Does this sound like a good plan? Gaining breakfast examples

Cartoobee

:huh: So I have been reading some of the meals people in recovery are eating and it is acting as a trigger for me. They eat SO little! I mean COME ON. People are like, 'Oh this morning I had half a grapefruit with a bowl of cereal and some OJ and OH I splurged and had an apple, too. Meanwhile I'm eating these really hearty breakfasts thinking it's a good idea but then feel guilty when I see how little other people in recovery are eating. Here is what I've had today thus far:

Banana (90 cal)
Omelet: Egg whites 3/4 cup (95), Cooking spray (30), Mushrooms/Peppers (25), Feta cheese (45), Bacon (88)
2 slices whole wheat toast (180)
Whipped cream (20)
Carrots (35-40)

...So I'm sitting at about 608 calories for breakfast alone. I have no regrets cause it was very delicious, I'm just concerned...

These other girls are eating like 400 calorie breakfasts maximum and it is making me nervous I am gonna gain too much too fast! I know what I'm eating is all good for me but I have had quite a few desserts lately. I understand that it will all go to organ repair so I'm not that worried anymore, I emailed my dietician and she reassured me. However I still can't get over how little some people eat and how their doctors are OK with it! Some of them say their docs tell them to eat these meal plans! Why? Isn't that a small amount of food for someone to gain on? What gives? Are they slowly easing in because they are fearful of certain foods? I'm so confused!

My TDEE is 1337, but now that I am lightly active it is closer to 1600. I am quite underweight so I want to gain muscle but I don't want to gain more fat than I must. (I get it, SOME fat will come, that's part of being a human being, however I don't want to make it more than it has to be by eating too much too fast or eating too much sugary stuff. My dietician says it all goes to repair but that sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? It's hard for me to fathom).

Anyways, I eat three large meals like this with some snacks. My dietician gave me NO calorie mark to hit. She said just eat the way I eat but increase portion sizes. So does anyone think they understand why these other girls are eating super small portions and expecting to gain? Am I doing something wrong because I'm eating huge portions? These are all good foods to eat, right?

Linnaea27

What you're doing sounds perfect! Don't worry about what others are doing-- each person has a unique situation and the people you're paying attention to may be in a different stage of recovery, or they may be a different size than you, etc. etc. They may be having trouble with their recovery, too; I see that a lot on here-- people saying they are working on recovering but still having some fairly bad undereating issues.

Also, different people have different amounts they want to eat at different times. I, for example, as a petite 27-year-old woman, eat around 2000 calories a day if it's a day when I've been just a little bit active and I'm maintaining that way; but my breakfasts are my smallest meal while my dinners are very large, and that's how I've always felt best. But you may be a natural big-breakfast eater and your other meals might be about the same size or a little bigger than your breakfast. It's all fine!

Your breakfasts sound delicious and you are making great choices.

As for some of the other people in recovery mentioning that their doctors have told them to eat a certain amount and that's why their meals are a certain size-- I've heard that, in some cases, when people are first recovering, their eating needs to be increased slowly to prevent health problems from eating more too rapidly. So that could be what's going on with those particular people. Clearly you are lucky enough not to have to worry about that, as you're working with a nutritionist who says what you are doing now is good.

When I first started trying to maintain my weight after losing some, I continued to lose weight and got smaller than I want to be (MFP"s maintenance calories are inaccurately low for me). So I was working on gaining weight for a little while. I was having a cup (8 oz) of full-fat Greek yogurt with some maple syrup, whey protein, berries or other fruit, and some homemade granola (which is high calorie). That was a good-sized breakfast for me and would be around 600 calories. Also, pancakes. . . crumpets or English muffins with butter, an egg or two, and fruit. . . a big protein shake made with full-fat yogurt, milk, whey protein, maple syrup, and berries. . . and things like that. All more than 600 cals!

I hope this helps! While you're thinking about this, visit the site Your Eatopia. It is an excellent ED recovery resource. This is the article on there I think would be great for you to read: youreatopia.com/blog/2011/9/14/i-need-how-many-calories.html

Cartoobee

What you're doing sounds perfect! Don't worry about what others are doing-- each person has a unique situation and the people you're paying attention to may be in a different stage of recovery, or they may be a different size than you, etc. etc. They may be having trouble with their recovery, too; I see that a lot on here-- people saying they are working on recovering but still having some fairly bad undereating issues.

Also, different people have different amounts they want to eat at different times. I, for example, as a petite 27-year-old woman, eat around 2000 calories a day if it's a day when I've been just a little bit active and I'm maintaining that way; but my breakfasts are my smallest meal while my dinners are very large, and that's how I've always felt best. But you may be a natural big-breakfast eater and your other meals might be about the same size or a little bigger than your breakfast. It's all fine!

Your breakfasts sound delicious and you are making great choices.

As for some of the other people in recovery mentioning that their doctors have told them to eat a certain amount and that's why their meals are a certain size-- I've heard that, in some cases, when people are first recovering, their eating needs to be increased slowly to prevent health problems from eating more too rapidly. So that could be what's going on with those particular people. Clearly you are lucky enough not to have to worry about that, as you're working with a nutritionist who says what you are doing now is good.

When I first started trying to maintain my weight after losing some, I continued to lose weight and got smaller than I want to be (MFP"s maintenance calories are inaccurately low for me). So I was working on gaining weight for a little while. I was having a cup (8 oz) of full-fat Greek yogurt with some maple syrup, whey protein, berries or other fruit, and some homemade granola (which is high calorie). That was a good-sized breakfast for me and would be around 600 calories. Also, pancakes. . . crumpets or English muffins with butter, an egg or two, and fruit. . . a big protein shake made with full-fat yogurt, milk, whey protein, maple syrup, and berries. . . and things like that. All more than 600 cals!

I hope this helps! While you're thinking about this, visit the site Your Eatopia. It is an excellent ED recovery resource. This is the article on there I think would be great for you to read: youreatopia.com/blog/2011/9/14/i-need-how-many-calories.html

Hello,

Thanks for such an insightful and intelligent answer! You are a rare breed on this site, most people ignore everything I write and tell me 'Bro just lift and you'll gain' as if I #1, am a 'bro,' and #2, am allowed to exercise hardcore. You actually read what I wrote and responded, omg yay! Anyways, I have a really low BMI (I think 15.5) but my organs aren't failing (I have had several x-rays, EKGs, ultrasounds on my heart, blood tests, etc) so Im guessing that's why my dietician and doctor told me to eat however much I wanted as I think there is little risk for re-feeding syndrome (this is when people who are terribly underweight can't digest food, right?) where my heart wouldn't be able to handle the food. I eat lots of food and even when I was dieting had high-volume foods opposed to like, 1 cookie for the calories of a whole sandwich. Anyways, thanks for your reply. I'm hoping these healthier choices will cause me to gain in a healthy way and get my head straight and my muscles forming. I already feel better just having had someone to talk to here. Nobody knows about my trying to gain particularly because I do not have an 'eating disorder' per say but recognize I have some OCD controlling thoughts and am nutritionally underweight. But thats a whole entire different topic. Thanks!

madhound

who cares as long as you are eating your calorie limit nothing will happen, a big breakfast is good anyway

onionparsleysage

There are people on MFP eating everything from 800 calories a day up to several thousand calories a day. You can't compare your diet to other people and expect to make any sense out of it.

I wonder if your nutritionist doesn't want to give you a calorie goal so that you're not obsessing about the exact amounts. I think you're doing great by eating a variety of good foods that will nourish your body. You've got several vegetables, fruits, multiple sources of protein, fats, and carbs. That looks like a nicely balanced meal to me that will help you gain weight from healthy sources.

Cartoobee

who cares as long as you are eating your calorie limit nothing will happen, a big breakfast is good anyway

Two words for you: reading comprehension.

Cartoobee

There are people on MFP eating everything from 800 calories a day up to several thousand calories a day. You can't compare your diet to other people and expect to make any sense out of it.

I wonder if your nutritionist doesn't want to give you a calorie goal so that you're not obsessing about the exact amounts. I think you're doing great by eating a variety of good foods that will nourish your body. You've got several vegetables, fruits, multiple sources of protein, fats, and carbs. That looks like a nicely balanced meal to me that will help you gain weight from healthy sources.

well i'm hoping she said not to count calories because they 'don't matter' at this point. because I have had my fair share of cakes and pies this week all in one sitting and don't want to freak out about having like 3000 calories a day.