Recommendation

I'm 6'0 tall, 125 lbs, and 19 years old (male).  Any recommendations for how many calories I should I consume?  I'm posting in the "weight gain" forum because I've been told by my doctor that I'm underweight and should gain until I'm at least 150 lbs.  Thanks all!

A great resource is phord.com/cc at moderately active you burn about 2500 calories a day and a safe gaining amount is about 2 pounds per week so i would aim for 3500 calories a day. Try to minimize the amount of physical activity that you do and if that isn't possible for some reason then you need to eat more to make up for calories that you burn!! 

You have a lot of weight to gain and you shouldn't worry too much about eating too much since at the moment this is probably virtually impossible. 

Try to eat low bulk foods...so minimize cabbage, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, lettuce...and opt for peas, carrots, potatoes, yams, artichoke hearts, olives, and whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.

so tons of olive oil, avocado, olives, nuts, trail mix, full fat dairy...these things are your friends!!

avoid the scale for a few weeks if you're afraid of gaining.

if you have any questions PM me..i've been through the process and i know it can be scary but hang in there...it's worth it!!

Ever since my first day of trying to up my calories (I got 2,500), I haven't hit even 2,200.  The last three or four days, I haven't even hit 2,000.  I'm having trouble thinking I  need to gain weight.  I just see myself to be at a healthy weight.  Do I really need to gain weight?  My BMI is 17.  That isn't tooo much underweight.  Help?

Yes that is very underweight and yes you do need to gain, plain and simple. Eat 2500 minimum starting now. Its not a lot of food if you choose wisely.

If you are having trouble thinking of yourself as very underweight, then it's best to go back to your doctor and request a referral to a psychologist. I don't mean that to sound dismissive -- it's more that your doctor may simply have thought you were neglecting eating (busy life) and not that you see yourself at a healthy weight now (body dysmorphic disorder).

Most young men your age and height eat around 3,500 a day (and more than that if they are at all active). You are still 6 years away from ossification (when bones are fully formed) and the bone and muscle you build over the next few years defines your overall health for the rest of your life. You are not just maintaining vital body functions at your age, you are also building vital body functions.

It's excellent you have made the attempt to increase the calories and that you have posted you're struggling to even get to 2,000 calories because you are obviously aware there is a disconnect. Please go back to your doctor and get into the challenges you're having. Best of luck.

 

 

 

Yes you are very under. How did this happen? Is this from an ed or are you having other health issues? I know some young guys do eat high calories and are very thin but I am not thinking this is your case. Many need just to maintain over 3000 so to gain you are going to need a lot. What are you eating now? Can you start increasing or are you willing? If so then think dense foods like thick breads,pb,granola. In my refeeding I think in 2's like 2 sandwiches,2 potatoes etc. It seems easier to get it all in

I'm not very willing.  I used to be fairly chubby while I was in middle school and high school, but lost weight due to the fact that I was just tired of being overweight, but that led to an obsession of exercise and not eating too much and calorie counting.  I don't exercise nearly as much as I used to, but I'm eating around 2,000 calories a day.  I'm not very willing to increase my calories much above 2,000 (only had 2,500 one day and I felt really guilty because of it, so I haven't been that high since).  I may have had an ed, I don't really know.  When I look in the mirror, I don't see what everyone else sees (apparently), I see a healthy guy.  I just don't know.

if you're not willing then why are you posting here? i'm not trying to be mean but this community advocated healthy approaches to diet and fitness, so if you're going to continue down this self destructive path then there's nothing left to be said. YOU HAVE TO COMMIT to getting better, we've told you you're underweight and need to eat more and "You're not very willing" so i think we've said all that we can say. good luck and i hope you see the light soon. i'd recommend speaking with a therapist.

I said "I'm not very willing" because I know I have a problem, and that problem is that my mind makes it really hard for me to eat a lot of calories.  I post on here because it gives me some inspiration and motivation to change my life around.  I'm sorry if I insult you all with my stubbornness, you all have been a great help and I appreciate it.  Again, I apologize.  I'm just trying to change and it's hard.

We know its hard. We've been through it to and I'm now on the other side of it. Its just so frustrating when you see someone struggling and they KNOW inside that its not right and they do nothing to change it. You have to decide you WaNT to be healthy again. Really 2000 calories...do you want to eat that forever when you could be maintaining on 3000? Do you really want to be obsessed with food forever and deal with health problems all for the sake of the number you see on the scale? You can beat this and we'll help you but the first step is being willing to change NOW! Eat 2200 today. For the next 3 days if you have to. You'll see that you're still breathing and the worlds still turning. Then increase again, again and again.

I remember inpatient my therapist said to fully recover from an ed you have to do what ever it takes. It is true. You have to push through all the fears,anxiety,etc. It does not have to be black or white being overweight vs under. You can be healthy. Really being underweight and having an ed mentally wise is such a barrier to life. I think in your heart you know something is not healthy about you or you would not be here but you are scared to change. That is where support and guidence can help. This is more then the number on the scale or intake but a reason why you feel the need to be this thin and self destruct. Can you go to therapy? Can you see a nutritionist? There is no reason to feel guilty in taking care of your body which means eating over what you are. I understand that but the more you take care in the long run those feelings will lessen. You just have to sit with them till they do.