# Weight issues before treatment



## CherryMarie (Jun 5, 2012)

I had a consultation at a clinic recently and the consultant at the time had a slight issue with my weight. I'm quite tall at 5ft10 and slim with it, and although im not underweight he reccommended that I try to gain weight.

I'm not a keep fit type of person & I eat quite well and a lot although I'm very partial to junk foods. My problem is that my metabolism is pretty high and I've been a constant weight since my late teens.

From what I've seen online, in order to gain weight I need to consume more protein/calories than I burn, but I eat a lot as it is, I was thinking of trying protein shakes as a supplement to help pack those proteins in. 

Does anyone have any advice on how to gain weight successfully Eg diet tips etc

Thanks in advance xx


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## goldbunny (Mar 26, 2012)

hi
you said you are partial to junk food - i think that suggests to me that protein shakes are not the answer (though i don't think they would be harmful as such). i am curious - is the partiality to junk food stemming from 
not having time to cook properly
deep-seated food issues
lack of cooking confidence or experience
laziness
something else?

also.. do you get lots of positive attention from being slim? some people do. if you're one of them it will demotivate you to gain weight even if it would be healthy to do so. 

i think if you ditch the junk food and take a real interest in eating and preparing good quality meals you stand a better chance of being your ideal weight. junk food is very addictive and a challenge to give up. good luck.


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## CherryMarie (Jun 5, 2012)

Hi, thanks for your reply 

When I say partial to junk food, I didn't mean it's all I eat. My partner works shifts so we cannot always have dinner at home together, but we try where possible. I'll eat take away food ie pizza, Chinese etc maybe 2/3 times a month on average.. But can sometimes it can be more... Just being honest haha

I don't have food issues, as I'm always eating. I work on my feet all day long so I work up an appetite 

I suppose I do get positive attention from being tall/slim. However, my body type is natural. My dad is 6ft5 my mum 5ft10 and at 60 she's only a size 12. I've always wanted to gain a bit more but it just doesn't happen, my weight stays constant. 

I don't really eat red meat, but I eat a lot of pasta, rice, couscous, fresh fish, veg, chicken, salads, olives etc 

Ahh all too confusing, it's hard to find things online to aid weight gain without the assumption of wanting to become a body builder :s


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## goldbunny (Mar 26, 2012)

your frame sounds exactly like that of the girl that was my best mate years ago - although she was a vegetarian - and your diet sounds healthy to me... it could just be that you're naturally that shape and that there's nothing going to change it!  I'm short and all curves and put on weight when i so much as look at food, so i'm a little bit jealous! 
being 'always eating' doesn't mean someone doesn't have food issues (not saying you do have them just saying it doesn't prove anything) because people can get all kinds of hangups about food without even knowing. My DH is very often complaining at me if he sees me eating, he'll make comments about me always eating, even though i try to eat healthily and he doesn't, it makes me a bit self-conscious about eating. Which is silly but there you go. It can make it tempting to grab things that can be eaten quickly to avoid getting comments, as opposed to making slower but healthier snacks. 

some people think about food all day, they get up and start planning their meals, they look forward to what they will eat... other people hardly think about it until the last minute and then grab whatever's nearest. I don't think that directly correlates to weight gain or loss (because it depends How you think about it!) but it might be interesting to note down in a day how often you think about food and what the thought was. If it turns out food is 'happy thoughts' but you're not thinking about it all that often, maybe thinking about it more would help you gain weight. i'm just being a bit random here but i just wondered about it is all . x


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## ChessieAlderton (Dec 2, 2011)

Hi CherryMarie,

I had the same issue as you. I was told to put on weight as my BMI was just below the NHS acceptable limit. I'm also lucky with a fast metabolism and can't put on weight easily - I've been the same weight for the last 20 years. I eat relatively healthily, though also eat quite a lot of chocolate. To put on more weight I first upped the choc/cake from my usual 1 a day to 2-3, but started feeling really unhealthy which was defeating the purpose - and also I wasn't putting weight on!  I started thinking about protein shakes, but in the end hit upon cereal bars, which though vaguely healthy also are quite high in fat and calories. I ate about 2-3 a day and put on 1/2 a stone in around 2 months. I've managed to maintain this weight through two ivfs and am now pregnant.

I don't think people who don't have this issue realise how hard it is to put weight on. With the NHS there's very much a 1 size fits all mentality, so i was told I wouldn't be allowed treatment with a BMI that was perfectly normal for me (and I started getting really stressed about this when I wasn't putting any weight on) - and this is also an issue for those at the other end of the BMI spectrum, many of whom I'm sure are perfectly healthy in themselves and a weight that is normal for them. But anyway it worked out in the end!

good luck.


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## Scabigail (Sep 26, 2011)

I used to be really skinny (5'10", 8st13-9st4) - thought it was great at the time but looking at old photos I realise how skeletal I actually looked. I now have a BMI of 20 and am very happy with that. 

Like you I could eat what I wanted, when I wanted and it wouldnt touch the sides. So when I eventually realised I needed to put some weight on I upped my carb intake and added in a pint of full fat milk and a mars bars a day (apparently that helps you work, rest and play). Anyhoo - did the trick in no time at all and my husband is very happy now he cant see my ribs through my back!!

Happy eating and good luck
x


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