Skinny 18 Year Old Guy

YSLattB

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Joined
Jun 26, 2020
Messages
12
Hello members of the forum,

I recently joined and I'm enjoying the amazing content on this website. I found it because someone recommended it to a guy and didn't hesitate to google it.

Anyway, back to my case. So I'm 18 years old and the problem is that I'm skinny. My BMI is n the healthy range (I think it's around 20 or 21). I eat 2 meals a day which I think isn't enough but I eat a good amount. I don't weight lift but I exercise two times a week (just playing some typa sport like basketball or volleyball or go for a run/walk) but I stopped during the quarantine ofc. I also have a bilateral varicocele which now keeps me from lifting weights and doing strenous exercise. I really want to gain some weight and muscles so I can feel confident about myself. Can someone recommend me a diet or exercise plan for my case? Also can the varicocele be the reason behind my unability to gain weight and build muscles? Didn't get tested for testosterone but I'm pretty hairy and don't have any of the symptoms of low testo.

Hoping someone would reply soon.
 

peateats1

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Apr 3, 2013
Messages
284
You have to keep stress hormones low in order to have a healthy appetite. Also, elevated stress hormones can cause weight loss too.(especially adrenaline)

So I guess my recommendation would be to eat lots, make sure your thyroid is good and stress hormones low, lots of protein and carbs, etc.

Sorry I don't have better suggestions but I wanted to at least bump this thread up so maybe you'll get more answers :)
 

JKX

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Apr 18, 2018
Messages
374
Might have to work a bit harder to get some replies! Perhaps put your typical daily food intake into cronometer and post a screen shot.
 

Motif

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Nov 24, 2017
Messages
2,757
I struggle with gaining weight too.
I don’t tolerate too much fat and low fat it’s really hard to get lots of calories .
 
Last edited:
OP
YSLattB

YSLattB

Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2020
Messages
12
You have to keep stress hormones low in order to have a healthy appetite. Also, elevated stress hormones can cause weight loss too.(especially adrenaline)

So I guess my recommendation would be to eat lots, make sure your thyroid is good and stress hormones low, lots of protein and carbs, etc.

Sorry I don't have better suggestions but I wanted to at least bump this thread up so maybe you'll get more answers :)

Thanks a lot for the bump lol. Yeah fr I think I should eat more and see what happens. Also how can I know if my thyroid is good?
 
OP
YSLattB

YSLattB

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Joined
Jun 26, 2020
Messages
12
Might have to work a bit harder to get some replies! Perhaps put your typical daily food intake into cronometer and post a screen shot.

Thanks for the reply! I already tried to count how much calories I eat a day but couldn't lol it's because the dishes I eat are mainly made by mother and are traditional so I don't know what she puts in them precisely. But let me tell you they are very healthy and tasty lmao.
 
OP
YSLattB

YSLattB

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Joined
Jun 26, 2020
Messages
12
I struggle with gaining weight too.
I don’t tolerate too much fat and low fat it’s really hard to get lots of calories .

I‘m really muscular, but still light weight, cause my legs are genetically skinny as fck and I just would love to have about 5 kg more.

Same. I'm not VERY muscular but I can lift weight and things like that. What's holding me now is the existence of the painful right side varicocele because I'm scared if I workout it'll get worse and be more painful. Also same for the 5kg I don't want to gain a LOT of weight just tryna look normal lol
 

redsun

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Joined
Dec 17, 2018
Messages
3,013
Hello members of the forum,

I recently joined and I'm enjoying the amazing content on this website. I found it because someone recommended it to a guy and didn't hesitate to google it.

Anyway, back to my case. So I'm 18 years old and the problem is that I'm skinny. My BMI is n the healthy range (I think it's around 20 or 21). I eat 2 meals a day which I think isn't enough but I eat a good amount. I don't weight lift but I exercise two times a week (just playing some typa sport like basketball or volleyball or go for a run/walk) but I stopped during the quarantine ofc. I also have a bilateral varicocele which now keeps me from lifting weights and doing strenous exercise. I really want to gain some weight and muscles so I can feel confident about myself. Can someone recommend me a diet or exercise plan for my case? Also can the varicocele be the reason behind my unability to gain weight and build muscles? Didn't get tested for testosterone but I'm pretty hairy and don't have any of the symptoms of low testo.

Hoping someone would reply soon.

Your 18, very young. Diet is nearly irrelevant for the purpose of gaining muscle for someone your age. Eat whole food carbs, fats, and proteins to appetite, but you need to create a habit of 3 meals a day. Eat tastier foods to help eat more but don't overthink it no matter what being orthorexic about the diet is not going to build muscle faster. Adequate sleep and especially carbs and protein will speed up progression. Muscles will grow if you start resistance training and put the effort into it to increase workload.

There are a few nutrients you need to be mindful of getting in order to maximize muscle building and progession. Zinc (red meat, dairy, oysters), proteins high in arginine (meat for arginine), and plenty of carbs. Try to hit all the nutrient RDAs on cronometer. Red meats, seafood, dairy, eggs, starches, fruits, vegetables cover all nutrients easily.

For resistance training programs best to look at bodybuilding websites and look for beginner training to maximize muscle growth without causing too much stress. 1 hour workout sessions at most. Something like Push, Pull, Leg day and repeat again and then one day off is completely fine. One main compound exercise, and a few isolation exercises and done.

You can workout abs every day or every other day after the workout is done. There is a million ways on the internet to workout the abs. Consistency, not necessarily maximum intensity for good ab results (though abs/obliques can take a beating unlike other muscles).

As for the hairiness, you may have a good amount DHT but testosterone may be lacking and testosterone is the main androgen for anabolism. So if you have low zinc because diet is chronically low in it that will reduce testosterone and make it harder to build muscle. This may not even be the case though, you need to examine the diet and see if your zinc intake is low or not maybe it isn't. Overall if the diet is adequate you will build muscle with proper progression.

And as for the confidence part... Don't get hung up on getting big muscles thinking it will do all the work. It does help confidence of course, but maintaining a lean state with less muscle but enough to look built is better imo. Being accomplished in life is going to help a lot in the confidence department. Whatever it is you do in life, strive to be the best you can be at it.
 
Last edited:
OP
YSLattB

YSLattB

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Joined
Jun 26, 2020
Messages
12
Your 18, very young. Diet is nearly irrelevant for the purpose of gaining muscle for someone your age. Eat whole food carbs, fats, and proteins to appetite, but you need to create a habit of 3 meals a day. Eat tastier foods to help eat more but don't overthink it no matter what being orthorexic about the diet is not going to build muscle faster. Adequate sleep and especially carbs and protein will speed up progression. Muscles will grow if you start resistance training and put the effort into it to increase workload.

There are a few nutrients you need to be mindful of getting in order to maximize muscle building and progession. Zinc (red meat, dairy, oysters), proteins high in arginine (meat for arginine), and plenty of carbs. Try to hit all the nutrient RDAs on cronometer. Red meats , seafood, dairy, eggs, starches, fruits, vegetables cover all nutrients easily.

For resistance training programs best to look at bodybuilding websites and look for beginner training to maximize muscle growth without causing too much stress. 1 hour workout sessions at most. Something like Push, Pull, Leg day and repeat again and then one day off is completely fine. One main compound exercise, and a few isolation exercises and done.

You can workout abs every day or every other day after the workout is done. There is a million ways on the internet to workout the abs. Consistency, not necessarily maximum intensity for good ab results (though abs/obliques can take a beating unlike other muscles).

As for the hairiness, you may have a good amount DHT but testosterone may be lacking and testosterone is the main androgen for anabolism. So if you have low zinc because diet is chronically low in it that will reduce testosterone and make it harder to build muscle. This may not even be the case though, you need to examine the diet and see if your zinc intake is low or not maybe it isn't. Overall if the diet is adequate you will build muscle with proper progression.

And as for the confidence part... Don't get hung up on getting big muscles thinking it will do all the work. It does help confidence of course, but maintaining a lean state with less muscle but enough to look built is better imo. Being accomplished in life is going to help a lot in the confidence department. Whatever it is you do in life, strive to be the best you can be at it.

Thanks a lot for the reply man, I really appreciate it!! I'll try to do what you said and see the results!
 

Vins7

Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2020
Messages
900
Your 18, very young. Diet is nearly irrelevant for the purpose of gaining muscle for someone your age. Eat whole food carbs, fats, and proteins to appetite, but you need to create a habit of 3 meals a day. Eat tastier foods to help eat more but don't overthink it no matter what being orthorexic about the diet is not going to build muscle faster. Adequate sleep and especially carbs and protein will speed up progression. Muscles will grow if you start resistance training and put the effort into it to increase workload.

There are a few nutrients you need to be mindful of getting in order to maximize muscle building and progession. Zinc (red meat, dairy, oysters), proteins high in arginine (meat for arginine), and plenty of carbs. Try to hit all the nutrient RDAs on cronometer. Red meats, seafood, dairy, eggs, starches, fruits, vegetables cover all nutrients easily.

For resistance training programs best to look at bodybuilding websites and look for beginner training to maximize muscle growth without causing too much stress. 1 hour workout sessions at most. Something like Push, Pull, Leg day and repeat again and then one day off is completely fine. One main compound exercise, and a few isolation exercises and done.

You can workout abs every day or every other day after the workout is done. There is a million ways on the internet to workout the abs. Consistency, not necessarily maximum intensity for good ab results (though abs/obliques can take a beating unlike other muscles).

As for the hairiness, you may have a good amount DHT but testosterone may be lacking and testosterone is the main androgen for anabolism. So if you have low zinc because diet is chronically low in it that will reduce testosterone and make it harder to build muscle. This may not even be the case though, you need to examine the diet and see if your zinc intake is low or not maybe it isn't. Overall if the diet is adequate you will build muscle with proper progression.

And as for the confidence part... Don't get hung up on getting big muscles thinking it will do all the work. It does help confidence of course, but maintaining a lean state with less muscle but enough to look built is better imo. Being accomplished in life is going to help a lot in the confidence department. Whatever it is you do in life, strive to be the best you can be at it.
Eating more than 3 meals a day could be bad for digestion or metabolism health?
 

redsun

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Joined
Dec 17, 2018
Messages
3,013
Eating more than 3 meals a day could be bad for digestion or metabolism health?

I meant having a snack as well. If you eat properly 3 meals a day is the preferable way to eat though having a snack or something is possible. Some people snack, some don't its individual.
 

inurendotoxin

Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2018
Messages
113
Location
UK
+1 to everything Redsun said...

But at 18 androgens are so high you can pretty much throw in a protein shake and come back ripped in 6 months. :tearsofjoy:
 

inurendotoxin

Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2018
Messages
113
Location
UK
Even with a varicocele?

Ok if you're restricted from all resistance training (even light weights), that is a barrier for sure..
 

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