No experience with it at all, as I am not a psychologist.
Member
I need to gain weight but...
Okay so I use to weigh 210 lbs at 5'11", I've since dieted down to 140 lbs. I did very little to try and stop muscle loss so I'm now fucking skin and bones. I want to gain some weight but I'm wondering if jumping straight into a calorie surplus would be good in my situation since I've just stopped dieting to lose weight only a week ago and my bodies metabolism might be a bit fucked up.
Any experience with situation similar to this? I guess I'd have to be in a calorie surplus if I wanted to see any gains, but any idea if it would be best to go a while at maintenance caloric intake then up it from there?
TMPHBITEU
No experience with it at all, as I am not a psychologist.
Member
Someone had recommended that I take the calories easy while having only recently come off dieting. He mentioned that my metabolism might be a bit out of whack and that jumping straight into a calorie surplus would not be an appropriate course of action and might possibly only induce substantial fat gains. It looks like I might ignore this advice and eat a surplus of calories and drink my gallon of milk like you suggest in your book. I believe my body will adapt quickly to the change.
You are suggesting that I have some sort of psychological problem solely based on the fact that I went on a diet and lost some weight? Sorry if my assumptions are wrong. I merely went about my dieting foolishly because I felt the need to loose weight for a future career in law enforcement.
TMPHBITEU
You didn't just lose some weight, PH. You lost 1/3 of your bodyweight and a huge amount of muscle. It will have no effect on your ability to do the metabolic work necessary to regain it, but I have to wonder about the motivation to go from a useful bodyweight at 5' 11" to what can only be described as emaciated, under voluntary circumstances.
Member
Fair enough. I never planned to get down to 140 lbs at first, but it did happen, it was a mistake and I'll admit that. I'm now going to reverse the situation and hopefully end up in a better situation then I was at 210 lbs, which would basically mean more strength and muscle then fat. I'm starting the routine Monday and I'm very excited.
Thanks for taking your time to respond to my question Rip, I appreciate it.
Member
PH,
I have been through something similar, though not as severe. I lost about 25 pounds in 3 weeks on a climbing trip, and I needed to get back into a strength-training cycle when I got home.
Here's a simple trick for going back into a more anabolic metabolism: Train at around 10AM, and don't eat before then. Immediately after you train, eat 2 apples. Wait an hour, then start eating as much protein and fat as you can shovel down your throat for the next 5 hours... eat some fruits and veggies, too. Your body will probably tell you how much is right. Don't eat after 7 PM.
A week or two of this, and you should be feeling pretty normal. Then you should have no problem with GOMAD, etc...
Zach
TMPHBITEU
Zach, you're going to have to explain that weird-ass recommendation.
Member
That's a bit fucked Zach, I'll just stick to GOMAD and adequate calories from protein/carbs/fat. I'm sure my body will adjust.Originally Posted by Zach
Member
Sure,
Essentially, my metabolism had gone catabolic to the extreme.. not intentionally. Dysentery, weather conditions, and limited access to fresh food put me there. When I got home, I didn't have my normal appetite, still wanted to eat like a bird.
Training on an empty stomach, then ingesting some sugary carbs (without going overboard) will make anyone hungry. Waiting an hour just sharpens that feeling. During the five hours of gorging, I end up eating just a little more than I normally do, but it gets me used to eating for weight gain. There's a complex explanation of how the 15-hour fast between 7PM and 10AM regulates hormones, and the timing of nutrients after the workout raises insulin sensitivity, IGF, and free testosterone... but that's definitely outside of my understanding.
Ironically enough, this recommendation came to me second-hand from a climber who claimed to have gotten it from Twight... A few years later, I saw one of my clients do almost the exact same thing, having been prescribed it by Robb Wolf, with startling effect.
Zach
Member
There is no such thing as your metabolism getting "out of whack." This is some notion/concept/myth that has been popping up a lot lately, which leads to a lot of strange behavior (like "cleanses" - wtf??!?). There is no basis for this; try to explain what is going on in the body and you'll realize this notion is bunk.
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