Can't get my calories

Jobygains

I've been deaperately trying to gain weight and my goal is to eat roughly 3400 calories daily. The issue is I can't seem to get there before I fall asleep. I'm literally not hungry enough to do it, any suggestions?

Manga23

It's not that difficult to eat a lot of calories.

If you want to gain weight fast aim for around 700–1,000 calories above your maintenance level. Or you can start with 300-500 to see what happens.

Eat plenty of high-carb and high-fat foods if weight gain is a priority for you. It is best to eat plenty of protein, fat and carbs at each meal.



Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts, etc.Dried fruit: Raisins, dates, prunes and others.High-fat dairy: Whole milk, full-fat yogurt, cheese, cream.Fats and oils: Extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil.Grains: Whole grains like oats and brown rice.Meat: Chicken, beef, pork, lamb, etc. Choose fattier cuts.Tubers: Potatoes, sweet potatoes and yams.Dark chocolate, avocados, peanut butter, coconut milk, granola, trail mixes.

Many of these foods are very filling and high in calories as well 🤪
Good luck

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nkzard

Manga23 wrote: »

It's not that difficult to eat a lot of calories.

If you want to gain weight fast aim for around 700–1,000 calories above your maintenance level. Or you can start with 300-500 to see what happens.

Good luck

Great advice from Manga, nice to see some actual good advice on hear from time to time.

shaf238

Manga23 wrote: »

It's not that difficult to eat a lot of calories.

If you want to gain weight fast aim for around 700–1,000 calories above your maintenance level. Or you can start with 300-500 to see what happens.

Eat plenty of high-carb and high-fat foods if weight gain is a priority for you. It is best to eat plenty of protein, fat and carbs at each meal.



Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts, etc.Dried fruit: Raisins, dates, prunes and others.High-fat dairy: Whole milk, full-fat yogurt, cheese, cream.Fats and oils: Extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil.Grains: Whole grains like oats and brown rice.Meat: Chicken, beef, pork, lamb, etc. Choose fattier cuts.Tubers: Potatoes, sweet potatoes and yams.Dark chocolate, avocados, peanut butter, coconut milk, granola, trail mixes.

Many of these foods are very filling and high in calories as well 🤪
Good luck

Pretty much nailed it. Look for high calorie foods and if it helps, break your goal down by the number of meals so it gives you a smaller target each time you eat. For example, if you eat 5 meals a day, know that you're aiming for 680 cals per meal (based on 3400 goal) which sounds much more achievable.

sardelsa

This thread is very helpful

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10326769/are-you-a-hard-gainer-please-read/p1

Ive made high calorie smoothies to help me reach my goals in the past which was similar to your intake.

PAV8888

Once all the good stuff such as lean proteins and veggies have been consumed throughout the day... are late night or early breakfast cheesecake and cookies allowed? 'cause... I can hit ANY number with cheesecake decorated with some cookies! And let's not talk about Whole Foods' carrot cake with icing!

deannalfisher

ice cream! lol! but all kidding aside - calorie dense foods are the winner winner chicken dinner options

ninerbuff

Peanut butter, avocados, and chocolate do it for me.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Jobygains

Thank you for all your responses! I read through them all and went out and bought most the foods suggested. I also began meal prepping and set timers for 8 meals a day every 2 hours, 425 calories per meal. I might end up adjusting this as 8 meals seems like a lot, but the smaller portion sizes seems easier to achieve. Before I was just eating when I was hungry and by the end of the night I was trying to cram the rest of the calories down, I was throwing up every night. I never realized how little I ate until I started tracking my calories. I average about 1100 calories a day when I don't watch my diet, so 3400 is a huge increase, but I'm tired of being small.

Manga23

Jobygains wrote: »

Thank you for all your responses! I read through them all and went out and bought most the foods suggested. I also began meal prepping and set timers for 8 meals a day every 2 hours, 425 calories per meal. I might end up adjusting this as 8 meals seems like a lot, but the smaller portion sizes seems easier to achieve. Before I was just eating when I was hungry and by the end of the night I was trying to cram the rest of the calories down, I was throwing up every night. I never realized how little I ate until I started tracking my calories. I average about 1100 calories a day when I don't watch my diet, so 3400 is a huge increase, but I'm tired of being small.

😭😱 OMG 1100 calories !!! That's at least what your body needs to get al organs function when you're in coma 🤣 Take good care of yourself

cupcakesandproteinshakes

Jobygains wrote: »

Thank you for all your responses! I read through them all and went out and bought most the foods suggested. I also began meal prepping and set timers for 8 meals a day every 2 hours, 425 calories per meal. I might end up adjusting this as 8 meals seems like a lot, but the smaller portion sizes seems easier to achieve. Before I was just eating when I was hungry and by the end of the night I was trying to cram the rest of the calories down, I was throwing up every night. I never realized how little I ate until I started tracking my calories. I average about 1100 calories a day when I don't watch my diet, so 3400 is a huge increase, but I'm tired of being small.

I sympathise. It’s hard to eat if you don’t have much of an appetite. I guess you just have to keep eating even when you aren’t hungry. My mother in law lost her appetite when ill and really struggled to gain weight.

The others have posted good suggestions. Liquid calories are good as they tend not to be too filling and it’s easy to whip up a 500 plus calorie shake with full fat milk and peanut butter and protein powder. Good luck.

dallsop417

Suggestions above are all good and best way to gain weight but I too found it hard to eat that many calories during the day, both through not being hungry/too full to eat more, and due to not being practical cooking and time wise. After going around a food store and looking at calories in certain foods I have found some cheats..........full fat whole milk has already been mentioned but will mention it again as it gets overlooked. 1lt is just over 600 calories so easy to drink throughout the day and even 2lt for extra 1200 calories. Plus it adds lots of protein and calcium. You can make your own protein shakes with 300ml milk, some oats, peanut butter, honey, banana, and maybe olive oil to give you around 650 calories. Bread is another good way to add calories with each medium slice being around 100 calories so 2 slices with each 5 meals a day adds extra 1000 calories and that’s easy to do!!!!! One average size banana is around 100 calories so easy between meal snack. When really pushing for calories but feeling lazy, I get a box selection of 36 biscuits that totals 2200 calories!!!! Easy to spread 36 biscuits throughout the day, but not every day. I also sometimes get a 400g pack of cooked cocktail sausages to snack on which is 1100 calories a day. Putting on lots of calories, if no appetite, is easy if you don’t mind doing it in an unhealthy way but try to add some cheat food with proper healthy meals when possible and not just unhealthy for calories but ignore everything else your body needs. See how you get on with adding milk, bananas, peanut butter, and the suggestion other here have made and then look at biscuits and cheat food if still struggling.

dallsop417

For anyone living in the U.K., I’ve just been to Asda and found they do a cheap cheese and onion sandwich for £1 and has 508 calories and around 15g protein. Easy and cheap snack to add on the calories, and proteins not bad too!!!

watts6151

Large tub of Nutella and a spoon, job done 😂

lamteck

It’s simple, not easy
Use a blender, mix milk powder, oats, 3 tsp peanut butter, banana, one egg, a tsp of honey... in a 300ml of water.
Take one shot at 7am and a another at 9pm... this will add up 2000 on your daily calorie intake.

RepswithRyan

I have the opposite issue..

Coconut oil, nuts, nut butter, whole milk, thick tiger bread, rice, etc.

go52182

Omg I could do so much with 3400 calories I'm over here staying at 1500 to lose