How to gain weight primally?
(19 posts) (14 voices)-
My husband has been at survival school and just got back (well, he's coming home tomorrow night but he just got out of the field today). He lost 15 pounds in the field, which isn't great for him because he was already a smallish guy with not a lot of body fat - his normal is 170 pounds at 6 feet tall.
Right now his stomach is pretty shrunken so he can't eat a lot. Tonight he plans to have a bit of salmon, veggies, rice, and salad for dinner with maybe a breadstick (the guys are going out to Olive Garden). Sounds good to me... I told him to ask for butter to put on his fish and veggies since fat is calorie-dense.
Once he's home again, how can I help him gain back the weight in a way that's healthy? Obviously I could just cram him full of cake and bread, but I don't want to do that to him.
Ideas? Thanks in advance.
Posted 4 months ago # -
bobbylight
BlockedThe best way to gain weight (from what I have read) is not primal. Oats and whole milk apparently are the best. I have even heard of "GOMAD" (gallon of milk a day). Anyway, if he is very underweight, I would say a few weeks of oats and milk would do more good than harm.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Why not lots of yummy, carby produce? Tropical fruits, potatoes and sweet potatoes, lots and lots of extra fat. You know, all the good stuff.
Posted 4 months ago # -
I'll wager it is not a worry. No need to "carb up" to gain weight. Survival school has likely meant loads of cortisol. Just get him back to eating full blown primal, as much as he wants! With rest, sleep, relaxation, time to recover and put some muscle back on, he should be fine.
What he'd need right now after such a taxing (I assume, I am picturing Navy Seal type activities? No?) ordeal is protein, minerals, fats, vitamins, all the things to FIX the damage done. A highly animal based, and nutrient dense nutritional plan is in order, not a bunch of carbs (clean/natural/primal or not) that offer no building blocks, no repair.....
Which is going to repair tissue, build muscle, heal neurons, some beef heart grilled up in ghee, or a pile of rice?
Posted 4 months ago # -
BigBeck89
MemberJust let his body regain the weight back by eating normally. Most of it was probably fat anyway. Plus his body is not ready to start binging without negatively affecting his digestive system.
while I agree once he starts eating normally he'll probably be fine, and if need be Diana's suggestion holds.....but really clubber?! are you serious he is six feet tall, normally 170...now he lost 15 pounds and is sitting at 155lbs...at six feet you think that was mostly fat!?
if he lost 15lbs of mostly fat at that weight...well then somebody needs to start lifting some heavy things
Posted 4 months ago # -
bobbylight
BlockedIf I were you I would go to bodybuilding.com or something similar and ask them. From everything I have read, oats are practically essential when trying to bulk up. And to be honest they are not that bad for you either. I know, I know, grains are bad, but I only think grains are bad because they are high in carbs and otherwise low in essential nutrients that fruits and vegetables are packed with...BUT, if you need to gain weight, oats are the best way to do it. I mean honestly, it is easy to eat a good 500 calories of oats, but try doing that with veggies and see how far you get.
Posted 4 months ago # -
animalcule
MemberCarbs weren't particularly effective for me gaining weight in the past. I have been about the same weight (too low) however I ate.
I have gained a bit so far since going fully primal with large amounts of calories. I eat butter, drink whole cream by the pint (1600 cals a pop), as well as eating plenty of meat/fish/eggs, nuts, veg, fruits, and even some starch (love potatoes).
Posted 4 months ago # -
lol good luck! my husband is 6'1 and 160lbs. just let him eat until he's full and stick some extra butter in there :)
Posted 4 months ago # -
I've gained about 15 pounds in the last 4 months eating "primaly" and not that much carbs either.
It seems that people assume that *only* carbs will cause you to gain weight.
I've been eating about 50-100 carbs a day...
I just make sure to eat a good deal *over* my maintenance calories.
And yes, I'm trying to gain weight.
But for those trying to lose weight... I don't think you can get away with eating unlimited calories and just cutting carbs.
Cutting carbs may help, but you need to keep your calories in check too.
-SeanPosted 4 months ago # -
chima_p
Member@bissell
good advice.
@FNW
My guess is he will gain 5lbs tonight after a real meal. Prob half his weight loss was water.
He will be back to his old weight within a few weeks if he eats what he would usually eat at home.
He needs rest and water and love. Not starch. A little extra protein might help.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Thanks for all the suggestions. Yeah, I'm kind of afraid to see him at 155 pounds tonight when he comes home - and certainly pretty sure he lost some muscle mass, not just fat. He's a pretty slim guy already.
I will definitely get some whole milk for him, and I already have protein powder so he can chug some calories in addition to the ones he'll eat...
And will feed him lots of meat, eggs, butter, bacon grease, etc and get some starchy veggies like sweet potatoes and winter squash.
Sound good?
If it doesn't work, we'll try the oats but I don't want to buy a whole thing of oats just for a temporary problem if I can avoid having them in the house.
Posted 4 months ago #
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