Learning what should be normal (688 hits)
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Submitted by Axolotl (View user info) at 2008-03-11 21:07:16 EDT
I hit six feet sometime in the summer between 8th and 9th grade and haven't grown an inch since. I towered over my classmates in elementary and middle school, but I lost that edge when I hit high school. My six feet were then only the median.
I was always mature for my age. When I was ten I had the body of a 15-year-old. When I was 15 people thought I was 18. Now I'm mistaken for a college student or young adult occasionally. I started shaving when I was thirteen. (Since I was twelve or so I had sported the Reverse Hitler style of dirt-stache, which you'll generally see on people just getting beards. Hair on the ends of the lips that looks scraggly and skeevy.)
Still, I was probably one of the smallest kids in my high school class. I ran track and cross country from March to November over the school year and summer, and I wasn't all that educated on fitness and health. All I did was run, and as a result I was 6 foot-even and hovering around 115 pounds. I was about thirty pounds underweight for my height and age, and as a result I looked like a goon. My chest and stomach caved inwards, and the only developed part of my body were my calves. My physical caricature was a bit goofy, and I was light and very thin.
It's common knowledge that all freshmen are idiots - that's why they can be skinned, trayed, accessed, hissed at and head-butted with immunity. I was no different. I had physicals where the doctor said I needed to immediately go on a high-protein and high-carb diet, and my response was basically to feel that I was fine the way I was.
While some of my classmates gained fifty pounds or more from freshman to senior year, I stayed in the mid 110s. I had the same suit size as I did for my 8th grade graduation as of this time last year. While my classmates around me would get massive for sports seasons, their triceps thick and heavy, I stayed skinny and wondered why, if they told me my muscles would develop in puberty, I was getting no change in my own body? My body was something of a jokeshow.
Over the last year, I was having heart problems due to lack of protein, and I started to try to make a better effort to eat properly and did some weak weight training with 10-pound barbells that made no noticeable difference. It was around the end of 2007 that I saw an old picture of myself when I was 8, shirtless on the beach, and for a moment envied the properly-proportioned and relatively thicker body of my 8-years-old self. I realized how pathetic it was to see myself that way, and I stepped on the scale.
I was around 121 pounds on December 31, 2007. I decided to do everything I could to get to a normal weight.
I got a case of powerbars, 20-pound barbells, and a better mindset, and for two straight months I've been working to gain weight. I began drinking at least two large glasses of milk every day, for starters. I've always had a problem getting breakfast down my throat, so at first I just drank milk in the morning, but then I moved up to nutella-and-ham sandwiches to keep my stomach full at all times. My high metabolism wanted to burn weight off, but I kept up the constant intake of food.
I quickly finished the box of powerbars, and stuck to a more rigid and intense workout schedule. Aside from the bicep curls with light weights I had been doing, I moved on to dips, extensions, lower body workouts, push ups, and most important of all, core strength. My arms, calves and chest are much thicker, though my shoulders could still use a lot of work. The internet and friends of mine who lifted helped me a lot in these cases.
I tried to keep my stomach full at all times, even if I wasn't hungry. Certain days I missed a certain amount of food and I saw it on the scale, but I kept up eating breakfast and letting a new regimented mind take over.
If anything I learned that if you want something done, you gotta do it yourself. It hasn't been as hard as I always thought to put on the weight although it seemed to be a pain at times.
This time last year, I was 118 pounds. Now on March 11, 2008, I'm 142 and gaining. Although I'm still skinny for my size, my arms are hard and thick with lean muscle, and I'm a lot heavier. My stomach doesn't cave in anymore, but is defined with a semi-six pack. People I haven't seen in a while have noticed, especially now that the weather has gotten warm and I can wear t-shirts openly. I'm not the size of Barry Bonds, but I'm heavier and broader than I've ever been, and it's nice to have people notice a positive change in your body.
So in two months I've gained twenty pounds, and gotten cut. Although I feel that if I stop lifting I could shrink back down, I'm heavier than I've been in my life. By the time I head off to college in August I want to be at least 150 or 160. It's kinda strange to hear wrestler friends of mine always talk about cutting weight, and after their season is done shoot up twenty pounds in a single weekend but I guess everybody's body is different.
So I'm still gaining. I'm probably going to eat a huge amount tonight, or something to load calories into my body. I know our culture is more focused on losing weight due to our massive obesity problem, but have any of you ever experienced this? Probably this will all come back to haunt me 10 years from now when I'm a bedridden 400-pound vegetable...but it's working out fine right now!
User Reviews
Submitted by PepsiCoke (user info) at 2008-03-14 23:00:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Have you ever seen or heard of the movie "DiG!"?
If not, let me know. I will find a way for you to watch that movie.
Submitted by St_Jimmy (user info) at 2008-03-13 19:53:26 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
"I ran track and cross country from March to November over the school year and summer... I was 6 foot-even and hovering around 115 pounds."
While that is a bit on the scrawny side, I bet you were(are) pretty damn fast.
Submitted by Crystle (user info) at 2008-03-13 18:07:10 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
6' and 118lbs? Drop a few and you could be a model.
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2008-03-13 16:01:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
=[
dont' lol at me
Submitted by apollo88 (user info) at 2008-03-13 13:15:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
lol
Submitted by MyTeeOne (user info) at 2008-03-12 17:21:10 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
If I could give you some of my fat, I would.
Submitted by HotWillie (user info) at 2008-03-12 16:27:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
thanks for the update
i was in fair lawn last week fucking the hell out of a woman
one day you will know such pleasures
except with men
Submitted by dithered (user info) at 2008-03-12 15:15:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm at 230 pounds, 6 foot 1.
I've been over 200 pounds with a 34 inch waist and a 42 inch chest for the past 5 years or so.
Why?
Because I'm a fucking loser who does nothing but work out and insult faggots on Ubersite all day.
Submitted by DeathJester (user info) at 2008-03-12 14:37:19 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Weight means shit.
Submitted by CaptainThorns (user info) at 2008-03-12 10:52:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by sicosemen (user info) at 2008-03-12 07:12:53 CDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This is a metabolism issue and you have to realize that with time your metabolism will stop.
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He's right about that. I had your "problem" until I hit 23 or so and then it all came to a screeching halt. We used to do the "twenty nugget challenge" in college after weight training, now if I even eat six of those damn-McDonalds-excuse-for-chicken-meat-turds I feel sick.
Submitted by HurtByTheSun (user info) at 2008-03-12 10:36:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Hurt: Soorry, I'll only post nice nonconttroversial things in the future. How do Haha Rabbits and 4chan memes sound?
============
What? This is isn't controversial, I just don't give a fuck about your weight.
Submitted by Method (user info) at 2008-03-12 10:23:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I'm 5'4" and 325 pounds, stop complaining
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2008-03-12 10:17:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I can't believe some of you are recommending steroids.
Berty: then send me lots of drugsss, and a british-american translator.
Sicosemen: yeah, that's the thing I'm kinda expecting, I guess it's inevitable to lose the metabolism of youth. Can't hit me soon enough. Yeahhh I was pretty bad last year, still kinda suprrises me.
Hurt: Soorry, I'll only post nice nonconttroversial things in the future. How do Haha Rabbits and 4chan memes sound?
Beer Turtle: I eat a lot of garbage too, especially fast food. I can't resist Taco bell, mc donalds angus burgers...I've never done weight training as part of a school, but it's cool you do lacrosse it's pretty popular around here.
Beeltea: ....=[
Submitted by LittleMonster (user info) at 2008-03-12 09:56:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I used to have major problems trying to put on weight. At 16 I was 6ft and weighed just under 6st. That's not good. I looked silly. I looked even worse when I got huge boobs out of no where. Time balanced things out though and now I have to be careful of what I eat so I don't turn in to a pudding.
I'm still on my way down to my ideal weight and lost half a stone this month, so I'm rather chuffed with myself.
Eat well (home cooked) lots of red meat, lots of veggies and plenty of carbs. With all the pysical your doing, you'll be fine and dandy.
Oh....also, drink guniess.
Submitted by ubetidid (user info) at 2008-03-12 09:56:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
wouldn't it be easier to just
eat normally and take steroids?
Submitted by Berty (user info) at 2008-03-12 08:56:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
One should revel in their metabolism when young. Eat, eat and eat some more! Sample delicacies and gluttonies from cultures around the world, gorge yourself on cuisine of past eras!
Now stop being a fassy, take some more drugs and go to a rave.
Submitted by MyNameIsTim (user info) at 2008-03-12 08:24:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
i'm fat and jealous of your "problem"
Submitted by sicosemen (user info) at 2008-03-12 08:12:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This is a metabolism issue and you have to realize that with time your metabolism will stop. I weighed in at 155 and couldn't gain anything until I was 22-23 and then it rushed in on me. I gained 30 lbs. in 2 months and plateaued again. Now, I'm back down to a moderate 175 and considering the calorie intake I have from alcohol it's enough to make me watch my diet. I'll be 200 lbs. in a few months but that's because I'm planning a regiment for mass through muscle and not fat possibly with a cycle.
It's an interesting concept to say that you want to gain weight but when you actually do it's not what you wanted at all. Being called fat has lost novelty for me and now I'm going to make the effort to pack on muscle.
Good luck! 118 lbs made me laugh because I hadn't weighed that since 8th grade. You must've been real good with the ladies :)
Submitted by HurtByTheSun (user info) at 2008-03-12 06:42:28 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
This couldn't have been much vainer if you'd tried.
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2008-03-11 23:30:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I have another load you can swallow....
Submitted by beer-turtle (user info) at 2008-03-11 23:19:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
14 - 5'11" 125lbs
15 - 6' 135lbs
16 - 6' 185lbs - first year of weight training, on Lacrosse Team
17 - 6'1" 210lbs - 2nd yr on the weights, on wrestling and Lacrosse Teams
18 - 6'1" 238lbs - 3rd year in the gym, no roids, on the weight lifting team, and Lacrosse team
19 - 6'1" 195 lbs of padded muscles, trained in Tae Kwon Do, got kicked out after I broke a kids leg on accident.
23 - 240 with budding bitch tits I said Damnit and learned to skydive, fell like a homesick bowling ball till I shed some pounds
24 - 200 really good at skydiving now, great tan too, feet looked fucked up though from wearing Teva's all the time.
25 - 180 working as a professional skydiver doing freefall videography
28 - 165 partying and various substance abuse Met QB during this time
31 - 145 (was in a real bad place physically and emotionally...I was eating but was under such stress I couldn't digest, and my body would pass anything I ate in about 2 hours...usually fully recognizable as what I had eaten.
33 - 210 (lived with my parents for 6 months with no job, no license, and no money...but I ate shit tons and did alot of labor around their house) Oddly enough lost 30 lbs working around food for 2 years...(pizza hut delivery)
35 (current) 180 lbs, I am fit and toned and I watch what I eat. I walk about 4 miles a day with my dog in a nearby state park, and use my knowledge from my weight training days to keep fit.
Still eat garbage though...
Submitted by Ltap (user info) at 2008-03-11 22:53:51 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I never had that problem. I sympathize, though.
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2008-03-11 22:08:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
HEY that's not you
Submitted by beeltea (user info) at 2008-03-11 22:03:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
just keep this in mind:
You're going to die.
happy happy!
Submitted by Bubba2341 (user info) at 2008-03-11 21:58:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Ax, when I was 18 I was 6' 4" and 132 pounds fully clothed. I ate six full meals per day and nothing changed. By the time I was 27 I had ballooned up to a rip-roaring 145 lbs. Then, we took a trip to Toronto. After returning, I gained 30 pounds in 30 days. I went to the doctor and said WTF?
He said my metabolism had changed and I should watch myself. Well, 31 years later, I only weigh 204.
People tease skinny kids almost as much as fat kids. Either way, it ain't no fun.
You are probably better off being underweight than over. You will likely live longer.
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2008-03-11 21:56:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Zampano (user info) at 2008-03-11 21:50:44 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Funny, I thought I was reading about myself for a minute there. Actually, the similarities were rather eerie, up until the end there. I'm still more of a cardio man than anything, but swimming and an extra sixty push-ups a day for a few months have given me an upper body strength I've never before had. I'm still weak as shit, but probably stronger than I have ever been. Good luck with the bulk-up
==========
thanks, you too.
Submitted by Zampano (user info) at 2008-03-11 21:50:44 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Funny, I thought I was reading about myself for a minute there. Actually, the similarities were rather eerie, up until the end there. I'm still more of a cardio man than anything, but swimming and an extra sixty push-ups a day for a few months have given me an upper body strength I've never before had. I'm still weak as shit, but probably stronger than I have ever been. Good luck with the bulk-up.
Submitted by skrapmetal (user info) at 2008-03-11 21:34:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Looks like you've been hitting the Scrotene pretty hard there. May want to cut back a bit.
Submitted by haikumikoo (user info) at 2008-03-11 21:18:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
No Comment
Submitted by HellRazer (user info) at 2008-03-11 21:11:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: -1
HGH man.
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2008-03-11 21:07:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
above pic is me