How to Gain Weight & Recipes!

 How Do I Gain Weight- not with Whoppers!

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and Black Friday! Andrew and I had a lot of Thanksgivings to go to and it was chaotic, and Dad's Birthday is Monday!

(To the Right is a Picture Mom took this  weekend)

Okay, now to the blog topic:

I don't eat out a lot and I don't like to eat fast food alot, with all my GI issues it can be difficult to gain weight. I know lots of CFers struggle with this. I have trouble with diary, meat, greasy food, carbonated drinks, spicy food. My mouth loves all these foods, but my intestines say otherwise. I'm hoping after my colonoscopy on Dec 13th I will be able to figure out some of the problems and tolerate more. I need to take in lots of calories, but I have learned some tricks along the way.

Here is my Weight Gain Story:


Besides eating Buffalo Wild Wings and scarfing down wings and their nachos LOL, there are lots of different things I can do to try and gain weight! I also, focus on my "all around" health. Being tired, not exercising, not doing meds all contribute to weight loss & fatigue. Therefore, I have been 100% complaint with meds for two weeks now! The Clinical Trial I'm in is really keeping me compliant, even with everything that has been going on. I helped mom with her craflt holiday show and have been busy with holiday stuff, but I'm still doing ALL MY MEDS! (read about how I'm keeping compliant and how busy I have been in this past blog post here! plus lots of pics)

I do have a G-Tube, I have had it since 1997 (7th Grade) I was under 40 lbs and under 4'5 ish. In little over 1 year I had reached 90 lbs and was 5'1. Now, age  28, I have reached 109 lbs and have been between 105-109 since! I used it every night taking in 4 cans of ensure a night =1400 calories per night. It really helped me. I'm glad I decided to have it put in! (yes, it was my choice! Mom & Dad told me the pros and cons.) I said I wanted it done, but wanted it done before I could change my mind. Doc. Chatrath had it scheduled the next day! I'm so thankful for it! However, now that I'm finally at 109 lbs and maintaining, I have been drinking the ensure instead of using the Tube.  (btw just because I have had mine for 16 years, it doesn't mean they always are so permanent)

I definitey reccommend to those who just can't gaint weight to get a G-tube. Only in the last few years have I had issues with it. After 16 years of use It is now raw and leaking, which really stings when the stomach acid gets into the cuts/rash. I'm hoping to get it out in the next year or so! However, insurance doesn't pay for ensure plus to drink (they claim it's a choice/ over the counter) BUT with the tube, the ensure plus is considered a need. So its only covered as long as I have the tube (for now). For now it is just decoration..LOL But I'm looking at ways around it!

Okay, Now for the Food part:

I try to live by a couple simple rules: (Set rules and live by them it really helps!)

1. Never skip a meal (if no time to eat, grab an ensure & granola bar  (350 +170 cals= 520 cals)
2. Eat 3 meals and 2 snacks at least
3. Breakfast (must be 500 cals) Lunch (700 cals) Dinner (800 cals)= 2,000 calories
4. Both Snacks (must be at least 300 cals, like a  yogurt, apple, pretzels)= 600 calories
5. Drink 1 high cal drink (hot cocoa, smoothie, milkshake)
6. Drink 3 extra (night feeding) ensures (2 at night, 1 when wake up)=  1050 calories

Total Calories for a day: 2,000 (meals)+ 1,200 (snacks)+ 650 (drink)+ 1050 (ensures)=4,900 cals.


My 3 favorite drink recipes (feel free to change accordingly) Also, it makes more than a  tall mug full.

1. Great Hot Cocoa Recipe (VERY RICH BUT TASTY):
      1.5 cups of whole milk (150+ 75= 225 cals)
      2 Packets of Hot Chocolate (80 x 2= 160 cals)
      1 Scoop of Protein Poweder (100 cals)
      1 Packet of  Rich Choc. Carnation Instant Brkfst (130 cals)
      1 Tbsp Heavy Whipping Cream (52 cals) (add cream at the end & don't blend in)
   TOTAL CALORIES in my Hot Cocoa = 667 calories


2. My Yummy Smoothie Recipe (With Kefir to help digestion/bacteria):
     1 Cup Vanilla or Fruit Flavored Ice Cream (270 cals)
     1 Cup Any frozen fruit (100 cals)
     1 packet Vanilla or Straw. Carnation Instant Brkfst (130 cals)
      1/2 Cup Any Flavor Juice (53 calories)
     1/2 Cup Any Flavor Kefir (50 Cals)
     1 Tbsp Heavy Whipping Cream (52 cals)- (add cream at the end/dont blend in)
TOTAL CALORIES in my smoothie = 655 Calories


3. My Tasty Milkshake Recipe (not as good for you, but indulge):
    1.5 Cups Any Flavor Ice Cream (405 calories)
    3/4 Cup whole milk (112 cals)
    1 Packet of Any Carnation Instant Brkfst (130 cals)
    1 Tbs of Heavy Whipping Cream (52 cals)- (add cream at end/don't blend in)
TOTAL CALORIES in my milkshake - 699 calories
 * feel free to add a candy bar or fruit or any other flavor + extra calories


I can't always follow these rules and make it to the 4,900 calories. I try to follow the meals, snacks, and night ensure drinks. My milkshake, smoothie or cocoa doesn't always happen, but I try!

Other simple rules:
 1. Weigh myself once a week, if I do more than that I become obsessed.
 2. If I'm sick of food and eating- I watch food network, recipe surf online, etc
 3. If I find a food I LOVE, I stick with it for a few days in a row!
 4. I try to not eat out too much, but when I do I take advantage and get the meal with high cals,
 5. I don't listen to people when they comment on how I look. (whether its good or bad)
 6. I set weight goals and work towards them.
 7. Lift weights and work out- muscle lasts :-)

Side note: I'm using BlogLovin now! Follow me on BlogLovin, or let me know if you use BlogLovin! I really like being able to keep all the blogs I read in categories! I search for food & recipies too on bloglovin.  (Read my simple & small BlogLovin reveiw in this past blog post here!)

Not sure if this post will benefit anyone, but I thought it was time I shared my food/weight Journey with the world!

(Extra food Tips found below!)

How can extra calories be added?

Add butter, margarine, or vegetable oil to: breads, toast, crackers, or sandwiches.Potatoes, hot cereals, rice, noodles, soups, or casseroles.

 Add sour cream to: potatoes, rice, pasta, or vegetables. Use as a dip for vegetables, or chips.

 Add mayonnaise to: sandwiches or crackers. dips, salad dressing, or sauces. meat, fish, eggs, or vegetable salads.

Add cream cheese to: raw fruit slices, raw vegetables, bread, toast, or crackers.

Use heavy creams in: soups, sauces, batters, custards, puddings, shakes, mashed potatoes, or cooked cereals.

Add Peanut Butter Powder to: brownies, milkshakes, etc.

Use whipping cream on: pancakes, waffles, fruit, ice cream, pudding, hot chocolate, or other desserts. Mix in cream soups, hot cereals, mashed potatoes, pudding, and custards.

Add brown sugar, maple syrup, or syrup to: hot cereals, cold cereals, fruits, ice cream, or puddings. Use as a glaze on meats, or vegetables.

Add powdered milk to: cereals, potatoes, cream soups, eggs, puddings, gravy, and casseroles. add two to four tablespoons of powdered milk to one cup of whole milk to make "super milk."

 Add cheese to: sandwiches, burgers, toast, crackers, eggs, potatoes, noodles, and snacks.

Add peanut butter to: sandwiches, crackers, toast, fruit slices, vegetables, ice cream, or milkshakes.

Use high-calorie drinks such as: homemade milkshakes, Carnation Instant Breakfast®, Scandishakes®, Pediasure®, Boost®, Boost Plus®, Ensure®, Ensure Plus®, etc.