Calories help needed

oswaldbowser

I just cant seem to get to my calorie recommended amount.........I wonder if this is normal in the first few weeks of being on this site !

digitalsteel

Are you too high or too low?

srandle175

I have the same problem. I struggle everyday to get my calories especially when your trying to eat healthy!!!

oswaldbowser

I am to low.....yesterday i was supposed to have nearly 2000 plus about 600 for exercise but I only seem to get to about 1600 ish so I am under by 400-1000 calories most days

cep22

if you are under i would not wory about it. But what you can do is search foods that you will think you would or want to eat during the day and then you can see where you at. Add or delete if you are over. For instance search a lunch in the morning and plan ahead for dinner.

digitalsteel

I don't know what your eating, but the question is; are you feeling good and energetic. Some days I am under by up to 600 calories also.

shydaisi

Try eating some higher calorie healthy items like nuts, nut butters, avacado. Also, choose full fat dairy items like cheese, milk, yogurt and don't use low-fat or light salad dressings. Eat whole grains like pasta and bread.

ETA: If you make your food diary public, maybe we could take a peek and make better suggestions?

krnlcsf

try finding some meal plans that give you a calorie intake that you're aiming for. maybe you just need to increase portions slightly.

oswaldbowser

Just made my diary public

digitalsteel

I would way increase your fat intake, lower carbs by a dozen or so, and about 50 grams less protien.

Drop the meal replacements for meat and veggies

scraver2003

Are you shooting for a particular ratio of carbs/protein/fat? Lots of protein with limited carbs is hard on the kidneys. I would suggest getting more veggies, some whole grains. - even a piece of fruit. Can you do some meat or beans instead of a shake? Some nuts or avacado would be good.

annacataldo

yes, i had problems at first as well with this because at first i did alot of no fat items and low claorie everything... but you need to learn to balance...

higher calorie items, like nuts, rice, large potatoes, the higher calorie fruit--like a large banana, (natural) peanut butter, beans.. adding in something as simple as a cup of milk with dinner and juice with breakfast with increase a couple hundred calories... lean meats, cheese, etc. eating these types as items as snacks or incorporating into meals is a good way to increase calories..

so if you took cheese, beans, lean meat, rice--and add them together, youd have a very high calorie dinner and what can you make with those items?? A burrito... enchaladas... all kinds of things... Or lets say you have a apple as a snack...you can add peanut butter to that to increase calories of your apple. or nuts as a snack instead of a veggie. or like banana and pb as a dessert. you could also use olive oil in cooking..and could switch some items, like salad dressing, that maybe you have bought the fat free version, you could get the higher calorie version (which should have lower sodium than the fat free kind; im guessing your probably way under on fat, so you can afford some extra fat (as well as the calories).

notice all of the items i suggested are natural, clean foods--this is how you lower your sodium levels (if your struggling with that like i did my first 2 months).

oswaldbowser

Thanks for all your help I am new to this and seems I am trying to balance to many things at the moment.....will get some higher calorie food to eat

annacataldo

after looking at your diary... youve got to be tired of protein shakes. i just looked at today.. you have only protein shakes, soup, and coffee pretty much lol.

id like to take the oppurtunity to say that coffee depletes the water in your system, so its important to drink even more water if your going to drink caffeine.. and seeing as you only had 2 cups today, id say u definetely need to be drinking more... keep in kind, you need half your body weight in ounces of water a day... 8cups is the recommended amount for someone who weighs 130pounds. and you need even more if you work out.

just add in some more variety with your food and you will increase your calories... instead of having 200 calorie soup, what about a 400 calorie sandwich for lunch with something on the side-- like an orange; and for the mroning snack instead of having a orange have some nuts.

and for dinner you could have something simple like a chicken breast or a salmon filet with a cup of rice with some beans cooked in (i get frozen beans, and then throw some in the rice water) and some steamed veggies with a cup of milk.. would be about 600 calories... if rice isnt your thing, you could do a large baked potatoe with cottage cheese for the same calories as the rice/bean mix.

oswaldbowser

I am going to sit down at the weekend and look at recipies......mind you I love vegetable soup, but i will get some more fats in my diet.....will keep the carbs down if i can

psuLemon

You don't need meal replacements, you need substance. It's ok to have protein shake for a snack (especially post workout), but you need to incorporate whole foods for your main meals. Also, work to eat breakfast. Look into getting some eggs, chicken, turkey, avocado, nuts, and even cooking in olive oil. For additional ideas, below is a link to Michi's Ladder. From the research I have done on it, if you stay within the top two or three tiers (limit the third tier) it should help clean up your diet. Also keep in mind, reduce fat and sugar foods are completely processed which is bad in other others (high in sodium). You are truely better off eating the real foods but smaller quantities. Feel free to look at my diary for ideas as I eat 2800 calories a day. I will note, my food isn't the cleanest but it's worked so far.





http://www.teambeachbody.com/eat-smart/michis-ladder