I'm too scrawny

[Spiers]

First off I don't wanna hear the overweight people tell me I should not worry about it and be happy Im not fat. I know obesity is a big problem in the US. But I am 21 years old, ~5'8" and I barely weigh over 130 lbs.

I get called skinny and little all the time, girls and guys, and of course every guy is cocky when it comes to that, because Im scrawny and couldn't beat anyone's ass. And I don't feel too manly when Im the same size or smaller than a girl I'm talking to/doing the dirty/or whatever. My girlfriends mom called me one time and said I need to come to her house so she can feed me cause Im "kinda skinny" ( I believe she was a little tipsy at the time LOL)

I guess I have a really high metabolism, because I eat ALL the time. I am constantly hungry and thirsty. I could not make it through the day if I don't eat as soon as I get up. I eat some healthy foods and a lot of fast food. And go out to restaurants quite often. It takes a lot to fill me up though. "I'm full" are rare words for me. I eat waffles, ramen noodles, Mcdonalds, Burger King, Arby's, Schlotzky's, peanut butter crackers, those chow mein meals that are only a dollar, just mainly things that are fast and easy, because Im always on the run. And all I drink is water, Gatorade, and beer.

Until I was about 16-17 I was sort of a chunky kid, then I just mysteriously lost the weight and I have weighed 130-135 since then. I never excersize or workout. Ive always been kind of happy that I didn't have an overweight problem, but it's starting to get to me and Im tired of being called skinny and little all the time. Im a guy, Im supposed to be big and manly, not a tiny little runt. I wear like a pant size 28-29. This girl was at my house the other day (a good 9.5 body) and she wanted to try on my pants to see how theyd fit since Im so small. So I let her and they were too little! Of course she has some hips on her though

But anyway I need some advice on how to gain some weight cause I need to get this area of my life handled. I have really good posture and I need some meat on my bones to go with it.

[RickyMartinZ28]

lol.... Low reps, high weight, pack in about 3000 calories before each session within 30 minutes and try to average 6000 calories a day....

I trained a guy in Highschool one time with the same problem, I tortured his ass. 2hr workout three times a week and made him eat till he was almost sick everyday...


-Rick

[RickyMartinZ28]

Lots of smaller meals also helps....

[brad8266]

I was the about the same size when i was 18 before I joined the army, after basic training I was up to 145 and it was all muscle. I guess what you need to do it take in massive amounts or calories and proteins and workout a lot, this will put the weight on and make it muscle.

[teke184]

first off...

i'd start to improve your eating habits. now that you're getting older your metabolism is inevitably going to slow down. and if you continue to eat like you do, you'll end up putting on weight...the wrong kind of weight.

may not happen in a year...or 3...but it will happen. i noticed it in my mid 20s. before that i could eat anything, and drink a case of beer a day and still be trim. then it all slowed down and the beer belly showed up.

if you want to not look so skinny...add muscle mass.

lift weights and eat well....it may take some time, but it will happen.

[SSwt00SS]

hit the gym. that's what i did. im 29, 6'-2" and at the time weighed around 158lbs. like you, i can eat anything within arms reach and never gain weight. i play sports, being active and having a high metabolism means you wont gain weight from eating the foods that you do. I have a lean build, cut, but no fat. take in more protein and calories.

when i decided to start working out this past Feb, I started taking No X-plode as a suppliment. to be honest, i couldnt even bench my weight. i decided to cycle the No X-plode (pre-workout servings) with Muscle Techs (Cell Tech and Nitro Tech) both post workout suppliments. Here it is mid Nov, and i weigh 174lbs, bench 3 sets at 190lbs and can rep 250lbs 3 times on the bench after my 3 sets. im not saying im some billy bad-ass, but in 8 months i can see and feel the difference. others have noticed as well. best thing is, it's good weight added.

i work out around 5 days a week, but during softball it dropped since games were at night during the week. make the time for it, and stick to it. force yourself to workout, even if you dont feel like it. it will pay off. mix up your routine so that you dont burnout specfic muscle groups. support muscles need to be worked as well.

i will never be a bulky guy. that's not my build. but with the build I do have, what i've been doing for the past 8 months, has really paid off. im in better shape now that what i was at your current age...

[slowmofo]

be happy, your cars faster with less weight..

I was 6'2" in HS and was tipping the scales around 155 or so..

Started hittin the gym and playin sports a lot and was about 230

[Spiers]

Yeah I know I need to work out and eat better foods, Its just that I go to school full time and work a full time job with gauranteed overtime everyweek, so Im always going. But Im graduating college in 3 weeks, so i will have some free time finally. What are some good foods to eat that are high in calories and protein? Or what about protein shakes and all that junk? And I don't know anything about lifting weights..

[Nine Ball]

Visit the fitness forum over at www.SeatStaysUp.com and read. Your ls1tech account should work there also.

Eat a lot of meat, avoid deep fried stuff, take your vitamins and supplements. Hit the weights hard 3-4 days a week. When you start packing muscle on, you won't lose it that easily. My Dad was 5-11 145 lbs in high school. We have the same frame. After he got out of the Marines he weighed 180 lbs. I started working out in 9th grade to avoid that skinny profile, graduated at 192 lbs. I still hover at 185-190 without working out, and could easily crest 200 if I continue to lift.

[JosephIV]

My advice: Go see a doctor.

You may be suffering from hypogonadism, a tumor on the pituitary gland (can cause gigantism or in your case possible lack of Human Hrowth Hormone secretion). It is in your best interests to rue medical problems out first.

If you have no medical maladies then a proper diet and exercise routine is in order.


Get a gymn membership, double your caloric intake, get plenty of good carbs (fruits, veggies, whole grain bread and pastas), and take in your body weight in protein daily. But first go see a Doctor.

[XtremeBBQ]

its just your body style. theres a few different ones people can be, your an Ectomorph. it describles how you put on weight and your body style. which is thin.

so to counter that you have to workout, eat, ect different than another body style.
name of the game is food. #1 rule is to get big you have to eat big.

stop eating all that garbage food for one. need to be eating high caloric lean healthy foods... chicken breast (grilled), sweet potatoes (not white), brown rice, natural peanut butter, protein shakes, eggs, tuna, fish, lean hamburger meat, steaks, vegetables, ect.

you want to eat as many times during the day so your insuslin doesnt spike up and down, that gives you the feeling of being tired, ect. i eat about 7 meals a day. and i can say during waking to 12pm i feel the exact same energy level for the most part. i used to be almost passed out at 3pm.

go to bodybuilding.com and get some of their exercise routines and meal plans, def a good start.
it took me at LEAST a month though to kick the sugar and junk food cravings. i didnt even eat alot of it! maybe 4 cans of soda a week, and 2-3 nites of fast food tops. when you get on a strict diet you'll definately get cravings for it. but now the thought of that stuff will literally make me sick to my stomach because i ends up putting my body in freakout mode and i pay for it for about 2 days after. ha.

[legendarysouls]

dude in the same boat 5 8 and 130 i work out all the time high rep low weight i look mad Cut n built 6 pack and what not u start working out n u will see a big differents in couple of weeks

P.S no problems with the ladies at all

[kapsz28]

Be thankful for your high metabolism. I was just about your size for a long time through high school and afterwards. About 5'9" and weighed 135. My brother, who is 10 years older, got much fatter. Stupid of me to make fun of him because eventually my metabolism slowed down. At one point I was up to 205. Right now I am 165, but it required a lot of dieting, excercising, and working out. Not sure if you like working out, but that is always a good opportunity to put on some weight and muscle mass. After high school I got pretty ripped from working out all the time. But then I stopped going to the gym for a good 5 years. Which is when I got up to 205 lbs.

[chadaclysm]

Same problem here. I was 6' 135lbs, also ate all the time, but got really sick of it. So I started eating a half or full meal right before I go to sleep. 1-2 years later, I put on just a couple pounds, not much at all. But I gained something else too, the inability to sleep without a full stomach lol.

[06black6spd]

Do steriods lol

[BigD 275]

Easy fix. Weight lifting and high protein/fat diet. Yeah, I also said fat. When you are that skinny, you need the extra calories from the fat. Your body will use the fat as fuel.

I am 6'3". When I first started working out at 17 years old, I weighed 165 pounds. I'm 36 now and weigh 285 (less than 10% body fat). Nothing but alot of hard work in the gym and eating right. Just make sure to take in alot of protein; at least 1 gram of protein per body pound. Invest in a good protein/weight gain powder.

When you train, lift very heavy weights, low reps. That is the key. Also, alot of basic compound movements.

[JosephIV]

The OP stated that he had unexplainable weight loss after being chubby into his teenage years, and that his metabolism turned up for some unknown reason.

That is alarming and is best ruled out by a medical exam. If it's nothing, then great! If it turns out to be a tumor or some other problem then at least it did not go undiagnosed.

[2 FASST SS]

Originally Posted by teke184

first off...

i'd start to improve your eating habits. now that you're getting older your metabolism is inevitably going to slow down. and if you continue to eat like you do, you'll end up putting on weight...the wrong kind of weight.

may not happen in a year...or 3...but it will happen. i noticed it in my mid 20s. before that i could eat anything, and drink a case of beer a day and still be trim. then it all slowed down and the beer belly showed up.

if you want to not look so skinny...add muscle mass.

lift weights and eat well....it may take some time, but it will happen.

+1 I was 150 until I was about 26 or 27. By the time I was 32 I was 200+ lbs and gaining. Enjoy it while you can, and change your diet. It's not fun in the end. LOL

[Jason72g]

If I just had to guess, I would say there is something medically wrong with you... The unexplained change from chunky, to EXTREMELY skinny is odd. 130-135 lbs is odd for a full grown man... Go see a doctor and report back!

[BigD 275]

Originally Posted by JosephIV

The OP stated that he had unexplainable weight loss after being chubby into his teenage years, and that his metabolism turned up for some unknown reason.

That is alarming and is best ruled out by a medical exam. If it's nothing, then great! If it turns out to be a tumor or some other problem then at least it did not go undiagnosed.

Glad you pointed that out. I didn't fully read his post so if that is the case, yes, definitely go see a doctor and rule out any serious medical problem.

If it is nothing, then hit the weights!!