How do YOU gain weight?

[xBlove7]

I have the classic problem of weight loss with a flare. I personally don't have the weight to lose. I've always been skinny and I'm even more so now (5'5" roughly 100lbs). I had gained up to like 115lbs before this recent flare and I felt great and looked great.

I just can't gain it back.

How do YOU gain weight? Any good tips or tricks to gain your weight you've lost back? I'm not having much luck. Hhhhheeeellllpppppp mmmeeeeee! :sign0085:

 

[mnsun]

Maybe eat good fats and protein with digestive enzymes. Like whey/hemp/rice/pea protein---at least 30% more than the RDA. Good fats like: olive oil, avocados, hard boiled eggs, nuts/butters (maybe blended into a drink), ev coconut oil (by the spoon), fish oils,...

A favorite smoothie I make is:
1 banana
1 scoop whey (jarrow unflavored)
15 drops vanilla stevia
5 shakes cinnamon
handful of walnuts
8 oz of cold, purified water

Hope this helps.

 

[Susan2]

Interestingly, I find that cinnamon is an irritant, but nutmeg isn't. I'm not sure whether this is just idiosyncratic to me, or whether other people find the same thing.

 

[tishbite]

I am having the same problem gaining weight. I weigh a bit more (114-116) but I used to weigh 125-140 before all this crohn's. Somtimes your body just wont absorb the nutrients it needs in the small intestine and it's kinda hard to do anything about it. Drink lots of protein shakes.

 

[__JK__]

I got the same issue. Always averaged about 130 at 6 foot so always been underweight. I recently had surgery and dropped about 10.

I'm an ectomorph so found through various trials and errors that I need to be taking in about 2700kcal to maintain 130. So to gain I need to be consistantly taking in about 3000kcal. That's real tough if your diet is very restricted (low res) like mine.

I've spent countless hours with numerous dietitians and when you come through all the technical nutrition speak, it all boils down to this:

eat, eat, eat, eat, eat and then eat some more!

Easier said than done though eh?

 

[KWalker]

I've been working at it for a LONG time now to gain back weight lost a few years ago, and I'm finally around 160lbs (5'11) I eat about 3500-4000 calories a day with lots of healthy stuff (chicken, steak, fish, etc) but I can't get over 160 now.

 

[Mr Bedfordshire]

Up the calories and then try and eat as much fruit and veg as possible.

Im one of these people that thinks that drinking these protein shakes and those sorts of things are a very bad idea and do more harm than good to your 'already' upset guts!

Side tracking a bit from actually gaining weight, a mate of mine whos built like a brick sh!t house, and is a personal trainer always says to me that the best drink off the shelf you can buy for vitamins and minerals and for well being is...Slimfast shakes?! :ywow:

 

[tishbite]

I drink spiru-tein because I am vegan and it isn't high in calories but has great protein and b vitamins and I mix it with apple juice to make it less clumpy. Anyway, sinse I am so small I tend to worry more about malnutrition then weight gain. Just makes sure your labs are good and then worry about gaining weight.

 

[stardreamer22]

I have a sure-fire way to gain weight!! (although I wouldn't recommend it) Go on 40mg of prednisone!!! :rof: I had to go on 40mg a few months ago and gained about 16 lbs in a little over 3 weeks. Other than when i was pregnant I've never weighed so much in my life. I just couldn't stop eating. I would eat and then would be shaking with low blood sugar an hour later. It was insane.

:dance: (By the way - the dancing banana is for my 5 year old daughter - she is watching me type this and really wanted me to add it) LOL

 

[ThanksP]

I was just going to say..."Prednisone" lol. That was the only way I was able to gain weight. I was 88lbs at 5'4" and Pred got me up to 125 at one point. Once off the Pred, I naturally lost some of the weight and got to 110lbs. I've been stable at this weight for over a year now and couldn't be happier. I think it was the only good thing about Prednisone.

 

[Cross-stitch gal]

I have also always been underweight. I'm 5ft and was really excited while on Pred when I was almost 100lb! Now that I've been off it, I've lost a few pounds. Just like you guys, would love to stick to a healthy weight though.

 

[xBlove7]

The only thing about upping my caloric intake is that I'm not hungry! I force myself to eat as it is and it's damn hard to do. So I guess I really should start drinking those nasty protein shakes. :-/

I've never be told anything about my labs being off or bad. And like every one else I really just want to maintain. People make comments asking whether I'm sick or not because I've lost weight. It's so not fun to listen to and have to talk about when I don't want to.

I took one dose of pred and had tachycardia for 8 hrs straight! I will not be taking it again.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions, I'm definitely going to be taking some of them!!

 

[Kacey]

I am 5"0, left the hopsital after surgery at 75lbs. I'm back to about 95lbs (can totally relate to being excited-when I was put on prednisone and gained a few pounds lol)
I eat frequently, drink a lot and choose foods carefully. I try not to fill up on things with very little nutritious or caloric value. I had a BAD habit of doing this before. Good luck, I am completely in the same boat as you are!

 

[ThanksP]

The only thing about upping my caloric intake is that I'm not hungry! I force myself to eat as it is and it's damn hard to do. So I guess I really should start drinking those nasty protein shakes. :-/

I've never be told anything about my labs being off or bad. And like every one else I really just want to maintain. People make comments asking whether I'm sick or not because I've lost weight. It's so not fun to listen to and have to talk about when I don't want to.

I took one dose of pred and had tachycardia for 8 hrs straight! I will not be taking it again.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions, I'm definitely going to be taking some of them!!

I did too but it was the only thing that worked for me. My doc prescribed a Beta Blocker for while I was on the Pred to help out. Just in case you ever get to where you NEED it, maybe the beta blocker would help.

 

[xBlove7]

I'm already on a beta blocker. :-/ I have what's called sinus tachycardia already and it just made it soooooooo much worse.

 

[ThanksP]

Oooooohhh, gotcha.

 

[bobby.parker]

So sad to hear of all you people underweight. Reminds me of what a cruel disease this is.

Eat regular. 5 - 6 small meals a day. I struggle to get these meals in so may have a 3 - 4 meals and the others will be made up of protein shakes

 

[Kelly2]

I have a friend who has crohns and is a body builder - and he supplements his meals with a high calorie, high protein, low sugar etc drink - that is specially formulated for IBD as it is already pre-digested - it has done all the work for your stomach already. In the States it is called Peptamen 1.5 made by Nestle I believe. If you supplement your meals with drinks like this, you will gain weight - just make sure you drink enough of these supplemental drinks to make up the short fall in calories you need each day. If you have a particularly bad day and have no appetite whatsoever, you can drink these drinks instead of having no caloric intake. Over in the States, if your doctor writes a prescription, you can get them delivered to your door, and many insurance companies will cover everything.