Thread: Can't gain weight.....

dude youre metabolism is whacked. its gonna take more than 4 days to get it back to normal.

Whatever you are eating now, double it. That should do the trick.

Originally Posted by FranktheTank

but now I cannot gain any weight....

are you counting calories ?

Ya I am counting. At 2600 now from 1300 ~ 3 weeks ago

keep increasing your cals by 10% each week until you start to gain weight

Ya that's what I figured. Do you think I should keep off the cardio?

Originally Posted by FranktheTank

Ya I am counting. At 2600 now from 1300 ~ 3 weeks ago

I eat 1300 in two meals. That is a very small amount of calories. It shouldn't be to hard to eat close to 3000 calories a day for you.

Don't have that big of an appetite, so it is hard to eat what I am now. Seems with healthy foods you have to eat a ton of them to have the calories add up.

Originally Posted by FranktheTank

Don't have that big of an appetite, so it is hard to eat what I am now. Seems with healthy foods you have to eat a ton of them to have the calories add up.

Some cardio can be helpful to trigger your appetite - but too much will be counterproductive.

How much are you doing?

And what are you eating?

Right now I'm not doing any cardio maybe 15mins of jump rope when I feel like it.

I use to do 3-4 days of cardio on non-lifting days for 45mins @ 4mph with varied inclines.

Hmm what I am eating now....you probably won't like any of it im sure. Trying to bulk now...

Here it is anyway:

Bkf - Packet of regular oatmeal, 8-12 oz of skim milk, 1 scoop of WHEY
- 360 cal/~36g protein

Lnch - If it's a lifting day then: 2 scoops WHEY, 12 oz skim milk, almond/oats bar
- 480 cal/ ~57g protein

Dinner - Usually chicken, pasta, fish, or beef, vegs/salad, (different everyday)
- 500+ cal usually/ least 30g protein

Bed - Zone bar, yogurt, wheat germ, handful of almonds
- ~450 cal/ ~38-40g protein

Totals: ~1800 cal/~160g protein

I try to get over 2000 cal and about 135-140 protein a day. I tend to pick at food throughout the day as well, such as maybe a banana or apple.

This is what I had yesterday....not too sure what to eat, hard to find some of the stuff you guys suggest. I try to make do with what I have, but suggestions would very helpful. I am use to my old eating ways of 1300 cal, so I am still trying to up my caloric intake. I know how I can get more calories easier, but don't wanna eat shit for food and gain just fat.

Right? And you really think you will gain weight on this?!!

Originally Posted by FranktheTank

Right now I'm not doing any cardio maybe 15mins of jump rope when I feel like it.

I use to do 3-4 days of cardio on non-lifting days for 45mins @ 4mph with varied inclines.

Do 2 days cardio at a max. Something moderate intensity for a max of 30 minutes would be fine.

Hmm what I am eating now....you probably won't like any of it im sure. Trying to bulk now...

Honestly - It looks like you are trying to cut.... And cutting badly too!

You are eating NOTHING! I am a small female and even I eat a bucket load more than you...

If you can't fit it in then do liquid meals and calorie dense foods - but you have to eat more.

Bkf - Packet of regular oatmeal, 8-12 oz of skim milk, 1 scoop of WHEY
- 360 cal/~36g protein

Add more oats, and add a banana here too. And add healthy fats.

Something like:
60g oats (2 packets of oatmeal)
12 oz skim milk
1 scoop whey
1 med banana
1 tbs PB
TOTALS = 675 cals, ~85g carbs, 45g protein, 13g fat

Lnch - If it's a lifting day then: 2 scoops WHEY, 12 oz skim milk, almond/oats bar
- 480 cal/ ~57g protein

What about a non-lifting day? And is this pre or post workout? And what do you have for your PWO shake?

Add another meal in before lunch - even if it is a home made bar or a shake - you need to eat it. Carbs, protein, fats would be ideal.

Then have lunch.

If you are lifting you will then need to have a PWO shake too - something like carbs and protein.


Have another meal before dinner.

Dinner - Usually chicken, pasta, fish, or beef, vegs/salad, (different everyday)
- 500+ cal usually/ least 30g protein

Add olive oil to your salad and have the pasta (or some rice or potato) every time. Just mix around the chicken/beef or fish.

Bed - Zone bar, yogurt, wheat germ, handful of almonds
- ~450 cal/ ~38-40g protein

Have the zone bar as a snack during the day and add some slow digesting here.


You do not need to 'eat crap food' - but you need to eat. 1900 cals is not going to cut it.

Originally Posted by Emma-Leigh

What about a non-lifting day? And is this pre or post workout? And what do you have for your PWO shake?

I usually have this after I workout. Before I workout, it is usually my BKF.
I really appreciate your advice and will follow it. Just needed some direction.

By the way, how many cals do you think I should be having now? I am eating anywhere from 1800-1900+ a day now, should I jump up right away or keeping going up @ 10% each week as LAM suggested.

I would start at 2500 calories and work up from there

I agree, up the calories... 2600 for bulking seems like nothing.

Originally Posted by FranktheTank

I usually have this after I workout. Before I workout, it is usually my BKF.

Right - you need another meal between breakfast and working out.

You then need a proper PWO shake and you need to follow it with a proper PWO meal.

By the way, how many cals do you think I should be having now? I am eating anywhere from 1800-1900+ a day now, should I jump up right away or keeping going up @ 10% each week as LAM suggested.

Just based on your weight your maintainence would be around the 2000-2200 cal mark - but with your age and you being male and active it may well be higher than this.

Which means that to see results you may have to go up closer to 2500-2700.

So you could, as suggested, jump straight up to 2500 ish and see what happens.

However, long term dieting can do horrible things to the metabolism so you could do a few other things:

1. Go with LAMs suggestion - every 2 weeks increase cals by 10% until you see results. So from:
Now at 1800-1900
For two weeks + 10% = 1980 - 2090
If no results the next two weeks + 10% = 2180 - 2300
If still nothing, the next two weeks + 10% etc etc

2. Go directly to ~2200 and then work up slowly from there - so:
2 weeks at 2200
if you get no results do 2 weeks at 2400
if you get no results do 2 weeks at 2650 etc etc


I would probably go with the last option - it gives you a happy medium.

Originally Posted by Emma-Leigh

Right? And you really think you will gain weight on this?!!


Do 2 days cardio at a max. Something moderate intensity for a max of 30 minutes would be fine.


Honestly - It looks like you are trying to cut.... And cutting badly too!

You are eating NOTHING! I am a small female and even I eat a bucket load more than you...

If you can't fit it in then do liquid meals and calorie dense foods - but you have to eat more.


Add more oats, and add a banana here too. And add healthy fats.

Something like:
60g oats (2 packets of oatmeal)
12 oz skim milk
1 scoop whey
1 med banana
1 tbs PB
TOTALS = 675 cals, ~85g carbs, 45g protein, 13g fat


What about a non-lifting day? And is this pre or post workout? And what do you have for your PWO shake?

Add another meal in before lunch - even if it is a home made bar or a shake - you need to eat it. Carbs, protein, fats would be ideal.

Then have lunch.

If you are lifting you will then need to have a PWO shake too - something like carbs and protein.


Have another meal before dinner.


Add olive oil to your salad and have the pasta (or some rice or potato) every time. Just mix around the chicken/beef or fish.


Have the zone bar as a snack during the day and add some slow digesting here.


You do not need to 'eat crap food' - but you need to eat. 1900 cals is not going to cut it.

Yeah that should do the trick.

Originally Posted by FranktheTank

I have been trying to get my weight down for sometime now.

But now I am at the point where I think I should start bulking, but now I cannot gain any weight....Should I just keep upping calories? I do not do cardio anymore, and I still lose weight.

that's probably because your diet SUCKS ASS!!

Do you have any idea what you are doing or what you should be doing?

Originally Posted by HANK-VISSER

that's probably because your diet SUCKS ASS!!

Do you have any idea what you are doing or what you should be doing?