Best way to smash those calories in?

[wrldrvltn]

So I’m 5’8” and like 98lbs last I checked. I’m fucking scrawny. I used to run in hs and was lightweight thick but after Covid and college I lost all that. I’m trying build my ass and legs back up but am struggling w eating enough calories to do so. I can be full all day and still not have a surplus it’s crazy. What do you guys recommend. I’ve looked at some protein shakes but I just don’t have the money to buy the super nice stuff. I have protein powder that I add to pancakes and smoothies but other than that I just eat whatever I want.

P.S. I have SEVERE social anxiety and don’t really know the gym that well. When would you recommend going to get the least people possible?

 

[cher]

@wrldrvltn So ideally whole foods but if you’re trying it throw back a lot of calories at once this is a shake I have every day:

2 servings of PB (16g protein)

1 banana (1.5g protein)

2 cups chocolate fairlife (26g protein)

1 scoop of protein (20g)

Total calories: 950

As far as when to go to the gym I go at 7:45 every day and it’s still pretty empty and most of its older people.

 

[wrldrvltn]

@cher What does two serving of on look like. I try to make a smoothie w a big ass scoop of pb, protein powder, frozen bananas, and milk but it always makes too much and I only drink half anyways

 

[olenak]

@wrldrvltn Calculate your maintenance and force you to eat above that. Get denser calorie food (food that are high in calorie but low in volume)

 

[wrldrvltn]

@olenak Can you give examples of that? Another comment was saying butter in coffee and heavy cream in smoothies(might do that one)

 

[olenak]

@wrldrvltn butter is not something you really want. Try nuts, nuts butter, 15% fat beef, whole eggs, bread (not white),...

 

[wrldrvltn]

@olenak Thank you! I do eat most of that already but I’ll have to increase my beef intake I guess

 

[olenak]

@wrldrvltn Those are examples. What you need to do is calculate your maintenance and eat more than that

 

[wrldrvltn]

@olenak How do you do that?

 

[olenak]

@wrldrvltn I'll copy paste a comment I made on this subject under another post :

The first thing you need to do when starting a diet, whether it is to lose or gain weight, is be aware of what your current maintenance is. Maintenance being the amount of calories you need to consume every day to stay at the same weight, aka calories in = calories burned.

Some formula based on your weight, your age and overall activity will give you a value, but that is often not accurate. The best way to know your maintenance is by finding it yourself:

pick a number of calories close to what your maintenance should be (based on formula I quote just before).

Eat that number of calories every day for at least two weeks, while weighting yourself every day, after waking up and going to the bathroom.

Calculate your average weight by week and compare your different values by week. If it's very close to the same values, you found your maintenance. If you gained weight, then your maintenance is lower etc.

Once you know your maintenance, since your goal is to gain weight, add 200-300kcal a day to your maintenance and eat that amount for as long as you gain weight. Repeat until you're satisfied

 

[wrldrvltn]

@olenak Thank you! I will be doing this

 

[adviceplease]

@wrldrvltn Fat is your friend; it's the most calorie-dense macronutrient. Make your protein shakes with heavy cream instead of milk or water. Blend butter into your coffee (surprisingly delicious). Buy the logs of fatty ground beef, which also happen to be the cheapest.

As for the gym, later at night is going to be the slowest, followed by midday when people are at work/school.

 

[wrldrvltn]

@adviceplease Is that real?? I don’t wanna put fat on just muscle. I have a bit of a past w anorexia so I’m a tad bit hesitant. I was vegetarian for the longest time so I’m trying to eat more but I stuck to fish and chicken when I do I guess it’s gonna be a whole mother change

 

[adviceplease]

@wrldrvltn Fat doesn't make you fat, a combination of too many calories and refined carbs make you fat. If you want to grow, you gotta consume calories somehow. If you have a history of disordered eating my (non-expert) advice is to keep your changes small and slow.

 

[wrldrvltn]

@adviceplease Okay. Ima start w cream instead of milk in my protein smoothies and coffee. Any other ideas. How’s you even think to do that?

 

[adviceplease]

@wrldrvltn When I lost weight a few years ago I followed the keto diet. A lot of people who do that fall under the (incorrect) impression that the diet requires that you eat *extra* fat, so they get creative about adding it. Not very helpful for weight loss but really handy if you need to add extra calories to your diet!

 

[wrldrvltn]

@adviceplease Thank you!