I'm 28, 6ft, and weigh 125-130lbs (it fluctuates between these numbers).
I've always been thin, my dad was always thin and he's been healthy his entire life so far. Every time I try and gain weight I just feel totally weighed down by the excess food and like all I do is shit it out. My body never makes any gains except in the gut and it seems to desperately want to go back to eating less and staying around this weight.
So, are some people just "meant" to stay thin? Is it healthier to do this than try to force my body to gain weight? In fact, I feel healthier the LESS I eat in general, as long as what I do it is adequate nutritionally. I just feel better physically - lighter on my feet, more energy - and psychologically.
I don't have health insurance and don't have any money so I can't see a doctor about this stuff.
Pic not me but similar.
You need to eat a high fat, high protein diet and also work out at the same time so you don't get fat but make gains. Don't just eat a ton of junk food and think you'll not just look like a blob.
>>17577682
That's what I have done, though, in the past when trying to gain proper weight. It just doesn't work. It feels like I'm literally full of shit all the time and doing nothing but shitting 24/7. Honestly, pretty disgusting and makes me wonder how anyone heavier than I am can live with the constant shitting. I don't like to shit more than once every few days.
There are certain conditions that prevent you from gaining weight, although most people who experience it aren't eating the right things. Contrary to the popular belief it's not always as simple as calories in - calories out because your body won't be able to process everything you eat if it's not healthy or is lacking some nutrients. You need a good balance of micro and macronutrients. Look into it a little and figure out if you're getting your needed vitamins, proteins etc (the /fit/ stiucky has some info on this). If yo are consuming everything you need and are unable to gain weight you need to go to a doctor. Shitting all day every day probably means something is off. I consume about 3k calories a day and I only take a not-so-impressive dumb a day.
Also, unless you work out a little you will become skinnyfat, even if you do manage to gain weight. As in most of the weight you'll gain is going to be in gut and chest and almost all of it is going to be fat.
>>17577678
Yes, genes do influence body type if that's what you're asking. Some people are born with more slender frames naturally while some more more stocky.
GOMAD
>>17577678
> Is it healthier to do this than try to force my body to gain weight? In fact, I feel healthier the LESS I eat in general, as long as what I do it is adequate nutritionally. I just feel better physically - lighter on my feet, more energy - and psychologically.
You sound so much like me, dude, and I'm a skinny bro myself.
I don't gorge myself just because I "can" because I feel like if I fall into that trap of thinking "I can eat whatever I want and not gain weight" I will damage my body. Not just gaining weight is what you need to worry about. Excess sodium, processed sugars, etc. I look at the back of everything I eat and consider if it's really worth it vs an alternative.
Don't succumb to pressure to "put meat on your bones". You'll soon find yourself in that skinny-fat camp, this means you have high fat but low muscle volume. People think this looks good but it's actually worse than where you are now. The best way for either of us to gain weight is to eat more, but to eat healthy and to work out. Eating healthy proportions of good things for a healthy weight + exercise is the key if you want to be as healthy as you can.
I look a bit like the guy in the pic. The difference between me and my buff brother is that he eats slightly more meat, drinks a few protein shakes, and actually goes to the gym. We look pretty much identical is all other aspects.
>>17577678
It's pretty accepted that certain guts favor certain foods. Some people are "lucky" enough to have bacteria that handle modern diets well. For others, it can leave them under or overweight. All you can do is change your diet to match your body.
>>17577678
your appetite and the capacity of your stomach can change. it's the reason why competitive eaters can do what they do and why obese individuals elect for gastric bypass surgery to help them compensate for their lack of willpower. a larger stomach will require more food to feel satisfied and people tend to eat till satisfaction.
it's very easy to increase both appetite and capacity, you eat more food and drink plenty of liquids. i know what you're going to say: "but anon, i can't eat more food than i am now. i feel full already." which i'll reply to with "you're meant to eat past the feeling of fullness. it isn't meant to be comfortable. you're literally force eating." you're not only conditioning yourself mentally but you're forcing physiological changes in your GI system.
evidently your baseline appetite doesn't allow you to bypass this 125-130lb fluctuation. you're averaging (lets ballpark) 14,000-15,000 calories/week. if you do not force yourself to push past that baseline value then you have no hopes of intaking more calories consistently which means you have absolutely no hopes of gaining weight. it's pretty fucking simple arithmetic.
if you want to gain weight then you need to make the effort to do so. if you've always had a light appetite growing up then this can be difficult since your body has been conditioned. same way that eating less is a fucking chore for overweight people that have grown up with or developed higher caloric diets.
>>17577678
Same boat as you here
It wont matter as much now but later on in life being underweight will sincerely affect health.
>>17578011
(contd)
lots of skinny/lean people have an issue with gaining weight due to the change is has on their appearance. for example, i'm /fit/ and lean. i've been lifting consistently for nearly seven years now but the first few years were me spinning my wheels since i refused to increase my calorie intake which would facilitate growth.
i had trouble keeping food down, maintaining a schedule, and cooking was a fucking pain (even bulk cooking). i would constantly skip meals and try to compensate later which just caused the problem to pile up to impossible amounts. i would tell myself that i'm making a real effort and look for excuses as to why i wasn't gaining weight but that was just delusion. i wasn't trying hard enough.
the key thing i noticed was that anytime i would make progress (gain meaningful amounts of weight) i would revert back to my baseline appetite and lose it all quickly. it's because i would make note of how "my abs aren't as pronounced" or that "my face doesn't look as sharp" and i would panic and stop my diet. i wouldn't consciously stop my diet, i would make excuses as to why i can't cook right now or justify not finishing my plate.
the thing that helped me a lot was to snack more and to "drink my calories." if i'm bulking then i'm constantly snacking on mixed nuts or eating a p&b sammich or eating a portion of protein between my meals. i don't wait to feel hungry to eat, i just eat a bit here and there inbetween a schedule of my "traditional" meal timings of bfast, lunch, dinner.