What To Do When You Don't Feel Like Gaining

Fat doesn't happen in a day

I tell people that there's a natural cycle when gaining. There are periods where you can't keep food from escaping into your mouth, and others where you have to force yourself to eat normal portions. That has been my experience, at least, and I'm sure many (formerly) thin guys could describe similar experiences.

The question is how should we manage those times when we have no desire to gain? I can't offer definitive answers, but I can share what has helped me.



Recognize Your Mood is Temporary

This might be the most salient point. It's normal for humans to go through moods. There might be a period of weeks, or even months, in which gaining takes a backseat to other emotional needs. This might be because of a temporary life annoyance, or maybe you're just not feeling it.

When you experience these times, it is important to recognize what's happening. Don't tell yourself you're bad at gaining. Remind yourself that there are times when you won't feel like gaining, and that's okay. It will pass.

That said, sometimes it's not simply a mood. Sometimes the source of your indifference toward gaining can be linked to some other cause, which is my next point:

Identify What's Bothering You

If your mood just isn't passing, consider if there's something bothering you that's keeping you from gaining. As I mentioned above, it could be a life annoyance, but often it's uncertainty about gaining itself.

This doesn't mean you aren't committed to gaining or don't love it as I do. But let's face it, it's a complex experience full of social and physical ramifications. "Will guys go out with me if I put on more weight? Have I deceived myself in how big I want to be? Will I feel better if I lose weight? Can I afford new clothes if I put on another 50 lbs?"

These questions of self doubt should be acknowledged and faced. I avoid telling myself to stop being afraid of something, but instead to admit verbally or on paper what I'm anxious about. Once your fear is out in the open, it becomes a lot easier to confront it and, as we shall discuss, talk about it:

Talk About It

The sparse distribution of gainers in the population makes finding gainer friends more difficult. Thanks to our social networks, however, it becomes easier to have conversations about gaining with people who "get it." My recommendation is whatever is slowing down your gaining, talk about it with someone, even if it's in a journal.

Whether it's when I'm excited about the next 20 lbs, or when I just need an encouraging word to keep up a respectable caloric intake, I am grateful to the people in my life who I can talk to about gaining.

It's easy to talk to gainers and encouragers when you're pumped about gaining, but it's probably more beneficial to talk to them when you're feeling on the fence about it. When you make gainer friends, treat them like normal friends, who you'd talk to regardless of how you feel. I'm not saying we're by any means normal, of course!

And So...

Gaining isn't something one can do merely during times of arousal. It's something you have to love all the time. And with a few friends and some introspection, that can be accomplished. But I suppose my main point in these ramblings is that this journey isn't always easy, but it's worth it. Keep up the good fight. Eat all the food. And have fun.