How do you get all your calories in?
joyputnam04
Posts: 14 Member
I average about 700-800 calories a day, while I should be getting 1200. I have added sugar free peanut butter to my morning protein smoothie, but am still coming up short. For lunch I eat chicken breast or fish with lots of veggies. Dinner is a struggle, as I'm just not hungry at night. Advice?
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Replies
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Why do you think you ate too much previously when now you are on a starvation diet and find it difficult to eat which if you continue down this path, won't end well? Obviously, eat more. Add a few hundred more calories to the two meals you are eating would probably be the easiest fix.9
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I’m going to assume from the amount of weight lost, stated in your other post, that you are well aware of weighing and tracking foods pretty accurately.
I’d start with getting rid of the sugar free peanut butter and going the full Monty.
There’s less need for “diet” type foods if you’d trying to get calories up.
@AnnPT77 gave you excellent suggestions in your other post.
Don’t let the pendulum swing too far in the other direction, and replace one issue with another. I came very close to that and chose to put some weight back on.
You don’t indicate your height, but for 136 + personal training (indicating weights) that would be pretty low unless you are fairly short. I’m 5’7” and in the upper 120’s, I was freaking scary. My trainer began with subtle hints, eat more, you’re too thin, until she finally laid it out that she’d dump me if I didn’t. She also sent a photo taken of me from behind that I still think of as the Grandaddy Longlegs picture. Tough love worked.3 -
I kind of get the feeling you're just looking for some kind of drama here...which...no one wants.
You know about food, you know how calories work. Eat more of anything you want. Cheese, red meat, fatty fish, oils. A cookie. Pizza.15 -
Bacon usually works3
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No context in OP’s post so no point- just eat more2
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Per her other post, she’s had substantial weight loss. 200+ if memory serves.
As a new member and poster, this may be her first time reaching out.
Hooray and mucho hugs for you and the sincere effort that took, but take the reins in hand. Don’t harm yourself in the process.1 -
springlering62 wrote: »Per her other post, she’s had substantial weight loss. 200+ if memory serves.
As a new member and posted, this may be her first time reaching out.
Hooray and mucho hugs for you and the sincere effort that took, but take the reins in hand. Don’t harm yourself in the process.
To add to the above, I think the point azuki might have been making is that she said in previous posts she lost 160 pounds, is now at 136 and wants to still lose another 25+. She hasn't given us any more than that.
@joyputnum04, How tall are you? Are you currently working? Do you have a medical team who is following your weight loss? If not, I'd suggest you start there. You're teetering on eating-disorder-thinking, it seems like. Posting about 600-800 calorie days (her other thread said 600-800) is pretty triggering for people who have eating disorders, and we are all saying, "You got to 300 pounds, you've lost more than half your weight and - Be Careful Now. You could hurt yourself by under-eating."
You can eat a whole lot more than 1200, I would guess. Your personal trainer should NOT be your nutrition Guide. You need to eat, and you're overly restrictive with your food. Please talk to a medical professional about your current nutritional needs before you create long-term physical and/or mental disorders.4 -
I am 5'2. My body fat percentage is 39%, so I'm trying to get that down. Some context: I had the Gastric Bypass is 2015 and cannot eat very much because my stomach is so small. I feel like I eat and eat, but can't reach my calorie goal. Simply saying "eat more" is not realistic for me.3
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Also, I can't eat foods like pizza or bacon because even a little makes me throw up.1
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If you can’t increase your calories by increasing volume then you need to concentrate on calorie dense foods. So you can get the right number of calories and better nutrition from a lower volume of food.
Nut butters, nuts, seeds, avocado, cheese, fats in general.4 -
Ah, so more information, and now it makes sense. Are you working with a registered dietitian with your surgeon’s office as part of aftercare?
They would be the people to speak with. Do you have a local bariatric support group that you connect with?
As previous posters have said, adding one or two calorie dense foods you can tolerate throughout the day is the way to go.
What those foods are for you, I’m not sure.
A couple tablespoons of PB or other nut butter is 200ish calories, which would put you a bit closer to 1200.2 -
Unfortunately my insurance doesn't cover RD, and it only covered 6mo of aftercare at the bariatric office. A support group would be helpful, thanks for the suggestion. Thank you to the posters that suggested adding a couple calorie dense foods I may be able to tolerate. I am sorry, didn't mean to start drama, I know I need more calories and that's why I asked the question.5
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joyputnam04 wrote: »I am 5'2. My body fat percentage is 39%, so I'm trying to get that down. Some context: I had the Gastric Bypass is 2015 and cannot eat very much because my stomach is so small. I feel like I eat and eat, but can't reach my calorie goal. Simply saying "eat more" is not realistic for me.
The way to do that, at 5'2" and 136 pounds (BMI 24.9), even with 39% body fat, is now relatively slow weight loss - eating just a little under current maintenance calories, if you can possibly get there.
If you lose fat fast (large calorie deficit, which you're probably currently at), you severely limit any possibility of your workouts allowing you to gain muscle mass. I'm sure that's where your trainer's advice is coming from. If you simply lose fat mass and gain no muscle mass, that isn't an ideal outcome either.
If you can find a way to eat enough to slow fat loss way down, get enough protein and other nutrients, and follow a disciplined strength-training program, you significantly increase your chances of reaching a truly healthy body composition, at a lower body fat percentage, but not under-muscled.
Muscle gain is always a slow thing, requiring patience. The bigger the calorie deficit, the slower it will go.
Folks have given you good advice about what to eat. It's excellent advice to consult a dietitian. If you're having difficulty tolerating higher-fat foods digestively, perhaps you can gradually increase the fat content in small increments. Ditto for increasing sugars to increase calories. As an observation, blackstrap molasses - if you enjoy the flavor - is a nice source of simple-carb calories (sugars) that also has useful amounts of key micronutrients. (I'm mentioning this because you're obviously striving to be health-conscious in your choices.) Small amounts of calorie-dense foods multiple times over the day sounds like the way to go.
You've shown tremendous dedication and discipline so far, but it sounds like you've reached the point where a change in mindset is essential, in order to make the slightly different type of healthful progress you need now.
Changing mindset is really hard, but keeping your focus on health (not just fat loss) may be key going forward. If that proves difficult for you - as I can imagine it might - then I endorse others' ideas of seeking out some form of therapy/counseling to help you with that. There should be no more stigma attached to that than consulting a dietitian about nutrition, or a personal trainer about workout routines. Therapists/counselors are the professionals who help us when we need help with thought patterns and mindset. (Yes, I've consulted a psychologist in the past for help myself, though it was with a different sort of issue.)
You've come so far - good for you, in all senses! - I'm sure you can go this last stretch, to great success. I'm cheering for you from the sidelines!5 -
joyputnam04 wrote: »I am 5'2. My body fat percentage is 39%, so I'm trying to get that down. Some context: I had the Gastric Bypass is 2015 and cannot eat very much because my stomach is so small. I feel like I eat and eat, but can't reach my calorie goal. Simply saying "eat more" is not realistic for me.
You need to eat higher calorie foods. You know this. I don't want to be mean, but don't pretend. You know perfectly well that if you eat a bunch of vegetables, you won't get enough calories in. So stop.3 -
joyputnam04 wrote: »I am 5'2. My body fat percentage is 39%, so I'm trying to get that down. Some context: I had the Gastric Bypass is 2015 and cannot eat very much because my stomach is so small. I feel like I eat and eat, but can't reach my calorie goal. Simply saying "eat more" is not realistic for me.
If simply 'more' is not an option, how about more frequently? More snacking would be my suggestion.0 -
Here is an article from Mayo Clinic on how to eat post gastric bypass surgery, both short and long term. It advises concentrating on protein, eating those calories first, and avoiding high fat and high sugar foods entirely. It also suggests eating slowly, eating several meals a day, spaced out, and ensuring you take supplements. I am sure there are other reputable health institutes with guides on line that might provide more specific guidance. I am guessing the guidance on calorie intake post-gastric bypass is somewhat different than for people whose stomachs are the normal size, so eating a very low calorie diet might not be as extreme as it otherwise sounds. getting all your calories in then might be an issue of spacing out meals, eating slowly and in the right order to get the best combination of nutrients in? https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/gastric-bypass-surgery/in-depth/gastric-bypass-diet/art-200484722
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1. It sounds like your hunger cues are messed up - and eating far too few calories can affect this. 1200 is likely too low for you (but without knowing your personal stats, I don't know that for sure - but it is for most women). So I'd start by recalculating your estimate of how many calories per day is maintenance for you and recalculating your deficit from there.
2. If you are having trouble still with hunger cues and need more calories - you will have to add more calorie dense foods or ingredients to your dishes. Are you currently using 'lite'/'light'/'fat free'/'diet' versions of anything (butter, yogurt, cheese, etc.....) --- use the regular stuff. Things like nuts/seeds/dried fruits all are calorie dense for a lower volume of food. Peanut butter (or other nut butters) and olive oil added to sauces/soups can help too.0 -
The easiest way I have found to sneak in calories is - preparing food in olive oil. 1 tablespoon is 120 calories. Making chicken breast or fish? Sauté in your favorite oil.3
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How about trying to create the PERFECT daily menu on paper first. Make it balanced, nutritional, complete and as close to on the nose calorie wise. Then try eating it. For you a snack based eating plan might be better than full meals. Get your system on track with in taking and digesting food during all waking hours, cutting off 4 hours before sleep. Keep your body to a regular sleep schedule, maintaining at least 8 hours of continual rest at night. Make certain your micro nutrients are in balance, by eating varied foods. Eliminate processed foods. Move towards clean, whole food. Choose fatty fish like salmon over cod, choose 4% yogurt over fat free, Select a whole egg over egg whites, select varied added oils to include not just one. Look to the food pyramid and try to get it all in. Try adding whole nuts as an appetizer to each meal. We take one Brazil nut, one almond and one walnut with each meal. Be sure to drink your water throughout the day.0
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DebbsSeattle wrote: »How about trying to create the PERFECT daily menu on paper first. Make it balanced, nutritional, complete and as close to on the nose calorie wise. Then try eating it. For you a snack based eating plan might be better than full meals. Get your system on track with in taking and digesting food during all waking hours, cutting off 4 hours before sleep. Keep your body to a regular sleep schedule, maintaining at least 8 hours of continual rest at night. Make certain your micro nutrients are in balance, by eating varied foods. Eliminate processed foods. Move towards clean, whole food. Choose fatty fish like salmon over cod, choose 4% yogurt over fat free, Select a whole egg over egg whites, select varied added oils to include not just one. Look to the food pyramid and try to get it all in. Try adding whole nuts as an appetizer to each meal. We take one Brazil nut, one almond and one walnut with each meal. Be sure to drink your water throughout the day.
I'd quibble with quite a bit of this (the "giant revolution that's theoretically ideal" approach), but I don't want to dilute this particular message:
Don't eat 3 brazil nuts every day. Please don't.
Brazil nuts are very high in selenium: 68-91 mcg per nut.
According to the USDA, the tolerable upper limit for adults is 400 mcg per day. Three nuts is pushing that limit, and other common foods contain meaningful amounts of selenium.
Eating quite a few brazil nuts once in a while may be fine. Eating enough of them to flirt with levels considered potentially toxic, and doing that routinely - bad idea.
Whole foods, natural foods - good stuff. That's not the same as saying they can't be overdone, to our detriment. Brazil nuts are one to be cautious with. An ounce of them - 6-8 nuts - is well over the tolerable upper limit for selenium.
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Selenium-HealthProfessional/
P.S. The food pyramid is out of date. The "MyPlate" approach that's now current has some good stuff, once you dig beyond the hyper-simplified graphic on the main page. Most of its critics don't go beyond the simple meme-ified graphic. There's more to it.
https://www.myplate.gov/4 -
Even if you aren't hungry at night...eat anyway if you need the calories. Eventually it will become a habit and you will start to get hungry at that time. If food is physically hurting to eat, I recommend taking an antacid.
I second the high-fat foods thing - fats have the most calories at 9 calories per gram. So nuts, full-fat dairy, are good options.0 -
Instead of eating more at meals . Increase caloric intake with snacks1
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springlering62 wrote: »I’m going to assume from the amount of weight lost, stated in your other post, that you are well aware of weighing and tracking foods pretty accurately.
I’d start with getting rid of the sugar free peanut butter and going the full Monty.
There’s less need for “diet” type foods if you’d trying to get calories up.
@AnnPT77 gave you excellent suggestions in your other post.
Don’t let the pendulum swing too far in the other direction, and replace one issue with another. I came very close to that and chose to put some weight back on.
You don’t indicate your height, but for 136 + personal training (indicating weights) that would be pretty low unless you are fairly short. I’m 5’7” and in the upper 120’s, I was freaking scary. My trainer began with subtle hints, eat more, you’re too thin, until she finally laid it out that she’d dump me if I didn’t. She also sent a photo taken of me from behind that I still think of as the Grandaddy Longlegs picture. Tough love worked.
I think you're confusing low fat peanut butter, which IS a low calorie food, with sugar-free peanut butter, which is not. Sugar-free PB has more peanuts, which are calorie dense.
But I definitely agree with eating less diet foods as a way to get calories up. Chicken thighs instead of chicken breast. Fatty fish (or red meat) instead of lower fat fish. Snacks. Etc.1 -
DebbsSeattle wrote: »How about trying to create the PERFECT daily menu on paper first. Make it balanced, nutritional, complete and as close to on the nose calorie wise. Then try eating it. For you a snack based eating plan might be better than full meals. Get your system on track with in taking and digesting food during all waking hours, cutting off 4 hours before sleep. Keep your body to a regular sleep schedule, maintaining at least 8 hours of continual rest at night. Make certain your micro nutrients are in balance, by eating varied foods. Eliminate processed foods. Move towards clean, whole food. Choose fatty fish like salmon over cod, choose 4% yogurt over fat free, Select a whole egg over egg whites, select varied added oils to include not just one. Look to the food pyramid and try to get it all in. Try adding whole nuts as an appetizer to each meal. We take one Brazil nut, one almond and one walnut with each meal. Be sure to drink your water throughout the day.
I'll quibble with it. First off, there's no actual agreed on idea of what a healthy way of eating is. Most of this is too complicated for anybody to stick to in real life. We're all just trying to survive day to day, and a lot of these clean/healthy eating advocates seem to not understand that if you go to work at 6 am, get home at 7:30 pm, try to take care of everything else in life, it's just not realistic to be that detailed on what you eat. He'll, I don't even have 4 hours between the time I get home and the time I go to bed, so sorry, I'm gonna eat my dinner when I'm ready to....1 -
sollyn23l2 wrote: »DebbsSeattle wrote: »How about trying to create the PERFECT daily menu on paper first. Make it balanced, nutritional, complete and as close to on the nose calorie wise. Then try eating it. For you a snack based eating plan might be better than full meals. Get your system on track with in taking and digesting food during all waking hours, cutting off 4 hours before sleep. Keep your body to a regular sleep schedule, maintaining at least 8 hours of continual rest at night. Make certain your micro nutrients are in balance, by eating varied foods. Eliminate processed foods. Move towards clean, whole food. Choose fatty fish like salmon over cod, choose 4% yogurt over fat free, Select a whole egg over egg whites, select varied added oils to include not just one. Look to the food pyramid and try to get it all in. Try adding whole nuts as an appetizer to each meal. We take one Brazil nut, one almond and one walnut with each meal. Be sure to drink your water throughout the day.
I'll quibble with it. First off, there's no actual agreed on idea of what a healthy way of eating is. Most of this is too complicated for anybody to stick to in real life. We're all just trying to survive day to day, and a lot of these clean/healthy eating advocates seem to not understand that if you go to work at 6 am, get home at 7:30 pm, try to take care of everything else in life, it's just not realistic to be that detailed on what you eat. He'll, I don't even have 4 hours between the time I get home and the time I go to bed, so sorry, I'm gonna eat my dinner when I'm ready to....
Well, there is what would be considered a healthier lifestyle that would include as far as food is concerned, more whole foods replacing ultra processed and ultra palatable foods. Specific dietary plans are individual of course and could be debated. imo1 -
I believe in the philosophy of “It’s Better Than It Was Before”.
Small changes add up, and each “mindful” change is better than it was the week or day before.
You don’t have to have a “PERFECT” daily meal plan. Far from it. I check my seven day averages and if they’re relatively close to goal, I’m OK with that. I’m not about to fight them on a day to day basis. And I say that as an OCD, perfectionist. You gotta choose your battles.
@sollyn23l2 you sound like my daughter. She’s up at 4:30 am to catch the bus for the hour ride to work, where she meets her work crew for a shared 45 minute ride to a rural job site before they’re even on the clock. It’s often 6 before she even gets home, and she goes to bed by 8:30.
(She’s an apprentice, and will hopefully be off this job site in a few months, and off this “use & abuse” cycle once she completes her apprenticeship.)
Yet, she’s managed to use MFP to lose a pants size.
I guess it’s all based on desire to succeed, and creatively and thoughtfully working around your challenges.
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If you need more calories, but don't have the hunger for them, you need calorie-dense foods. Nuts are oils are good for this. You can drink your calories as well, that's another method....shakes, juice, etc.0
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I'm going to give you some advice based on what I did through the years of intentional weight gain. First I want to mention that you probably find it so difficult right now because you aren't used to eating large volumes and your stomach is small so you get full quickly. You can expand your stomach but it's going to take some effort and be uncomfortable for a while. You'll need to be patient. Here's some of the things I did.
• Eat Quickly!
I know this is a difficult one when your stomach is still small and you’re not used to it. I promise it gets easier after a while. Your stomach will signal to your brain when you’re full, telling you to stop eating. This makes it uncomfortable to keep eating past fullness. You need to eat quicker so that your brain receives the fullness signal after you’ve already eaten past fullness. Eliminate any distractions and focus on scarfing down your meal as fast as you can! Note: at a certain point this has the potential to make you vomit, so once you’re used to eating quicker, I wouldn’t try finishing a large meal in less than 5-10 minutes. This is only meant to get your body used to larger volumes of food at first.
• Eat Less Filling Foods
With this one, I recommend it only to a certain point. You don’t want to be gorging on Doritos and ice cream all day because these highly processed foods tend to lack adequate nutrition and can make you feel sick in large quantities. However, while trying to gain weight it’s best not to fill up on nothing but veggies, either. I suggest things like natural juices, yogurt, soups, smoothies, nuts & seeds, French fries, dried fruit, and avocados. They won’t make you feel full too quickly and you’ll be able to eat more of them, therefore getting in more calories.
• Sneak In Extra Calories
There are many ways in which you can consume more calories without really feeling like you’re eating a lot. Butter and oils are a couple of my favorites. Just add a little extra than you normally would. Olive oil alone contains 120 calories in just a single tablespoon!
Another way to sneak in those calories is to use more condiments. Remember, it’s easiest to eat more when you don’t really feel like your consumption has increased dramatically.
A fantastic way to consume more calories and also get adequate protein is to make your own smoothies. If you don’t already have a blender, I highly recommend investing in one. It doesn’t have to be too fancy or expensive! Just a basic kitchen blender from Walmart works well enough. Get a protein powder that you can actually stand the taste of, and add in milk, fresh or frozen fruit, Greek yogurt, seeds, nuts, nut butter, anything you can think of! Liquid calories are way less filling and it’s so easy to meet your protein requirements with a delicious homemade smoothie!
• A Few Personal Tips
One of the things that made my weight gain journey easier was to finish as much of my plate as I could, but sometimes there would be a few more bites left that I just couldn’t stomach. In relentless determination, I would shovel a big bite into my mouth, chew good and thorough, then take a huge gulp of water to force it down. Think of it like you’re taking a pill. You could even do this a few times until your plate is completely clean. I suggest only doing this once you’re already full because the extra liquid can make your stomach expand before you’re truly full with food. Another personal favorite of mine is to add hemp seeds to everything. Hemp seeds contain 166 calories for just 3 tablespoons, as well as 9.5 grams of protein, 15 grams of healthy fats, plus fiber, iron, and vitamin B6. I love the nutty, smooth flavor they have on their own, but what’s especially attractive about hemp seeds is that they are so versatile! They blend seamlessly with practically everything. Even if you don’t like the flavor, you can easily cover it up in a variety of foods. Try putting them in your smoothies!
Obviously I'm well-versed in the subject and I'm happy to provide more insight and support if you want. Feel free to add me, too.
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joyputnam04 wrote: »I average about 700-800 calories a day, while I should be getting 1200. I have added sugar free peanut butter to my morning protein smoothie, but am still coming up short. For lunch I eat chicken breast or fish with lots of veggies. Dinner is a struggle, as I'm just not hungry at night. Advice?
I too have the same "problem". Eat lots of fruits, veggies, and not hungry in the evenings. So, dinner is mostly a small snack for me. My calories come up to around 850 through the day so I "reverse cheat" logging my food in MFP. Just repeat some of the food that I have eaten for breakfast or lunch. That's it.
p.s: I read other replies after posting this and now I'm worried about my calories
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joyputnam04 wrote: »I average about 700-800 calories a day, while I should be getting 1200. I have added sugar free peanut butter to my morning protein smoothie, but am still coming up short. For lunch I eat chicken breast or fish with lots of veggies. Dinner is a struggle, as I'm just not hungry at night. Advice?
I too have the same "problem". Eat lots of fruits, veggies, and not hungry in the evenings. So, dinner is mostly a small snack for me. My calories come up to around 850 through the day so I "reverse cheat" logging my food in MFP. Just repeat some of the food that I have eaten for breakfast or lunch. That's it.
p.s: I read other replies after posting this and now I'm worried about my calories
You should be, unless you have some very specific health conditions that justify it and appropriate medical follow-up, you aren't eating nearly enough and are seriously endangering your health.3
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