#science of weight gain

[es-draws]

I love the way someone grows when they gain weight fast.

When the weight comes slowly, it has time to settle and expand. It's a slow softening and widening, a filling of every part of the frame. A gentle transition from firm to fat.

But gaining fast is a wonder of its own. It's like the body doesn't have time to catch up. A stuffed belly stays rounder, fuller, tighter, even as the fat begins to pile on. Taut skin shows every inch of expansion, especially the overstretched bulge of an overfilled stomach. The weight gathers at the middle while the rest lags behind. For a while, it's wholly, unmistakably clear that they're fattening before your very eyes.

In the end, the result is always the same. The ultimate growth cannot be avoided. The body fills and thickens, any firmness swallowed by layers of plush fat, until only pure, indulgent fatness remains.

[Inspired by some recent thoughts on fast gains]

[es-draws]

This is true! A lot of weight loss blogs still claim you can’t form new fat cells in adulthood, but you *absolutely* can, especially when gaining a significant amount of weight.

I actually have another science post halfway in the works about this exact topic, I’ll post more data on this soon. But Reiina is exactly right!

hi! this is a little rando but quite awhile ago you posted about each new fat cell you created sticking around forever and it’s been stuck in my head because we actually don’t make new fat cells as adults! the amount you create when your body is developing is the amount you have throughout your life :) ride or dies! so, you’re actually growing each fat cell that’s been in the blueprint of you since day one. pretty cute!! I believe that the fat cells in people with high body fat percentage replace themselves quicker when they reach the end of their lifespan than they do in people with less fat on their body. that’s partially why weight loss is harder the higher your starting point is. also, this may contribute to your ongoing struggles with easily gaining weight. if you weren’t overweight during early childhood development you simply have less fat cells to stretch. you might just not be predisposed to have a fat body…even though it looks so so good on you.

I know you didn’t ask for a biology lesson but hey, it’s your fat, you should know what’s up w it!

adore you <3 this is literally only anon because I’m shy ab my obsession w bellies. wishing you all the best always!

Huh, we actually do make new fat cells as adults though 🥲 Check out this research paper that confirms what I remembered from college (bachelors in bio). Human biology used to be one of my special interests 🥰

Also I totally had the same thought that because I was pretty slender up until college, gaining weight is way harder because I’m constantly working against a low natural set point of fat cells. I had always eaten pretty much whatever and maintained a low to mid of “normal” BMI (air quotes because bmi is BS)

In case you want to read! Here’s another article updated in 2022 - even more recent. You are partially right in the average person will have a somewhat constant number of fat cells our entire life, but actually the fat cell population is constantly dying and being regrown. The fat cell count is not constant because we have the same exact physical cells we grow and develop in adolescence - there is various rates of cell turnover (replacement).

This is also an interesting article about how how weight gain can affect fat cells! Research seems a little contradictory but logically from what I know about cell biology/the anatomy of the cell, it make more sense for the fat cell count to be elevated above normal if someone gains a significant amount (ex. double or triple starting weight)

[frownyalfred]

I really enjoyed your latest fic, sever the blight! But what really fascinates me are those nutrient cubes. What do you hc them being made out of? I remember in the fic someone mentioning them tasting fishy? And thinking about the r&d work that went into developing them is making my brain turn! Just Bruce developing a way to process, cook, and package the cubes, AS WELL AS running shelf life studies on them (I know he would, he's the type to run a 2+ year shelf life study, he would be that thorough). And the thought and care that went into making those cubes might be another way of Bruce showing that he cares for his children (in his weird way). If they get stuck/trapped somewhere for a long period of time, he's going to make sure he has a reliable, (somewhat) healthy, and safe food source for his kids until help comes.

Again, excellent fic!

Ahh thank you for asking about those! I think I wrote them that way half because I've been reading too much Star Wars fic and half because I'm a weightlifter about to go into another cut, so I've been thinking a lot about optimal nutrition.

My (admittedly non-expert) hc for the cubes was that they were made of complete proteins, omega 3's (hence the slightly fishy smell Clark notes) and some essential vitamins, while being as calorically dense and compact as possible. You need protein, calories, and fat for the fat-soluble vitamins, and you need it to be small, essentially.

Bruce's cubes kind of tell us several things about him:

He keeps more than a month's worth of calories in his belt at any time

He keeps those calories in a form that his children or other humans can consume

He knows the exact nutritional value of each cube and has a plan already reviewed to ration them, if needed

He knows how long he himself can go without the cubes before experiencing a go/no go point

He has, like you pointed out, tested these cubes to the point of perfection. They are optimized for both maximum output and minimal use of space.

The fact that the boys are used to the cubes, as Clark notes, means Bruce has fed them the cubes before. Either on missions, as snacks, or something else. Testing, perhaps?

He has, either intentionally or somewhat intentionally, designed the cubes to fulfill multiple nutritional needs. i.e., those of teens, growing children, adults, and adults with metahuman or enhanced abilities.

Bruce has likely experienced a time, or several times, when food has been scarce or when carrying optimal nutrition while fighting has been difficult.

You're exactly right -- there's always going to be a safe, bioavailable source of optimal nutrition for him and/or his kids within his belt at any given time. If he's alive, or they have his belt, they're safe for at least a few weeks.

It's a small cube, and his kids barely blink at it. But there's a whole world of care, service, and love wrapped up in that tiny little fishy protein cube.

[worstloki]

One thing they don't tell us about Thor is what kind of training and diet he keeps to look all muscled up

[mxwhore]

working on the daunting task of having an earlier bedtime and rising time

[homunculusalphonse]

fatphobia under the guise of "concern" for one's health is still shitty, regardless of "good" intentions.

[peterlorres21stcentury]

oh no, new weight gain scenario: mad scientist creates their ideal partner in the laboratory (maybe grown like a plant, or stitched together from body parts, or simply a transformation of a regular person, you decide!) The scientist is soon infatuated with their new creation and does everything possible to protect and feed it, even at the expense of others. (and they don't hesitate to feed it a lot, to make it grow nice and fat). :3 This creation is probably dangerous but mostly docile towards its creator. Unless it's hungry, then it's a "oh no, my beloved creation has eaten me, how could I have foreseen that" situation. Classic mad science ending.

[fatfables]

Farmhouse Five, or The Gainer Crusade: Vore Wars 9

A science fiction force feeding and vore-infused anti-gaining gaining story heavily inspired by Kurt VonneGUT's classic post-modern novel. (Why? Because it's the internet).

A sixth generation Swedish-American now living in easy circumstances in Minnesota [and still eating too much] who as a fat man's son, as a prisoner of the farmer, witnessed the fire-bombing of his own physique, a long time ago, and survived to grow and tell the tale.  This is a story somewhat in the obesogenic manner of the tales of the moon of the Surplus, where the galaxy’s biggest bellies come from. Eat.

All this happened, more or less. But mostly more. The gaining parts, anyway, are true. One guy I knew really was tube fed to death for refusing to breed with the Lord of the Pigs. So it grows. I returned to the farmhouse with an old gainer buddy of mine, to where we were kept for weeks. There we met a farm boy who was grown fat by the Surplus. We asked him how it was to live under Gainerism. He said that at first it was hard as it took time to get used to the strain of constant weight gain but now that he was used to it it wasn’t so bad. He was impressed with his belly and the way that it bounced over his belt when he walked. He liked how round it looked and how soft it felt. He was looking forward to seeing it be further accentuated by his dungarees. His brother was fattened till his heart exploded. So it grows.

I look neither forwards nor backwards, only waistwords. My Name is Billy Bondgaard. I’m writing this from my home in Minnesota, in this year. For thirty years I have worked, non-consecutively, as a gastric bypass salesman despite my own size. This has provided for me well and I have continued to gain all my life. I am now comfortable, fat and old, but I will not remain so. I have two chunky sons who follow in my footsteps. Soon they will be unborn again. My husband is dead from a car crash. So it grows. I look waistwords to seeing him again.

I am in the farmhouse with Jerry. My nerves are shot to hell. We are hog tied by our britches waiting for him to return. I am only 246 lbs. Jerry is hungry and delirious for action. He salivates whenever he hears footsteps. He appears to take joy from his captivity. He yearns to increase his capacity. My boxers are tight and stained, unsuitable for the task. I know that I will soon be forced to feed again and I am ill-prepared. I know that I will rely on Jerry to bear some of my burden and that he will resent me for it. He will get cross with me and will blame me for his situation. I will do my best but it won’t be good enough. I am out of my depth and I know it.

He enters, the farmer. He is six foot six and broad in the shoulders. Kind of Dutch looking. His wet black hair sticks to his head from the pouring rain outside. He speaks gruffly, “Hello, Piggies.” Jerry says hello. I remain silent, in trepidation. He weighs us. As is normal. Jerry weighs 387 lbs, he has the right mindset. I was never meant to be a pig, yet at the same time I always was. He starts with soup and bread, a gentleman farmer. Eighty fluid ounces of potato soup and half a loaf of farmhouse white. Jerry embraces the challenge but my stomach already aches and I begin to lack strength and struggle only half way through. “What the hell is wrong with you, Billy?” He shouts at me, “I hope you don’t expect me to pick up the slack again?” “No,” I say, one hundred percent aware that he will.

Roast beef and gravy follows. The gentleman farmer is treating his pigs well. This will not always be the case, there is plenty of swill to come.

My stomach bag is pounding harder and faster than my heart. I count the rhythmic convulsions that play a solid beat while I am forced to eat. Jerry has already finished his main course but I am no where near finished. A slab of half chewed beef falls from my mouth. “What a bad piggy!” The farmer states; “You know the rules, everything has to be eaten!” He picks it up from the ground and places it in between Jerry’s lips. Jerry looks like he wants to kill me, because he does. He swallows the beef and the rest of my main, and my dessert, along with his own. His belly is so swollen that it looks like it might burst open. It’s super distended and hanging low like the globular ball of fat that it is. I look down at my own overweight gut, it’s round and bloated and howling in pain. I really don’t know how Jerry does it? He is the one with the constitution for this. We will both grow fatter at the Farmers bequest but I will never be a real pig like him.

The farmer calmly states that it is time for my punishment. Jerry once more looks at me with daggers. I know that he wants to be punished but my pathetic performance never allows for it. The farmer approaches me from behind. I brace. And I am gone.

My sons, Edgar and Albert are returning from camp today. It has been their first summer away and my husband is excitedly cleaning the kitchen in anticipation of their return. He has prepared five large cakes for them. They will be very pleased but will fight over the odd number. They will feel bad about it when he is dead. My sons don’t believe me about the farmhouse. They think it is just a myth. That I am insane. They don’t believe that the Surplus would ever do that. They are true believers. I know better. I know not only where they have been but where they are going. I have been there. So it grows. I try to stop Edgar from punching Albert over the final cake. I am back there.

The Surplus moon is a strange place. Bland and hectic at the same time. The beings here don’t experience weight yet they are obsessed by it. They are in love with it but don’t feel it. Nothing is linear here. Only expanding. They say that it is the beginning and the end of everything. Everything is circular and after a while I say that I agree. “I agree.” They say that the universe is theirs to consume and that nothing that any of us does matters. I fear they are correct. I am circular. I am a zoo exhibit. They look at me with wonder. I am prehistoric, an artifact. They have never seen one so small. The first seven years I fell into a depression. Then he appeared. Kyle California. The boy from my dreams. The boy from my computer screen youth. At first he wouldn’t look at me. Or them. He was petrified. Snatched from his last moment. Another car crash. Chased by a representation of his own ego. So it grows. He always returns. Returns to me. After the first six months he accepts me and the crowd roar in appreciation when we perform the beast with two fat backs.

In the farmhouse he is here. The one. Like an apparition. I have only met him once but so many times. I know he is real. As real as the minced cow that engorges me. I am fifteen again. I will soon be 600. He comments on how well my belly is pushing against the floor. I knew he was going to say that. I also know what he is going to do next. He always does that. And Danni laughs. Through the pain I see the other. At least I think I do. I always think I do. Half man, half lizard. The warrior. I like him. One day he will save me.

Edgar has knocked one of Albert’s teeth out. The fifth cake is in pieces on the floor. As is Albert. At least he can reach it from down there. “At least you can reach it from down there,” I hear myself say. Albert starts to eat the cake despite the blood in his mouth. He is a good boy. I look at Edgar. He is pretending to be pleased with his victory. He goads his brother. He is my son. I see in his eyes that he knows he really lost. He will never admit it. No matter how many times it happens. Always the same. Always the fattest son who gets the cake. 

They tell me how much they enjoyed the camp. How they are both over 200 up. I am so proud of them. They look magnificent. They will return next year. I ask Edgar if he saw where the farmhouse used to be. “Edgar, did you see where the farmhouse used to be?” He gets angry with me. He says there never was any damn farmhouse and that I should give it up. “There never was any damn farmhouse. Give it up.” I give it up. Though I know that he is wrong. Jerry died there. So it grows.

Kyle is about to have his last ever conversation with me before his date with an intersection on the outskirts of Monterey. He seems unaware. He is always unaware. Why do I remember? “Are you satisfied with our life here on the Surplus moon?” He asks me. Next he will ask me how I possibly can be when we are trapped like overfed lions in a cage. “How can you possibly be when we are trapped like overfed lions in a cage?” I tell him because I know that I won’t always be there. “Because I know that I won’t always be here.” He asks me if I love him. “Do you love me?” I tell him a hundred times over. “I love you a hundred times over.” He seems satisfied. Then he is gone. So it grows.

I am totally alone. The giant lizard man is back. I ask him why I remember. “Why do I remember?” He smiles at me as his giant jaw begins to dislocate. His belly swells. Everything goes black. Danni screams. I am unstuck.

The oversized coffin is pushed down the church aisle on a trolley. It’s far too heavy for anyone to carry. I am back at my husband's funeral. So it grows. I look waistwards to seeing him again.

www.fatfables.com

[es-draws]

If You Gain Faster, Does It Go to Your Belly?

Strap in folks, we’re going to take a deep dive into the Science of Weight Gain™. And for those impatient readers, the answer is…

Yes! Gaining weight quickly does seem to lead to more belly gains

As a precursor, I am not a doctor or medical researcher. I thought this study was interesting, and wanted to talk about it! But please don't take this as advice. Please don't go and gain based on the information presented here.

Let's start with some definitions. What types of fat are there? There are generally two categories - subcutaneous and visceral. Subcutaneous is the fat we all know and love; the soft fat that forms just under your skin, and is most commonly associated with the appearance of being "fat". This fat can form anywhere on the body, and is generally considered to be the healthier kind of fat. Then there is visceral fat, which is fat that accumulates deep in the abdomen behind the muscle layer. This kind of fat leads to a "ball belly" or "apple" shape, where the midsection is rounded but also firm, since fat is under muscle. Visceral fat surrounds organs, and for that reason is generally considered to have higher health risks.

Next, when you gain weight, what normally contributes to where the weight will go? There's a lot of research that shows this is mostly determined by genetics. What foods you eat, what exercises you do, and other environmental factors contribute little to where the weight goes[1]. In general, people tend to gain more subcutaneous fat than visceral fat[2].

So now to the question at hand - anecdotally among gainers, it's said that if you gain weight quickly, it will go to the belly. Is this true?

Turns out, a study has already been done on this very subject.

Let's talk about the Science™

23 subjects (15 men, 8 women) - all of whom were relatively thin (23.6 BMI) - were placed on an "overfeeding interval" of 8 weeks, where they were given 400–1200 extra calories over their normal intake. This was done in the form of ice cream shakes, snickers bars, or boost meal supplements[3]. In particular, this overfeeding period is similar to a lot of the rapid weight gain methods used in the feedism community.

Participants were weighed daily, and body fat was measured at the beginning and end of the study. Body fat was broken down into 3 categories; visceral fat, upper-body subcutaneous fat (fat around the midsection), and lower-body subcutaneous fat (fat around the butt and thighs).

Here are the results: on average, subjects on average weighed 158 lbs to start, and gained around 8 lbs over two months. On average, they gained 1 lb of visceral fat, 2 lbs of lower body fat, and 4.5 lbs of upper body fat.

What does this mean? It means that during rapid weight gain, over half of the fat gained goes to the belly. But importantly, it goes to subcutaneous fat - the fat directly under the skin that we associate with soft, jiggly bellies. Very little went to the visceral fat associated with firm, round bellies.

Anecdotally, this seems to correlate with what’s commonly seen with rapid weight gain in the feedism community. Most gainers, especially thinner gainers, tend to notice rounder bellies when they first put on weight. But this weight also tends to be soft - often times, gainers can still squeeze and squish their midsection, which seems to prove fat has built up just under the skin. Later, once they've gained more or the weight has settled, the fat may distribute more evenly over the body. Again, this is just anecdotal. But the data seems to support what we see!

There are still some things this study does not answer. There's no data published on biological differences, for example. There are almost double the amount of men compared to women in the study, and AMAB folks are known to gain more upper body weight compared to AFAB folks. We do not know if these participants are gaining in different ways. Also, while subjects were on average at a healthy BMI when the study began, we know that BMI is a flawed metric. It does not mean they were all thin. Some may have been overweight, or may have gained weight or lost weight previously. These factors might also contribute where weight is likely to settle, and we cannot infer from the published data alone.

And though this study shows that gaining weight quickly will lead to belly gains, it doesn’t answer why. For this I have a theory, but that will have to wait for the next installment of the Science of Weight Gain™.

So there you have it! If belly gains are what you’re searching for, gain and gain quickly! But be careful… once you start, it may be hard to stop. And soon you may find that your newly-formed belly is just the start.

[1]There's research showing sugar-dense and high-fat foods leads to more visceral fat gains, but proportionally this is very small compared to genetic or sex factors.

[2]AMAB folks, in particular, are more likely to gain visceral fat.

[3]This study sounds like a feeder's dream and it gets my blood up just reading it. How do I become an official Science Feeder™?

[cosmiccinnabun]

Okay for science, what’s some formative cartoons/media that have shaped any sort of weight gain kink (if you have one!!!!)?? I’m very curious with my revelation now…

[bpod-bpod]

Weight Gain Model

Enzyme called CTPS is key in weight gain from a high-fat diet in a fruit fly model – potential target for controlling obesity in people

Read the published research paper here

Image from work by Jingnan Liu, Yuanbing Zhang and Qiao-Qi Wang, and colleagues

School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China

Image originally published with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Published in eLife, September 2023

You can also follow BPoD on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook

[ihatemakingusernames]

Take me to a buffet and we'll bring a scale and i cant leave until i hit the weight goal you set for me?

As tempting as that sounds... It doesn't seem productive to me. Like yes, I absolutely can shove 10lbs of food into your body but, weight of food going in doesn't necessarily correlate with pounds of fat gained due to the digestive process.

Now, that being said, would I take you to the buffet and stuff you till your already too-tight shirt rolled up on your greedy, pathetic, fat gut like a crop top? Absofuckinglutely.

[scolbert22]

Incident Report

Written based on a photo submission by  @TJtheGuard on Twitter.

Home Owner’s Association Incident Case #58887269342

Reported by HOA Agent Edward Bland (Badge #H438)

At 6:38pm Eastern Standard Time, I was making my rounds when I knocked on the door of a 5875 Poplar Drive. The home was emitting noise levels that were well above the limit outlined by the Home Owner’s Association, specifically Paragraph II, Subheading 4 (Unpermitted Recreational Noise After 2:00 PM).  Homeowners Ralph and Garrett O’Malley.

 (The following is a transcript of the exchange that led to the Incident herein reported.)

GO: Hey, Kev-! Oh sorry, you’re not Kevin!

Agent Bland: Good Evening, Mr. O’Malley. I’m Agent Bland of the Home Owner’s Association. 

GO: Oh, Hi there. Let me get my dad, he owns the place

(After 48 seconds, GO Returns with RO)

RO: Hi there, what’s this about? We paid our dues by mail this month, was there an issue?

Agent Bland: No sir, I’m here about the noise level on your premises. It’s above the maximum noise levels permitted after 2 PM by the HOA Guidelines.

RO: Oh, I’m sorry, we weren’t meaning to bother anyone. Has someone complained?

Agent Bland: No one has complained as of yet, but-

RO: Well, Agent Bland, would you be willing to let it slide just this once? I mean its the super bowl, my son is off from college. We won’t bother anyone, I promise!

Agent Bland:  I understand Mr. O’ Malley, but as I’m sure you are aware you signed a contract promising not to disrupt the peace of this neighborhood, and you are currently in violation of that contract.

GO: Dude, can’t you lighten up a little? It’s not like We’re playing metal music or something, it’s just a football game.

Agent Bland: I’m sorry Sir, but there are no exceptions permitted in the HOA Guidelines.

GO: Who cares? That’s the dumbest [EXPLETIVE] I’ve ever heard in my life!

Agent Bland: Please calm down Sir, or I’ll be given no choice but to-

RO: Are you [EXPLETIVE] threatening my son? Get the [EXPLETIVE] off my property, we aren’t hurting anyone.

Agent Bland: Sir, is this verbal confirmation that you do not intend to correct your violation of HOA Guidlines?

RO: This is my  [EXPLETIVE] verbal confirmation that I’ll be as loud as I [EXPLETIVE] please on my own  [EXPLETIVE] property!

(At this point it became clear that the homeowners were hostile, so I utilized the HKM Mark 7 Personality Neutralizer at Subject RO. After a preliminary scan of the subject, the HKM Mark 7 Personality Neutralizer  elected to neutralize subject’s aggression, intelligence, and free will. The subject’s athleticism was also neutralized, causing significant weight gain and wardrobe alteration.  HKM Mark 7 Personality Neutralizer inadvertently fired twice, doubling the effect. Subject GO reacted extremely.)

GO: Dad! What happened to you?!

RO: [UNINTELLIGIBLE]

GO: What did you do to my dad? He’s drooling! Change him back! I’ll [EXPLETIVE] kill you!

(I was forced to once again discharge the HKM Mark 7 Personality Neutralizer, this time at subject GO. Subject experienced a similar effect to RO, including altered wardrobe and weight, but appeared to have a better grip on his mental faculties post blast. The HKM Mark 7 Personality Neutralizer fired only once )

GO: What the fudge did you do to us? fudge. Why do I keep saying fudge instead of fudge?

RO:  fudge

Agent Bland: Agents of the HOA are licensed to neutralize hostile personalities in the event of a confrontation.

GO: Please fix my father mister, I would be very grateful

Agent Bland: It’s regrettable what happened to your father young man, but unfortunately in order to have a personality neutralization reversed, you must file a request with the Home Owner’s Association Office between the hours of 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM, Monday through Thursday.

GO: (SILENT FOR SEVERAL SECONDS) What do we do now?

Agent Bland: Why don’t the two of you turn off the TV and work on a jigsaw puzzle? It’s a good way, HOA approved way to pass the time, and you’ll be in bed by 8:30.

GO: Okay Sir, you have a nice day. Come on Father, let’s do as the Agent says.

RO: Puzzle 

(End of Transcript.)

I am recommending no further disciplinary action at this time, but continued monitoring of 5875 Poplar Drive until such time as the HOA has determined Subjects have permanently ceased disruptive activity.

[vamptastic]

it's kinda weird that when you look at health recommendations for various medical conditions associated with fatness it's always 'just lose 10% of your body weight to see a risk reduction' (so like 20-30 pounds for the average overweight or obese person according to the bmi) but then in day to day medicine there's not really a way of like, removing obesity as a diagnosis on your insurance paperwork for example, even if by a certain standard you've lost enough weight to reduce the risk of health conditions that insurance would be concerned about. if you're an average height weighing 300 pounds and lose 30 pounds, which seems to be the amount that's considered reasonable to lose and maintain if you want to like, reduce your cholesterol, you've gone from morbidly obese to morbidly obese.

[aspiring-feeder]

I love science based feedism. It’s fun to study how the body works so you can still gain in a semi healthy way. It’s fun to study all the anatomical aspects too

[lifeinkinder]

Squish won't sleep unless she's inclined. Sleeping flat isn't an option for her. I'm guessing because she has reflux but y'all it's hard. Her preferred location is on my chest. Sometimes the bouncer will work. Rarely the swing will suffice. She likes sleeping in the twin z pillow but that makes me so uncomfortable because safe sleep.

But it's currently 1:30 in the morning and she's sleeping for the first time since I started trying to get her and Little Man to bed at 7:45. And the only reason she's sleeping is because I gave up and came to the living room and put her in the twin z. Obviously, I'm sitting right here, wide awake, but it still like the worst option.

Her brother however is peacefully sleeping in his crib. And likely will be until his 4am feeding because that's the one that's a struggle to get him back to sleep after.