[skinnyme]

I guess you can tell by my name that I need some suggestions for gaining weight. It goes without saying that anything too rich or fatty can't be tolerated, but if anyone had any suggestions, I would love to hear them. I heard a couple of people mention ensure so maybe I'll try that. I am ibs-dddddddddddddddddddddddddd. Okay I am exaggerating but I would only knock off about 3 of the ds.

 

[Island girl]

Hi Skinny,I have the same concern, as did my mom when she was around my age(36)--she is also IBS(65 now). Anyways, I've been making alot of homemade yogurt. Tricky at first, but so worth it. I use whole milk, so it ups the calories and I get the benefit of YUM! with probiotics to boot.Avocadoes-very high in calories and the "good fat." They also have an amazingly high amt of minerals like potassium.When I was a heavy D, I drank Ensure everyday. Thought I was helping. If you read the label on Ensure, you'll find sugar and corn syrup. I don't do well with those two additives, so for myself, I quit drinking it. I'm glad you posted this. I hope many people have other tips, because I could use some more too. It's hard to stay at a good weight when you've quit eating all the fattening stuff(starches, pastas, refined sugars, etc)Marie

 

[diamondgirl]

Hi Skinnyme,I just read a post about Ensure Plus and decided to give it a try. I went out and bought the chocolate tonight.

It's ok for IBS-d because it's lactose free. I eat really well when my IBS isn't acting up (which hasn't been too often lately because I started the Caltrate), but I have a high metabolism so it's hard for me to gain. I'm 5'6" and 110 lbs. Even with IBS I can tolerate a high calorie diet, so I love things like pizza, pasta, ice cream, meat and potatoes, etc. Good luck and hope you gain some!

 

[Guest]

Hi skinnyme,I found a website that you can use to enter any food and will calculate the calories and fat for you, that way you can pick the food with high calories and low fat.example:chick peas, select relative match.Hope that will work for you. http://www.caloriecontrol.org/caloriecontr..._calculator.cgi [This message has been edited by AJ55 (edited 09-22-2000).][This message has been edited by AJ55 (edited 09-22-2000).]

 

[Guest]

http://www.caloriecontrol.org/caloriecontr..._calculator.cgi I am trying to get that web site to work when you click on it.------------------AJ

 

[HipJan]

AJ -- Sounds like that site will be helpful!skinny -- Several of us here have had a low-weight problem, so you're not alone. At one point, I'd dropped 25-30 lb below what had become my normal weight (which was still on the low side). I looked so thin last Christmastime that friends were talking behind my back about how I must be dieing of some form of cancer. Fun for me. Anyway, sorry for the sob story from me

...I went on a massive campaign to gain weight last Feb. It's really hard to gain weight when your diet consists of low-cal. foods, isn't it?! I ate, and still eat, every 2-1/2 hours. I eat quite a bit of rice products, including a bowl of cream of rice w/rice or soymilk for breakfast. I also eat rice cakes and rice bread; you could try slathering those w/smooth almondbutter (easier to digest than peanutbutter, and good for you). I also eat a bit of root vegetable each day (like yams or sweet potatoes or something else), but I still stay away from white potatoes. I don't eat many dairy products (v. occasionally yogurt), but for an afternoon snack I'll have a glass of rice or soymilk w/Ultra Clear Sustain (nutritional powder), along with my almondbutter treat. I also count up my calories to make sure I'm getting enough (though, yes, hard to do). Sometimes I allow myself to have gluten-free health cookies. I make sure I get enough protein (though not "too" much, which isn't good), even though protein doesn't esp. enthuse me.I have gained 15 pounds since Feb. Some of this was due to my adding 200-300 cal./day. The rest, I believe, was due to my body finally being ready to start healing. You might want to take a look at the Malabsorption thread here, started by Island Girl. (Some people, like me, may be suffering from some kind of nutrient malabsorption, which obviously makes weight gain even more difficult.) Good luck.

 

[NewBreedGirl]

Heya Oh Man I am the Poster child for being to Skinny!! Everyone envies me and I look like those models on tv my bones sticking outand just yuck.I am 5'6 or 5'7 and I am very lucky to weigh 100lbs. I have tried weight gainer powders I have tried eating nothing but fast food and candy (Then I got cavities had to stop that)I had a thyroid kidney intestine hepatites(tattoos) and all came out good fine normal. Basically a doctor told me "yer screwed". I cant even begin to tell anyone how it feels.I have been drinking the Ensure Plus.I only drink one a day(stuff is a little pricey to drink 3 a day) and eat 4 meals a day. So far this is the only thing that has let me maintain my triple digit weight and I also gained one or two pounds (wich is odd cuz I use to pile away 4 tacos thena triple cheeseburger and lose weight chewing it) Anywayz I wish you luck.

 

[Mike NoLomotil]

HI SKINNY!Here is an easy weight-gain approach.1. Keep a THOROUGH dietary intake log for (5) days minimum2. Input the data into any of the commercially-available nutritional intake programs you cna buy (Professional Nutritionist, Personal Nutritionist, etc.) In fact PN used to be able to be bought preloaded into alittle hand-held you can carry around with you to log your food.3.In addition to giving you a nutritional intake profile (vitamins and minerals you are taking in versus what you should be taking in from your food) it will tell you how many claories you are consuming per day.4. That calory count then has told you how many calories you are consuming to maintain your current weight.5. Increase your caloric intake as you like. I recommend a balanced diet (look up any perspective you like on the web from different dieticians until you find the calorie rpofile for fat, proteins, and carbs that makes sense to you) which is free of any reactive foods, and remove all additives (no processed food...this elimiantes a variable which can interfere with the processing of your food internally).Rough estimate if you increase your intake 300-500 calories a day you should gain roughly a pound a week. If you are not ascetic and if the diet is balanced it will be "good weight" (not disproportionate fat).Thats the short version and really all there is to it. If you do this and do not gain weight discuss that with your doctor and show him/her what you did. She/he will decide how best to evaluate that.Have a DFDMNL__________________ www.leapallergy.com [This message has been edited by Mike NoLomotil (edited 09-22-2000).]

 

[Clancy Garner]

Skin,I can give you my method that put 30 pounds on me in 1 month, had to go buy new clothes. Ready??? OK, start smoking and work your way up to 4 packs a day. Then quit cold turkey.-or-just wait till you pass 40...! If you breath they will come!!

 

[Mike NoLomotil]

LOLI wish I put on some weight when I quit. Not an ounce...probably lost some from all the #### I coughed up when my cilia woke up.MNL

 

[Guest]

I am 103 and have always been thin, but I had a bout of unexplained weight loss over the summer. Got scared went to the GIdoc, he ran a few tests then said "eat more" so here I am the same weight no matter how much I eat. The only thing that effects me is I seem to lose a pound or two if I don't eat for a day. I have decided that this is my new weight wether I like it or not, so I went out and bought a new pair of jeans! I try not to let it bother me when people say things to me about being anorexic or sick. They probably don't know the first thing about IBS anyway. Sorry my reply turned into a vent Skinnyme, I hope you get some results from all of the good suggestions! take care...

------------------debbie g

 

[AD]

I'm a male, 5'2 and weigh a mere 70 pounds. I find it uncomfortable to eat many things, especially high calorie foods. Being IBS-C, about the only high-fiber calorie source for me is prune juice.

 

[badfoot]

Hey SkinnymeI've had a long term problem gaining weight (bone thinning etc.) I'm IBS-C, so we don't have the same needs necessarily. I eat lots of small meals, pretty bland, but I squeeze in mayonaise, sour cream, cream cheese, turkey, fish, avocados and I sometimes drink Nutren (a higher quality version of Ensure-also more expensive). Nutren comes flavored or unflavored, I drink the latter because it seems to be sugar free. If interested call 1-800-422-2572.It's tough to get those calories without causing major problems. I can relate. best of luck.

 

[stinky too]

skinnyme,If you can handle dairy OK, then make your home made yogurt out of half and half. Or even cream which I thought was a little to rich, add a little honey and peanutbutter for flavor or whatever you can handle.I cannot use the Ensure as it is to sweet, has lots of corn syrup which is a trigger for me.IF you can't use dairy the grocery store here has several kinds of milk., rice., almond, and soy. Check the health food stores for weight on products. Altho most of those too have high corn syrup.Good luck. ------------------Prayer doesn't change God , it changes the one who prays..C type, with G

 

[Mike NoLomotil]

Hi Ya'll...Just something I learned from working with alot of dieticians. Trying to figure out about weight gain and loss without knowing your caloric intake is like getting in the car to mosey on to Buffalo with the gas-guage taped over and no map. No guidepost of where to go and what you are using.The greatest tool I have ever seen is these simple dietary analysis software programs. And that little Personal Nutritionist gizmo if they still make it. I have seen more people trying to gain or lose weight finally get a handle on it when they had a tool to work with.I recommend it highly to anybody trying to analyze their weight situation. And its easy. (We just put in everything we eat and it tells us "look how much fat and no vitamins you are eating...and look at these calories..."). Whatever weight you are at, you will know what you are swallowing and it has the calorie equivalent for all the foods in the database so you can make sure you get more in you instead of guessing.No I don't sell it!Good Luck Too.MNL__________________ www.leapellrgy.com

 

[catherine]

Mike, Can you give us more info on where we might find these products for counting calories? I assume the software can be purchased at any computer store? Do you think it's pretty affordable? It sounds really helpful.Skinnyme, I've always been thin but have lost weight in the past year from having to restrict my diet of fats and sugar. I'm almost 5'6" at 107lbs. and very frustrated about gaining weight. I eat smaller meals now but more often and can't eat past 8pm because of heartburn. I can't drink Ensure because it's so sweet and makes me nauseous so I drink Carnation's Instant Breakfast instead. I fully relate to your problem and know how frustrating it is. ------------------C-Type IBS (slow motility)

 

[Guest]

hi Catherine,Please refer to my post above it had a web site address you can click on it then you can enter the food name instantly you will get the calories count and fat. It is free.------------------AJ

 

[skinnyme]

Clancy....YOU ARE HILARIOUS!!!!! No Kidding. I was reading all the great replies to my post and when I got to yours I busted out laughing. Thanks, I needed that.

 

[catherine]

Thanks, AJ, a very helpful site!Here's to all of us gaining at least 10 pounds!!

------------------C-Type IBS (slow motility)

 

[Mike NoLomotil]

HI CATHERINE;Sorry I missed your question..short of time today and running out the door. On Monday if you need I will pull the product lit for you. Or try a search under the term(s) "Personal Nutritionist" (thats a brand name) or "Autonutritionist" (another, more sophisticated but much more expensive...for just personal nutrition and calorie monitoring the first one is plent fine and inexpensive...I forget as the version I have I bought some years ago...I remember they had both either the program on disk for your PC or buy the little handle held with a PROM brain inside). If you can't find anything post me. I will find you one.have a DFWMNL Omylord is that full of typos...thats ridiculous, fingers...fix that again[This message has been edited by Mike NoLomotil (edited 09-23-2000).][This message has been edited by Mike NoLomotil (edited 09-23-2000).]