Calorie counting (accuracy) for gaining weight

Col200sx

How accurate should calorie counting be when trying to gain weight?

I'm trying to gain weight but have a very fast metabolism which is really hindering me. Seems no matter how much I eat some days I'll still be the same at the end of the week.

So I've been trying to count my calorie intake, but find myself having to give approx amounts for certain things.

So how accurate should I be? Maybe somedays I'm counting up around 3,000 calories, but in reality I've actually just consumed 2,700.

And before people say, I read every label of food I use/buy so check all the nutritional value.

For the record, I'm male, 5"8, weigh approx 10stone 10lbs

Captain Furball

Without turning you into a psycho, eat 1 extra meal.

discombobulate

If your fairly active 2,700 - 3,000 or whatever won't add weight to you as that'll be around your working calorie needs. Up the calorie intake through more good food, milk or nuts and you should see weight gains. Loads of info on putting on weight in this thread

Goldigga

If you are trying to gain weight and are finding it difficult no matter what you eat, you dont need to count calories. You need to eat until it's uncomfortable.This little story has been posted before but worth a look



There was a time at the Old Westside gym where I couldn't gain weight to save my ****ing life.

There was this dude who trained there who could just put on weight like ****ing magic. He'd go from 198 to 308 and then to 275 and back down to 198. And he was never fat. It was amazing.

I finally asked him one day how he did it.

"You mean I never told you the secret to gaining weight? Come outside and I'll fill you in."

Now remember, we're at Westside Barbell. And this guy wants to go outside to talk so no one else can hear. Think about that for a minute. What the hell is he going to tell me? This must be some serious **** if we have to go outside, I thought.

So we get outside and he starts talking.

"For breakfast you need to eat four of those breakfast sandwiches from McDonalds. I don't care which ones you get, but make sure to get four. Order four hash browns, too. Now grab two packs of mayonnaise and put them on the hash browns and then slip them into the sandwiches. Squish that **** down and eat. That's your breakfast."

At this point I'm thinking this guy is nuts. But he's completely serious.

"For lunch you're gonna eat Chinese food. Now I don't want you eating that crappy stuff. You wanna get the stuff with MSG. None of that non-MSG bull****. I don't care what you eat but you have to sit down and eat for at least 45 minutes straight. You can't let go of the fork. Eat until your eyes swell up and become slits and you start to look like the woman behind the counter."

"For dinner you're gonna order an extra-large pizza with everything on it. Literally everything. If you don't like sardines, don't put 'em on, but anything else that you like you have to load it on there. After you pay the delivery guy, I want you to take the pie to your coffee table, open that ****er up, and grab a bottle of oil. It can be olive oil, canola oil, whatever. Anything but motor oil. And I want you to pour that **** over the pie until half of the bottle is gone. Just soak the **** out of it."

"Now before you lay into it, I want you to sit on your couch and just stare at that ****er. I want you to understand that that pizza right there is keeping you from your goals."

This guy is in a zen-like state when he's talking about this.

"Now you're on the clock," he continues. "After 20 minutes your brain is going to tell you you're full. Don't listen to that ****. You have to try and eat as much of the pizza as you can before that 20-minute mark. Double up pieces if you have to. I'm telling you now, you're going to get three or four pieces in and you're gonna want to quit. You ****ing can't quit. You have to sit on that couch until every piece is done.

And if you can't finish it, don't you ever come back to me and tell me you can't gain weight. 'Cause I'm gonna tell you that you don't give a **** about getting bigger and you don't care how much you lift!"

Did I do it? Hell yeah. Started the next day and did it for two months. Went from 260 pounds to 297 pounds. And I didn't get much fatter. One of the hardest things I've ever done in my life, though.

discombobulate

Thats one of the best stories i've ever heard.

"You can't let go of the fork. Eat until your eyes swell up and become slits and you start to look like the woman behind the counter."

rubadub

Col200sx wrote: »

I'm trying to gain weight but have a very fast metabolism which is really hindering me.

Most people with "fast metabolisms" really have small appetites, and are simply not eating a lot, and I get that impression from your post. e.g.

Col200sx wrote: »

Maybe somedays I'm counting up around 3,000 calories, but in reality I've actually just consumed 2,700.

Surely if you are making errors it would be high or low somedays and so should even itself out. The fact you worry about "only eating" 2700kcal gives the impression you find eating more a chore or have some psychological resistance to "overeating" and would cheat yourself. Most people have the opposite problem, when I aimed for 2000kcal per day I really counted out 1700-1800kcal, knowing full well I would get 2-300kcal more in the day with sneaky biscuits etc.

The average intake in Ireland (men & women) is meant to be 3400kcal.

no matter how much I eat some days I'll still be the same at the end of the week

I imagine you are eating feck all on these days, I could down 3000kcal in 10minutes and come back for second helpings an hour later.

Col200sx

@ Goldigga: Great read. Funny story that:D

Captain Furball wrote: »

Without turning you into a psycho, eat 1 extra meal.

Yep I understand that. But wasn't what I was asking originally. I was asking about calorie counting and accuracies.

discombobulate wrote: »

If your fairly active 2,700 - 3,000 or whatever won't add weight to you as that'll be around your working calorie needs. Up the calorie intake through more good food, milk or nuts and you should see weight gains. Loads of info on putting on weight in this thread

I'm not too active. I mean I avoid cardio where possible. Although I do a 16km off road mountain bike session once a week.

Thanks for heads up on that thread:)

rubadub wrote: »

Most people with "fast metabolisms" really have small appetites, and are simply not eating a lot, and I get that impression from your post. e.g.


Surely if you are making errors it would be high or low somedays and so should even itself out. The fact you worry about "only eating" 2700kcal gives the impression you find eating more a chore or have some psychological resistance to "overeating" and would cheat yourself. Most people have the opposite problem, when I aimed for 2000kcal per day I really counted out 1700-1800kcal, knowing full well I would get 2-300kcal more in the day with sneaky biscuits etc.

The average intake in Ireland (men & women) is meant to be 3400kcal.
I imagine you are eating feck all on these days, I could down 3000kcal in 10minutes and come back for second helpings an hour later.

Think you've gotten me spot on there dude. Now that you say it, some days are less than others, so maybe evens out.

I do find the eating the hardest part of it. But I'm well able to sit down and eat a big amount for my size.

I think rather than it being psychological, I literally sometimes just can't fit any more food into me.


One more question so, if people eat till you're ready to burst, how do you function afterwards:D. No seriously, because I can hardly move after a huge food binge after the gym.....

serenacat

thats a really unhealthy way of gaining weight though. i gained 2 stone and i didnt eat bad things i drink alot of milk, eat cheese,crackers, protein bars, just more of the foods i was eating anyways. you want to be healthy right?

eroo

Goldigga wrote: »

If you are trying to gain weight and are finding it difficult no matter what you eat, you dont need to count calories. You need to eat until it's uncomfortable.This little story has been posted before but worth a look



There was a time at the Old Westside gym where I couldn't gain weight to save my ****ing life.

There was this dude who trained there who could just put on weight like ****ing magic. He'd go from 198 to 308 and then to 275 and back down to 198. And he was never fat. It was amazing.

I finally asked him one day how he did it.

"You mean I never told you the secret to gaining weight? Come outside and I'll fill you in."

Now remember, we're at Westside Barbell. And this guy wants to go outside to talk so no one else can hear. Think about that for a minute. What the hell is he going to tell me? This must be some serious **** if we have to go outside, I thought.

So we get outside and he starts talking.

"For breakfast you need to eat four of those breakfast sandwiches from McDonalds. I don't care which ones you get, but make sure to get four. Order four hash browns, too. Now grab two packs of mayonnaise and put them on the hash browns and then slip them into the sandwiches. Squish that **** down and eat. That's your breakfast."

At this point I'm thinking this guy is nuts. But he's completely serious.

"For lunch you're gonna eat Chinese food. Now I don't want you eating that crappy stuff. You wanna get the stuff with MSG. None of that non-MSG bull****. I don't care what you eat but you have to sit down and eat for at least 45 minutes straight. You can't let go of the fork. Eat until your eyes swell up and become slits and you start to look like the woman behind the counter."

"For dinner you're gonna order an extra-large pizza with everything on it. Literally everything. If you don't like sardines, don't put 'em on, but anything else that you like you have to load it on there. After you pay the delivery guy, I want you to take the pie to your coffee table, open that ****er up, and grab a bottle of oil. It can be olive oil, canola oil, whatever. Anything but motor oil. And I want you to pour that **** over the pie until half of the bottle is gone. Just soak the **** out of it."

"Now before you lay into it, I want you to sit on your couch and just stare at that ****er. I want you to understand that that pizza right there is keeping you from your goals."

This guy is in a zen-like state when he's talking about this.

"Now you're on the clock," he continues. "After 20 minutes your brain is going to tell you you're full. Don't listen to that ****. You have to try and eat as much of the pizza as you can before that 20-minute mark. Double up pieces if you have to. I'm telling you now, you're going to get three or four pieces in and you're gonna want to quit. You ****ing can't quit. You have to sit on that couch until every piece is done.

And if you can't finish it, don't you ever come back to me and tell me you can't gain weight. 'Cause I'm gonna tell you that you don't give a **** about getting bigger and you don't care how much you lift!"

Did I do it? Hell yeah. Started the next day and did it for two months. Went from 260 pounds to 297 pounds. And I didn't get much fatter. One of the hardest things I've ever done in my life, though.

Didn't get much fatter? Yeah right.. oh and expect stretch marks from all that fat gain!;)

Col200sx

serenacat wrote: »

thats a really unhealthy way of gaining weight though. i gained 2 stone and i didnt eat bad things i drink alot of milk, eat cheese,crackers, protein bars, just more of the foods i was eating anyways. you want to be healthy right?

What way is?

Are you referring to Goldigga's story? If so, I doubt any sane person would take on that diet.

For the record. After eating healthily for the last 2 weeks, albeit eating like my life depended on it, and going back to some decent weight resistance work, I now weigh approx 11stone 5lbs:)

Gonna try keep up this regime, as it's paying dividends. Am actually feeling good from it too, not the unhealthy-sickly feeling I thought I'd feel.

If anybody's interested, I've been taking note of everything I've eaten on specific days, and can post it up for some to see the results

serenacat

Col200sx wrote: »

What way is?

Are you referring to Goldigga's story? If so, I doubt any sane person would take on that diet.

For the record. After eating healthily for the last 2 weeks, albeit eating like my life depended on it, and going back to some decent weight resistance work, I now weigh approx 11stone 5lbs:)

Gonna try keep up this regime, as it's paying dividends. Am actually feeling good from it too, not the unhealthy-sickly feeling I thought I'd feel.

If anybody's interested, I've been taking note of everything I've eaten on specific days, and can post it up for some to see the results

yes i am referring to the story! i just want to say i gained 2 stone and an half and just pushed myself to eat more than usual as i was underweight BMI=18 now BMI=23. its harder to gain weight by just eating more healthy food but its worth it as i feel great now! and look fab too!
high calorie foods i snacked on include

-nuts,cereal bars,cereal,toast
-milk and more milk
-carried a bag load of fruit with me to bunch on during the day-raisins,apples,oranges
-jogurt with flax seeds,sunflower seeds

70-85 % cocoa chocolate
-drank 2 litres min a day

its easy to gain weight by eating take aways etc but unless you are seriously underweight the end does not justify the means.
You don't want high blood cholesterol do you?

Goldigga

I think rather than it being psychological, I literally sometimes just can't fit any more food into me.

OP. Chowing down on the amount of food you need to gain weight is tough. No doubt. In many ways it is more difficult than the training itself.

An easier way to get by this is seriously up your milk intake. None of this low fat crap though. Go GOMAD Gallon of Milk a day. so roughly speaking that is 4 litres. That will give you nearly 2500 calories. Do this with plenty of meat, eggs. nuts and oils and you wont have a problem gaining weight.

If you arre not used to drinking a lot of milk, then up the volume over time. Start off with 2 litres a day for the first week maybe and then gradually add more. It's not as hard as it sounds!

Goldigga

One other thing. If you are trying to gain weight, why do you want to count calories accurately? Dont get caught up too much in calorie counting if you have diffuculty gaining weight.

You really need to eat s**t loads of food and drink your milk. If you have a fast metabolism you will lose any fat gains quick enough afterwards when you clean up your diet!

Transform

you do not have a fast metabolism - you simply do not eat enough and what is your current weights program (weights being lifted also).

Col200sx

serenacat wrote: »

yes i am referring to the story! i just want to say i gained 2 stone and an half and just pushed myself to eat more than usual as i was underweight BMI=18 now BMI=23. its harder to gain weight by just eating more healthy food but its worth it as i feel great now! and look fab too!
high calorie foods i snacked on include

-nuts,cereal bars,cereal,toast
-milk and more milk
-carried a bag load of fruit with me to bunch on during the day-raisins,apples,oranges
-jogurt with flax seeds,sunflower seeds

70-85 % cocoa chocolate
-drank 2 litres min a day

its easy to gain weight by eating take aways etc but unless you are seriously underweight the end does not justify the means.
You don't want high blood cholesterol do you?

Yep agree totally. I don't want high cholesterol, that's why I'm trying to do it "the right way". Some good tips there, thanks:)

Goldigga wrote: »

OP. Chowing down on the amount of food you need to gain weight is tough. No doubt. In many ways it is more difficult than the training itself.

An easier way to get by this is seriously up your milk intake. None of this low fat crap though. Go GOMAD Gallon of Milk a day. so roughly speaking that is 4 litres. That will give you nearly 2500 calories. Do this with plenty of meat, eggs. nuts and oils and you wont have a problem gaining weight.

If you arre not used to drinking a lot of milk, then up the volume over time. Start off with 2 litres a day for the first week maybe and then gradually add more. It's not as hard as it sounds!

Seriously, I never realised milk had so many calories:eek: Right then, I'm back drinking milk on a regular basis then:D

I used to drink a pint a day years ago, now that's coming back with extra.

Goldigga wrote: »

One other thing. If you are trying to gain weight, why do you want to count calories accurately? Dont get caught up too much in calorie counting if you have diffuculty gaining weight.

The reason I was asking about counting calories accurately, not because I only wanted to consume what I needed, more so that I wasn't under-eating myself with regards calories.

Just piece of mind knowing you've definitely consumed the minimum amount needed.

BossArky

Transform wrote: »

you do not have a fast metabolism - you simply do not eat enough

There is a fellow I work with who wolfs his food down in 2 minutes flat.

He is 6 foot 2 and told someone that he weighs 69kg. I'd guess he is actually closer to 60kg and possibly the skinniest person I've ever worked with/known. People remark about how malnourished and unhealthy he looks. I'm not talking about slightly skinny... but seriously skinny.

A woman remarked of him "Oh he must be skinny because he has a really fast metabolism due to eating so fast. Maybe I'll try that" :rolleyes:

No - he is skinny because he skips breakfast, smokes 10+ a day, and has a lunch consisting of a packet of crisps and canteen slop. At 3pm he then has a couple of biscuits with coffee. His idea of eating healthy is to have 4 cups of water at lunch time, and nothing else throughout the day. He then goes out every night and gets hammered.

The woman recently told me she tried out hydroxycut (or something similar - fat burning pills) which caused her to loose 6kg then put it all back on again as soon as she stopped.

Following on from this we got to talking about food. Apparently another 3 women are on a form of diet where you are provided with a supply of pre-packaged foods. You cannot eat anything else apart from this stuff.

I was surprised that these seemingly smart people have such a lack of clue when it comes to feeding themselves.