Gaining Weight. How to stabilize.

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Help. I'm a 6' tall, 209 lb college student who is stuck the majority of his time behind a computer due to all his tasks being computerized. My life is too sedentary for my liking yet time generally prohibits me from forming a practical walking session to help burn off excess calories.

I don't eat junk food. I don't drink soda. I'm concious about my body and am not appealed by the prospect of becoming fat.

Hm, difficult question. They say people who become overweight have a genetic disposition for it, while people who keep their weight are nervous types who burn part of their calories through lots of small movements - shifting in their seat, talking with their hands, scratching themselves, etc. (they actually tested this hypothesis by observing subjects with a hidden camera). So those are two things that none of us can change. I had the opposite problem, I was too thin for my size, and found that the two foodstuffs that made me gain most weight were a) alcohol and b) fat. Sweets that contain little or no fat (like cotton candy) don't affect my weight.

I suggest drinking nothing but water and eating lots of lean meat (possibly marinated so that you don't need sauce or garlic butter to flavour it), roast potatoes or rice, vegetables and wholemeal bread with low-fat butter.

Are you on any medication that will cause you to gain weight?

If not, then the key to losing weight is too increase your metabolism throught exercise...jogging, running, bicycling or any type of aerobic exercise. Weight training increases lean muscle and muscle will increase your weight in body mass, but in a good way.

Just keep in mind...you have to expend more energy by engaging in sports activity and exercise than what you take in as food.

Good luck!

I was trying to loose weight after cancer, and for 4 years I was 20 lbs. overweight from my norm (I'm only 140 and was 160-65). I friend said that the best thing for loosing that waist fat is to stop eating glutens. This worked very fast and I've been able to maintain now just eating 'normally'. Glutens are found in wheat, rye,oats and buckwheat so stop eating those kaiser rolls and croissants for a while ! !! !

Maybe you should change the proportion of the foods you eat. Have most of your diet be fruits and vegetables. Also, if you can squeeze in 30 minutes of exercise 3X a week, that will be better than giving up on the idea of exercise in general. Spread it out even further if you want - walk/bike somewhere instead of driving, and vice versa. I'm not an expert at all, but I hope this helps!

Is there a public swimming pool in your area?

I t hink swimming is one of the best exercises you can do, you get a good workout and you are in the water that keeps you cooled down.

What do you eat, exactly?

Well, the primary form of weight-gain would most likely be the Tostito chips, which go great with homemade hummus. That is what I figure is the most immediate source of calories. My issue is trying to find an alternate chip to replace it on a consistent basis, while being affordable.

5 half-hours of brisk walking per week . Raises metabolic rate which then keeps burning more calories even when at rest, and has several other very important effects on general health.

Treat it like medicine that takes half an hour to take; you don't have to walk so fast that you need a shower afterwards, just enough to up your breathing and pulse etc. It takes so little time, almost anyone can do it.

Check out the Exercise Support Thread "next door" on this forum!

And/or: a diet tip I found worked dramatically is the Hay Diet; don't mix concentrated proteins with concentrated starchy/carbohydrate foods at the same meal.

ie: hummus and corn chips is fine, rice and lentils/beans is great, so is potato with salad and yoghurt/cream dressing. But egg and chips is not. Nor egg-fried rice, ( however yummy) , or "chicken/tuna/other protein" with rice or corn or potato.

Good luck!