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  #1   ^
Old Fri, Jul-13-18, 07:02
fergie01 fergie01 is offline
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Posts: 1
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 84/84/89 Female 150cm
BF:
Progress:
Default Advice for how to gain weight on a low-carb diet

Hello, just a quick summary. After reading many books and undergoing lots of research and deliberation, I've decided that a low-carb, modified Atkins diet would be the most appropriate WOE long-term for myself.
However, I am recovering from a medical condition that caused significant muscle atrophy and weight loss, so although I have only got a couple of KGs (roughly 5lbs) left to gain to reach an optimal weight, I still need to build up the muscle and strength that I lost.

Since I'm trying to gain weight, I don't have the luxury of eating until I am full - I have to keep going in order to get the calories in! I need roughly 2500 calories each day but I'm struggling to find ways to eat enough food that fits in with this lifestyle without feeling rather stuffed, to put it mildly. I know whole milk and nuts (e.g. cashews, pistachios) aren't really recommended with the Atkins approach, but it's hard to find alternatives with enough calories. I don't know whether having these foods daily will prevent me from experiencing the benefits of this WOE though?

Using MFP, I reckon my diet is about 20% carbs/55% fat/25% protein - but I'd like to reach about 10% carbs/65% fat in the future. I'm a bit confused at how the ratios should work while I am trying to gain weight and how this changes when I start maintaining. Right now I have just under 100g carbs (trying to lower this though), 125g protein and 181g fat each day. But since I'm only about 40kg (very short!) am I having too much protein for my weight? What % of daily calories should come from protein when trying to gain weight on a modified Atkins-type diet?
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  #2   ^
Old Fri, Jul-13-18, 07:57
teaser's Avatar
teaser teaser is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 15,075
 
Plan: mostly milkfat
Stats: 190/152.4/154 Male 67inches
BF:
Progress: 104%
Location: Ontario
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Is weight training an option (or are you already doing it)? That can go far towards ensuring what you gain is largely lean mass, and exercise might also help to increase appetite, if that's an issue.

The lower carb nuts are restricted on Atkins mostly for fear of weight gain, if weight gain is desired, I don't see any problem with some of the better options. I would lean towards lower carb options like macadamias, walnuts, pecans.

I don't know what medical condition you're recovering from, but if you're avoiding carbs for any reason, cashews are a bit carby, pistachios are a bit better, but still fairly carby for a nut.

That may be more protein than you need, but unless there's something about that medical condition that would benefit from lowering protein, (say if being in a deeper ketosis would be therapeutic, for example) I wouldn't worry about it being excessive.
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  #3   ^
Old Fri, Jul-13-18, 08:41
Ms Arielle's Avatar
Ms Arielle Ms Arielle is online now
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Posts: 19,177
 
Plan: atkins, carnivore 2023
Stats: 200/211/163 Female 5'8"
BF:
Progress: -30%
Location: Massachusetts
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Low carb can mean 100 carbs to 10 carbs.

Low carb-- eating little to no grains, but using greens and some root crops like sweet potatos and beets and carrots are high value. Im not saying eat a sweet potato every day, but think a half or a quarter every few days.

QUality meats are important. Macademia nuts are as much fat as protein, and while expensive, make for an occassional snack.

Hopefully you are slowly increasing your exercise and movement. I used sitting ecercises, mostly flexing movements, to get my body moving again, as even that was a challenge. Slow and progressive makes for fewer injuries, too.

You can eat lots of fats and gain weight. Getting fatter is usually easier than building mucsle again. But regular movement, like just moveing the body to get to the kitchen to eat,or to the bathroom can be a trial initially, depending on your starting point. Basic house chores can also difficult.

You dont need a lot of protein to start building the muscles. More work than last week, with a normal portion of protein. A pound of meat a day has a fair amount of protein depending on the cut and animal.

The extra protein will be used as glucose. Which will help with weight gain.

You didnt actually say if y ou are interested in ketosis, because you can eat low carb and gain weight..... and not be in ketosis or the opposite and still be in ketosis ......

Mostly moderate exercise and modest eating will get you where you want to be.....
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  #4   ^
Old Fri, Jul-13-18, 12:02
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is online now
Posts: 13,370
 
Plan: P:E/DDF
Stats: 225/150/169 Female 5' 9"
BF:45%/28%/25%
Progress: 134%
Location: NC
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You've read some paleo books also, as Arielle suggested, consider adding the starchier root veggies, fruits, honey that are allowed on paleo.

Another idea...some real food weight gain shakes that pack a lot of protein and calories into a small package. Full fat coconut milk is a great substitute for dairy and calorie dense.
https://scdlifestyle.com/2013/04/5-...akes-paleo-scd/
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  #5   ^
Old Sat, Jul-14-18, 06:20
SilverEm SilverEm is offline
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Posts: 1,081
 
Plan: LC RPAH/FailSafe
Stats: 137/136/136 Female 67"
BF:
Progress: 100%
Location: Maintenance since 2001
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Can you eat grass-fed beef tallow (that is kidney fat, aka suet, rendered) or clarified butter?

I know two people who gained weight using that fat in a well planned food protocol.

Protein amounts are likely the most discussed topic.

I go by Dr. Jan Kwasniewski's recommendations. There are many other approaches.

Protein amount is calculated from height in centimeters.

If you are 180 cm. tall. That 180 minus 100 is your "due body weight". That 80 is the reference number for calculating protein, fat, and carbs (PFC).

Protein would be 80 grams per day, plus or minus ten percent. That gives a range of ca. 72 - 88 grams of Pro per day.

If you are lowering your carbs, it is common to eat more protein at first, until your body adapts.

The two people I know who were able to gain weight, eating real food, followed the upper end of the fat recommendations.

Taking 80 g/PRO as reference "1", the fat is
2.5 - 3.5 times the Protein amount.

One person ate close to four times the fat amount at the beginning.

Carbs are .5 - .8 of Protein.

----

This might look like:

80g/PRO: 240g/FAT (more or less, as wished): and 40 - 48g/CHO (carbohydrate). That uses fat grams at three times the protein grams.

One adjusts everything for individual health needs, and a bit for preferences.

-----

I use a "ballpark" method for calculating my PFC:

one ounce of meat/fish or an egg = 6 - 7 grams of PRO

one ounce of cooked green vegs = 1 g./CHO

one tablespoon of butter/tallow = 12g/FAT

----

Some look up each food and calculate PFC very exactly.


If you can take HCl acid and digestive enzymes, it might help get more of the nutrients out of the food and into the tissues.

L-Carnitine is good for helping nutrients get to the muscles.

CoQ10 helps the mitochondria.

----

That's just one approach. Others here may post different ones.

I wish you success and good health.

Last edited by SilverEm : Sat, Jul-14-18 at 06:30.
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  #6   ^
Old Sat, Jul-14-18, 08:26
Kristine's Avatar
Kristine Kristine is offline
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Posts: 25,581
 
Plan: Primal/P:E
Stats: 171/146/150 Female 5'7"
BF:
Progress: 119%
Location: Southern Ontario, Canada
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Hi and welcome. Would you be willing to let us know a little more about what illness - or type of illness - caused the weight loss? There might be folks here who have gone through the same issue. It would also affect what kind of advice you get here.

My number one piece of advice regardless of the medical issue would be to eat to health and healing FIRST and let your body weight fall where it will. I'd be leery of overeating just to achieve some arbitrary weight goal or calorie goal. I'd do some weight-bearing exercise if you're up to it, like Teaser suggested. It's hard to advise without knowing what kind of health problem we're talking about, though.

I've had several friends and coworkers who've gone through various illnesses, ended up underweight, but were in perfect health.

Best wishes; keep us posted.
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