What are good foods to eat....

Chris_bee05

...to boost my caloric intake? I was at 1200, but was being told that with exercise I wasn't getting enough calories and that it may be why I'm not losing as quickly as I should be, so I want to up my calories, but I don't know what to eat. I'm thinking I should add it to my "snacks" for the day. Any help?

Acg67

nuts, nut butters, pasta, rice, ice cream, avocados

jgic2009

nuts, nut butters, pasta, rice, ice cream, avocados

These are great ideas, but you can also use full-fat products (dairy, salad dressings, etc) if you have been relying on fat-free/reduced fat.

wonderific

Nuts are great but you should look for un-salted nuts. Sodium intake is very important. Wal-Mart has un-salted cashews

sister_bear

granola bars, cheese - I love the babybel mini cheeses

mrmanmeat

Nuts are great but you should look for un-salted nuts. Sodium intake is very important. Wal-Mart has un-salted cashews

Every store has unsalted, not just the #1 devil store Wal-mart, FYI. lol

fuhrmeister

raw almonds are my favorite snack! I also love apples and peanut butter and trail mixes.

Avacados are great helathy fats/calories to add as well.

meka2206

avacados!!!! its always my indulgence and it's really good fat for you or you can try mixed nuts.

ninerbuff

nuts, nut butters, pasta, rice, ice cream, avocados

This.

_GlaDOS_

Definitely nuts and nut butters. I love pumpkin seeds too. Avocados, granola bars (watch out for ones loaded with sugar though), and bananas are good options too.

Chris_bee05

Great! Thanks everyone! I'm going shopping tomorrow, so I'll pick some stuff up

bcattoes

nuts, nut butters and olive oil are IMO the quickest way to add healthy calories. Just a tiny bit wil add 100+ calories. A nice handful of cocoa roasted almonds makes a yummy dessert that adds calories and tastes sweet without adding much sugar.

Fairysoul

Salmon is a good one too.

Chris_bee05

nuts, nut butters, pasta, rice, ice cream, avocados

I was going to tell you, that you're probably right about what my calorie goal should be. I used SEVERAL calculators yesterday and the lowest one said 1700 for "drastic" weight loss, but most between 1900-2100. One also said that women should not consume less than 1200 calories per day, so I was really killin' myself at 1100-1200. I appreciate your help yesterday and I have a feeling I'll end up closer to the 1900 range you were suggesting. I just have to figure out what to eat now LOL

michedarnd

I posted this the other day: http://www.freedieting.com/foods_for_fat_loss.htm

I REALLY liked the broken-out lists.

That said, I don't know that I'd go the ice cream route (and rice and pasta tend to get eliminated from my diet, too), but almonds (unsalted) and pepitas are great additions. You can sprinkle the pepitas into things (salads, cereals, etc) to add some extra, and small amounts pack a fair punch, which, for someone who has been on 1200 calories, is useful, because your capacity is small.

That said, if you are exercising a lot, you probably need to add back some fat. I just broke a plateau by increasing my NET intake by about 250 calories/day (I was on 1200, too) and also by starting a zig-zag diet, which has CONSIDERABLY higher caloric intake than that 1200 (for a person exercising 5 times a week, anyway).

I've also been eating one-two cups of sauteed green, leafy vegetables, recently. My body REALLY likes being fed those, and since I always sautee' in olive oil, it adds calories and more healthy fats.

Good luck!

PS. I also used some external calculators, and they raised my calorie count WAY above 1200, although they are "strict" calorie counts rather than net calorie counts.

sdwelk11

nuts nuts and more nuts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thats what i eat and clif bars but mostly nuts!!!

Chris_bee05

nuts, nut butters and olive oil are IMO the quickest way to add healthy calories. Just a tiny bit wil add 100+ calories. A nice handful of cocoa roasted almonds makes a yummy dessert that adds calories and tastes sweet without adding much sugar.

So sometimes it's okay to eat a smaller portion of a higher calorie food vs eating a medium to large portion of low calorie foods? Because that's my problem...I'm getting full of a 250-350 calorie meal. So if I had some healthy "higher" calorie snacks that would be okay?

Chris_bee05

I posted this the other day: http://www.freedieting.com/foods_for_fat_loss.htm

I REALLY liked the broken-out lists.

That said, I don't know that I'd go the ice cream route (and rice and pasta tend to get eliminated from my diet, too), but almonds (unsalted) and pepitas are great additions. You can sprinkle the pepitas into things (salads, cereals, etc) to add some extra, and small amounts pack a fair punch, which, for someone who has been on 1200 calories, is useful, because your capacity is small.

That said, if you are exercising a lot, you probably need to add back some fat. I just broke a plateau by increasing my intake by about 250 calories/day (I was on 1200, too) and also by starting a zig-zag diet, which has CONSIDERABLY higher caloric intake than that 1200 (for a person exercising 5 times a week, anyway).

I've also been eating one-two cups of sauteed green, leafy vegetables, recently. My body REALLY likes being fed those, and since I always sautee' in olive oil, it adds calories and more healthy fats.

Good luck!

Great. Thanks! This is exactly where I'm at, so it's nice to know other were "in the same boat" and got past it.

Acg67

So sometimes it's okay to eat a smaller portion of a higher calorie food vs eating a medium to large portion of low calorie foods? Because that's my problem...I'm getting full of a 250-350 calorie meal. So if I had some healthy "higher" calorie snacks that would be okay?

at the end of the day it really only matters that you create a caloric deficit for weight loss to occur, it's better to get a decent amount of protein to prevent lean muscle loss while dieting but you can lose weight basically eating whatever you want

FrancesGallagher

A loss of 18 pounds is no small accomplishment, why do you think you are not losing enough or quickly enough? Just eat a bit larger portion of the foods at your meals that you already eat, especially the foods you really like. If you do like those snack foods then I suppose they are OK within reason. Don't get impatient with your weight loss as your body will adjust much better to the smaller and steadier losses. You don't want baggy skin and that does happen when weight loss is too fast. Also those who lose too quickly often look haggard and can look older, you really don't need that. Take care and good luck with your program. fg

Chris_bee05

A loss of 18 pounds is no small accomplishment, why do you think you are not losing enough or quickly enough? Just eat a bit larger portion of the foods at your meals that you already eat, especially the foods you really like. If you do like those snack foods then I suppose they are OK within reason. Don't get impatient with your weight loss as your body will adjust much better to the smaller and steadier losses. You don't want baggy skin and that does happen when weight loss is too fast. Also those who lose too quickly often look haggard and can look older, you really don't need that. Take care and good luck with your program. fg

I know 18 lbs is great and I keep trying to tell myself that, but I just feel like I'm working REALLY hard and not seeing the results I should. I've been doing great with my "diet" and eating right AND working out at least once, sometimes TWICE a day, but I still only lost 2lbs in two whole weeks. It was just disappointing, but I know I just have to figure out what works best for me. I'd like to be at about 2lbs per week, but we'll see what happens. The main thing is that at least it's coming off right? LOL

MikeSEA

I know 18 lbs is great and I keep trying to tell myself that, but I just feel like I'm working REALLY hard and not seeing the results I should. I've been doing great with my "diet" and eating right AND working out at least once, sometimes TWICE a day, but I still only lost 2lbs in two whole weeks. It was just disappointing, but I know I just have to figure out what works best for me. I'd like to be at about 2lbs per week, but we'll see what happens. The main thing is that at least it's coming off right? LOL

I feel your pain. I'd like to loose 2 lbs/ week too, but that doesn't seem to ever happen. Naturally, I could reduce my caloric intake ( I already spend 1 hr in the gym 6days/week), but I just like food too much. I don't know if you have this problem, but I'm thinking of just chucking my scale because I'm freakishly OCD about it. I might buy another one in 6 mo or something just to check in, but I find myself weighing myself every day religiously and it's probably not good for me. Plus I'm not taking any other measurements, so the scale lies...sneaky little thing.

Chris_bee05

I feel your pain. I'd like to loose 2 lbs/ week too, but that doesn't seem to ever happen. Naturally, I could reduce my caloric intake ( I already spend 1 hr in the gym 6days/week), but I just like food too much. I don't know if you have this problem, but I'm thinking of just chucking my scale because I'm freakishly OCD about it. I might buy another one in 6 mo or something just to check in, but I find myself weighing myself every day religiously and it's probably not good for me. Plus I'm not taking any other measurements, so the scale lies...sneaky little thing.

I hate seeing the "ups and downs" on the scale, so I only weigh myself every two weeks thinking that I'd be sure to see good number that way, but that wasn't the case this week. I was on a weight loss "kick" last summer and weighed myself like twice I day and it was constantly up and down. I get so depressed so I can't do that this time.

Acg67

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/344841-unrealistic-goals-and-weight-loss