Weight gain

[Kayla55]

Hi,

So my son is like me, too skinny. And we don't use drugs so no aggravated digestive issues.

I did my best to ensure healthy, good food. Packing a cheese sandwich with health bread, or chicken mayo. Most time lunchbox wasn't being eaten. So I just thought maybe sensory. But all effort on other meals and extra protein shake and no weight gain.
When he wears shorts his legs unbearably skinny, the leg being thinner than knee.

Back to my experience, if I eat too much I may just get fat in areas I don't want (like around tummy, thighs) if I try build muscle at gym, doesn't really happen. If I do cardio then just keeping extra trim (healthy but not gaining weight in way looks nice)

His brother grows healthy, normal ...
Gains weight. If shoot up and grow taller, he fills out. My asd son doesn't.

Should I start 4 small meals daily and give 3 protein shakes?
Will this help.

Anyone else had issue with gaining weight themselves and offer advice, what do you do about child weight?

 

[Forest Cat]

If he doesn't gain weight, I think he simply is not eating enough. There is something you can try, it might not have the same name everywhere, but I know it as "Mass Gainer". The places that sell protein shakes usually sell gainer also. It contains everything he needs, a shake of that together with food should make a difference.

Good luck to him, he just needs to get better food habbits and eat more.

 

[Mary Terry]

By now I assume you know what he will and will not eat so prepare meals that you know he will eat. You can hide a lot of good nutrition in a homemade smoothie such as peanut butter and all kinds of vegetables and fruits that he would not otherwise eat. If he's in a growing phase, it will be really hard to increase his body weight.

 

[Outdated]

It's a bit like a bank account, if you're putting more in than you're taking out then it will grow. That's more complicated if you have an unusually high or low metabolism. I had a young cousin that asked me the same question many years ago and I recommended meat pies and beer. That worked for him.

Meat pies are the equivalent of a hot dog here except far higher in protein, you can buy them everywhere, corner shops, petrol stations, etc. A quick meal you can eat one handed while still working, 1000 calories at a time.

 

[Neonatal RRT]

Hi,

So my son is like me, too skinny. And we don't use drugs so no aggravated digestive issues.

I did my best to ensure healthy, good food. Packing a cheese sandwich with health bread, or chicken mayo. Most time lunchbox wasn't being eaten. So I just thought maybe sensory. But all effort on other meals and extra protein shake and no weight gain.
When he wears shorts his legs unbearably skinny, the leg being thinner than knee.

Back to my experience, if I eat too much I may just get fat in areas I don't want (like around tummy, thighs) if I try build muscle at gym, doesn't really happen. If I do cardio then just keeping extra trim (healthy but not gaining weight in way looks nice)

His brother grows healthy, normal ...
Gains weight. If shoot up and grow taller, he fills out. My asd son doesn't.

Should I start 4 small meals daily and give 3 protein shakes?
Will this help.

Anyone else had issue with gaining weight themselves and offer advice, what do you do about child weight?

It probably has more to do with genetics and hormone levels than anything. Some people are thin their entire lives, and as long as there are no "malnourishment" issues, then it's probably a blessing in the long run.

However, if you want to learn how to gain weight, then I would follow a bodybuilding diet and exercise regimen. Weight training is likely the best way to pack on the muscle. Cardio typically inhibits muscle growth, unless it is intense sprinting and bicycling with high amounts of resistance. Having said that, he may not be able to pack on the pounds until he is 18yrs or so.

Protein shakes tend to spike the insulin and, for the most part, are only good as a post-workout supplement when your blood sugar is low and your insulin sensitivity is highest. Otherwise, you're better off with whole foods like chicken breasts and fish, for example. Protein shakes, especially, the "weight gainer" protein supplements, will make you gain weight, but a good chunk of that weight will be fat and not lean muscle.

 

[Forest Cat]

Protein shakes, especially, the "weight gainer" protein supplements, will make you gain weight, but a good chunk of that weight will be fat and not lean muscle.

Yes, I recommended a mass gainer earlier, I should have mentioned that it will also make people gain fat. And especially if they are not hitting the gym hard. But since Kayla55's son is very skinny, I was thinking he needs to gain some fat too. So taking mass gainer for a while could be helpful. I think.

 

[Neonatal RRT]

Furthermore, if you are on a high protein diet, drink plenty of water to flush the kidneys. If you notice a lot of strength athletes in the gyms and on the field will have water with them pretty much all the time. A positive nitrogen balance is needed in order to build muscle, but all things in moderation, as an elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine level may indicate an excess and some degree of kidney insufficiency. Keeping the water flushing through the kidneys is an important part of a high protein diet and keeps the physician from worrying.

The only problem that I see, and have experienced myself, is that if you are spiking your insulin high on a frequent basis, and/or the baseline insulin is elevated one can develop an insulin resistance, a precursor to metabolic syndromes and diabetes. Athletes can often get away with this type of regimen while they are in training because they are often draining their blood sugar and dropping their insulin low during their training, but for those who are not performing intense exercise, the body has a tendency to store fat and glycogen.

My bias, having been a competitive athlete for the better part of 25 years of my life, being around other world-class athletes and listening to their advice, I might stick more with eggs, fish, chicken, milk, etc. whole foods with a higher protein content, that take longer to break down, and do not create the significant peaks and troughs in the insulin.

 

[Forest Cat]

My bias, having been a competitive athlete for the better part of 25 years of my life, being around other world-class athletes and listening to their advice, I might stick more with eggs, fish, chicken, milk, etc. whole foods with a higher protein content, that take longer to break down, and do not create the significant peaks and troughs in the insulin.

That's a good point. I didn't think about the insulin.

I'll bet he is very used to not eating enough. So he feels like he doesn't have to eat more. I was like that when I was a kid. So making him eat more could be a real challenge. He has to get used to eating more and that can be difficult to do. A difficult change.

 

[Aspychata]

Just ask him what he would like for lunch, this may help also. Does he want different things to try, does he want easy meals? Pack a grilled cheese with a protein?

 

[vergil96]

Celiac disease? It causes nutrient deficiencies. Since you mentioned having celiac disease yourself... it's hereditary.

If it's simply not eating I second @Neonatal RRT 's advice about whole protein-rich foods that take longer to digest. Also regular small meals, 3-4 a day, not bingeing 1 or 2 giant meals. More meals are easier on the digestive system.

 

[Kayla55]

Celiac disease? It causes nutrient deficiencies. Since you mentioned having celiac disease yourself... it's hereditary.

If it's simply not eating I second @Neonatal RRT 's advice about whole protein-rich foods that take longer to digest. Also regular small meals, 3-4 a day, not bingeing 1 or 2 giant meals. More meals are easier on the digestive system.

I don't have celiac, but I follow similar diet. Reading that corn/soya may caused epilepsy which is also growing in statistics. I'm not sure if it's pre-exposure and what we born with. I heard exposure to soya in infant formula can cause this so I'm deciding whether to try mass gain again. Maybe slow-release of real food as mentioned by others above.
Now I'm researching, going over articles again, maybe vitamin d or needing more probiotics.
Maybe even if not going to gain same muscle is just taking slow muscle workout, incr. food intake to more smaller meals and real smoothies and just hoping to gain bit of healthier look.
Lol tx everyone

 

[Rodafina]

@Kayla55

Do you think you could help get your son interested in preparing his own food? Perhaps, if he was interested in cooking and creating meals, then he would learn some better eating habits. Maybe he would take a liking to cooking and benefit from the autonomy of feeding himself.

 

[Kayla55]

New Treatment May Help ASD Kids Struggling With Weight Gain

Learn about the challenging side effects of medications for managing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the FDA-approved drugs that can cause weight gain due to intense food cravings.

www.autismparentingmagazine.com

Ok, so aggression may be problem, may be few excesses reasons for drugging minors, don't parents realise what side effects are, then drugs to counteract and vicious cycle. Here in article suggesting metformin (diabetes drug)

Why do doctors no longer recommend metformin?
However, the toll it takes on the digestive system may prevent many people with diabetes from taking it for more than a week or two. “Metformin commonly causes gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and flatulence,” explained a recent study published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.

This was added to thread 'meds for tiny tots' and it reviews weight gain die to drugs, and I went onto Quora to find other skinny People with ASD who had similar problem, and regarding asd + anorexia, I think it's wrong. I don't have this, and on Quora another girl confirmed she had same issue with weight gain that undesirable..

 

[Kayla55]

@Kayla55

Do you think you could help get your son interested in preparing his own food? Perhaps, if he was interested in cooking and creating meals, then he would learn some better eating habits. Maybe he would take a liking to cooking and benefit from the autonomy of feeding himself.

Tried this already.
They say we get obese from junk food, but what if I told you I corrected my diet many years ago. Whether I ate Nik makes or veggies - it wasn't clear if I could get definition into my limbs. Is this sterile GM probiotic effect.
I once ate dehydrated mash potatoes and lived fast pace life, until I was upset in gym....facing human side, not blocking emotions and
Are we mutations in process of moving to life on (mars is bit hot, so space) maybe they want to get this fixed, so people get sick blame farming but people on organic farms have wiffi that's on 24/7 are watching TV, want instant bread and peanut butter.
Up/down .... With ASD constantly not fitting in, turning to bad habits and wondering what on earth is deal?

 

[Rodafina]

Tried this already.

What did you try? Sometimes things like this take several attempts.

 

[Kayla55]

What did you try? Sometimes things like this take several attempts.

He can cook quite well, can make lot of things. I'd leave eggs around to help himself, choices of spreads, healthy snacks, couple of msg things like Nik naks....basket full of fruit.
He's not so young anymore, but it didn't help. I thought it may be emotional issue with food and watching his parents fighting....then I tried to think at what age did I start looking thin...was it stress, maybe forgot a penacillin or

So looked on quota, asking on forum....get idea what causes this

 

[vergil96]

Why do doctors no longer recommend metformin?

Medical advice treats underweight people as if they didn't exist and it's considered "healthy" to lose weight even if it would starve you. I wouldn't bother reading medical websites, they're written as if obesity was universal. Having GI problems myself, I find it unhelpful. "Healthy food" according to dieticians is also starvation diet, I quickly lost several kg on it - it wasn't a positive thing.

 

[Hypnalis]

@Kayla55

You're greatly underestimating the importance of exercise.

When overweight people put on muscle they shrink (muscle is denser). They can lose weight faster via dieting, but "same weight more muscle" is much healthier.

When lightly-built people put on muscle it's not obvious to the eye at first, but they put on weight and get healthier.
Feeding up a lightly-built guy as the only way to put on weight risks "TOFI".

Also don't test anyone's muscle distribution by looking at their calves. It's a difficult place to out on muscle, so it won't give you an accurate "reading". Do calf-raises though - easy to do at home, no equipment needed, effective.

Exercise makes you hungry. Except for people who are sick (including anorexic) - this isn't medical advice.

Exercise is the default solution for eating issues of all kinds. Of course it's not necessarily the only solution, or even the best in every case. But do it anyway, because it's good for a lot more than just weight management.

Two comments about gyms (apart from don't go to one that allows "influencers or half-naked women. Both are huge red flags):
* It's takes a long time to build muscle. Your boy might need a couple of years to add muscle in all the right places.
* Don't use "juice" (steroids, or anything at all that sells that effect). It works, lots of people do it, and it's quite widely accepted. But the same can be said for Fentanyl+Xylazine.

BTW - I'm lightly built, don't get fat, have to work hard to get muscle. But I did weight trained on and off in my 20's and 30's. I put on over 10% more body weight, it nobody could see it /lol. The extra weight is mostly gone, but I can still feel the positive effects decades later.
A lot of people look back and regret the stupid stuff they did early in adulthood. Nobody regrets getting fitter and stronger the right way (no juice, no extreme stuff that risks injury (which includes a lot of sports /sigh)).