A question about weight gain
I weigh around about 67kg. Generally speaking this is my regular weight. It doesn't SEEM to matter how much I eat or don't - I always find myself coming back to around about 66/67kg. It seems to just balance there natrually. Let's say my weight jumps to 74kg.
The question I have is this (as I do intend to gain weight) - Once you get to say 74kg, as long as you keep eating well for a period of time (say a month) - does your weight regulate itself at this level eventually? Or if you didn't eat well for a couple of days would you find yourself going back to 67kg?
I'm aware that simply getting to 74kg in the space of say a couple of months and then not eating properly for a week would likely take my weight back down to 67. But what if I sustained that level for say a month - at what level does it end up regulating?
The question I have is this (as I do intend to gain weight) - Once you get to say 74kg, as long as you keep eating well for a period of time (say a month) - does your weight regulate itself at this level eventually? Or if you didn't eat well for a couple of days would you find yourself going back to 67kg?
I'm aware that simply getting to 74kg in the space of say a couple of months and then not eating properly for a week would likely take my weight back down to 67. But what if I sustained that level for say a month - at what level does it end up regulating?
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Original post by VergeofInsanity
I weigh around about 67kg. Generally speaking this is my regular weight. It doesn't SEEM to matter how much I eat or don't - I always find myself coming back to around about 66/67kg. It seems to just balance there natrually. Let's say my weight jumps to 74kg.
The question I have is this (as I do intend to gain weight) - Once you get to say 74kg, as long as you keep eating well for a period of time (say a month) - does your weight regulate itself at this level eventually? Or if you didn't eat well for a couple of days would you find yourself going back to 67kg?
I'm aware that simply getting to 74kg in the space of say a couple of months and then not eating properly for a week would likely take my weight back down to 67. But what if I sustained that level for say a month - at what level does it end up regulating?
The question I have is this (as I do intend to gain weight) - Once you get to say 74kg, as long as you keep eating well for a period of time (say a month) - does your weight regulate itself at this level eventually? Or if you didn't eat well for a couple of days would you find yourself going back to 67kg?
I'm aware that simply getting to 74kg in the space of say a couple of months and then not eating properly for a week would likely take my weight back down to 67. But what if I sustained that level for say a month - at what level does it end up regulating?
Hello,
I am getting you exactly you want to loose or gain....
gain. you ?
Original post by BKS
No. Natural balance isn't a thing, it's just a reflection of eating habits so if it's a thing in any sense it regulates when you get used to eating enough to be 74kg. The stickied FAQ explains the calories in vs calories out
Yeah, so that 6ft guy and that 5'5 guy are totally going to look exactly the same if they ate the same amount of cals, same foods and did the same workout.
Obviously natural weight is a thing. It's the weight at which your body functions optimally in terms of athleticism.
Original post by TorpidPhil
Yeah, so that 6ft guy and that 5'5 guy are totally going to look exactly the same if they ate the same amount of cals, same foods and did the same workout.
Obviously natural weight is a thing. It's the weight at which your body functions optimally in terms of athleticism.
Obviously natural weight is a thing. It's the weight at which your body functions optimally in terms of athleticism.
I really don't understand what you are talking about.
OP is talking about natural weight as something your body will somehow work to be, that's not biologically a thing. Your body has no preference for how much it ways.
If I had a natural weight by those standards it's 57kg, it's what I weighed for years before I started putting effort into what I eat. My body isn't trying to get back to that but it would if I went back to my old eating habits. That weight has nothing to do with athletic performance, I was stick shaped, it's not much good for anything athletic.
The determining factor is nothing to do with height. It's calories used per day. I'm 5ft5 and have a 6ft2 friend who weighs the same as me. I eat more to maintain my weight because I'm much more active than him. Of course being different heights means we look different, he's very skinny, I'm not. But I don't know what that's got to do with it.
Original post by BKS
I really don't understand what you are talking about.
OP is talking about natural weight as something your body will somehow work to be, that's not biologically a thing. Your body has no preference for how much it ways.
If I had a natural weight by those standards it's 57kg, it's what I weighed for years before I started putting effort into what I eat. My body isn't trying to get back to that but it would if I went back to my old eating habits. That weight has nothing to do with athletic performance, I was stick shaped, it's not much good for anything athletic.
The determining factor is nothing to do with height. It's calories used per day. I'm 5ft5 and have a 6ft2 friend who weighs the same as me. I eat more to maintain my weight because I'm much more active than him. Of course being different heights means we look different, he's very skinny, I'm not. But I don't know what that's got to do with it.
OP is talking about natural weight as something your body will somehow work to be, that's not biologically a thing. Your body has no preference for how much it ways.
If I had a natural weight by those standards it's 57kg, it's what I weighed for years before I started putting effort into what I eat. My body isn't trying to get back to that but it would if I went back to my old eating habits. That weight has nothing to do with athletic performance, I was stick shaped, it's not much good for anything athletic.
The determining factor is nothing to do with height. It's calories used per day. I'm 5ft5 and have a 6ft2 friend who weighs the same as me. I eat more to maintain my weight because I'm much more active than him. Of course being different heights means we look different, he's very skinny, I'm not. But I don't know what that's got to do with it.
Different people's bodies and health will function optimally at different weights. That is your "natural weight". That weight that is optimal to your athleticism and your health. Depending on your build and height and diseases and genetic downfalls/upfalls that will differ from person to person.
All that said, I highly doubt the OP was ever at their "natural weight" as defined above so I probably shouldn't have said anything, but you criticised the term in and of itself yet it is a fairly well used and fairly used term in combat sport.
Original post by TorpidPhil
Different people's bodies and health will function optimally at different weights. That is your "natural weight". That weight that is optimal to your athleticism and your health. Depending on your build and height and diseases and genetic downfalls/upfalls that will differ from person to person.
All that said, I highly doubt the OP was ever at their "natural weight" as defined above so I probably shouldn't have said anything, but you criticised the term in and of itself yet it is a fairly well used and fairly used term in combat sport.
All that said, I highly doubt the OP was ever at their "natural weight" as defined above so I probably shouldn't have said anything, but you criticised the term in and of itself yet it is a fairly well used and fairly used term in combat sport.
I don't think 'natural' is the right word for what you are talking about, I think 'optimal' makes more sense. I don't think you can say their is one optimal weight for each individual in terms of athleticism because that depends on your athletic focus. My ideal weight for strongman would be just under 80kg, for tae kwon do I'd be best under 57/60 for sparring and 67/70 for breaking, for powerlifting under 67.5 but probably eventually moving up to 75. I don't think there is a meaningful sense in which there is a particular weight that's optimal for health, there's a fairly wide weight range at which each individual can be healthy.
However none of this is relevant to OP because it's not what was being asked.I discussed the term as the OP used it, it makes no sense for you to define it differently then criticise me against that definition.
Original post by BKS
I don't think 'natural' is the right word for what you are talking about, I think 'optimal' makes more sense. I don't think you can say their is one optimal weight for each individual in terms of athleticism because that depends on your athletic focus. My ideal weight for strongman would be just under 80kg, for tae kwon do I'd be best under 57/60 for sparring and 67/70 for breaking, for powerlifting under 67.5 but probably eventually moving up to 75. I don't think there is a meaningful sense in which there is a particular weight that's optimal for health, there's a fairly wide weight range at which each individual can be healthy.
However none of this is relevant to OP because it's not what was being asked.I discussed the term as the OP used it, it makes no sense for you to define it differently then criticise me against that definition.
However none of this is relevant to OP because it's not what was being asked.I discussed the term as the OP used it, it makes no sense for you to define it differently then criticise me against that definition.
My definition of it is the only way I've heard it being used but yeah. No relevant to the OP.
I think I read somewhere on this forum that if you eat for 25 days, more than you usually do you find yourself gaining weight or something? How long is it till you see improvements in KG gain? I know it's not black and white though.
Original post by VergeofInsanity
I think I read somewhere on this forum that if you eat for 25 days, more than you usually do you find yourself gaining weight or something? How long is it till you see improvements in KG gain? I know it's not black and white though.
Eat a 500kcal surplus per day and you will gain 1lbs per week
Get a decent sense of how much you eat now, add 500, eat that for a few weeks, adjust according to the scales. You'll soon have a pretty clear idea how much you need to eat to gain any amount
(PS read the FAQ)
A link to the FAQ http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3014757
Your weight is a reflection of what you eat - your weight isn't natural - no weight is - you can influence your self massively in that regards.
Your weight is a reflection of what you eat - your weight isn't natural - no weight is - you can influence your self massively in that regards.
Original post by VergeofInsanity
I think I read somewhere on this forum that if you eat for 25 days, more than you usually do you find yourself gaining weight or something? How long is it till you see improvements in KG gain? I know it's not black and white though.
It sort of is, actually. The only part that's not all that straightforward is determining your TDEE, this requires experimentation to get an estimate or an RMR test. Once you have an idea, though, a surplus of 500 a day over this will see you gaining 1lb a week. 1000 over a day will be 2lbs a week and so on. But yeah, in general, you'll need to weigh yourself once a week and make caloric increases or decreases based on whether you're not gaining weight or gaining weight too fast, respectively.
Original post by BKS
Eat a 500kcal surplus per day and you will gain 1lbs per week
Get a decent sense of how much you eat now, add 500, eat that for a few weeks, adjust according to the scales. You'll soon have a pretty clear idea how much you need to eat to gain any amount
(PS read the FAQ)
Get a decent sense of how much you eat now, add 500, eat that for a few weeks, adjust according to the scales. You'll soon have a pretty clear idea how much you need to eat to gain any amount
(PS read the FAQ)
Dam that is hard to measure, so variable.
So you are saying if I eat typically say 1500 calories a day - I should aim for 2000 calories. But then how long do I stay at 2000? If I stay at 2000 for 2 months, yes I'll gain some weight but then if I stay for 1 year will I gain a pound of weight every week for 52 weeks? Is there not a point where I have to increase again?
Original post by WoodyMKC
It sort of is, actually. The only part that's not all that straightforward is determining your TDEE, this requires experimentation to get an estimate or an RMR test. Once you have an idea, though, a surplus of 500 a day over this will see you gaining 1lb a week. 1000 over a day will be 2lbs a week and so on. But yeah, in general, you'll need to weigh yourself once a week and make caloric increases or decreases based on whether you're not gaining weight or gaining weight too fast, respectively.
So what food types you recommend? I take keen notice on the calories and its weightings etc.
I really like shortbread biscuits for example for calories - I think a pack of 10 shortbread biscuits is something like over 1000 calories which is crazy as a quick fix for gaining weight. Yet I know there is alot of fat in this as well. However, I am very slim. I have always been very lean and so could do with some fat. But are there alternatives to shortbread biscuits that are similar mass calorie gainers? Quick fix foods? That's the problem. I don't know if I can cook several meals a day.
Do you have other suggestions for some calorific snacks to munch on through the day?
Original post by VergeofInsanity
So what food types you recommend? I take keen notice on the calories and its weightings etc.
I really like shortbread biscuits for example for calories - I think a pack of 10 shortbread biscuits is something like over 1000 calories which is crazy as a quick fix for gaining weight. Yet I know there is alot of fat in this as well. However, I am very slim. I have always been very lean and so could do with some fat. But are there alternatives to shortbread biscuits that are similar mass calorie gainers? Quick fix foods? That's the problem. I don't know if I can cook several meals a day.
Do you have other suggestions for some calorific snacks to munch on through the day?
I really like shortbread biscuits for example for calories - I think a pack of 10 shortbread biscuits is something like over 1000 calories which is crazy as a quick fix for gaining weight. Yet I know there is alot of fat in this as well. However, I am very slim. I have always been very lean and so could do with some fat. But are there alternatives to shortbread biscuits that are similar mass calorie gainers? Quick fix foods? That's the problem. I don't know if I can cook several meals a day.
Do you have other suggestions for some calorific snacks to munch on through the day?
chocolate milk is probably the easiest looking purely from a caloric density:satiety ratio
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Greg Jackson
chocolate milk is probably the easiest looking purely from a caloric density:satiety ratio
I think I read recently that milk doesn't actually gain you significant weight so would chocolate milk be different? And when you say chocolate milk what do you mean exactly? Chocolate milkshake drinks like Frijj?
Original post by VergeofInsanity
I weigh around about 67kg. Generally speaking this is my regular weight. It doesn't SEEM to matter how much I eat or don't - I always find myself coming back to around about 66/67kg. It seems to just balance there natrually. Let's say my weight jumps to 74kg.
The question I have is this (as I do intend to gain weight) - Once you get to say 74kg, as long as you keep eating well for a period of time (say a month) - does your weight regulate itself at this level eventually? Or if you didn't eat well for a couple of days would you find yourself going back to 67kg?
I'm aware that simply getting to 74kg in the space of say a couple of months and then not eating properly for a week would likely take my weight back down to 67. But what if I sustained that level for say a month - at what level does it end up regulating?
The question I have is this (as I do intend to gain weight) - Once you get to say 74kg, as long as you keep eating well for a period of time (say a month) - does your weight regulate itself at this level eventually? Or if you didn't eat well for a couple of days would you find yourself going back to 67kg?
I'm aware that simply getting to 74kg in the space of say a couple of months and then not eating properly for a week would likely take my weight back down to 67. But what if I sustained that level for say a month - at what level does it end up regulating?
It depends on your maintainance calories. Let's say for the sake of argument they are 2000, eating in a 500 calories surplus will see you gain weight.
However, as you gain/lose weight, your maintainance calories will change, depending on your activity levels, metabolism etc.
If you continued to eat the same amount of calories, you wouldn't gain weight at the same speed. For example, your maintainance calories may fall if your motabolism slows down following weight gain. As a result, you're in more of a calorific surplus and hence will gain more weight. The same is true for the opposite. This is why you have to constantly reevaluate your diet, and ask yourself 'is this working for me?'
(edited 8 years ago)
Chocolate milk and milk (and milk alternatives and juice and everything else) are fine for weight gain. It just comes down to how many calories.
No it's not. You just need to get used to it. Once you have a better sense of calories you probably won't even need to count every day.
You need to get in the habit of eating with some consistency, about the same calories every day. Have peanut butter or something you can just eat a few spoons of at the end of the day if you've not ate enough.
Measure either by how much of the packet you eat and scales or cups. I prefer cups, it's quickest and because Americans use it, it's easy to get nutritional info for any ingredient.
Enter it into a tracker (if you don't know what that is you've not read the FAQ
)
Yes, as you get bigger the amount you need to eat to maintain your weight gets higher so the +500 is higher. It's a piece of string question but it won't happen that fast. When you've had a few weeks of less weight gain add a proportionate number of calories.
Original post by VergeofInsanity
Dam that is hard to measure, so variable.
So you are saying if I eat typically say 1500 calories a day - I should aim for 2000 calories. But then how long do I stay at 2000? If I stay at 2000 for 2 months, yes I'll gain some weight but then if I stay for 1 year will I gain a pound of weight every week for 52 weeks? Is there not a point where I have to increase again?
So you are saying if I eat typically say 1500 calories a day - I should aim for 2000 calories. But then how long do I stay at 2000? If I stay at 2000 for 2 months, yes I'll gain some weight but then if I stay for 1 year will I gain a pound of weight every week for 52 weeks? Is there not a point where I have to increase again?
No it's not. You just need to get used to it. Once you have a better sense of calories you probably won't even need to count every day.
You need to get in the habit of eating with some consistency, about the same calories every day. Have peanut butter or something you can just eat a few spoons of at the end of the day if you've not ate enough.
Measure either by how much of the packet you eat and scales or cups. I prefer cups, it's quickest and because Americans use it, it's easy to get nutritional info for any ingredient.
Enter it into a tracker (if you don't know what that is you've not read the FAQ
)Yes, as you get bigger the amount you need to eat to maintain your weight gets higher so the +500 is higher. It's a piece of string question but it won't happen that fast. When you've had a few weeks of less weight gain add a proportionate number of calories.
Original post by VergeofInsanity
So what food types you recommend? I take keen notice on the calories and its weightings etc.
I really like shortbread biscuits for example for calories - I think a pack of 10 shortbread biscuits is something like over 1000 calories which is crazy as a quick fix for gaining weight. Yet I know there is alot of fat in this as well. However, I am very slim. I have always been very lean and so could do with some fat. But are there alternatives to shortbread biscuits that are similar mass calorie gainers? Quick fix foods? That's the problem. I don't know if I can cook several meals a day.
Do you have other suggestions for some calorific snacks to munch on through the day?
I really like shortbread biscuits for example for calories - I think a pack of 10 shortbread biscuits is something like over 1000 calories which is crazy as a quick fix for gaining weight. Yet I know there is alot of fat in this as well. However, I am very slim. I have always been very lean and so could do with some fat. But are there alternatives to shortbread biscuits that are similar mass calorie gainers? Quick fix foods? That's the problem. I don't know if I can cook several meals a day.
Do you have other suggestions for some calorific snacks to munch on through the day?
Shortbread is a favourite of mine as well, good complex carb:sugar ratio despite being sweet and good calorie:satiety ratio for bulking. As for other stuff, just anything that's dense in macronutrients. Pasta contains a few hundred calories in a handful of uncooked pasta, you could cook a big saucepan of it and it'll keep for a few days in the fridge for you to reheat bits of when hungry. Anything high in fat will also be high in calories, so for example when you have your pasta a tablespoon of olive or walnut oil will add another 130-odd calories to the dish. Obviously, junk food like pizzas, fast food, Pot Noodles and so on offer great caloric value, though they're clearly not very healthy.
Just be cautious mate. It's all too easy to be skinny and think "I need to gain some weight", but someone who's naturally slim will most likely put the majority of the extra weight on around their belly/lower back (i.e. the "skinny/fat" look) and will only look worse for the weight gain rather than better. Lifting and eating is the way to put on weight and look better, not eating on its own
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