How to Gain Weight???

rhymegirl

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Not me.

My 16-year-old son is very thin and wants to bulk up.

What kinds of foods should he eat that will help him gain weight and build muscle but still be healthy foods?

I don't want him eating a bunch of junk food.
 

thethinker42

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Not me.

My 16-year-old son is very thin and wants to bulk up.

What kinds of foods should he eat that will help him gain weight and build muscle but still be healthy foods?

I don't want him eating a bunch of junk food.

If he wants to gain muscle weight, he needs to start weight training. Protein supplements do NOT increase muscle weight unless you're working out, and it needs to be a good regime of high-intensity weight training. I personally prefer just eating a balanced diet of protein/fat/carbs and doing the high-intensity weightlifting with some cardio.

I'm actually doing this right now -- though I'm trying to LOSE fat at the same time. My fat is decreasing very quickly, but my weight is staying completely the same because of the amount of muscle I'm building.
 

Cath

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He can eat normal healthy food, Kathy, but encourage him to think about calories.

A lot depends how active he is, but I think the rule is over 2000 calories a day and he should put on weight.

The alternative is going to the gym. Regular exercise can help him build muscle (and bulk up), which in the long run is probably healthier than eating more than his body needs. Just so long as he doesn't overdo it.

Ok, so thethinker42's quicker than me. :)
 

writerterri

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Get him a container of that 2,500 calorie shake powder. My BIL did it and worked out and bulked up in about 6 months. A lot. He's the hulkinator now.
 

davids

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If he wants to gain muscle weight, he needs to start weight training. Protein supplements do NOT increase muscle weight unless you're working out, and it needs to be a good regime of high-intensity weight training. I personally prefer just eating a balanced diet of protein/fat/carbs and doing the high-intensity weightlifting with some cardio.

I'm actually doing this right now -- though I'm trying to LOSE fat at the same time. My fat is decreasing very quickly, but my weight is staying completely the same because of the amount of muscle I'm building.


Duh Rhyme-thinker tooked the woids right right out of my mouthful-fat weighs less than muscle-where have I heard that before-he does not have to do anything at all-other than the wise-very wise words in the above post! Oh and a bit of growing'll help as well.
 

MarkEsq

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Agree with thethinker.

Make sure he understands the two different types of weight-gain. Putting on fat is easy - a steady ingestion of donuts, pizza, chocolate, and raw pygmies will do that. To stay healthy and "bulk up," in fact to get healthier, he needs to lift weights and increase his intake of protein, and the right kinds of carbs and fat. No raw pygmies whatsoever.

I would suggest, depending on his level of knowledge/comfort (and depending on your pocket-book!) hiring a personal trainer for a dozen sessions or so. I have seen too many people at the gym wasting their time and risking injury to encourage someone who doesn't know what they are doing to just go "lift weights." At the very least, spend time reading about weight-training and diet.

Of course, if it is just fat he wants, he can have some of mine.
 

Maryn

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Make sure he understands the two different types of weight-gain. Putting on fat is easy - a steady ingestion of donuts, pizza, chocolate, and raw pygmies will do that.
Even the fat-free pygmies? Because I've never really developed the taste for Hottentots, but the fat-free ones, with a little salsa--magnifique!

Maryn, offensive as hell
 

thethinker42

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Agree with thethinker.

Make sure he understands the two different types of weight-gain. Putting on fat is easy - a steady ingestion of donuts, pizza, chocolate, and raw pygmies will do that. To stay healthy and "bulk up," in fact to get healthier, he needs to lift weights and increase his intake of protein, and the right kinds of carbs and fat. No raw pygmies whatsoever.

I would suggest, depending on his level of knowledge/comfort (and depending on your pocket-book!) hiring a personal trainer for a dozen sessions or so. I have seen too many people at the gym wasting their time and risking injury to encourage someone who doesn't know what they are doing to just go "lift weights." At the very least, spend time reading about weight-training and diet.

Of course, if it is just fat he wants, he can have some of mine.

Agreed - a personal trainer, even a single session, is a worthwhile investment. I've been fortunate enough to have a friend who is extremely knowledgeable about weightlifting for this very purpose, and has taken me under her wing as my personal trainer. The results have been fast and dramatic.

Also, the weight gain supplements are ONLY a good idea in conjunction with a high-intensity workout regime. Otherwise, he'll gain weight alright...the kind the rest of us are so feverishly trying to get RID of (hint: it's the squishy kind that gathers around midsections, butts, and upper arms...). I personally don't like the supplement idea unless you're actually bodybuilding. If you're lifting weights properly and at a decent intensity, you WILL gain weight. Getting to that proper intensity is where a trainer really comes in handy -- the way I was taught is that if you're not having to really push through the last rep of each set (I do 3 sets of 8 reps for most things), you're not lifting enough weight. Therein lies the need for a trainer: with that much weight, it must be done correctly, or you'll hurt yourself.

It's also really good for the ego when you do it this way. LOL I do an ab exercise that was just MURDER when I started it 4 months ago, and that was with no weight on the machine. I'm now up to 45 lbs, and I'm just about to bump it up to 50. Similarly, on one of my tricep exercises, I could barely manage 10 lbs in each hand...I'm just about to graduate from 25 to 30 lbs now. As long as he gets started correctly and sticks to it, he'll progress quickly and see results very quickly.
 

rhymegirl

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I would suggest, depending on his level of knowledge/comfort (and depending on your pocket-book!) hiring a personal trainer for a dozen sessions or so. I have seen too many people at the gym wasting their time and risking injury to encourage someone who doesn't know what they are doing to just go "lift weights." At the very least, spend time reading about weight-training and diet.

Of course, if it is just fat he wants, he can have some of mine.

My pocketbook? Um, nope, can't afford to hire a personal trainer. That's why I have Dave here. He gets rewarded with a bathing suit pic when I get my abs of steel.

What fat, Mark? I thought you were an athlete?
 

Parkinsonsd

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Cheeseburgers. Delicious, juicy, cheeseburgers.

Cheeseburgers fix everything.
 

rhymegirl

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Cheeseburgers. Delicious, juicy, cheeseburgers.

Cheeseburgers fix everything.

Boy that does sound good! Too bad he doesn't eat cheeseburgers.

My son has never liked soda, so he doesn't drink it.
He drinks water and lemonade mostly. He does like pizza and has that pretty often. But no matter what he eats, he doesn't seem to gain weight. Geesh!

He doesn't play sports so he's not that active. He is kind of a fussy eater. We have weights in our house he could lift. The irony about my kids is that of the 3 of them, my daughter is the most athletic--she rides her bike and lifts weights. She's a tough cookie!
 

Monkey

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I can't gain weight, either, rhymegirl.

At one point I had been trying to get pregnant for a year, and someone said that I was underweight and that was my problem. I was 5'1 and about 105, very active and athletic (I had a nice six pack back then). I decided to sit on my butt and eat everything I could stuff in. I actually went and got a huge anime series and forced myself to stay on my rear in the gameroom chowing down on pizza and ice cream. After about 6 months of trying the inactive/eat all you see diet, my six pack disapeared, and I noticed a bit of flab showing up. I went to the scales and....weighed 95 pounds. Yeah. Muscle weighs more than fat.

Before anyone thinks I'm happy about this, imagine going through life being accused of (alternatively) anorexia or bullemia and getting snide remarks from almost all your female friends. It's considered a compliment to tell a skinny girl, "You weigh what? Ugh...I want to KILL you!" And when I thought that my weight was what was keeping me from getting pregnant, I felt AWFUL.

I think your son should work out and try a milk-based protein powder. If that doesn't work, then perhaps he just has the same problem I do...whatever that is. Fast metabolism would be my guess.
 

Maryn

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Rhymegirl, in the Healthy Diet and Exercise thread there's a part where maddy the mad gets lots of sound advice about wise eating to gain weight. It was at least a month ago. I'm sure you can find it and print out the good parts.

Maryn
 

rhymegirl

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Before anyone thinks I'm happy about this, imagine going through life being accused of (alternatively) anorexia or bullemia and getting snide remarks from almost all your female friends. It's considered a compliment to tell a skinny girl, "You weigh what? Ugh...I want to KILL you!" And when I thought that my weight was what was keeping me from getting pregnant, I felt AWFUL.

I think your son should work out and try a milk-based protein powder. If that doesn't work, then perhaps he just has the same problem I do...whatever that is. Fast metabolism would be my guess.

Thanks for your input, Monkey. I have some understanding of what you're saying. My younger sister weighs about 97 pounds and she's 49. She has always been slender. She is not anorexic or bulemic. She has a small appetite, gets full quickly and just doesn't gain weight. She has been asked the same questions you have and heard the same comments.

Yeah, the protein sounds like a good idea. Thanks!
 

Opty

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Not me.

My 16-year-old son is very thin and wants to bulk up.

What kinds of foods should he eat that will help him gain weight and build muscle but still be healthy foods?

I don't want him eating a bunch of junk food.

I was the exact same way at his age. When I graduated high school, I was 6'0" and weighed 135 lbs.

Boy, did I hate being that thin. Got made fun of all the time. Hated my body, felt weak, yadda yadda yadda.

All the advice about getting on a weight-training program is true. He definitely needs to be on one if he wants to bulk up. I tried to do with just with food and it never worked. Weight training and modifying his diet is the only way.

He can join the Y or some place like that. They usually give a free day or week of personal training for new members to get them off on the right foot.

Also, as he's working out, he needs to up both his complex carb and protein intakes. Trust me...and this is personal experience speaking here...it is VERY tough, seemingly impossible, to get your protein/carb/caloric intake to the appropriate levels just from normal foods, especially when you're on a school schedule.

The answer, as has been said in this thread, is protein shakes and a good multi-vitamin.

If he goes that route, this is what I recommend he get:

CytoGainer

After a few months and he starts to "bulk up" (and, it won't all be muscle), he should switch to 100% Whey Protein (maybe two shakes a day) between well-balanced meals and then maybe one Muscle Milk shake at night about 30 minutes before bed. That'll allow him to keep growing muscle but it'll keep him from piling on a bunch of fat.

How much protein he takes in depends on how much he weighs. If he's extremely underweight like I was, then he should make sure to consume about 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight. So, if he weighs 100 pounds, he should be consuming at LEAST 100 grams of protein a day, but probably closer to 150.

Hope this helps.
 

rhymegirl

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How much protein he takes in depends on how much he weighs. If he's extremely underweight like I was, then he should make sure to consume about 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight. So, if he weighs 100 pounds, he should be consuming at LEAST 100 grams of protein a day, but probably closer to 150.

Hope this helps.

Thank you. It does help.

My son is taller than I am, so I'd say he's 5'10" or maybe even a bit taller. He only weighs about 125. I think he does get teased about being so thin. My father was like that, too. Very thin his entire life.
 

Opty

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The protein consumption recommendation I made above is only for a male who is weight-training. If he's not working out, then that protein is wasted and the extra calories will likely just make him gain fat.
 

TsukiRyoko

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Tell him to try and fool himself into actually thinking he's losing weight. For some reason, whenever I go on a diet and get into the weight loss mentality, I end up gaining another five pounds. :cry:

Also, eat lots of junk food.
 

A. Hamilton

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You've gotten some great advice here. Healthy food and muscle gain is the right approach.
I'm actually on the same quest for my 15.5 yr old son. His eating habits are OK, but I'm encouraging more protein. He also recently developed a fondness for steak. It's worth buying the good, lean cuts.
But it's really in his genes. His dad did not start filling out until he hit 30. He was stronger though than most people twice his size. Just thin. He was 6' tall and had a 30 inch waist. My son just passed 5'9" and can't even wear 28's. It's so hard to find pants for him.
He has a lot of energy, but his only excercise is walking and basketball, so we're on a campagne to get him to start a weight-training routine. If he's going to be thin, he'll have more confidence if he's at least toned and strong.
Good luck to your son.
 

oarsman

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When I was a teen, the YMCA offered a free weight training workshop to members (a small fee for non-members). It was well worth my time, because the trainer showed us the proper use of both the weight machines and free weights, along with putting together a training routine for me. But, even something as simple as pushups, chinups, and pullups can add muscle to the chest and arms, especially when starting out.

I also used to help people move furniture or do heavy yard work (planting trees, hauling dirt, etc) to get an extra workout. Those kind of activities work the muscles and have the added benefit of helping someone out.
 

NeuroFizz

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My first question in situations like this, and in the converse situations (someone heavy who wants to lose weight) is: Is he healthy? Excess eating, dieting, and exercising can create physical stress in an otherwise healthy individual if they are carried to extremes. People can't totally escape genetics without sometimes putting themselves in physiological jeopardy. There are a wide range of body shapes seen in healthy individuals, and maintaining that health should be of paramount importance. I say this because your son is of an age where his body is still responding to a variety of morphogenetic hormones and developmental growth events. This may not be the best time of one's life to get into a real heavy-duty lift-to-bulk weight training program. For some kids, it's fine, for others it can cause problems, particularly since the growth plates (epiphyseal cartilage) in the long bones haven't fused yet.

Common sense has to rule, even with teens who feel their bodies are indestructible. An increase in caloric intake, through larger helpings of a good, balanced diet, will help, but it should be balanced with regular exercise (both resistance and cardiovascular training). If he wants to go on a rigorous weight training program, I'd suggest you clear it with your family doctor first. By no means should he avoid cardiovascular training, though, but even there an extremely vigorous program should be cleared with your doctor. An increase in protein intake is important if he is lifting to bulk, but you know what? For the price of all the protein supplements and protein shakes, you can buy him a nice juicy steak or two and lots of lean chicken every week. With his metabolic rate (at his developmental stage), the fat in meat won't be a problem, and the calories will be useful.

In addition to a "common sense" increase in caloric intake and exercise, I'd try to impress upon him to be patient. He is still in the growth stage of human development. Tissue growth (through increases in cell numbers) is an expensive proposition (from a caloric standpoint). This is not a time to go to any extremes.

One final note--the teen years represent a critical time for developing adult eating habits. This is not a time to get all weirded out on diets of either extreme (for weight loss or weight gain). Whatever you do, emphasize a balanced, healthy diet. De-emphasize the use of supplements. Kids don't need to get it into their heads at this age that a pill or twenty will provide an easy short circuit to healthful eating and exercise.
 
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Jaycinth

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Kathy, my son has a hard time keeping weight on. He is athletic...runs and bikes and works out.

He also eats like there is no tomorrow.


Since his early teens, I've supplemented his normal healthy diet with Milkshakes made with two tablespoons of brewer's yeast (and Ovaltine..he loves that stuff)..he eats a couple of those a week...during track season..one a day!

I add extra brewer's yeast to just about everything we eat....pasta sauce especially. I get the wheat pasta and he eats a double serving.

In the recipie thread I have a recipie for 'Mega Muffins'. Although they will help you lose weight if eaten as a meal by themselves, if he has a couple of those along with fruit, yogurt, and perhaps eggs..it will help him put on good, lean muscle weight.

I'll find it and put a link here...somehow.... Mom's Mega Muffins
 
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