how to gain weight?
- Thread starter giltoronto
- Start date
Why? Weight gain is unlikely to help your cycling.
Your BMI (21.3) is within the range considered as normal. Check out http://nhlbisupport.com/bmi/bminojs.htm to calculate it yourself.
the only way is to eat. 6 meals a day. you can make it easier by substituting meals with protein/VO2 shakes. doing weights will also accelerate it, in particular; squats and deadlifts [that will also help your legs for cycling]....good luck
the only secret formula is consistency...
the only secret formula is consistency...
Hi giltoronto, I'm 140lbs and am 6'1''. I think i am underweight. I recently became vegan (no meat/dairy/eggs) and feel great (tons of energy, feel good, healthy!). Problem is I'm not taking in as much fat as I was before. Pretty soon I would be losing weight! It's a good thing I did some research though. In order to gain weight I needed to:
1. Consume more calories.
2. Consume more protein.
3. Consume more fat.
the way i needed to do this was
1. Eat more (and more often, even if i didn't think I was hungry). I was also eating a lot of fruit and things which were bulky and filled me up, but did not contain enough calories.
2. Eat more beans, lentils, etc...Soybeans are good for that! Or make some fruit smoothies and add in some protein suppliments for easy protein/calories.
3. Monounsaturated fats are your friends! Saturated fats are harmful to your body so those are not recomended. Add some olive oil or flaxseed oil to meals (olive oil is good for cooking and flaxseed is good as salad dressing).
It sounds like you are a healthy weight for your height, so you probably don't need to gain weight. But becoming vegan would be a good idea! What you eat affects more than you think.
"The Food Revolution" is a good book on why to become vegan.
"Becoming Vegan" is a good book on vegan nutrition. I'm halfway through is but so far it has helped me a lot.
~Andrew
1. Consume more calories.
2. Consume more protein.
3. Consume more fat.
the way i needed to do this was
1. Eat more (and more often, even if i didn't think I was hungry). I was also eating a lot of fruit and things which were bulky and filled me up, but did not contain enough calories.
2. Eat more beans, lentils, etc...Soybeans are good for that! Or make some fruit smoothies and add in some protein suppliments for easy protein/calories.
3. Monounsaturated fats are your friends! Saturated fats are harmful to your body so those are not recomended. Add some olive oil or flaxseed oil to meals (olive oil is good for cooking and flaxseed is good as salad dressing).
It sounds like you are a healthy weight for your height, so you probably don't need to gain weight. But becoming vegan would be a good idea! What you eat affects more than you think.
"The Food Revolution" is a good book on why to become vegan.
"Becoming Vegan" is a good book on vegan nutrition. I'm halfway through is but so far it has helped me a lot.
~Andrew
This worked for me--try taking one Myoplex shake (42 grams protein) with 5 grams EAS Simply Creatine daily. I take it after a workout, or in the evenings on my off days. Read the directions that come with the creatine regarding the inital load phase, because you should take more at first, to introduce it to your system. Creatine might give you indigestion for a few days, but it goes away. I agree with everyone else that consistency is the key. If you gain say, 10 pounds after a month or two, you can't just stop taking the shakes and creatine without kissing the weight goodbye. I'm not a supplement freak, but I wanted to put on 15 pounds. Contrary to popular belief, it helped my cycling in countless ways. Stronger triceps, shoulders and back muscles make me more comfortable on the bike, and I feel more powerful too. Doesn't help endurance at all though.
FYI, I'm a vegetarian too, so the additional protein in the shakes helps a lot with muscle mass gain. As long as you avoid soy protein (which encourages estrogen production), the additional protein helps you produce testosterone which in turn helps you build muscle mass. Nothing fancy in my logic here--this is just what worked for me.
FYI, I'm a vegetarian too, so the additional protein in the shakes helps a lot with muscle mass gain. As long as you avoid soy protein (which encourages estrogen production), the additional protein helps you produce testosterone which in turn helps you build muscle mass. Nothing fancy in my logic here--this is just what worked for me.
Hey, I've certainly had my share of problems being underweight, and hated it to the core. It just didn't feel right, like I was a bag of bones. This is unhealthy advise, I know, but I got fed up waiting for weight gain, so I ate garbage, and carbs. Chips chocolate bars, potatoes, fries, hamburgers, and even more ****! I dealt with a period of feeling extremely unhealthy and bogged down due to this, but now I'm at my desired weight and feel good.
My method should only be attempted as a last resort by the way; I used it as my last resort.
PS. Make sure to fit vitamines, and healthy foods into this couch potato diet.
My method should only be attempted as a last resort by the way; I used it as my last resort.
PS. Make sure to fit vitamines, and healthy foods into this couch potato diet.
Increase your alcohol intake.
Increase intake of fats, carbs, and proteins. Chocolate-covered peanutbutter balls rolled in sugar sprinkles ought to help. (Honest to god, my wife's family makes these things at Christmas).
Oh--I almost forgot--don't ride as much and spend more time in front of the TV.
Increase intake of fats, carbs, and proteins. Chocolate-covered peanutbutter balls rolled in sugar sprinkles ought to help. (Honest to god, my wife's family makes these things at Christmas).
Oh--I almost forgot--don't ride as much and spend more time in front of the TV.
I have the same concern. I'm 178cm and 50kg.. below the minimum recommended BMI. I dunno about the eating lots of food trick to gaining weight. Maybe im just eating the wrong type of food but i start to feel sick when i try to eat more then what i usually do....
So i've bought a 2kg tub of MAX'S weight gainer (shake) and ill be sipping on this stuff for a few weeks. Ill let you know if it works.
So i've bought a 2kg tub of MAX'S weight gainer (shake) and ill be sipping on this stuff for a few weeks. Ill let you know if it works.
Hi again,
Well to update you on the benefit of Max's weight gainer..........there is none. At least not in the context of gaining weight. After a few weeks of drinking 2-3 Max's milkshakes per day, I noticed a performance increase, but as a weight gainer it is useless - i am in my last drinks of the tub and have had no change in body weight. At AUD$75 per tub, its not cheap and i wont be wasting my money on another.
Later
Well to update you on the benefit of Max's weight gainer..........there is none. At least not in the context of gaining weight. After a few weeks of drinking 2-3 Max's milkshakes per day, I noticed a performance increase, but as a weight gainer it is useless - i am in my last drinks of the tub and have had no change in body weight. At AUD$75 per tub, its not cheap and i wont be wasting my money on another.
Later
giltoronto : What kind of weight do you want to gain ? Lean Muscle mass ? Fat ? Something other then these two ?
I am 5' 11" 151 lbs , fit..... trim.... lean and mean. I told myself in October 2003 that by April 2004 I'd be 157 lbs , with the addition of 7 lbs . of lean muscle mass (mainly in my legs + gloots + some other areas where there are masses of muscle). The Fall + Winter is a good time to gain weight..... , but think quality(muscle mass) first. Remember, the more weight you put on.... its going to be harder to hammer up those hills/mountains... Now if you put on 3 lbs. of quality lean muscle mass..... then that muscle will work for you... to help push up those hills.
What is your aim for wanting to gain weight...... and how much weight do you want to gain ??
For me, its all about the strenghth to weight ratio ( kinda like Carbon Fiber.. vs. Aluminum .....) The stronger you are, at a lower weight .... = more efficentcy = less energy expediture needed to undertake a task... on the bicycle.
Think about it. What do you want to accomplish. Dont trust Creatine.... that stuff is sketchy.. at best. Like many members have already added here..... eat alot.. and eat often. I'll add to that, by saying 1st. Eat Quality (white chicken breast, beans, quality red meat cuts, pasta , salmon ). You get the idea. Eat often........ and eat Early... so you body can process the food into energy. If you really want to put on some weight, eas a quart of ice-cream right before going to bed every other night.
Ok i'll get the credibility thing out of the way
I'm a Certified Personal Trainer, a Chemist and a long time weight trainer and cyclist. I used to weigh 71kg and topped out after 2 yrs of weight lifting at 99kg I'm 5'10"
to gain muscular weight if you are naturally lean
1. you will need to eat HEAPS, lots of carbs a fair amount of protein and some fat (don't bulk up on fast food)
2. you will need to eat frequently and make sure you eat protein just before bed and when you wake up
3. To build muscle the important thing is to achieve momentary muscular failure, this means lots of sets of 8-12 reps with weights that will cause you to fail at the last rep. Do a couple of exercises per body part and rest 48 hrs between workouts
4. MY DISCLAIMER this will probably make you bulkier and a bit stronger but it IS NOT cycling specific fitness and will probably make you a worse cyclist.
If you need extra advice then just ask
Don
I'm a Certified Personal Trainer, a Chemist and a long time weight trainer and cyclist. I used to weigh 71kg and topped out after 2 yrs of weight lifting at 99kg I'm 5'10"
to gain muscular weight if you are naturally lean
1. you will need to eat HEAPS, lots of carbs a fair amount of protein and some fat (don't bulk up on fast food)
2. you will need to eat frequently and make sure you eat protein just before bed and when you wake up
3. To build muscle the important thing is to achieve momentary muscular failure, this means lots of sets of 8-12 reps with weights that will cause you to fail at the last rep. Do a couple of exercises per body part and rest 48 hrs between workouts
4. MY DISCLAIMER this will probably make you bulkier and a bit stronger but it IS NOT cycling specific fitness and will probably make you a worse cyclist.
If you need extra advice then just ask
Don
Weight gainers will not put on the kind of weight you are looking for. They are loaded with carbs and relatively little protein.
If you want to put on weight, calories are what's going to have to go up.
To bring up your weight, you are going to have to do weights. Simple as that. Stick to compound exercises. These are multi joint movements such as squats, bench presses and rows. These are just a few examples. To repair and rebuild these muscles, you are going to have to bump up your protein intake. Stick to just plain protein shakes, and not weight gainers. I think that diet is the best way to go though. I've put on about 35 lbs of muscle in two years just by changing my diet. Haven't even opened my tub of protein that I bought.
Also, don't neglect the intake of dietary fats. These are good fats. They help with the repair, and building of cells and their walls. They also help with many other things too, such as your immune system. These also bring up your anabolic hormone levels which will help you put on that beef you want.
And don't forget your carbs. Fuel for your workouts and fuel for your repairs. Simple as that.
Vitamins and minerals will also be crucial to yor new diet. You will probably nee dto increas your intake here as well.
If you want to put on weight, calories are what's going to have to go up.
To bring up your weight, you are going to have to do weights. Simple as that. Stick to compound exercises. These are multi joint movements such as squats, bench presses and rows. These are just a few examples. To repair and rebuild these muscles, you are going to have to bump up your protein intake. Stick to just plain protein shakes, and not weight gainers. I think that diet is the best way to go though. I've put on about 35 lbs of muscle in two years just by changing my diet. Haven't even opened my tub of protein that I bought.
Also, don't neglect the intake of dietary fats. These are good fats. They help with the repair, and building of cells and their walls. They also help with many other things too, such as your immune system. These also bring up your anabolic hormone levels which will help you put on that beef you want.
And don't forget your carbs. Fuel for your workouts and fuel for your repairs. Simple as that.
Vitamins and minerals will also be crucial to yor new diet. You will probably nee dto increas your intake here as well.
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