I was always a thin guy growing up. In college, I was 6 feet tall and weighed around 65 Kg (143 lbs). I could walk long distances, but I could barely run. I would get tired immediately and could not play most sports. I could barely carry my own luggage.

After joining a job, I noticed I was still skinny but started to gain belly fat. Long hours at the desk and free snacks at work had started to show. I had failed to go to the gym twice in a year. I would feel shortness of breath and could barely lift anything, and I had fainted twice.

Fast forward to April 2013. I decided to try the gym again. This time, I puked after 15 minutes in the gym toilet and barely made it home. The trainer at the gym thought I would never go back again.

But I did. I went home, took a day off, and thought about it a lot. I decided that it was time to get better at this.

So I returned to the gym and spoke to one of the trainers about it. He looked at my weight (67 kgs) and told me that I needed to put on at least 10 kilos and gave me a diet routine. He also mentioned that it would take six months to get in some shape.

I don’t recall everything, but my diet was similar to this:

• 2 scoops of weight gain supplement a day
• 6 bananas
• 6 eggs
• 3 full meals and another high-calorie snack/smoothie
• 250 grams of chicken 3 times a week

It was so difficult to eat so much food at first. I puked at least 3 more times in the gym because I was so full all the time.

For the first month, I went to the gym and walked for 15 mins and cycled for another 15 mins. After the first month, I started weight training with 2.5 kg (5 lbs) dumbbells and plates. It looked ridiculous.

But slowly, I started to gain weight and muscle. By the sixth month, I looked very different. I had decent-looking shoulders for the first time in my life.

At some point after the third month, the gym became a routine in my life. It’s like brushing my teeth. I feel bad about myself if I don’t go to the gym.

Over the years, many people have asked me how I motivate myself to go to the gym regularly. The only real answer is a habit. You have to do it enough times to make it a habit. Once it’s a habit, you don’t have to force yourself again.

Here are some additional tips for gaining weight and muscle:

• Eat a healthy diet that is high in protein and calories.
• Strength train regularly, at least 3-4 times per week.
• Get enough sleep.
• Be patient and consistent. It takes time and effort to gain weight and muscle.

If you’re serious about gaining weight and muscle, I encourage you to find a good personal trainer or a workout buddy who can help you develop a personalized plan.