Unsure whether to keep gaining

Hi all,

I'm not sure whether to bother gaining any more even though I would ideally like to; I'm naturally very slender so it is hard work. On a normal diet I'm 140lbs which gives me a bmi of 17.5 which if obviously rather low. I managed to put on 45lbs which gives me a bmi of 23.1 but my original aim was 196lbs (24.5) that was purely for vanity reasons. For those of you who have gained weight to a healthy BMI did any of you continue to a higher weight? I already need around 3500cals now to maintain so it isn't really the effort of putting on the weight bur rather keeping it on - I assume the higher my weight the more calories I need to stay there?

O.K. so you are currently a BMI of 23.1?

You're 6'3" and 180 and I am assuming under the age of 21? That looks like more a BMI of 22.5 -- but no mind it's still in a healthy range.

As you have already said in previous posts you have not suffered an eating disorder but have to work really hard to keep the weight on.

I don't think your original goal of 196 is a bad idea to ensure all the bone mass and neurological development that happens in your early 20s happens with room to spare.

I'm not used to a young guy who finds it hard work to eat 3500 calories I must admit -- most seem to be able to inhale a refrigerator's worth of food in a sitting.

Yes to gain to your original goal of 196 you would need to up those calories -- however, once you reach the goal you should eventually be able to maintain back down around 3200-3500. Although to be honest that might not happen until after you are in your late 20s.

It really ends up being what you think will be to your liking now that you are in a healthy weight range. Either way, best of luck!

Thanks for your reply. I'm 24 years old and 185lbs at the moment. My diet is quite clean and the foods I tend to eat aren't all that calorie dense so 3500 calories seems a large quantity of food for me if you see what I mean. Also in an ideal world I would be doing a bit more cardio than I currently am so I guess I should try and continue to gain a bit before I up the miles.

Forgot to say -- congratulations on getting yourself into that healthy weight range!

You can still have a good clean diet and bump up the calories:

Oils -- olive oil, flax oil, hemp seed oil -- a couple of tablespoons of those on steamed veggies or salads and you've added 240 calories to your meal.

In fact, the only oils that are real health concerns in large amounts are transfats and hydrogenated fats and those are only available if you're eating packaged and processed foods (and it sounds like you don't).

Nuts (or seeds if you have nut allergies) -- a hundred calories in 10 or so nuts or a handful of seeds. The nut and seed butters are great too -- dip the raw veggies in them or spread on the breads or crackers you might normally eat.

Avocados -- depending on the kind I think one avocado can get up to 340.

Coconut oil -- cook with it and add calories that way too (very healthy saturated fat that the body breaks down to polyunsaturated quickly).

Hope those give you some ideas!

congrats! did u have an ED?

im about 5lbs from a bmi of 20, but im pretty sure ill aim a bit higher for 21 or 22.  id start w/subtractig only a couple hundred to see how much i can maintain on.  i dont like to workout thoso well see about that.

congrats again!

Thanks guys. No I didn't have ED agruskin just naturally very slender; basically if I mirror what a man my age and height eats I will start lossing weight down to where I started - think I get it from my parents! Thanks for the advice hedgren; I tend to put olive oil on most things to add calories but will buy some nuts to munch on throughout the day.