high calorie shakes to gain weight?

[deos68]

anyone have a problem gaining weight?
i weigh about 110 lbs sometimes 100 lbs yes it jumps drastically plenty of test done to to see if anything is wrong but it's straight up anxiety causing these issues my height is 5'4 although i never been a big guy my heaviest was 115 lbs this was before anxiety crippled me
i developed anxiety/panic/depression its been hard to get an appetite
given that my anxiety causes me to throw up at random times doesnt help either


anyone have any ideas for high calorie shakes to put on a few extra pounds?
i dont want ingest all those powders from gnc etc
the other major issues is i have some type of blood disorder called polycythemia vera meaning i need to stay away from foods, supplements that will thicken my blood
anyone?

 

[SixBuckets]

I think it's a bit risky to ask people on an internet forum to advise you on your diet when you have a very specific and unusual health condition. Have you considered seeing a dietician? They will probably be able to give you some accurate and safe advice on gaining weight.

 

[Foreigner]

A high calorie shake I make these days is:
- half avocado
- 1-2 tablespoons nut butter (almond is my fav)
- blueberries, half a banana, some apple
- raw honey
- spreading cheese (like cream cheese, or cottage cheese), but get it from a quality deli and not kraft or some other crappy one
- if it doesn't gross you out, add a raw egg yolk (remove the white), but make sure it's an organic egg because industrial farmed eggs tend to come from unhealthy chickens and you don't want those raw
- some kind of milk, whether it's whole cow's milk (for the fat), almond milk, coconut milk, etc. Coconut milk from the can would have the highest calories but some people find it gives them diarrhea. You can also just use water.

Run all that through a blender. A shake like that is easily 500 calories, if not more. One tablespoon of almond butter is about 120 calories, and has lots of good fat. So does the avocado.

Include more saturated fat in your diet. Butter, bacon (collect the fat and use it for other cooking), fatty fish like salmon, beef tallow, bone and knuckle broths with the cartilage still in there, etc. You'll be gaining in no time.

I don't use dietary powders, mostly because of my GI condition, but also because I've discovered they're just generally crappy, unless we're talking something like pure whey isolate. Most of the protein and calorie powders out there have so many additives.

 

[nuttynutskin]

I don't see a reason a GOOD quality protein powder wouldn't be beneficial if you have trouble keeping down food. Champion Nutrition is good and doesn't have a bunch of additives and extraneous shit. But like it was said, you should probably be working with a dietician and doctor. You should also try to address your underlying depression and anxiety problems that seem to be the root cause.

 

[GrymReefer]

Gaining weight is the simple equation of calories in > calories used

You must eat more than you utilize. You have the right idea with shakes and at the beginning it does help to consume a good majority of calories from liquid due to the nature of how simple it is to gulp something down vs chewing.

Foreigner gave a great recipe, too.

I was at the same position you were 5-6 years ago when I wanted to gain weight and I began creating a routine where I would make 2-3 weight gainer shakes (olive oil, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, 2 cups of oats, 1 cup of milk, a little bit of pecan ice cream) and would force myself to consume them. If I couldn't manage all 3 throughout the day I would set my alarm for 1-2 am and wake up for 10-15 minutes and just chug one down and go back to bed. You have to force feed sometimes to get the body used to such a quantity of calories. The body is excellent at adapting and overcoming obstacles. If it wasn't we wouldn't be alive as a species.

Serving for shake.....
1-2 whole bananas (I absolutely love bananas and consume 5-6 a day. Alter it to your preferences this is just a thought)
1oz strawberries
1oz blueberries
1oz blackberries
2 cups of whole oats
1 cup of whole milk
1/2 cup-1 cup of pecan ice cream
I would fill up a shot glass of olive oil. I don't know why I used a shot glass for measurements, but I used to just pound back shots of it and eventually it became a measurement system for me. Grape seed oil also works as well as flaxseed oil.


I know of a lot of supplements that would drastically increase your hunger, but they also lead to higher RBC count so my knowledge is limited. I would recommend consulting a medical professional due to the variables of your situation in terms of vitamins and minerals.

 

[Deleted member 210577]

Forget supplements. It's (another) bullshit industry there to take your money from you. Not even necessary. You can get all the calories you need from real food. Just eat more.

Sounds like you have a mental heath issue that you need to address first and then the body will follow. Do some body weight exercises or start some weight training, and your desire for food will increase. It's not that difficult.. you just got to eat. I never had a big appetite either. Then I realized what good food can taste like. Om nom! The body will utilize real whole foods far better than any supplement that you give it.. we evolved to deal with real foods, not industry processed shit.

 

[GrymReefer]

Forget supplements. It's (another) bullshit industry there to take your money from you. Not even necessary. You can get all the calories you need from real food. Just eat more.

Sounds like you have a mental heath issue that you need to address first and then the body will follow. Do some body weight exercises or start some weight training, and your desire for food will increase. It's not that difficult.. you just got to eat. I never had a big appetite either. Then I realized what good food can taste like. Om nom! The body will utilize real whole foods far better than any supplement that you give it.. we evolved to deal with real foods, not industry processed shit.

I know where you're coming from. I just meant supplements as some essential/non-essential amino acids, certain minerals and vitamins. I definitely agree with you on majority of supplement companies purely exploit the market due to the general ignorance many guide themselves with as they buy the next big pre-workout supplement or protein powder. Good eating and whole lot of it should always be your foundation. Supplements are there to further supplement a balanced diet. Not replace it.

 

[rm-rf]

I think it's a bit risky to ask people on an internet forum to advise you on your diet when you have a very specific and unusual health condition. Have you considered seeing a dietician? They will probably be able to give you some accurate and safe advice on gaining weight.

+1

Also, perhaps you should re-prioritize your goals in life. Perhaps nature doesnt want your body to "be big." Human beings arent evolved to eat a high degree of excess calories every day, to "bulk up," or consume the amounts of protein required for such sustained growth (read up on the science and philosophy of fasting, its a good intro to seeing what protein in your blood stream 24/7 does to your health over the years). Perhaps you can find the state of being youre looking for elsewhere, one that your body adapts well to. In any event, it sounds like you need mental care more than physical, especially if youre claiming your mental conditions are the cause on the setbacks of your physical goals. Putting chemical / hormonal stress into your body regularly will inhibit its ability to grow, endure, and most importantly, repair. Instead of calorie rich macronutrients, perhaps you need antioxidant and bioflavanoid rich teas, tinctures, vegetables, and fruits (and their anti-inflammatory and alkalizing properties).

For now, Add some avocados, coconut milk, and ghee to your diet. But srsly seek out professional help to manage the physical conditions you have along with dietary changes. Again, you should probably seek professional psychological help, attend medidation classes, or take up a spiritual and physical discipline like kung fu.

I say all this as a former bodybuilder. Its an exploit, it just isnt Nature's way. It wont guarantee you any degree of happiness, and it will lead to unnecessary physiological stress later in life.

 

[nuttynutskin]

Forget supplements. It's (another) bullshit industry there to take your money from you.

That could be said about a lot of the stuff out there but there are worthwhile supplements. The problem is a lot of kids see ads in magazines with their favorite bodybuilder or athlete endorsing something and they just run out and buy it without bothering to educate themselves. They think, hell they're huge and ripped, they must know what they're doing and what to take. But the sad reality is a lot of bodybuilders and athletes would probably endorse dog shit if they paid them enough.

 

[Foreigner]

Supplements are generally poorly absorbed, the research shows this. Even the methylated forms don't show the same level of intake as food sources. If you take vitamin or mineral pills while ignoring food sources, you'll be malnourished. Our bodies evolved to assimilate food, not pills. Food sources always provide a better balance of intake because the target nutrient will come part and parcel with its complementary nutrients. For example, beets are a great source of iron and contain a complementary level of vitamin C to aid iron absorption. Beet juice shows greater iron supplementation in anemic people than straight up iron pills.

The reason why even things like a good protein powder are not that healthy is because they aren't complete nutrition. If you eat a high protein food you're still getting complementary nutrition along with it. A piece of beef has zinc, magnesium, B12, etc... not just the protein. If it's grass fed you'll get good fats with it that balance the saturates. If you use protein powders as a staple to gain weight, you'll just end up being malnourished.

Most true body builders, especially the competitive ones... you should look at what they truly eat. And it's not protein powders. They're making high calorie shakes with the craziest food ingredients, dozens of egg yolks a day, imported food stuffs... things that the average person would never think of eating at quantity. Point is, their intake comes from real food.

If you want to gain weight then eat more of everything, and eat a diverse diet.

Btw... I strongly believe that mental health issues stem from food lifestyle. There is a really important connection between gut health and mental health, the link between the two of which is food. If you eat like crap you can expect to feel like crap. Many childhood mental disorders and learning disabilities, like autism, AD(H)D, and dyslexia, are now being healed with diet.

 

[Deleted member 210577]

^ OP you might want to look into gut health for your mental state. I remember seeing some news story recently suggesting the link too. Everyone could benefit from it anyway. Look it up, stuff like saurkraut and other fermented foods are good for your gut.

 

[Foreigner]

A good book is called "Gut and Psychology Syndrome" by Natasha Campbell-McBride. There's a whole bunch of marketing linked to the GAPS diet, so just ignore that. Just get the book and read her viewpoint as well as her research. It's a good starting point for learning more about gut and mental health.