Having trouble holding weight

[DreamerOnTheRun (OP)]

I know I can't be the only one, any of you guys have trouble holding weight?  Ive never been big, but never been this small either.  I'm 30, 5'8 and I'm like 130-5.  A good healthy weight for me is like 150 (was 165 the heaviest).  Anybody have any tips?  It's not just my use (opioids, benzos) that make it hard now but my jaw/teeth prevent me from chowing down on steak multiple times a week which used to be my favorite food.  The only thing that I can eat the shit out of is scrambled eggs haha.  Ironically my friends when using or on methadone have a hard time NOT gaining a shitload of weight.  I can understand how that battle could be just as frustrating, but I think society overlooks people's struggle to maintain a healthy weight because of everybody's obsession with being slim and having a certain appearance.

[Chip]

Sit back and enjoy it. I discovered that being fatter comes along as you pass middle age.

Slim people tend to live longer.

Start drinking sugary drinks that require no chewing and you will be on your way.

Visit MacD's often and upsize.

Relax, you're normal.

[AllNightLong]

I agree with Chipper on this one. Once I reached 30 I started to add weight to my body. I am not huge by any means but have gained 20 pounds in the past 5 years or so.

The best way to put on mass is to work out and eat high protein meals. Any protein will work from peanut butter, tuna, chicken, beef, or even tofu. Don't just eat and expect to gain, but if you actually want to put on mass work for it.

[Thoms]

Yeah, with age it came for me.

[theSWPK]

I'm 6'1" and 150lbs, I just stay skinny because its very hard to eat more than one meal a day on dope and methadone.

i used to weigh 245lbs in high school and my graduating year I went through depression so bad that I lost nearly a hundred pounds in a year.

Way better being 150lbs than 245lbs, I can't complain much.

[Lolleedee]

What teeth/jaw issues are you having that is making it hard to chew?  I'm in the dental biz, so I'm always interested in stuff like this!

What does your daily diet look like at the moment?  Have you ever had your thyroid level checked?  Hyperthyroidism can make it extremely hard to keep weight on...just a thought..

[DreamerOnTheRun (OP)]

What teeth/jaw issues are you having that is making it hard to chew?  I'm in the dental biz, so I'm always interested in stuff like this!

What does your daily diet look like at the moment?  Have you ever had your thyroid level checked?  Hyperthyroidism can make it extremely hard to keep weight on...just a thought..

Well, my diet is shit.  If I'm dope sick when I wake up I usually only end up eating once late in the day after I get well enough.  In a good day, I usually have a bowl of cereal in the morning, maybe some chips or something tmin the middle of the day, and lately ice been eating shitload of eggs&cheese or anything easy to eat I guess.  My diets shit I know that and I'm trying to improve it.  My teeth are just garbage, always gave been, but my jaw is my primary problem and primary cause of pain in general.  It sounds ridiculous so I rarely go into it when talking about my pain.  I have 0, zilch, NO cartilage in my TMJ's (both sides).  On top of the cartilage being gone (which they don't know if it happened or I was born this way) the bones actually started to flake off from rubbing so hard so often, and instead of being a nice smooth ball & socket my joints look more like jagged knife tips.  And inside of the joint along all of the major inflammation are tiny fragments of bone and leftover cartilage.  Constantly deteriorating, constantly getting worse.  I need surgery to have the joints completely rebuilt but i don't have health insurance.  I need to get new MRIs but ever since FL went from pill mill state to over regulation and scared shitless doctors I went from over prescribed to kicked to the curb. Buying shit blackmarket has crippled me financially, and everyday is a struggle.  Im just barley hangin' on man.

[Fleas Bass]

I'm in the same boat.

5'7" base weight of 130lbs

I got up to the 150s after ~2 years of lifting. Hit a max of 167 after 6 years. Holding over 160 required me to be constantly on top of my nutritional intake, avoiding caloric deficits and catabolism.

Got slammed by the flu recently and bottomed out to 143, back in the 150s again. Gained/regaining weight with the pointers bellow;

-Liquid calories between meals, whole milk protein shakes are your friend

- creatine can be a game changer. Dissolve fully in water to keep a lean look. Otherwise, some will get a slight water weight look. Dissolving is also easier on the stomach, more effective, & helps avoid GI irritation/diarrhea. Creatine is dirt cheap, and can help with opiate withdrawal.

-loosely plan your meal times and set alarms. We all forget to eat, you need muscle to gain weight with your metabolism, therefore going catabolic is your #1 enemy

-beta alanine rocks. Buffers against H+ ions (you wont get nearly as sore) has cardio-aerobic benefits, increases pumps thereby helping muscle growth, and its dirt cheap as a powder, AND it can seriously help with withdrawal based aches and fatigue.

-If you lift, high rep, light weight, muscle-mind-connection focused lifting is best for gaining size & weight.

PM if you ever have food/gym questions, I clearly like talking about both.

[CARNi]

Being someone who used to do a bit of weightlifting and usually always in general good shape, also having not had a lot of money coming up. Plus lotsa  friends who been in the system the cheapest easiest way to maintain or gain weight, both wallet wise and tooth/jaw wise was two main ingredients.

OATMEAL
PEANUT BUTTER

Those two things are always talked about for gains amongst  the lifters and prisoners in my world.

Hope that helps my friend....

[Dog Food]

I cant stay above 145 when im using, but as soon as im completely off of opiates, i gain up to 160-165 within a month sober.  Even subs keep me from gaining a healthy weight.  For me its definitely the opiates that make me lose weight, ill go from lifting and weighing 165 to skinny and 140 within 2 weeks just about.  It all has to do with waking up sick and not eating for the first half of the day or barely one meal per day.

[DreamerOnTheRun (OP)]

Yeah exactly how I feel, I'd bet anything if I never was sick id be totally ineffected by it but when I'm sick I'm obviously not hungry whatsoever and if I'm really really sick I puke.

[MoeMentim]

I feel for you, i'm 5'7 & 135 presently, sometimes dip down to 130.  That's not too bad really but I consider 150 a healthy weight for me & have been as high as 170 but it's been years.  When I was on h I felt like it was the money situation that kept me thin, presently it's a lack of appetite despite hunger pangs.  My sense of taste (& smell - the two are closely linked) sometimes becomes like 75% deadened.  I suspect meds are causing this.  When this happens I can only eat really spicy foods & I'll hit the local taco truck once a day for my only meal.  Did that today after two days of unintentional fasting.  I'm 46, pot doesn't ever give me the munchies, if it did I'd be heavy based on my smoking routine.