Specific Circumstances seeking some advice

[Sugoya_Chan]

Goal: gain weight, primarily in the form of muscle mass

Obstacle: I am suffering from something called Gastroparesis (delayed stomach emptying). This means that I can't eat too much at one time. I am also having some I.B.S. symptoms with this (mostly Constipation, bloating, gas, flatulence, and abdominal pain, sometimes some diarrhea ). This also means that I need foods that are Low in fiber, Low in Fat, and High in Calories. Fiber and fats take longer to digest and I can't really do that right now, so the food will just sit there. High calories is important so that I can also gain/maintain weight. Hopefully the rest of the weight will come as muscle which I need to lift weight to achieve. I don't want to do cardio as I don't want to lose weight, but I need to do something to keep up my endurance. If I'm with a girl, it doesn't matter how muscular or big I am, if my energy will run out too quickly then I'm useless. I'm not really sure how my protein intake is affected by this condition. I will try to get most of my protein in the form of shakes though.

My diet won?t be as clean as I'd like it to be, for example: I can't eat whole wheat products, but instead have to eat white bread. I am 5'9, 140 lbs, 25 years old. I have almost no muscle mass and even have a gut. It seems that what I'm eating is staying in my gut and not really distributing to the rest of my body, how can I fix that?

Any advice for me? Any word on foods that are high in calories, but low in fiber and fats? Tips on endurance-builders that won't cause me to lose weight? I would really appreciate help as I'm trying to fix my life.

[Nick1971]

These sorts of questions would best be asked on the nutrition forum, and you might do some googling as well, and you should consult a nutritionist with experience with that condition.

As far as endurance training, you can try low intensity cardio like walking, cycling and intermittent jogging. Swimming is another low-impact cardio alternative. Eventually you can work your way up to some high intensity interval training for cardio, and to help with endurance. And given your stats you may want to consider Rip's SS or a similar routine, to help you get the basics down. Good luck!

[Sugoya_Chan]

Thanks alot for the reply.

[TiffGarrett]

Have you been to see a doctor? It seems your questions are best fit for a registered dietitian.

Unfortunately, I can't think of any foods that are high in calories but low in fiber and fat. Fat is the most dense macro-nutrient packing in 9 calories per gram. Fat would definitely be the way to go for eating small portions with high calories; however, based on your condition that doesn't work for you. Since you're unable to eat fiber, that probably explains the constipation. Fiber has been shown to aid in regular bowel movements.

Generally, to build muscle you must eat at a surplus and lift heavy. Our bodies adapt to the stresses placed on it any many ways; one adaptation is to build muscle. I would say eat what you can, when you can, perhaps supplement with creatine, and lift heavy. Creatine has been shown to increase muscle mass when combined with a strength training program.

I hope this helps!