Advice needed on a high calorie diet!

cignig

I just recently found out about myfitnesspal and it really helped put my intake into perspective. Before I would just eat till I was full without realizing how much below I was on where I needed to be. I'm 6'1 @ 150lbs and I'd really like to get into the 185 range. Right now myfitnesspal states that I need around 3300 cals to meet my goal within the next month or two. I started all this the past Monday and I've been getting close to 4,000 but its a bit tiring trying to find foods to eat outside of fast food joints during my work days. Some days I barely make my goal because I'm just not motivated enough to eat the same foods over and over. I work for a mechanical contractor and I'm very active so my intake should probably be a bit higher which makes it that much harder. I also don't have access to a microwave or anything like that out in the field so preparing food in advance is a bit tough and that's what brings me here!

I'm looking for ideas on what I can add to my diet that would help me get close to, if not over 4,000 calories without having to stuff my face with a bunch of sugars (ice cream and what not). I guess I could eat the same foods and maybe switch things up a bit with the ingredients to help out but I'm not very creative lol Thanks in advance

MightyMini2014

Hi! I am trying to gain as well. There are store bought protein milkshakes, and Ensure works well. It helps with some of the much needed calories. Good Luck!

geebusuk

First off, why do you want to put weight on?
Is it just fat stores you want to increase?
Why don't you want to eat icecream and other sugary stuff?

drew06

If you're bored of eating fast food and have absolutely no time for food prep, invest in some good weight gaining protein powders or protein bars. Those are really easy on-the-go-meals that can pack a good amount of calories.

That being said on Sunday, if you have time:
Buy 4-5 pounds of chicken (or fish or whatever protein), season with salt,pepper,paprika or whatever seasoning of your choice and throw it in the oven.
Boil about 6-7 eggs also.
Buy some spinach, grape tomatoes and other veggies along with a couple of different salad dressings.
Cook a crap load of pasta and buy a jar of pesto and your favorite tomato sauce.
Cook a crap load of quinoa.
Also look into fats if you want to gain weight, avocados, nuts, and olive oil and calorie dense.

All this should take less than 2 hours to do and you end up with a good amount of combinations for lunch/dinner. For example you could have pasta, chicken, and pesto for one meal. A salad w/ tomatoes, carrots, avocados and chicken for another. Quinoa with chicken and barbeque sauce etc. If you have containers, pack your meals that Sunday for the rest of the week.

Edit: Salads are good cold, quinoa and pasta can be eaten cold. I personally find cold chicken delicious, if you don't, then I guess I was of no help

craftywitch_63

Avocados
Peanut Butter
Cheese
Whole wheat pasta (lots of carbs but low sugars)
Use real butter and mayo
Nuts of any kind
Beans and legumes can be pretty calorie intensive

ndj1979

35 pounds in two months sounds way too ambitious..and you are going to have some serious bloat issues…

I would aim for more of 1-2 pound per week gain …

are you doing any strength training with this eating regimen?

ndj1979

I just recently found out about myfitnesspal and it really helped put my intake into perspective. Before I would just eat till I was full without realizing how much below I was on where I needed to be. I'm 6'1 @ 150lbs and I'd really like to get into the 185 range. Right now myfitnesspal states that I need around 3300 cals to meet my goal within the next month or two. I started all this the past Monday and I've been getting close to 4,000 but its a bit tiring trying to find foods to eat outside of fast food joints during my work days. Some days I barely make my goal because I'm just not motivated enough to eat the same foods over and over. I work for a mechanical contractor and I'm very active so my intake should probably be a bit higher which makes it that much harder. I also don't have access to a microwave or anything like that out in the field so preparing food in advance is a bit tough and that's what brings me here!

I'm looking for ideas on what I can add to my diet that would help me get close to, if not over 4,000 calories without having to stuff my face with a bunch of sugars (ice cream and what not). I guess I could eat the same foods and maybe switch things up a bit with the ingredients to help out but I'm not very creative lol Thanks in advance

you want to gain 35 pounds but you do not want to eat ice cream doing it, why not? It does not matter if your weight gain comes from eating organic chicken or ice cream and Oreos..fat gained is fat gained….

you are going to have a hard time getting to 4000 calories on chicken, vegetables, etc …

one serving of ice cream is like 220 calories….go for two servings a day and that is an extra 460 cals a day ….

Bounce4

Avocados
Peanut Butter
Cheese
Whole wheat pasta (lots of carbs but low sugars)
Use real butter and mayo
Nuts of any kind
Beans and legumes can be pretty calorie intensive

Good list! One of my kids is very underweight (5'11 and about 108lbs - ugh) and the above recommendations were given to us as well. Also - add nuts to everything you can stand. Make milkshakes with ice cream and add carnation instant breakfast powder (or protein powder makes as much sense I'm not sure why they said carnation) to it for the chocolate flavor. Add peanut butter to the shakes or anything else. Add cheese to everything you can think of. My kid hates peanut butter and cheese Pasta with whatever you want to eat on it (sauces or meats - he loves brats and parm. cheese on his). Add granola to cereals and yogurt. Use full fat dressings for veggie dips and salads. Eat frequently. Eat what you love. I think he ate 1/2 roast last night

Very hard to stuff one person with all that goodness every 3 hours while I get spinach :P Very hard for him to eat when he's not hungry or what he's not a huge fan of. Weight gain is more our (doc and me) goal than his so that doesn't help.

TavistockToad

You just want to gain 35lb of fat?

LKArgh

Why would you want to gain that much fat so quickly? I hope you have no illusions this will be muscle, right?

OverDoIt

the fat storage people are speaking of is somewhat true. The most important thing that no one wants to talk about is the hardest. It is a little thing you have no control over, and it is called TIME !! Food, training, rest, and all the other moving parts are just that, parts. What seperates champions and those who enjoy success are the ones who can eat the same foods day in and day out. Who know when to train and when to rest and when to turn up the heat. This is what champions are made of. You know what you want to look like. You could describe to all of uswhat that picture looks like and we will still never know exactly. Champions do not complain, cry or whine about how hard it is. Champions do not listen to others who say that it is impossible or it is scientifically proven that this or that is whatever. put in the time, eat the damn food and do not give up on your dreams. Anything can be done if you really want it. If you don't want it, don't waste your time even trying.

OverDoIt

What do you consider success ? the original poster stated he was having trouble eating the same bland foods. What you consider success may not be what I or someone else considers success. I eat the same 7-10 foods in rotation. it is excrutiating at times. But i have successfully found a way to do it without making it too daunting. It all depends on the kind of phsique that someone is trying to attain. Genetics do play a part, but nothing will ever compare to hard work and dedication. The "athletic" physique that most males are trying to achieve by today's standards does not require the rediculous ammount of food that packing on mass does. Putting on mass slowly is the smart way to go in terms of health. However, really putting in the work and preparation will yield un-natural results. My trainer will put on more than 20lbs of muscle for masters nationals "naturally" at age 58. He is able to do this with dedication, and laser beam focus. It is called growing into a show, the fact is most if any don't have the jewels to do the work that needs to be done. i wish you the best brother, don't ever give up on your dreams. But to answer your question, no you do not have to eat the same foods day in and day out to keep your physique the way it is.

gymkoala

i don't think that you have to eat the same foods again and again, the diet for putting on mass is the simplest ever the hard part is killing yoursef every day at the gym and if you like it even that is not hard, food can be fun and can be delicious so, stick with wat you like ,try new foods change it up and don't obsess over calories but eat dense foods and the calories will come
if youre a pro bb is another thing, but if you want just to better yourself i think that keeping it simple and fun is the best thing to do to be consistent
and start to think big! if you want to get big^^ picture youself and you will star eating more
sounds like woo woo but it works

likitisplit

Here is my full, compiled list of foods MFP members have suggested for adding calories. I've bolded the ones that are most portable.

Chicken with the skin
Steak
Cheese
Whole eggs (including deviled eggs, egg salad)
Full fat dairy (including cottage cheese, yogurt)
Fruit
Peanut butter or other nut butters
Nuts
Avocado
Dried fruit (raisins, apricots, apples)
Dark chocolate
Salmon
Add Chia seeds to salads or yogurt
Olive oil
Smoothies
Granola/sports nutrition bars
Whole grains or whole grain products (like brown rice, Quinoa, oatmeal)
Beans and legumes

geebusuk

Fruit is rarely a great way to add loads of calories I'd say - AND he says he wants to avoid sugars.
Fruit juice would be better if he didn't mind sugar as it's more calorie dense.

So:
Pizza
Pastries
Extra cheese on EVERYTHING.
Chocolate milk
Fruit juice
Cream

trojan_bb

Here is my full, compiled list of foods MFP members have suggested for adding calories. I've bolded the ones that are most portable.

Chicken with the skin
Steak
Cheese
Whole eggs (including deviled eggs, egg salad)
Full fat dairy (including cottage cheese, yogurt)
Fruit
Peanut butter or other nut butters
Nuts
Avocado
Dried fruit (raisins, apricots, apples)
Dark chocolate
Salmon
Add Chia seeds to salads or yogurt
Olive oil
Smoothies
Granola/sports nutrition bars
Whole grains or whole grain products (like brown rice, Quinoa, oatmeal)
Beans and legumes

Easy list. Those will do it.

OP, when I first added weight my go-to foods were peanut butter sandwiches, whey shakes with whole milk, and more whole milk. No problem getting in 3500+ that way. The PB sandwiches were great because I was in school at the time and could bring 3 of them to class with me for the day. You can do the same at work for an extra 500-700 cals per sandwich

If you want to look decent 180-185 lbs, except to spend a year or two adding this weight.