Adipose tissue retains an epigenetic memory of obesity after weight loss

> It always did feel like it was easier to gain weight than lose it, especially fat weight and not muscle weight for me.

It is the exact, polar opposite for me. I cannot gain even if I eat junk all day.

drink milkshakes

I used to think the same. I would guess that you do not have a big breakfast. Without getting a real meal in for breakfast, hitting a huge calorie surplus is difficult. If you counted your calories and tried to get a 1000 calorie meal for breakfast, hit 3000 calories a day, you’d probably gain 10% in a few weeks. Weight training is good too… you don’t want to just gain fat.

1000 calorie breakfast = bagel with cream cheese, 3 eggs, banana, some berries, protein shake. It’s a whole lot more than a bowl of cereal.

Or go get some fast food. Plenty of them in the US can easily top out at around your daily requirement.

In college, I used to treat myself with a Hardee's sourdough Frisco burger because, for some reason, it was really damn good to me. Then I saw the calorie count: https://www.hardees.com/menu/charbroiled-burgers/hardees-fri...

Add on some fries, regular soda if that's your thing, and you are pretty much at the daily recommendation.

I had a friend who was trying to bulk up make that claim (he was 6', 140 lbs), and then when I finally convinced him to write down everything he ate in a day, it was like 1800 calories.

It's hard for me to gain weight. But in my 30s, for a few months I was eating 3000 calories plus. My breakfast smoothie was about 800 calories - 2-3 scoops protein, a banana, almond butter. I gained about 5 pounds after 3 months. It was just too hard to eat that much while also eating healthy.

I tried eating all that, not just for breakfast, but 3-4 times a day, give or take, sans berries and banana.

I drink a protein shake 2 times at least, and eat lunch (chicken & rice & broccoli casserole, so forth) 2-3 times a day. I do not eat small portions either.

I should do that, too, TBH.

That only looks like about 2000 calories a day, which is the recommended caloric intake for the average sedentary adult man.

If you're trying to bulk, you need to be looking at 2500 or more calories a day, plus additional for any calories burned by exercise. (With a surplus of 1000/calories a day you'll be gaining more fat than muscle unless you're still in puberty. Sometimes that may be what you want.)

It just seems like I have to spend most of my day eating. :/

I think part of this can be solved by "hacks" the primary one being throwing olive oil on random stuff you eat. Another one is "drinking your calories". Basically all the things people tell you to do to lose weight, do the opposite

I get what you mean, sounds reasonable. :D

I agree. To gain, I have to take an SSRI antidepressant to make me hungry, and then eat >4 packs of ramen (fake soup) among other things. Quite unhealthy.