Getting enough calories

Deejayry

Hi All.

I'm Male in my mid thirties and I'm pretty active, I climb 2-3 times per week, do lots of hiking, scrambling mountaineering ect. I weigh around 56-58 kg, I have always been the same weight since bout 18 years old, it doesn't seem to matter how much or little I eat!
I have an incredibly variable appetite, sometimes I eat very big meals, which don't even touch the sides and then find myself snacking for the rest of the day. Then to the other extreme, (which is how I have been for the last month) where I barely eat half of a meal & don't snack at all, during this time I often feel hungry, but cannot bring myself to eat, often feeling nauseous if i do force myself.

A few years ago I was quite concerned about my diet as it had been several months since I last was able to eat properly, so I went to see my GP who was incredibly dismissive telling me that grown men do not get eating disorders and offered me no help whatsoever.

I don't really want to gain weight, as being light is beneficial to me as a climber, but i do want to try to get enough calories in during the times where i struggle to eat.

I also find that even when i am eating well I often do not actually meet my recommended intake of calories.

Any advice?

TavistockToad

Add in more calorie dense foods - you don't need a lot of volume to get a good number of calories - peanut butter for example.

do you log on here? if so opening your diary might help so people can give you some ideas?

dopeysmelly

If your weight is stable and you're comfortable with what it is (don't feel weak etc.), then the problem doesn't appear to be getting enough calories. It sounds that you are successfully regulating yourself through appetite to maintain weight over time, which is perfectly fine. DH often has a variable appetite as well, and as far as I know, that's OK as long as you enjoy what you eat and are getting enough macro- and micro-nutrients.

It does seem that, however, you are concerned. I think keeping a diary of not only what you eat for a while, but also how you feel and whether you enjoyed what you ate might be something you could try. You can add comments in the notes section of the food diary.

I would be careful to weigh food and check entries in the database for accuracy - just as if you were trying to lose. And I wouldn't worry too much about what you do day by day, but have a look over a week or even a month.

Good luck.

Deejayry

Thanks so far guys,

I do log my food on here & sync with Garmin Connect to add in my activities etc. I try to log as accurately as possible, but don't manage to log everything I eat, and often cannot get exact ingredients for some of the home made foods not cooked by myself.

I'll make my diary public once i have finished this post.