Lost way too much weight, any help is greatly appreciated

[NeedToMakeGains]

Hey guys, I will do my best to cliffs this, I am in my upper 30's, born with some health problems and muscle always been difficult for me to put on, my weight really fluctuates based on fat mostly

Around 2010 there was a 5 year stretch where I was in the gym doing hella cardio 5 to 6 days a week along with lifting 3 days a week with minimal gains, though to be fair my diet was pretty awful

2018 I weighed 150-155 pounds at 5'9

Couple years later I started eating a lot more fruit and veg, in 2022 I weighed myself and I was like 135ish, thought it was too low so started eating more and lifting again but I was eating too much fat (full fat greek yogurt, pastas with fatty cream sauces, pizza, red meat and the like along with a pretty severe ice cream/sweets habit)

In the region of the aforementioned health problems I had a pretty severe problem from this which I have now concluded was because of the fat, so I went back to fruit and veg and nowhere near enough protein (or food overall)

Couple months ago I realized I was way way way too thin and started eating way more focusing on lean protein, no fat high protein yogurts (1 to 1.5 a day) along with lean deli meats, lots of chicken breasts, nuts, kefir, cottage cheese.... I kinda feel like I have optimized on the lean protein and have been eating double what I was eating in previous years

I dont know what my low point was, but I weighed myself after 6 weeks of that and I was a little under 130 pounds, weighed myself 2 weeks later and barely any gains

Have been doing about 175-200 pull ups and 250-300 push ups a week along with various other calisthenics, curls, overhead lifts, a little yoga



If you have any recommendations I am open to try just about anything, as mentioned throughout my whole life fat has been what decides how much I weigh and now I need to avoid fat so this isn't easy

[tommy4life]

Hey guys, I will do my best to cliffs this, I am in my upper 30's, born with some health problems and muscle always been difficult for me to put on, my weight really fluctuates based on fat mostly

Around 2010 there was a 5 year stretch where I was in the gym doing hella cardio 5 to 6 days a week along with lifting 3 days a week with minimal gains, though to be fair my diet was pretty awful

2018 I weighed 150-155 pounds at 5'9

Couple years later I started eating a lot more fruit and veg, in 2022 I weighed myself and I was like 135ish, thought it was too low so started eating more and lifting again but I was eating too much fat (full fat greek yogurt, pastas with fatty cream sauces, pizza, red meat and the like along with a pretty severe ice cream/sweets habit)

In the region of the aforementioned health problems I had a pretty severe problem from this which I have now concluded was because of the fat, so I went back to fruit and veg and nowhere near enough protein (or food overall)

Couple months ago I realized I was way way way too thin and started eating way more focusing on lean protein, no fat high protein yogurts (1 to 1.5 a day) along with lean deli meats, lots of chicken breasts, nuts, kefir, cottage cheese.... I kinda feel like I have optimized on the lean protein and have been eating double what I was eating in previous years

I dont know what my low point was, but I weighed myself after 6 weeks of that and I was a little under 130 pounds, weighed myself 2 weeks later and barely any gains

Have been doing about 175-200 pull ups and 250-300 push ups a week along with various other calisthenics, curls, overhead lifts, a little yoga



If you have any recommendations I am open to try just about anything, as mentioned throughout my whole life fat has been what decides how much I weigh and now I need to avoid fat so this isn't easy

2 things.

1. pullups and pushups probabaly arent the best way to go. Join a gym and follow this https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showt...2916931&page=1. You can buy gym equipment for home like a lot of guys do here but when starting out the gym is easier psychologically, you buy into the whole working out thing.

2. You are waaaay under weight. What you were eating before (full fat greek yogurt, pastas with fatty cream sauces, pizza, red meat and the like along with a pretty severe ice cream/sweets habit) wasnt that bad, minus the sweets. You need to eat more protein and eat more in general. Practical solution. Every time you eat, consume a full handful size of protein (meat,eggs), this will give you about 30-50g of protein atleast 3x a day (https://youtu.be/lkG1W_j4Gjo). Assuming youre eating atleast 3 times a day. Thats your protein done. now for calories. Eat as often as possible and as much as possible. This approach only works when youre new to lifting (you are) and youre following the program i linked. To give you an idea, when I first started at age 21 I ate breakfast till I couldnt eat anymore (dont forget the protein thing, so no cereals, meat!), I believe beans and eggs was my most common BF. Then eat as much as possible for lunch and dinner. When my weight wouldnt budge any further I put left over pasta into a container and when I would wake up at night for my night pee I would go to the fridge and eat more. Nothing wrong with pasta.potatoes and rice dishes in bulk, especially for someone in your situation. BTW, why avoid fat?

[NeedToMakeGains]

Thanks for your reply, I have no choice but to avoid fat, if I had continued down the path I was on I would have been in the hospital no doubt... I could go into more detail, but just trust me, fat needs to not be in my diet, in particular butter, oil, cream... I guess saturated fats

I have been intermittent fasting for years, if my goal is to put on weight should I stop that?

And should I be eating more carbs? I don't eat no carbs, but I don't eat many... if I wanted to gain weight any specific type of carbs I should be targeting?


I am still avoiding the gym cuz of covid (I know I know... but because of my health problems I want to let it continue to die off a bit more before I go back to the gym) so have been doing the calisthenics stuff along with some at home workouts lifting whatever heavy things I can find above my head hehe

But yes, the gym will be back later this year if things continue as they are

[tommy4life]

Thanks for your reply, I have no choice but to avoid fat, if I had continued down the path I was on I would have been in the hospital no doubt... I could go into more detail, but just trust me, fat needs to not be in my diet, in particular butter, oil, cream... I guess saturated fats

I have been intermittent fasting for years, if my goal is to put on weight should I stop that?

And should I be eating more carbs? I don't eat no carbs, but I don't eat many... if I wanted to gain weight any specific type of carbs I should be targeting?


I am still avoiding the gym cuz of covid (I know I know... but because of my health problems I want to let it continue to die off a bit more before I go back to the gym) so have been doing the calisthenics stuff along with some at home workouts lifting whatever heavy things I can find above my head hehe

But yes, the gym will be back later this year if things continue as they are

If you have some metabolic problem or intolerance to fats...well I cant tell you to eat fat. This means you will need to get all yuor extra calories from carbs (being in a caloric surplus due to protein is really hard). Pasta, potatoes and rice will be your new best friends. All three are easy to make and cheap, so there shouldnt be a problem there. BTW, dont go down the chicken breast+broccoli+plain white rice diet....its boring. Learn how to cook, atleast at a bachelor level > fried rice, meat and vege, spag bol, etc.


You wont get far on calisthenics. Look at the program link i provided. There is a program there using only dumbells which would be easier without a gym. Also, read through that thread, there are some helpful tips. You will need to go buy some cheap second hand dumbells though, that will do until youre ready to join the gym.

[NeedToMakeGains]

Thanks Tommy I appreciate your help, I will point out my situation is a little difficult for a variety of reasons, one of which is that I am a digital nomad and am currently in a high travel phase.... so when you combine the covid gym paranoia with the no home base that is why I am leaning so hard on the calisthenics

But as mentioned the gym is definitely in the future plans