Posted by Racer on December 16, 2007, at 0:20:23
In reply to Ritalin too much weight loss. Must gain weight!, posted by AdamCanada on December 16, 2007, at 0:08:47
Protein powders, amino acids, etc, really aren't the direction you want to be going. If you eat anything like a normal, adequate diet, you're probably getting significantly more protein than your body needs, and too much is neither healthy, nor helpful in weight gain.
For the average individual -- that is, someone who is not an Olympic level athlete nor pregnant -- protein needs are about .8 grams of protein per kilo of body weight. That means that someone of, say, 155 pounds -- about 70 kilos -- would need about 56 grams of protein per day. That's about six ounces of meat -- which is actually less than many of us eat each day. One chicken breast contains more than half the protein needed by that average person. Eating too much protein won't increase muscle mass, but it can lead to ketone build up -- which may add to weight loss, but is still not great for health.
In order to gain weight, you've got to be realistic about your goals. First goal should be a healthy distribution of calories, with an emphasis on complex carbohydrates and whole grains. My guess is that, between the protein drinks and the weight training, your body is largely fueling itself with ketone bodies, which is not good for your brain -- your brain can use the ketones in a pinch, but it pretty much runs on glucose. So, if you want a healthier brain, and a healthier body, and to gain some weight, think about a whole wheat bagel, with a nice bit of cream cheese and tomato. Or about a nice, one cup portion of spaghetti. Complex carbohydrates, some fats, and a lot less protein than you think you need. (It'll help you maintain that muscle mass, too.)
I hope that helps. Good luck.
poster:Racer
thread:801089
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/health/20071116/msgs/801094.html