How do I do this?

Hi, my name is Susan, 20 yrs old, and I'm new to the weight gain forum. I've never suffered from ED, and I'm not underweight (I'm 5'8 1/2 and 126 lbs so my BMI is 19.0). But I haven't had a period for 7 months and I've been very sick during that time with severe joint and muscle pain that the doctors haven't been able to diagnose. I think gaining a few pounds would benefit me.

I am familiar with losing weight but I am a complete stranger at how to gain it. I think what is hardest is knowing how much my body needs to maintain as I think this site underestimates (it tells me I need 1700, or 1900 when I factor in walking and strength training - I've decided to cut out running and other cardio). How much do you all think I need? And how fast should I increase? I want to be as gentle and easy on my body as possible since I'm in so much pain right now.

Sometimes I wonder if I really need to gain weight but deep down I think I do because I do not have a small frame (closer to medium) and I think 126 lbs is too low.

Thanks so much,

Susan

Everyone here has told me to start at 2500.

How mny calories per day are you eating now?

You can try adding a few hundred calories to your daily intake and see what happen after a week.  Then you can adjust your intake again to get closer to the rate of weight gain you would like.

Thanks for your replies!

I'm currently eating between 1800-2100 kcals per day. According to this site, I should be slowly gaining from this amount (It says I burn about 1750 a day even with exercise) but honestly I don't think that that's enough....

I'm 5'8.5, 23, and 150, and I burn about 1800 a day without exercise.  So I bet you are really burning more just in day to day life.  CC is not perfect with those estimations.

Are you maintaining on what you are eating now?  If so, I'd say start by getting at least 2000 a day, and up to 2500. 

Original Post by pittgirl88:

Thanks for your replies!

I'm currently eating between 1800-2100 kcals per day. According to this site, I should be slowly gaining from this amount (It says I burn about 1750 a day even with exercise) but honestly I don't think that that's enough....

I am two years younger than you and currently about 8lbs less, but we are the same height. My circumstances are different(recovering from an ed) but it takes me 2800 to see about a 1lb gain, upwards of 3,000 to see a 1.5 lb gain! But I would start at 2500, and if in a week you haven't gained anything up it to 2750-2800 :) You're still under 21, so there's a good chance cc calculator's might not apply to you. 

If you need help making a 2500 calorie meal plan here is mine from today.

Breakfast: [735cal]

• 1cup of cooked oatmeal
• 8 fl oz. of skim milk
• 2 tbsp of peanutbutter
• 1 oz of almonds
• 1 large banana

Snack #1:[cal 290]

• Double Fiber english muffin
• .5 cup of egg whites
• 1 slice of fat free cheese
• 8 oz of baby carrots

Lunch:[374 cal]

• 6 oz of chicken
• 6 oz of broccoli
• 8 oz of baby carrots
• 1 lemon
• like 7 spinach leafs
• 1.5 cups of icerberg lettuce 
• 1 cup of trop 50 juice
• 2 slices of foster farms turkey slices

Snack:[125cal]

• Apple

Snack[after gym] (449 cal)

• 16 oz of milk
• 2 scoops of whey protein
• 1 large frozen banana
• 4 frozen strawberries

Dinner:[440 cal]

• Pita
• 4 oz of ground turkey breast
• 3 mushrooms [sliced]
• 1 tbsp of onion
• about 2.5 tbsp of tomato
• about 2.5 tbsp of bell pepper
• .75 cup of egg whites
• 8 oz of broccoli

=2500

Thank you all so much for the advice! I know this is a process and I have to be patient with my body but I want to get my period back so badly because I really think it will improve my health. I'm going to increase my cals this week and weigh myself again next week and see how I'm doing. I'll keep ya'll posted!