Anyone trying to GAIN weight?

[greatdane]

Just me maybe?  Probably in the minority of 40 year olds and you guys will give me shit, but it's worth asking...

When I quite competitive cycling 3 years ago, I weighed 175 pounds.  Yesterday weighed 192.  Trying to hit 200 just for fun, but am trying to maintain less than 10% body fat. So far so good.  Trying to add functional muscle and not just size.  Training with a larger blade, then racing with a smaller blade has been a success too.

I'm sure when the weather warms a bit and I'm on the water more & in the gym less, I'll lose a bit of what ever I gain this winter...

[paddlesurf.net]

I don't have to try... it just happens.

[crtraveler]

Gotta eat like a man.......    If you're trying to gain weight, then you either have to sit around and stop being active or eat more (not vegetables and luna bars).  If you are trying to hit 200 "just for fun" then make it fun.......wings, pizza, beer etc....you get the point.  If you're less than 10% now, you got nothing to worry about.  Adding extra calories and maintaining the active lifestyle will probably give you exactly what you want - muscle.  And by the way, no, not trying to gain weight....got plenty of "functional muscle" myself.

[PonoBill]

I'd be fine with weighing 240 if I was 10% bodyfat, but 23% means 50+ pounds 'o blubber. Still, if I were giving you serious advice (and you were crazy enough to take it from me) it would be "be a little careful with this". Our bodies seem to do a pretty good job of making new fat cells when we need them, not so good at getting rid of them, so even depleted, they hang around waiting to fill up again.

If you add 20 pounds to your weight and stay at 10 percent then you've added two pounds of fat. See where I'm going with this? Big athletes that slow down--from injuries or just because they don't have quite as much time or energy--stack on the blubber about as fast and anyone. I think it's always somewhat genetic predisposition, but if I were in your condition I wouldn't be trying to hit 200 "for fun".

[Marksride]

When I used to speed sail against guys who where 200-240 and I was 165, I found the answer. Wear a weight vest filled with iron and go faster. No body fat added, give it a try.



 

[greatdane]

Thanks guys... good stuff.  I agree with everything said!  5 years ago, I put on 10 pounds of upper body muscle in the winter and within 30 days of getting back on my bike in the spring, I lost it all.  Bam! Gone.  But now I've reached the magical age of 41 and things might not come off as easy as they used to.  The 200 pound goal just gives me something black and white to shoot for, and keep me motivated in the f#$%'n gym.  Muscular endurance is still the name of the game in paddle racing...

Mark... I use a weight vest all the time running and working out!  But maybe I won't try it on the water though...

I do have genetics on my side... a family tree stacked with skinny people.  Not smart, but skinny.

[paddlejones]

Damn... i keep trying to stay below 200LBS.

Here is something that might help you

In-N-Out Burger

 

[PonoBill]

Mark's just trying to slow you down a bit. Actually water-filled vests are a little safer--neutral when you're in the water. Lot bulkier though.

[pdxmike]

Mark... I use a weight vest all the time running and working out!  But maybe I won't try it on the water though...

I think that putting-on-weights-and-then-getting-in-the-water stuff is more of an East Coast thing--maybe done in Chicago and Detroit a few years back too. 

[Marksride]

Sshhhhh, at least I want a shot at the title this year. I already have convinced Rod that Taco Bell is actually nutritious.

[greatdane]

Sshhhhh, at least I want a shot at the title this year. I already have convinced Rod that Taco Bell is actually nutritious.

It's not??!!

[greatdane]

Fought a house fire this morning for two hours... came home 5 pounds lighter.  I guess I was pretty well hydrated, but that's some water weight!

[natas585]

ponobill had some great advise.  im in my forties, been a personal trainer since the mid eighties and ive found that my body is pretty good at moderating its muscle mass and weight based upon my activity level and amount of food i eat.  no matter what you do to gain weight it will contain a percentage of fat.  no reason to put it on if your performance is on par with the amount of specific training youre already doing.  if you want a fun goal just go for an increase in your strength that can be objectively measured.  that would benefit you in performance too.