Help me get big

[skinnyguy]

Hello there,

 

Newbie here. I am here to get some help, I need to gain weight badly. I am 22 male, 5 foot 4 inch, and I weight just about 7'ish stones ( around 45kg ) ... I am a vegetarian ( lacto - i think ) basically I can eat dairy products except egg, and I dont eat any meat/fish/chicken.

 

I need some advice on what to eat and how much to eat, I dont go to gym

( should i ? ) .... i'm a student so kinda short of cash all the time, can someone show me some good excercise which I can do at home.

 

I dont want to become a bodybuilder, i just want to get fit and healthy. I badly need some advice, hope you guys can help me out.

 

Thank you to anyone in advance.

[Guest]

First of all...give up the dairy. It does nothing but leach you of nutrients and energy. This is very important...especially if you don't wanna just get fit but also healthy...dairy is more unhealthy than any meat you could put in your body, with the exception of the lesser likelyhood of getting mad cow. As for gaining weight if your not in good shape now and just wanna improve on that doing body squats, lunges should be adequate to get better tones legs and even build some muscle. As for the upper body dips and push-ups will do the trick...maybe you can get a chin-up bar for your hallway or door. If you wanna get real muscle I recommend getting some type of gym access on a regular basis. If you just wanna get fit and don't care so much about muscle buy some good running shoes and start running...if you've never really done it before your leg muscles should actually get larger unless you run really long distances without resting.

[skinnyguy]

By dairy i ment .... milk and chesse ( i though it was good source of nutrition ??)

 

any chance you could give me list of things i could eat on daily basis to gain weigh quickly ... and get in shape ... some one told me try soy protein ( is that any good? )

 

yup i dont want huge muscles or anything just want a good healthy body ( i.e. like some movie actors brad pitt, tom cruise y'know)

 

doesnt running help you loose weight instead of gaining weight ...?? i'm really very skinny i wouldnt want to loose any weight ..

 

thanks for the reply.

[_raVen_]

To tell you the truth Muscle does not = health. You can have both; but if you want big and bulk, you won't have optimal health. The healthiest diet is based on vegetables (not grain or starch), fruit, and moderate to low fat.

 

To gain weight, I would eat a lot of carbohydrates like whole grains, including whole-grain breads; starches, like potatoes with fats (preferably healthy, raw fats) such as nuts, seeds and, less-healthy would be oils like olive or nut oils. The combo of starch/grain + fat is almost a weight-gain guarantee. (sort of like pasta + oils or baked potato + margarine -- very effective; unfortunately, it's unhealthy AND promotes fat storage. Your metabolism will determine how it affects your unique body).

 

Also, consume a lot of dried fruit (very concentrated calories and you will eat more than if you choose fresh; though, again, fresh is best if health is your goal rather than size). Combine with a fat again, such as a trailmix with nuts and seeds and that will also almost guarantee a weight gain. It's also less expensive than buying bars, and is basically the same thing.

 

Try some whole-grain cereals in the morning (like oats) with rich soymilk, dried fruit.

 

Eat in between, such as the trailmixes, dried fruit, rice or grain puddings, baked potatoes.

 

Have sandwiches -- nut butters (try to avoid peanut butter), with jam or dried fruit and whole-grain breads, wraps or tortillas; bowls of grain/rice with tofu and vegetables; if you must, noodle dishes;

Eat LOTS of beans (good with a grain) in various forms -- canned, in salads, mashed into dips, blended into soups, added to wraps, stirfries or casseroles.

Make sure to get your e.f.a.'s by consuming 1 TB of ground flax seeds per day. You can try hemp if you don't like flax. Take a B-12 supplement.

Those are some suggestions for a moderately healthy diet; if you don't care, then go for fake meats, breads, boxed cereals, bars, pizza, etc. -- basically junk foods that are vegan.

 

If you want very healthy, then you should go for a diet high in vegetables, fruit, then fats. THEN, have starches and grains in small amounts or occasionally. Limiting salt and no added sugars.

 

Milk and cheese are not healthy . Even if not tampered with by humans, milk and its byproducts (cheese, cream, etc.) are specifically designed for a growing body of a calf or goat; not a human.

 

If you want a really good, rich, milk, make a nut milk. Cashews make a great one, as well as Brazil nuts -- any combo, really.

 

Here is a good article by Robert; and look through these articles for more suggestions.

Edited August 17, 2006 by _raVen_

[Guest]

Dairy is absolutely terrible...it has lots of protein and calcium. The protein it contains stresses your body and your bones are leached of calcium in order to process milk protein(whey, casein). Nobody eats more dairy than americans and no nation suffers from osteoperosis(brittle bones from a lack of calcium) more than americans. Its purely a money and tradition thing that keeps people thinking dairy is good for you. Dairy in no form is good for you...as soon as your done breast feeding...milk/any dairy product should never touch your lips again. By the way milk and cheese are some of the worst forms of dairy...cheese is really just concentrated milk...aka concentrated poison!!!

 

As for food if your not someone who accumulates fat(as I do) I highly reccomend just getting really high calories from good sources, as well as high quality protein. Natural Peanut Butter(regular PB has a bunch of crap you don't want in your body), Beans(lentils, and soy are best in my opinion), Peas, meat substitutes without alot of salt if your into that sort of thing(I'm not too much of a fan anymore but I used to eat more than a package of soydogs every day). Oats are a great source of carbs and protein with low fat(fat isn't of great concern from good sources), flax meal for healthy oil...and make sure you get atleast 5 servings of fruit and 8 servings of veggies if possible!!! This is somewhat of a cheaper diet...if you can...get as many calories as possilbe from fruits and veggies...nuts/seeds are good if not in access(good for high calories if your looking for size and not specifically health)

 

As for the running thing...running will make you lose weight if your carrying a bunch of fat(or even a little if you train hard enough), but if you don't work out and start working out now you will initially gain some muscle in your legs before you plateau and stay where you are...if you want more muscle than that you've gotta do squats, lunges or get in the gym and hit the weights.

[skinnyguy]

kool ... thanks raven and veganpotter for the advice ... i'll try to follow ur advice/s

 

i cant remember if i asked this earlier and am being lazy to check so will ask again, someone mentioned that i should try soy protein powder / whey protein ... is this any good ??

 

veganpotter: i've started doing some of the excercies u mentioned about 2 weeks ago ( e.g - push-up, pull ups, and squats ... dont have any weights at home) .... i wont mentioned how many i do coz i feel embarassed .. i cant do that many anyway.

 

my main motto is to gain weight as soon as possible i want to be about 60kg ... how long would you say it can take ?? oh and how many calories would you suggest i would need on daily basis ??

Edited August 17, 2006 by skinnyguy

[_raVen_]

You can try soy or pea. There are others, though, that are better (healthier), but more expensive, such as raw hemp protein, or raw rice protein.

Whey is animal-based; so if you're a vegan, it's not an option.

[skinnyguy]

is the dairy info. your personal opinion or is it scientifically proven ??

 

soz i find it hard to digest that milk could be bad for u ... i've been born and brought up in india for about 14 yrs and i've never ever heard anyone say that milk was bad. no offense but am just representing my opinion.

 

btw's thanks for the reply.

[Guest]

Milk is terrible...the New England Journal Of Medicine, Duke University,(two of the most respected sources for medical research in the world) have done numerous unbiased...non vegan studies to show dairy's side effects...hell tabacco was believed to be good for you for a long time too...same with alcohol in fair excess. Plus you've got a ton of people on this forum who all felt ten times better the second they gave up dairy since pretty much everyone here consumed dairy before they went vegan. If this wasn't the case nobody in the US would have weak bones...but women over 50 are highly likely to have weak bones out here in the states. As for weight everyones different...I can gain 10 pounds of musle in two months easy if I gave up cycling while it may take years for someone else...some people can never gain ten pounds of muscle on their frames...they just get harder(which increased muscle density and adds some weight but not a ton) and stronger. At best, without taking any hormones or anything you could expect 5pounds(just over two kilos) in a month with really intense training, which you won't have without a weight room...at worste it may take you a year to gain 5 pounds with hard work...everyones different and you'll never know until you give it an honest try. Also the more muscle you gain the harder it is to keep gaining more. You've also gotta find the right training program...some things just don't work for everyone no matter how good they work for someone else. As for protein soy, pea, hemp, rice are all great...whey is terrible and should never be touched...its one of the most absorbably proteins out there but its not worth taking due to what it does to the calcium in your bones and your triglyceride levels. However at your size with the kind of training you have access too it may be overkill to even take any powders unless you can get to the gym...if you can't get to the gym you should just eat your protein...everyone should...its just unreasonable in cases with really high calorie requirements.

[flanders77]

besides all the really important scientific proofs that milk is bad maybe try to think about it without getting all of your feeling from childhood into it.

The milk of every species (including humans) is for its babies. Humans are the only species which consume the milk of another.

Of course in India the is a tradition/religious believe that cows are holy and nothing bad can come from them. Sometimes we have to overcome traditions and think about an issue from another perspective.

[willpeavy]

Eat lots of nuts, and beans and rice

 

Do lots of pullups, pushups, and try to work on doing one leg squats and you'll be getting strength and weight in no time!

[skinnyguy]

thanks guys. I appreciate the advice.

 

willpeavy how many pushups, pullups and squats woud you suggest in a day ?? [for a beginner like me?]

[Cristian]

is the dairy info. your personal opinion or is it scientifically proven ??

 

soz i find it hard to digest that milk could be bad for u ... i've been born and brought up in india for about 14 yrs and i've never ever heard anyone say that milk was bad. no offense but am just representing my opinion.

 

btw's thanks for the reply.

 

Hey! Welcome to the forum and good luck with your training.

In my view, the biggest problem with milk is its industry, it's cruel and animals die. It is also true that milk and dairy can be bad for your health. This is a vegan forum so no one wants to support that awful industry.

You can find cruelty free protein supplements on the internet or start eating more beans and lentis.

[Odidnetne]

I've lived in the US for 21 years and no one here has said that Milk is bad either, it's a protected industry, and that's where people like myself step in.

[RookieV]

I have tons of friends that are always trying to gain weight. Work out alot and still look the same. I notice that most of them don't eat hardly anything and there diets are terrible when they do eat. Most dont eat balanced meals and eat alot of junk. Its hard work but you need to make sure your eating balanced meals at least 3 times a day. Im kinda busy all the time so I usally set I side time to make meals for 5 days at a time. If I do that then everything through the week is balanced.

your training will not give you the results you want unless your eating right.

[willpeavy]

thanks guys. I appreciate the advice.

 

willpeavy how many pushups, pullups and squats woud you suggest in a day ?? [for a beginner like me?]

 

Starting out I would do as many pushups as you can on Monday, as many squats as you can on Wednesday, and as many pullups as you can on Friday. And eat big all 7 days of the week!

[Guest]

I've just recently started doing pushups(never really did them other than as punishment at track practice in high school) and I'm really suprised at how much muscle I'm gaining back just from my bodyweight

[skinnyguy]

thanx for the reply guys ... really appreicate it

 

need to ask for 1 more thing ... i'm probably asking for too much but can anyone suggest me a meal plan.

 

e.g. 8:00 am - 100 grams of nuts - 200 calories

 

etc etc ... you know that sorta thing.

 

or can anyone suggest where i can find some examples

 

thanx once again to everyone

[namesrtaken]

Yeah, it's propoganda; but this is war.

 

From PeTA's dumpdairy.com :

 

• The dairy industry spends hundreds of millions of dollars every year to convince people to drink gallons of the white stuff, but PETA’s sentiments are with responsible health officials who warn that dairy products have four major drawbacks. Milk and cheese (1) are loaded with fat and cholesterol; (2) are frequently contaminated with pesticides, dioxins, and drugs; (3) are linked to obesity, heart disease, and certain cancers, including prostate cancer and breast cancer; and (4) may even cause osteoporosis, the very disease that the dairy industry loves to use as a selling point in its ads, because the excess protein in dairy products leaches calcium from the bones.
   
  “The scientific evidence is conclusive: Beer in moderation is good for you, while even one glass of milk supports animal abuse and harms your health,” says PETA’s Director of Vegan Outreach Bruce Friedrich. “You can drink beer responsibly, but the same can’t be said of milk.”

 

Those poisons (pesticides, dioxins, and drugs) are fat soluble so, as stated by someone else here, cheese and other concentrated milk products are just concentrated poison.

 

But the most important reason I abstain from milk including whey is that there is no such thing as cruelty free dairy. The government's standards for what the word "organic" means have been rewritten by our money-hungry Republican congress (not that Democratic congressional repressentatives have any integrity, but I give credit where credit is due). Organic egg and dairy products come from abused and exploited animals too.

[Odidnetne]

Yeah, it's propoganda; but this is war.

The government's standards for what the word "organic" means have been rewritten by our money-hungry Republican congress (not that Democratic congressional repressentatives have any integrity, but I give credit where credit is due). Organic egg and dairy products come from abused and exploited animals too.

 

You can only trust Organic plant foods.

[filthydani]

I heard that Yogurt is very healthy, but i have to say that when i eat antioxidant diet for a long time, then eat yogurt, i feel that its full of poisons, it hurts my liver, but on the other hand it gives my strength which I cant have when im fully eating planet food, the protein in animal product is much easier absorbable than plant food as well as other elements of food like calcium...

[Guest]

Thats not true by any means. Maybe what you have been eating hasn't been good but plant sources are just as good in themselves and much better in terms of the side effects.

[oselifer]

thanx for the reply guys ... really appreicate it

 

need to ask for 1 more thing ... i'm probably asking for too much but can anyone suggest me a meal plan.

 

e.g. 8:00 am - 100 grams of nuts - 200 calories

 

etc etc ... you know that sorta thing.

 

or can anyone suggest where i can find some examples

 

thanx once again to everyone

 

I am in the same condition with you trying to gain weight..

I eat 6 meals every day..

I start at 8, then at 10 ,12,14 then at 18.00 and finally at 20.00

Every meal is about 500kcals except for the last which is 250 and all contain carbs ,protein and fat..

For example i can eat 60grams cashews, a banana(100grams) and a cup of rice milk(220ml)...That's one meal..

The secret is not to overeat so that you can eat again in two or three hours..Never leave bigger gap than that between meals

..

Then i sleep from 21.30 till 7.30..Your sleep must be very well scheduled and long enough to restore from trainning and for much growth hormone to be released..

 

Also i drink much water..About 2liters..

 

Finally i take a lot of supplements like,Ω3,Vitamin C,Multivitamin and some probiotics..But since you don't enough money take just a multivitamin..

 

And of course i am having exercise.Weighttrainning 3 times a week for 50minutes each time..

 

That's my advise..I keep this strict program and i am going really well..

Of course i can't do many great things like going out late and other but everything in life needs some effort..

[health freak]

First of all...give up the dairy. It does nothing but leach you of nutrients and energy. This is very important...especially if you don't wanna just get fit but also healthy...dairy is more unhealthy than any meat you could put in your body,

 

 

 

 

The milk of every species (including humans) is for its babies. Humans are the only species which consume the milk of another.

 

 

 

I, LIKE, SO MUCH AGREE ON THESE!!!!!!!!!

[lelle]

starting with bodyweight exercises always is a good idea. and of course you have to eat like a horse