I’ve been using Huel for coming up to 3 months as an almost complete meal replacement. I started because I have an extremely fast metabolism and I struggle to gain or even maintain my weight.
I have been having 5x 4 scoop shakes at work, so approximately 3300 calories. In the evening I will then either have another 4 scoop shake or eat a large dinner.
I was hoping this would lead to me gaining weight, but I’m still just maintaining or losing. I don’t think I can get more shakes in during the day without feeling nauseous.
As I said my metabolism has always been very fast, and I am probably more active than most. Still, I’m sure if I ate 4000 calories a day I would be gaining. Is it likely to be just because I’m consuming the vast majority of it as a liquid?
Any assistance would be appreciated. I’m addicted to the convenience of Huel now so am keen to keep using it.
Thanks, I will. I have always been this way and never had any real health problems. I went through a stage of being low key anorexic in my teens and I’m not sure if that has effected how my body deals with food.
I’ll get a once over. If all is fine I’ll just have to leave the Huel for now and do the same amount of calories in solid food and see if that helps.
Struggling with weight is no fun either way - I know it can seem like a blessing not being able to gain, but really it isn’t.
I had the same problem a few years back, for no apparent reason I kept loosing weight - when I was around 50 kg I was really worried and finally went to the doctor, but they never found an explanation, nothing was wrong and my metabolism was normal.
Then I took on my math science hat, adhered to the “if you eat more cald than you use, you’ll gain” and I started eating about twice the amount of food I’d really was feeling like - that helped
Maybe a little too much, I now weigh 2 or 3 kg more than I’d like, but I won’t complain, it’s much healthier this way
Thanks, good to know it can turn around! Doubling down on my calories would be a hell of a struggle. I’m not sure I would be able to manage 8000! I’m already spending a fortune on Huel every month too.
This isn’t any help at all, really, but I thought I would speak up to say that I’m exactly the same. I’m 6’1 and currently 65kg, although i fluctuate between 63 and 68 over the course of the year generally… It doesn’t matter how much or what I eat, although eating more healthily allows me to do more exercise which is absolutely crucial for me feeling well and happy. I just can’t put weight on, and building muscle mass is extremely difficult compared to my peers, though I’ve been doing Freeletics over the past year and my body is probably the best it has ever been, and yet still my weight hasn’t changed. It’s almost like my scales are broken (they aren’t).
Worms is a tempting theory, but alas - my mother-in-law deworms all of us once a year. I really wish I was joking.
Just passing by and see you say you do 1.5hours of intense exercise each evening. A fast metabolism plus that much exercise makes sense with the amount you’re eating.
The coconut oil idea above, or flaxseed oil added into the shakes could help raise the calories if your body is OK with the fats.
Watch your protein intake though, you don’t really want to be getting too much protein or it will strain your kidneys. Sounds like you need more filler/energy calories.
A big bowl of egg fried rice was always my go to when bulking (you get enough protein and fats from the huel)
