Seriously.

Anyway, at least from what I’ve noticed personally, my metabolism only stays on track if I’m eating actual, decent food... like a real lunch, freshly cooked. Savory is way better for the body than sweet stuff. And I don't mean "savory" like the salt in the Atlantic Ocean... I've never once noticed anything sweet speeding up my metabolism.

I could try this whole crazy idea of living on basically nothing—just yogurt, cereal, and other single-note processed junk—but then everything just slows down... digestion, metabolism... everything...

If you want to lose weight the right way, you have to—EAT!

WHEN YOU REALIZE YOU'REN'T EATING ANYTHING BUT THE SCALE WON'T BUDGE—START EATING AGAIN, BUT DO IT SMART. Eat smaller portions to kickstart that metabolism, because clearly, picking the wrong foods has put it into slow motion.

Crash diets might work for a second, but only to shock your system initially. Once your body figures out what's happening and starts fighting back, you're looking at stagnation & weight gain.

Oh, and one more thing—it’s unbelievable how hard it is for some people to start drinking enough water. Trust me, it's a struggle for the first two days, but after that, it's a total breeze.🙂

Water is a killer for weight loss!