I Want to Gain Weight, But I Have No Equipment, No Money, and No Sweet Clue

[UberMan5000]

Sorry in advance for the wall of text, but I have to get all of this off my wee little chest.


Right, so I'm 5'10" and 130 pounds, and my BMI is 18.7. That pretty much qualifies me as a beanpole. I don't want to be a beanpole. I want to bring myself up to an optimal weight of 150lbs with a BMI of about 21. And rather than do it by getting fat, I'd rather look a good 150lbs.

Unfortunately, I'm a starving student and can't afford too much. I don't think I can afford a gym membership (though I should ask the YMCA about member assistance), a Bowflex, or too many weights, and I also have no flipping idea how to achieve my goal without dropping a mint.

I've asked around dozens of other general-interest internet forums, but somebody pointed me to this one. I figure I should get help from those in the know.


Here's a breakdown of what I have kicking around the house:

*An ergometer (rowing machine)
*A swiss ball
*Two 5lbs dumbbells
*A resistance band
*A Dance Dance Revolution game, complete with pad
*Various furniture that I could use for exercises (chairs for dips, a closet for chin-ups, etc)
*A lot of room to run around in
*A desire
*A goal

Most of this stuff is stuff my mother has for her pilates or yoga or whatever nonsense she does. Unfortunately, most of the people that I've talked to told me that none of this will do anything to help build mass. Most of this is just cardio or strength training, and people tell me it's a way-bad idea to do extensive cardio during my big gain. Keep the DDR games to a minimum.

And push-ups, ab crunches, squats (without holding weight), calisthenics, exercises that are well within my price range... they'll just tone my muscles, so I'll be a beanpole with an adorable little washboard attached.

Everyone tells me the one thing I need is weight, weight, WEIGHT! Oh, and protein. And unfortunately, decent weight is expensive! My mother also objects to me buying too many weights, because she wants me to use what I have before she'll see that I'm taking this seriously. Unfortunately, my size or anything won't change, so she'll think I'm not doing it and I'll be stuck rowing and lifting her dippy yoga weights until I get a job, which is a ways off.

Asking around the internet for advice has given me a lot of double-talk, contradictions, and bogus information that I can't tell apart from real info, and this has gotten me all spun-up and confused. I need to get some real, hard dirt before I can really invest in anything.


Here's some of my more particular qualms:

*Some people tell me I need to get fat before I can work out, so I can turn the fat into muscle. Is this true, or can I just take protein during my program to turn my work into muscle right away?

*Is there any merit to calisthenics like push-ups, sit-ups and whatnot besides tone?

*I heard rowing's good for what I need. Is rowing good? What about dips, like pushing yourself out of a chair by pushing your hands against the armrests?

*I'm thinking I could make a hobo-style barbell by taking some jugs and lashing them to a pipe (I have a lot of pipes lying around). I can tie really good knots, and I can also use the jugs by themselves for dumbbells. They have a handle and everything.

*I wish I was a farmhand or a labourer so that I could get paid for lifting heavy stuff and get ripped in the process.

*How consistently do I need to work out to stay at 150lbs after I get it?

*I'm 19 and a half years old. Does that still count as "teen bodybuilding"?


Sigh... years of nerdiness and video games have taken a hard toll on me. I'm such a fitness noob, but I'm anxious to turn that around as soon as I can!

[aznbladez]

I gained 20 pounds with weight gainer and 3 regular meals a day. Go to nutrition Forum and see the good easy food to eat that contains a bunch of calories and is cheap.

[Guns_MacGruder]

Does your school have a gym?

If not do dips, pullups, pushups until you figure out where you can lift weights. If you have a bike find a hill and climb it, that will at least provide some reistance for your legs. Better than nothing if you're trying to build muscle.

As for foods:
-oats are calorie dense and cheap.
-frozen chicken is cheaper than fresh. You'll need a microwave to defrost it and a grill or maybe an oven to cook it.
-Look into protein powders and weight gainers. They can help you get in more protein/cals pretty cheaply depending on what you buy and where you buy it.

No you don't have to get "fat" so you can turn it into muscle. That's rediculous.

[evolutionarymac]

pushups
pullups
jumpsquats

add a body on ur back for weight

[Chitown_Legend]

Pushups
Weight pushups
Pull ups/chin ups on a tree limb


Protein and creatine is good, its helping me a lot. Ive put on 10lbs in 2 months.

[Grug]

Here's some of my more particular qualms:

*Some people tell me I need to get fat before I can work out, so I can turn the fat into muscle. Is this true, or can I just take protein during my program to turn my work into muscle right away?

*Is there any merit to calisthenics like push-ups, sit-ups and whatnot besides tone?

*I heard rowing's good for what I need. Is rowing good? What about dips, like pushing yourself out of a chair by pushing your hands against the armrests?

Firstly, fat and muscle are two completely seperate parts of your body, neither one can ever turn into the other. So don't look to gain fat, it's not going to help you gain muscle.

Pushups, situps, dips, pullups, lunges are all excellent exercises, do them regularly.

You've got an ergo, that's great. As a rower myself, I can tell you that there is no aerobic exercise machine better for full body endurance and strength. You can do power training on them, you can do speed training on them, you can do regular old aerobic endurance training on them. (PM me if you need some tips on ergo technique, and training methods).

Build some home-made exercise equipment if you want, but the main thing you need to do if you want to put on some muscle, especially if you want to put on a good 20lbs or more, is eat. You need to eat plenty of protein, ideally 150g or more a day. Whey isolate protein is a great way to go about this, but you need real meat and fish in your diet as well.

You also need to join a gym if you can. Memberships are often expensive, but ask around your local area and you're sure to find one you can afford to join. Without proper weights, adding proper muscle is always going to be really tough.

So get on to the eating, and look for a gym - they're the first two steps in building yourself a bigger, better body. Good luck.

[UberMan5000]

Does your school have a gym?

If not do dips, pullups, pushups until you figure out where you can lift weights. If you have a bike find a hill and climb it, that will at least provide some reistance for your legs. Better than nothing if you're trying to build muscle.

As for foods:
-oats are calorie dense and cheap.
-frozen chicken is cheaper than fresh. You'll need a microwave to defrost it and a grill or maybe an oven to cook it.
-Look into protein powders and weight gainers. They can help you get in more protein/cals pretty cheaply depending on what you buy and where you buy it.

No you don't have to get "fat" so you can turn it into muscle. That's rediculous.

It's an art school. They don't really encourage fitness.

As for oats, I have Oatmeal Crisp coming out of my ears around here. Does that have me covered in the oats department, or should I get some actual oatmeal?

Fortunately, I still live with my mother, and she likes to cook some kind of meat for dinner every night; last night we had a fantastic chicken pot pie. Even on nights that she doesn't cook dinner, we have deli meats in the fridge that boast "18% protein" that I can put in a sandwich.

For lunch, my school's out in one of the busiest shopping districts in the city (Halifax, Nova Scotia, if you're curious), so there's fast food restaurants everywhere. Given the abundance of meat they serve, there's probably lots of protein flying around, but common sense tells me that all the other muck they put in your average burger would offset whatever nutritional value they might have. There's a lot of other more traditional restaurants and sandwich shoppes around; they might be a better bet...

There's also a YMCA gym just down the street. I'll have to talk to them.

Supplements are probably the way to go. How much can I get away with? A 5lbs jar of powder is $40 and that seems a little much for me.

[nitrored]

You need to eat more to gain weight... cheap food eat = whole milk, eggs, oatmeal, whey protein(bought in 10+lb bags)... you should be able afford to add these things into your diet.

As for lifting find heavy things... rocks, cement bags, sand in a duffle bag... make something happen... lift as heavy as you can.

There are lots of gyms that 10 bucks a month... they arent usually the best but they are cheap.

[Helis]

For lunch, my school's out in one of the busiest shopping districts in the city (Halifax, Nova Scotia, if you're curious), so there's fast food restaurants everywhere.

Is there something specific stopping you from getting a job somewhere in the busiest shopping district of Halifax Nova Scotia, earning a little money, and joining a gym or buying your own gear?

[UberMan5000]

Is there something specific stopping you from getting a job somewhere in the busiest shopping district of Halifax Nova Scotia, earning a little money, and joining a gym or buying your own gear?

A really strenuous school schedule, mostly. I got a few jobs along the street, but I couldn't keep them because it was hard to balance school and work. I don't think it would be a good idea for me to get a job now, lest I fall behind. As well, I live far away from the school, and there are less jobs around my home.

As well, most of the jobs here aren't really oriented towards students. It's mostly chic clothing shops, fine eateries and bars. I was able to get a job at the Subway and the local theatre; McDonald's and Quiznos Sub seem like the best other places I could work.

[BulldogVTX]

Get a job at a gym. You say that you have a YMCA down the road, go and apply for a position there! It doesn't matter if you're folding towels, or wiping shower floors! Get in the gym, and let it grow on you. There will undoubtedly be other lifters there that have the same goal as you, learn from them. You'd be amazed at what you can learn just by watching other people. (Don't be afraid to ask questions!)

As for the eating, Just do it. Stay away from the fast food crap as much as possible. Ask your mom to ease up on the Pot Pies, and have her make more Meat & Potatoes, Chicken & Rice, Fish & Rice, Eggs & Rice (get the idea?). In order to gain weight, you need to train hard, and eat hard. It's not rocket science.

And as for not having time for a job, RUBBISH! (you say that in Nova Scotia right?). You're almost 20 years old, you should be working at least part time. I'm not harping on you, but you obviously have thing that you want in life, that right now you can't afford. The only way to get them is to work. You sound pretty motivated in life, so I doubt a little part time job is going to effect your Art-Schooling. Besides, you'll probably make your Mom happy by having your own money to spend to help with the growing grocery bill!

Good luck buddy.

[Tallnstrong]

had the same situation like you...this may help you start if you are into bw stuff and have no equipment(fun):

www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode3/229/

www.drillsandskills.com

www.beastskills.com

for weights this is what i did...

1.for weights: a barbell with 300 pounds in my country costs around 120 dollars used weights can be found for half the price...and a lot of people sell their weights...

2.find a work,clean cars,cut grass of your neighbors...anything than buy a barbell with a decent amount of weight....---->you ca start doing deadlifts and bb rows or olympic lifting

3.build a squat rack with sawhorses,wood,barell (kegs ?) or anything that is big enough to hold a barbell-----> you can start doing squats and millitary presses

4.build a bench with planks,bricks or parts of old beds....or just buy a used one it should be also cheap...start benching

do this workout: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=998224

FOOD: eggs,milk,sardines are cheap food full of protein...search the nutrition forum for more info...


and last thing read,read,read and read some more....read all the stickies in the forums you will learn a lot....

hope this helps!

[EricDebellis]

Work Out
Start off with alot of push ups. Normally this would lower your body weight, but at your weight it shouldn't. Find an over hanging limp or balcony and do pull ups. As many as you as often as you can. Then after about a month start doing one handed push ups, along with diamond push ups. As for legs one legged squats(known as pistols) work really well even for a weight lifter, so they should help you alot. and thrown in some crunches whenever. Also, make sure you do everything very slow. A fast work out burns to many calories for your need.

Diet
Just stay away from fast foods and soda. Bread and milk is all you'll need to hit 150.

Good luck.

[zspturbo]

Judging from the fact that you have a DDR game complete with pad, I'm gonna assume that you're probably a pretty feeble little dude, like I was before I started lifting. Don't go thinking that this is gonna be easy, its nothing like anything you've probably ever done before. If you really want this, you have to really, really, really want it. You're probably going to have major lapses in motivation, so watch out for that. You'll convince yourself that "this is stupid, I'm making myself miserable for some dumb vanity, looks dont REALLY matter, screw this!" I know I did that a couple times. But you gotta keep with it and remember how much else exercise does good for you besides just looks. And try to not let it make you miserable; personally, going to the gym is the best part of my day now because I get to really work, and battle myself. I've been sick all week and not lifting has been killing me. try to adopt that attitude. Remember that if you keep with it, you'll look like a comic book character :-D

If you can't afford a gym membership, look into your local highschools weight room. Most school districts have time when they let residents use it. It might be embarassing to go there where kids 5 years younger than you are lifting more weight than you, but you have to squash your ego. Form > weight.

Like everyone said, Pushups, pullups, and dips should be your foundation untill you find a gym. You can also do "ghetto military presses" with whatever heavy you have in your house. If you have a bunch of metal pipes around your house, try lashing a bunch of them together, then you can just hold on to one and press it over your head. Try doing bodyweight squats, ATG (Ass to the Ground). If those are easy for you to do 10 with good form, hold a bunch of metal pipes behind your head and do them.

Really, what you need to do is just start living an athletic lifestyle. Your body needs to be shocked out of its sedentary lifestyle.

Oh and make sure you're eating something with protein every 3 to 4 hours. natural peanut butter PBJ's are the ****. Milk is the ****. Frozen chicken breasts are cheap, and chicken ceasar salads are easy and delicious. Don't eat too much tuna, its got alot of mercury in it. no more than 3 cans a week. Protein powder might seem expensive, but when you see how long a $40 jug lasts, you'll change your mind.

[UberMan5000]

Judging from the fact that you have a DDR game complete with pad, I'm gonna assume that you're probably a pretty feeble little dude, like I was before I started lifting.

Remember that if you keep with it, you'll look like a comic book character :-D

I'm trying to imagine this head on a comic book physique:

Really, what you need to do is just start living an athletic lifestyle. Your body needs to be shocked out of its sedentary lifestyle.

What a rotten crock that I choose a career that has me in front of either a computer or a drawing table for all hours.

Oh and make sure you're eating something with protein every 3 to 4 hours. natural peanut butter PBJ's are the ****. Milk is the ****. Frozen chicken breasts are cheap, and chicken ceasar salads are easy and delicious. Don't eat too much tuna, its got alot of mercury in it. no more than 3 cans a week. Protein powder might seem expensive, but when you see how long a $40 jug lasts, you'll change your mind.

Fortunately, I love PB+Js and milk and chicken, and I hate tuna.


I've heard some thing about "plyometrics". People tell me that it's "explosive exercise" designed to do a lot of work fast. However, other people tell me that they don't do anything for mass, so I may as well not kill myself over it.

[BulldogVTX]

Don't overlook ANY form of exercise till you've tried it. Live on this site as much as possible, devour everything everyone says. Form your own opinions. Plyometric's might not work for some people, who knows about you! Whatever gets you off your *ss and moving!

[zspturbo]

Whatever gets you off your *ss and moving!

Speaking as a nerd (I could do magneto infinites on MvC2 all day long, and I can play through FFIII with my eyes closed) I can tell you that this is the best advice anyone could give you, for about the first 3 months of your training.

[bastiun]

When I openned this thread I was sympathetic to the OP then I read this sentence...

As well, most of the jobs here aren't really oriented towards students. It's mostly chic clothing shops, fine eateries and bars.

LOL

[Iron Magyar]

More importantly you don't want to gain weight, you want to gain MUSCLE.
Also, without a real weight room, your gains will be minimal - truth be told.
Thirdly, you must eat every 2-3 hours. (That's 5-6 meals a day)

There is no such thing as muscle turning to fat. Fat is a completely different layer that COVERS your muscles. When people bulk up they gain muscle and fat, and lose the fat when they cut, leaving behind the muscle they've built up in a 'bulking' phase.

So right now your objective should be to find a gym of some sort...priority number 1.

Good luck with everything.

[UberMan5000]

When I openned this thread I was sympathetic to the OP then I read this sentence...

LOL

So you think I should get a job at the one of the chic clothing shops, fine eateries or bars then? I'm not sure why not wanting to get a job that requires experience I don't have or needing to work long hours and fall behind in my classes is worthy of LOL.

[Anotherfling]

Step one: Steal $30.

Step two: Buy
http://www.rosstraining.com/nevergymless.html

Step three: Eat alot and do the sample programs in Never Gymless.

If you are working out at home, NG is about the best thing you can have sitting arround. It has a ton of bodyweight and minimal equipment exercises, as well as ways to progress that don't include adding reps. Doing push ups and and sit ups are great for a while, but just adding more reps has limited value when trying to bulk/build maximal stregth. Ross (the author) has alot of great exercises, and alot of ways to progress.

For exaple, if you are trying to work on pull ups, it would be something like:

Static hang -> Pull ups -> Weighted Pull ups -> One hand supported pull ups -> one hand pull ups.

Also you can check out rosstraining.com, and rossboxing.com for alot of free advice, and videos that will make you want to do insane bodyweight circuits =D

[yns_hick]

The best advice posted is to try to get a job at your YMCA. You need a job. I understand how hard it is, time is hard to manage. But if you cannot manage enough time for a job, your not going to stick with an excersize program, IMO. YMCA's are very good at giving out memberships at a discount or free to people with low income. Now if your family makes good money, even though you have no money your personally,not getting a discount. This is why applying at the YMCA is the best choice I think.

Once you figure out how your going to excersize, putting on weight should be easy for you. At 130, even the most crude diet should work. As long as your getting enough calories. Plenty of compound excersizes and lots of calories and im certain it wont take long to hit 150. Good luck!

[Martin Levac]

Hello, UberMan

This will give you a few ideas, I hope:

http://www.angelfire.com/ny5/shenand...odyweight.html

Note that it's not mine.

[UberMan5000]

I forgot to mention that I also have a 20lbs schoolbag, which might be useful for squats or something, except that since all the weight would be suspended from my back or whatever, it might strain my back too much or just generally wouldn't be a good idea.

[UberMan5000]

Bump in the interest of continued interest.

I'm going to try and find "Never Gymless" on eBay or in my local bookstore.

[cj_hackett]

Uberman, I don't mean to be an ass, but these are the facts.

You're making excuses. Excuses don't hold up well if you're really dedicated. If you really want to put on weight, the best thing to do is join a gym. At most, they're $50 a month. That only requires about 10 hours of work at minimum wage. 2.5 hours a week!! If you can't handle 2.5 hours a week of work, then there's no way in hell you are going to have the time to workout. My advice to you... stop thinking of what's stopping you and start thinking of ways to make it happen. You gotta do it yourself!

[xshinx]

The feeble weight of 120-130lbs... gaining the weight is not as hard as you think. You just need the right combination of foods to get your motor running.

Uberman, The best thing to do is join a gym. At most, they're $50 a month.

It really depends on the cost of the gym. The majority of gyms today are averaging higher then ever and piling up the months are going to be sort of pricey. What you really want to do is save up some money to actually start joining a gym pretty soon however I will warn you if that your studies are very important, you could start training later on in your life. Having that college education and degree is far more important in order to have some sort of living then a gym anytime.

More importantly you don't want to gain weight, you want to gain MUSCLE.

One question, how do you put on some muscle.... you need some weight to go with it. Of course every bodybuilder's goal is to gain muscle but in order to do that, you need to gain some weight. At 5'10 and 130lbs, that's very skinny for your height. In matter of fact, you're pretty much underweight and that's not such a great thing. I will tell you one thing and do not be afraid of fat. Guys who are really skinny are going to need some fat in their body. Fat is a very dense and essential nutrient for any lifter. It is the main reason why it's told to only consume an average of 20-30% in your diet every day. You're going to need all the fats (monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated) in order to put on some pounds.

Thirdly, you must eat every 2-3 hours. (That's 5-6 meals a day)

You're probably the type of guy that only eats 2-3 times daily due to all of that school work. It's time to start eating like a beast and that's the only way you're going to train like a beast. I want to tell you first hand that you must take the weight gain approach slowly until your body gets use to it. Some steaks, drumsticks, thighs, breast, fish, eggs, and milk are great sources of protein. If you need some carbs... whole wheat breads, potatoes, rice, and pasta are great carb sources. The majority of food averages 2.5-3.5 hours of total digestion so you must be aware of not trying to force down some food into your stomach just because you need some weight. It does not work that way.

A great way to shove easy food in your stomach is by preparing 2-3 shakes throughout the day. You could have a normal breakfast, lunch, and dinner with the help of some protein shakes throughout your day.

Get a job at a gym. You say that you have a YMCA down the road, go and apply for a position there! It doesn't matter if you're folding towels, or wiping shower floors! Get in the gym, and let it grow on you. There will undoubtedly be other lifters there that have the same goal as you, learn from them. You'd be amazed at what you can learn just by watching other people. (Don't be afraid to ask questions!)

That's a good idea for the guy if he could get a job at the gym and usually the people that work at the gym get discounts from the full yearly price. Never be afraid to ask questions for the lifters that know how to perform exercises as long they have good form and technique. The last thing you need is an early injury.

And as for not having time for a job, RUBBISH! (you say that in Nova Scotia right?). You're almost 20 years old, you should be working at least part time. I'm not harping on you, but you obviously have thing that you want in life, that right now you can't afford. The only way to get them is to work. You sound pretty motivated in life, so I doubt a little part time job is going to effect your Art-Schooling. Besides, you'll probably make your Mom happy by having your own money to spend to help with the growing grocery bill!

Don't mean to burst your bubble however be very surprise of how many people have trouble keeping work and school together even when its part- time. I know from experience from either doing it or just asking several people about their balance of life with school and work. The majority have said that it has been very rough to maintain the two things. College schedules are very unpredictable and maintaining the work life to earn some money are rough altogether.

Are you currently living with your mother? If you are, then that's the best case scenario because you might not be paying rent at all. That will definitely give you some extra cash to save or spend on the stuff you really need. Do you keep a book and record of all of your explicit expenses? If you don't, then you should start doing so in order for you to at least forecast some sort of budget of how much you spending monthly or annually.

I had the blessing to not pay any sort of tuition at all due to the help of some financial aid. The pell checks I received were good enough to sustain my life through 8 semesters of college. I was able to save up some cash and use some of it to join a gym and to buy my own groceries. Your mother will be please that she does not have to spend as much money as before. If you don't have the time to shop for food, give your mother at least 50-100 dollars and ask her to buy you these specific items. I'm sure she'll help you out.

You need to eat more to gain weight... cheap food eat = whole milk, eggs, oatmeal, whey protein(bought in 10+lb bags)... you should be able afford to add these things into your diet.

Listen to this dude there, he's right. If you have some good cash, there are many sites where you could buy some 10lbs bags or jugs of whey protein for affordable prices. Optimum Nutrition and Dymatize have great products for protein powder for the poor guy

As for lifting find heavy things... rocks, cement bags, sand in a duffle bag... make something happen... lift as heavy as you can.

That's another idea. Go to the park and pick up some natural dead weight like rocks and cement blocks. That would definitely get your body stronger

Sorry in advance for the wall of text, but I have to get all of this off my wee little chest. I've asked around dozens of other general-interest internet forums, but somebody pointed me to this one. I figure I should get help from those in the know.

Here's a breakdown of what I have kicking around the house:

*A desire
*A goal

As long you have the desire, you are going to achieve these goals. You need to become stronger mentally in order to move forward in your daily life. Without the burning desire, there's no goal to achieve. The one thing I like about you is that you know the reality is that maintaining all of these things are rough altogether. The only thing you have to do is create a balance in your life in order for things to go smoothly. There are always going to be obstacles in your way however it's your job to smash it period.

[UberMan5000]

You're making excuses. Excuses don't hold up well if you're really dedicated. If you really want to put on weight, the best thing to do is join a gym. At most, they're $50 a month. That only requires about 10 hours of work at minimum wage. 2.5 hours a week!! If you can't handle 2.5 hours a week of work, then there's no way in hell you are going to have the time to workout. My advice to you... stop thinking of what's stopping you and start thinking of ways to make it happen. You gotta do it yourself!

I was submitting resumes left and right after I got fired from my last job in December, and I still haven't heard from anybody. If anyone around here is going to hire me, they want to milk me dry, they usually want at least 15 or 20 hours a week if they're going to bother hiring me. It seems that being a full-time student with no experience and no credentials doesn't sit well with Burger Flippers Inc, and I'm a little reluctant to do it, since I don't absolutely need a job to keep being a full-time student.

And the last two jobs I worked are only because they had crooked hiring policies; my first job, someone just needed to meet employment quota and dumped me in a store by myself where she could pretend that I wasn't there, and my second job at a movie theatre, they just hire everybody that comes in and the first three months of work are my "job interview", so they wouldn't actually have hired me if they knew what they were doing.

Lord knows it would be nice to have money, though, and there's no sense sitting in the Ivory Tower about this... I think I'll go talk to the YMCA about work when I'm in that part of town next week.

[UberMan5000]

I've found Never Gymless on eBay for $15 yesterday, but it doesn't end for another five days, and I don't know how much it will climb before then.

Hopefully some bookstores around here have it. The major chains I checked out don't, but there's a lot of independent bookstores around here, too.


IMPORTANT EDIT: Okay, since this board seems to have a time limit for how long I have to edit messages, I can't put this up at the top of the thread: I measured myself yesterday, and apparently I'm 6'1", not 5'10" like I originally thought. My weight is still what I said originally, so this means my BMI is 17.1, not 18.7 like I originally thought, so that means I'm even more underweight than I first assumed. This is a big problem...