“Just eat more” isnt that simple
When I was 21 and in college, I never really focused on my body. I was always skinny, and somewhere along the way, I just accepted that “this is how I am.” But when I got my first job, I looked at myself properly for the first time and realized I wanted to change.
The difficult part wasn’t the gym.
The difficult part was eating.
I lived in a PG, and anyone who has stayed in one knows the food situation. Dinner would get over by 9 PM. Because of my shifts, I used to rush back at 8:30-8:45, exhausted, hoping food was still left.
I would fill two entire plates with rice and chapatis and just sit there for 1.5 to 2 hours trying to finish them.
Some days I genuinely felt like crying while eating.
I’d chew until my throat became dry, start drinking water, then get full from the water itself. Sometimes I’d literally feel like vomiting in between meals and still continue eating because I knew if I skipped calories, I’d stay the same forever.
People think skinny guys are “lucky.”
But they don’t see the part where eating feels like a nightmare.
For months, I forced myself to stay consistent. I started going to the gym regularly and made calories my priority. I used to blend literally anything I could find into smoothies — bananas, oats, peanut butter, milk, random dry fruits — and somehow drink 800-1000 calories in one go because drinking was easier than eating.
I used to sit for hours in my PG canteen, watching street food videos on my phone and imagining I was eating something tasty while forcing down bland food. I still remember becoming friends with the cleaners who stayed back after everyone left, they would finish washing the utensils, clearing the tables and chairs, wrap up the remaining food, and then sit and eat with me while I was still struggling to finish my plates.
Slowly, my body started changing.
Not in weeks. Not in months.
Over years.
Today my diet is much cleaner and easier:
Overnight oats in the morning with seeds, fruits, and protein (~30g protein)
Paneer for lunch
Bread + peanut butter for snacks
Protein shake after work
Regular dinner (dal/rice/roti etc.)
Smoothie/milkshake before sleeping
Nothing magical.
Just consistency, uncomfortable eating, workouts, and patience.
Workout split: PPL
Push:
• Bench Press – 4×6-8
• Incline DB Press – 3×8-10
• Shoulder Press – 3×8-10
• Lateral Raises – 3×12-15
• Tricep Pushdowns – 3×10-12
Pull:
• Pull-ups / Lat Pulldowns – 4×8-10
• Barbell Rows – 3×8-10
• Cable Rows – 3×10-12
• Face Pulls – 3×12-15
• Bicep Curls – 3×10-12
Legs:
• Squats – 4×6-8
• RDLs – 3×8-10
• Leg Press – 3×10-12
• Leg Curls – 3×10-12
• Calf Raises – 4×12-15
Nothing fancy. Just consistency, progressive overload, and eating enough.
If you’re a skinny guy struggling to gain weight, I just want to say this.
I know how frustrating it feels when people tell you to “just eat more.”
I know what it feels like to feel full after 3 bites.
I know what it feels like when your body refuses to cooperate.
But your body can change.
Mine did. (Although i still have a long way to go)
47 kg to 67 kg.
Two years.
One meal at a time.
Age - 23, height 5’8, weight - 67kg
(Chatgpted for better grammer)