generally, yes.

i really think that if you want to get good answers on nutrition and weight gain.. you should go to a forum like bodybuilding.com and ask people make nutrition and bodyfat management a lifestyle. people on a porn messageboard (myself included) aren't going to give you the most well qualified info. everyone gives advice based on personal perspective and there is always quite a bit of individuality to results, methods etc. if you read a site like bodybuilding.com, you will instantly see a few things... 1) its not so simple... and 2) ... people that have been playing with and tweaking their diets for years, are still playing and tweaking, 3) there are many very qualified people with degrees in nutrition and medical related feilds AND have practical experience to help you and 4) people will need details. specific details about diet, habits, exercise etc to be able to help.

losing weight is one thing... trying to increase your bodyfat without paying proper attention to how you are doing it can result in unintended consequences like jacking up your cholesterol for example. most likely you will be able to achieve your goals by increasing your calories and fat intake. but that requires a solid understanding of what you are doing now, what you are eating, where your calories are coming from so that adjustments can be made.

your situation is not unique. just in the same way you are finding it hard to gain weight (fat), there are endless male aspiring bodybuilders for example on these forums who have a hard time gaining muscle... its usually happening for the exact same reasons and you will find that the dietary issues and solutions for both cases will be similar.

I hear that a lot from people who have to watch their weight. But trust me, it's a struggle on my end too. I guess the grass is always greener no matter what side of the fence you are on...

Anyway, I'm turning 32 next month. I did noticed that when I hit about 27-28, my metabolism started slowing down a bit and for the first time in my life, I was able to get up to my ideal weight. But in the last year or so I have lost weight again. I sometimes drop down to a point where I have zero energy and just feel like total crap in general, and it takes me weeks to gain any of it back. But then I seem to reach a point where I just top out, like I can add on pounds up until that certain weight and then I just stop gaining even though my eating habits haven't changed. It's strange...

First off seeking health advice from here is not a good probly not a good idea. But if you want to gain weight, soda will do it. If I dont drink soda for a week I loose 10 pounds. If I drink it I gain 10 pounds.

You are better off getting your bodyfat % checked out. Women should be around 15-17%.

If you serious wanna bulk up then the quickest way to gain weight is taking high calorie supplements that are high in carbs. Ive seen some that have serving sizes of like 3000 calories per drink!