Hi, I'm new here. But I am currently in the hospital and have lost quite a bit of weight over the last 6 months (around 20 lbs) my nutritionist is wanting me to start eating between 3100 and 3600 calories a day. It's very hard for me because I don't get hungry easily and only eat 2 maybe 3 meals a day. Are there any good ways to increase my intake without having to constantly feel overstuffed?
help GAINING WEIGHT
- Thread starter hannahj1d
- Start date
just wanted to say that Im in the same boat. I lost 15 lbs and I cannot gain it back. Its so hard cause I do eat but just not that much. My appetite is not huge. Its a very hard thing for me because I get so many comments about it. Someone had suggested peanut butter sandwiches between meals which are good.
MiahsMommy
New member
Has anyone brought up a g button? I know its a huge decision for parents and patient to make, but I believe it relieves lots of stress on both sides. You wouldnt have to force something down your throat and wouldn't taste those yucky calorie drinks. I'd probably save this as a last resort, but if nothing seems to be working might not be a bad idea. I gotta tell you, choosing for our daughter to get a g button was tough, but we don't regret it one bit. She's able to get in a high calorie formula and its a great way to get medicines in! And its very small/flat,, if you saw her, you couldn't even tell she has one, I.thought it was going to be big hard and bulky!! Hope this helped 
MiahsMommy
New member
you can also start with small frequent meals/snacks. Try your favorite foods!
connekaren
New member
Hi there,
My sister is also having a hard time gaining weight and we are now trying a product called Opt2thrive, it is an all natural drink that contains calories, protien and fiber. I believe a 9oz serving gives you like 630 calories. She says it taste great. It is also gluten free.
They have a website you should check out <a href="http://www.Opt2thrive.com">www.Opt2thrive.com</a>
Good luck and post if you decide to try the product. I will let you know her weight gain!
My sister is also having a hard time gaining weight and we are now trying a product called Opt2thrive, it is an all natural drink that contains calories, protien and fiber. I believe a 9oz serving gives you like 630 calories. She says it taste great. It is also gluten free.
They have a website you should check out <a href="http://www.Opt2thrive.com">www.Opt2thrive.com</a>
Good luck and post if you decide to try the product. I will let you know her weight gain!
paulhutchings
New member
hi hannah i feel the same but i have to say scandyshakes help alot if you can manage one a day
TarHeelBlue2007
New member
Bill raises a good suggestion re: reviewing your enzyme intake, and what the docs say you should be dosing. Just double check that you're on the correct dosage (but have them base it on your old weight).
Two other things to mention...exercise is always good to help increase appetite and for raising your PFTs...just make sure you eat something within about 30min after you finish exercise (better for the body and easier to absorb calories that way).
Other thing is that your lower appetite may be related to your lung status. I know that when I'm having an exacerbation, my appetite actually goes down, even though I'm losing weight. So, as your PFTs improve (I'm guessing that's why you're in the hospital), your appetite may come up as well.
Oh, and peanut butter is never a bad thing. Good luck!
Two other things to mention...exercise is always good to help increase appetite and for raising your PFTs...just make sure you eat something within about 30min after you finish exercise (better for the body and easier to absorb calories that way).
Other thing is that your lower appetite may be related to your lung status. I know that when I'm having an exacerbation, my appetite actually goes down, even though I'm losing weight. So, as your PFTs improve (I'm guessing that's why you're in the hospital), your appetite may come up as well.
Oh, and peanut butter is never a bad thing. Good luck!
When I was in for my previous exacerbation related to pneumonia and sepsis, since Baystate allows you to order your meals through a program they use called Room Service Meals, I was having them pile on the food using the doctors order for double portions. When I was transferred to Kindred Park View (I STILL hate how things are run there), I was able to get the increased calorie + double portion diet in order for 95% of the time, only after they resisted at first, but towards the end of my visit, they were not sending up my snacks or sending up my snack orders but only partially (missing Glucerna every time), and even the meals had things missing sometimes (Ensure Plus missing) and to top it off, when they transferred me from one floor to another, they succeeded in losing that days dinner completely (sent up on wrong food truck, no notification that it was there). I had to speak to the kitchen supervisor(s) and even manager on a number of occasions, but I still somehow managed in the 18 days I was in the rehab facility (KPV) to go from 108 to 135 pounds.
B
BikerEd
Guest
Bill is right, Ice Cream I eat for breakfast, oh and that enzymes thing look into that too, lol.
Talk to your nutritionist about getting in touch with Abboit laboratories (sp) they make zone bars and they are awesome. You can purchase them at walgreens and Wal-Mart, but a rep was giving them to my nutritionist by the case and then started to send them to my house. Sometimes because at work I got to keep moving and eating on the fly does not work for me. I keep one to two bottles of boost on me (along with a zone), I like the taste and its quick; I’ll even drink them if I’m eating lunch. Also, the PIT CF center has a cook book with great recipes that they sent to my nutritionist that she gave me. It has great recipes and the stuff is good and not over whelming amounts of food. The part I like best you can add the calories items to just yours and eat the same meal as your family without them becoming unhealthy. It’s called “cooking up calories” Pittsburg Children’s CF Center. If you would like Email me and I can give you my Nutritionist info if you want. Best of Luck.
Talk to your nutritionist about getting in touch with Abboit laboratories (sp) they make zone bars and they are awesome. You can purchase them at walgreens and Wal-Mart, but a rep was giving them to my nutritionist by the case and then started to send them to my house. Sometimes because at work I got to keep moving and eating on the fly does not work for me. I keep one to two bottles of boost on me (along with a zone), I like the taste and its quick; I’ll even drink them if I’m eating lunch. Also, the PIT CF center has a cook book with great recipes that they sent to my nutritionist that she gave me. It has great recipes and the stuff is good and not over whelming amounts of food. The part I like best you can add the calories items to just yours and eat the same meal as your family without them becoming unhealthy. It’s called “cooking up calories” Pittsburg Children’s CF Center. If you would like Email me and I can give you my Nutritionist info if you want. Best of Luck.
scrapper1264
New member
My son drinks fruit smoothies with flaxseed oil (13g of fat per tablespoon) - a healthy way to gain weight! You could also add a tablespoon of peanut butter too! He also likes those Pedisure vanilla drinks. The scandishakes would probably be the way to go though because they are loaded in calories. My son did not care for the taste though from what I remember when he tried them. Hope you can gain some weight!
S
SeeEff
Guest
Hi there
My doctor (& my mom) say I have to gain 10 pounds.
Lucky for me, I have Scandishakes.
So my plan is to drink 3 per day.
Also, I recently saw an actor being interviewed and he said he gained weight for a role by making himself eat meals or at least a snack every 3 hours. (maybe that's how long it takes to digest?)
Best of luck and light to you
My doctor (& my mom) say I have to gain 10 pounds.
Lucky for me, I have Scandishakes.
So my plan is to drink 3 per day.
Also, I recently saw an actor being interviewed and he said he gained weight for a role by making himself eat meals or at least a snack every 3 hours. (maybe that's how long it takes to digest?)
Best of luck and light to you
Ignore everything posted thus far. If you're struggling to gain weight it's probably because you're trying to put on fat. If you're like me, that's never going to happen. I went from 130lbs to 160lbs in one year. If you want specifics about what I did, message me. There are two things you need to do:
1. If you don't eat much because you don't have an appetite, quit trying to eat a lot. There are a lot of inexpensive options to turn your meals into mostly drinking affairs. That's how I got my caloric intake to about 4,500 when I gained my weight.
2. If you're healthy enough, you need to get in the gym. You're not going to put on fat, but you can put on muscle. You need to get on a bulk training program. That's how I got started. You don't need a personal trainer to set up a program, but if you've never lifted you do need one to show you how to complete exercises the right way, which they can do in about 2-3 sessions if you're assertive.
I'm serious when I say ignore the other tips. I had a g-tube when I was younger. I gained 13 lbs in two years. It wasn't worth the hastle, the time, or the uncountable conversations about why that plastic thing was sticking out of my stomach (unless you have no option, which you do not sound like). Doing what I described above worked for me after about 15 years of failure. Message me or look me up on facebook for some help it you want it.
1. If you don't eat much because you don't have an appetite, quit trying to eat a lot. There are a lot of inexpensive options to turn your meals into mostly drinking affairs. That's how I got my caloric intake to about 4,500 when I gained my weight.
2. If you're healthy enough, you need to get in the gym. You're not going to put on fat, but you can put on muscle. You need to get on a bulk training program. That's how I got started. You don't need a personal trainer to set up a program, but if you've never lifted you do need one to show you how to complete exercises the right way, which they can do in about 2-3 sessions if you're assertive.
I'm serious when I say ignore the other tips. I had a g-tube when I was younger. I gained 13 lbs in two years. It wasn't worth the hastle, the time, or the uncountable conversations about why that plastic thing was sticking out of my stomach (unless you have no option, which you do not sound like). Doing what I described above worked for me after about 15 years of failure. Message me or look me up on facebook for some help it you want it.
T
tarheel
Guest
I lost a good bit of weight with my last exacerbation, and wasn't gaining any of it back. Really the key for me is keeping snacks around, since I really don't have a huge appetite to begin with.
The best snack ever?
Marshmallows (the larger ones) and Nutella. They combine so beautifully.
The best snack ever?
Marshmallows (the larger ones) and Nutella. They combine so beautifully.
S
SeeEff
Guest
Found this website:
http://allwomenstalk.com/high-calorie-food-list-get-fat-fast/
http://allwomenstalk.com/high-calorie-food-list-get-fat-fast/
isabella Mendoza
New member
weight gain and Opt2Thrive
Just wondering if LReyome28 ever heard from the CF doctor about insurance coverage for this product? I can't get much information online, its just taking me to a Kenyan school!
Just wondering if LReyome28 ever heard from the CF doctor about insurance coverage for this product? I can't get much information online, its just taking me to a Kenyan school!
Stop looking at just what insurance companies will cover, obviously that is important but not the end all, the formulas are dead nutrition, you'll get calories but you also need whole foods and such.
http://forum.cysticfibrosis.com/threads/35226-G-Tube-Advantage-and-recipes?p=911159#post911159
Improve your diet plan, eat healthy and balanced diet to gain and maintain a healthy weight.
Eat organic and natural foods rather than junk and processed foods. Take more natural protein foods to gain your muscles mass.
Eat organic and natural foods rather than junk and processed foods. Take more natural protein foods to gain your muscles mass.