Ideas to up my calorie intake!

TyneeKitty

My calorie goal is 1550 which i sometimes struggle to make so end of night i kinda just stuff my face to make up for it with veggie wraps and things. Ive started walking home from work but if i also walk there thats 400 calories burnt just walking to and from then theres anything i do on the wii fit

How can i eat 1950 calories a day when i struggle with 1550; ive made my food diary public incase anyone can give me ideas and point me in the right direction.

BettyBudski

Do you like mixed nuts or trail mix? I use a serving of mixed nuts to up my calories when I'm low, theres alot of calories in nuts! They are tasty, portable and good for you!

TyneeKitty

i dont eat nuts, my partner has an intolerance for them so tend to stear clear

KandieLantz

A direct quote from a friend of mine who has been helping me with the same exact issue...

"try calorie dense foods, like nuts, avocado, non-reduced fat peanut butter, almond butter, etc."

Hope it helps you!

fionarama

your eating seems to be quite erratic and frequently you haven't logged. Also I don't think some of the calorie counts are accurate some quite calorie rich items in there seem to log quite low on the calorie side so make sure you are being accurate.
You could start by eating breakfast which you don't seem to do.
That would add in 3-400 calories straight away.
another way to figure things out is to befriend plenty of people who are successful and eat well and check their diaries out for ideas.

TyneeKitty

I dont have anything that tells me how many calories when i eat my main meal at work, so i estimate portion size and go with what it tells me here.

I eat breakfast when i can, which is porridge and cup of tea if i cant i eat some oat cakes or a nutrigrain and a bit of fruit.

Will try and friend some people thank you

Ant_M76

I would be careful of eating just for the sake of it, to make it up to your supposed target for the day. If you log things slightly under the actual amount (not saying you are - just that this can happen) and MFP over estimates cals burned during exercise, you will actually not lose what you think you will.

IMHO, it's not a bad idea to keep a few unused cals in the bank, particularly if you're not even hungry


Good luck

TyneeKitty

thank you. i have a thingy that tells me how many calories ive burned when i walk and i go buy the counter on the wii. going to get a decent HRM soon as well so i know its exact and try logging more frequently - even when i've had a bad day.

Kim55555

flaxseed oil - 1 tablespoon - 130 calories

quinoa - 1/4 of a cup uncooked 155 calories

HonkyTonks

your eating seems to be quite erratic and frequently you haven't logged. Also I don't think some of the calorie counts are accurate some quite calorie rich items in there seem to log quite low on the calorie side so make sure you are being accurate.
You could start by eating breakfast which you don't seem to do.
That would add in 3-400 calories straight away.
another way to figure things out is to befriend plenty of people who are successful and eat well and check their diaries out for ideas.

Eat breakfast if you're hungry, don't introduce breakfast unless you want to I find a good way to make sure I am getting calories is to try and eat 'whole' foods rather than diet.. Eat natural peanut butter, avocados, olive oil (obviously whilst cooking), etc.

TyneeKitty

oh im also lactose intolerant so cant even swap in whole milk for a little calorie boost

Scoobies100

Are you logging all your food? as there is only a couple of days worth of food in your diary and one of them is hardly anything.

Some suggestions: Try adding some nuts on top of your oats in the morning, that will add another 100 cals or so.

Cheese will bulk out your calories, in moderation.

Fruit is great to snack on and add lots of veg to your dinner for more (healthy) cals.

I wouldn't worry about eating back your exercise calories unless you are actually hungry, but that's just what works for me. Some find it works eating them, some don't so just see what works for you.

newarkco05

I agree with many of the other posters. Upon looking at your diary, your have logged maybe 3 days in the past week. Unless your writing down every calorie you eat someone else, you may be overeating those days, plus eating all your calories the days you log which will eventually lead to weight gain.

TyneeKitty

Im lactose intolerant so i only eat a tiny bit of cheese (usually on top of the rare bit of pizza) nuts dont come into the house just incase dont want to bump him off just yet. lol.

I was taken out to dinner one night and i didnt know how to log when i had as i couldnt add it as didnt know all the values and there was nothing even similar on the list

DestinationFitnessChick

Always eat breakfast ..........it gets your metabolism going. I hate breakfast foods so I do Body By Vi Shakes in the morning and add Flax Milk or Almond Milk, I can't have regular or skim milk either ( I have an intolerance as well). I haven't seen your diary so I'm just giving you some general ideas. Make sure you are eating every 2 to 3 hours. Snacks can include things like apples, peanut butter, protein bars (natural ones), string cheese, fruit. etc. Also try adding advacados to salads.......they are calorie dense so they will help you get your calories in, but in a healthy way. Also you can try adding full fat cheese to salads and maybe some full caloire salad dressing. Make sure you are logging the correct amount of calories because calories are sometimes listed wrong on here, but I haven't really found that to be a big problem. As for counting calories burned I would definately use the hr monitor........the Wii estmates calories on the high end. Good luck!! :0)

ava33

I tend to add snacks - e.g. an Aero Bubbles dessert (97 cals) after lunch or a Nakd bar (between 92 and 160 cals)...you could also try hard boiled eggs for extra protein (~70 cals) or maybe some fruit? Or maybe add a soup as a starter?
I try to eat half of my exercise calories or even all of them if it's a hungry day so I often have a lot of calories; but then MFP calculates based on your personal calorie need and it will always be under what you'd eat to maintain anyway so I'd hesitate to reduce it too much. You'll find various opinions on eating your exercise calories on here, but if you play around with your diet settings a higher weekly loss goal results in lower calories, so surely if you have 1,700 for 1lb/week and then earn 300 through exercise but don't eat them you'd still get to 1,400, which MFP would allocate if you selected a higher loss goal and should be fine?
Just see what works for you but don't starve yourself!

HonkyTonks

Always eat breakfast ..........it gets your metabolism going.

This is a myth...
Additionally, meal timing is irrelevant. Eating 1 meal per day or 6 meals it doesn't matter, overall you must eat at a deficit to lose weight..

http://www.theiflife.com/eating-more-meals-does-not-speed-up-your-metabolism/

ejleadley

Always eat breakfast ..........it gets your metabolism going.

This is a myth...
Additionally, meal timing is irrelevant. Eating 1 meal per day or 6 meals it doesn't matter, overall you must eat at a deficit to lose weight..

http://www.theiflife.com/eating-more-meals-does-not-speed-up-your-metabolism/

I did nutiriton at uni and the theory is correct.
If you eat at regular intervals it raises your metabolic rate and keeps it more constant, rather than eating 3 big meals which means your metabolism will peak just after meal times and then plummet before the next. The best idea is to keep it constant, even if you're having half a banana every hour.

xx

TyneeKitty

well im not allowed to eat at my desk so i can have 5 meals a day if i go by eating something before and after work then on my 3 breaks

HonkyTonks

Always eat breakfast ..........it gets your metabolism going.

This is a myth...
Additionally, meal timing is irrelevant. Eating 1 meal per day or 6 meals it doesn't matter, overall you must eat at a deficit to lose weight..

http://www.theiflife.com/eating-more-meals-does-not-speed-up-your-metabolism/

I did nutiriton at uni and the theory is correct.
If you eat at regular intervals it raises your metabolic rate and keeps it more constant, rather than eating 3 big meals which means your metabolism will peak just after meal times and then plummet before the next. The best idea is to keep it constant, even if you're having half a banana every hour.

xx

You studied nutrition? Where are your sources? Can you provide articles and evidence to support this claim that 6 small meals or frequently eating has some sort of major metabolic advantage over 3 meals.. or 1 meal..

"One study that carefully demonstrated this, published in 2009 in The British Journal of Nutrition, involved groups of overweight men and women who were randomly assigned to very strict low-calorie diets and followed for eight weeks. Each subject consumed the same number of calories per day, but one group took in three meals a day and the other six.

Both groups lost significant and equivalent amounts of weight. There was no difference between them in fat loss, appetite control or measurements of hormones that signal hunger and satiety. Other studies have had similar results."

http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/articles/diabetes-news/9222-does-eating-more-frequent-meals-increase-metabolism

Citation: The British Journal of Nutrition November 30, 2009; 1-4.

Calories in vs calories out - there are no special tricks. Meal timing is irrelevant. Eat less, move more. Lose weight.


“The effects of differences in meal frequency on body weight, body composition, and energy expenditure were studied in mildly food-restricted male rats. Two groups were fed approximately 80% of usual food intake (as periodically determined in a group of ad libitum fed controls) for 131 days. One group received all of its food in 2 meals/day and the other received all of its food in 10-12 meals/day. The two groups did not differ in food intake, body weight, body composition, food efficiency (carcass energy gain per amount of food eaten), or energy expenditure at any time during the study. Both food-restricted groups had a lower food intake, body weight gain, and energy expenditure than a group of ad libitum-fed controls. In conclusion, these results suggest that amount of food eaten, but not the pattern with which it is ingested, has a major influence on energy balance during mild food restriction.“"

Effects of meal frequency on energy utilization in rats.
Hill JO, Anderson JC, Lin D, Yakubu F. Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University

"To a group of 8 healthy persons a slightly hypocaloric diet with protein (13% of energy), carbohydrates (46% of energy) and fat (41% of energy) was given as one meal or as five meals in a change-over trial. Each person was 2 weeks on each regimen. Under the conditions of slight undernutrition and neutral temperature the balances of nitrogen, carbon and energy were assessed in 7-day collection periods, and according to 48-hour measurements of gaseous exchange (carbon-nitrogen balance method) by the procedures of indirect calorimetry. Changes of body weight were statistically not significant. At isocaloric supply of metabolizable energy with exactly the same foods in different meal frequencies no differences were found in the retention of carbon and energy. Urinary nitrogen excretion was slightly greater with a single daily meal, indicating influences on protein metabolism. The protein-derived energy was compensated by a decrease in the fat oxidation. The heat production calculated by indirect calorimetry was not significantly different with either meal frequency. Water, sodium and potassium balances were not different. The plasma concentrations of cholesterol and uric acid were not influenced by meal frequency, glucose and triglycerides showed typical behaviour depending on the time interval to the last meal. The results demonstrate that the meal frequency did not influence the energy balance."

Thermogenesis in humans after varying meal time frequency
Wolfram G, Kirchgessner M, Miller HL, Hollomey S.

ejleadley

Always eat breakfast ..........it gets your metabolism going.

This is a myth...
Additionally, meal timing is irrelevant. Eating 1 meal per day or 6 meals it doesn't matter, overall you must eat at a deficit to lose weight..

http://www.theiflife.com/eating-more-meals-does-not-speed-up-your-metabolism/

I did nutiriton at uni and the theory is correct.
If you eat at regular intervals it raises your metabolic rate and keeps it more constant, rather than eating 3 big meals which means your metabolism will peak just after meal times and then plummet before the next. The best idea is to keep it constant, even if you're having half a banana every hour.

xx

You studied nutrition? well that settles that then.. except a little bit of research and...

"One study that carefully demonstrated this, published in 2009 in The British Journal of Nutrition, involved groups of overweight men and women who were randomly assigned to very strict low-calorie diets and followed for eight weeks. Each subject consumed the same number of calories per day, but one group took in three meals a day and the other six.

Both groups lost significant and equivalent amounts of weight. There was no difference between them in fat loss, appetite control or measurements of hormones that signal hunger and satiety. Other studies have had similar results."

http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/articles/diabetes-news/9222-does-eating-more-frequent-meals-increase-metabolism

Citation: The British Journal of Nutrition November 30, 2009; 1-4.

Oh give me a break "randomly assigned to very strict low-calorie diets" I doubt that there are many people on that, also you need a number of studies to prove/disprove a theory anyway it doesn't go on one and there are a million contributing factors to weight loss. Also, it doesnt say whether they were regularly burining calories through exercise, and it doesnt suggest whether or not they were able to keep the weight off. For it to be sustainable you cant just eat minimal calories, you need to change habits and lifestyle. Keeping your metabolism at a constant rate means that your body is able to adjust more to an intake of calories and your weight wont fluctuate.

10kaday

I didn't look at what your eating but are you getting enough of the healthy fats into your diet? It never hurts to take a shot of olive oil or fax oil on a daily basis.

DestinationFitnessChick

Well this is good enough research for me!

People who skip breakfast are shown to choose less nutritious and convenience foods to curb their ravenous appetite. Poor eating habits lead to eating throughout the evening and calories are stored the evening hours as the metabolism slows down. Calories stored equals fat.

That is sited in just about every artilce I have ever read........I've taken nutriton classes also and am also a personal trainer. Think of your body as a car........can your car run without fuel........no.......and neither can your body! I understand the surplus/negative calorie issue. But you have to eat in order for your body to function normally!

HonkyTonks

Always eat breakfast ..........it gets your metabolism going.

This is a myth...
Additionally, meal timing is irrelevant. Eating 1 meal per day or 6 meals it doesn't matter, overall you must eat at a deficit to lose weight..

http://www.theiflife.com/eating-more-meals-does-not-speed-up-your-metabolism/

I did nutiriton at uni and the theory is correct.
If you eat at regular intervals it raises your metabolic rate and keeps it more constant, rather than eating 3 big meals which means your metabolism will peak just after meal times and then plummet before the next. The best idea is to keep it constant, even if you're having half a banana every hour.

xx

You studied nutrition? well that settles that then.. except a little bit of research and...

"One study that carefully demonstrated this, published in 2009 in The British Journal of Nutrition, involved groups of overweight men and women who were randomly assigned to very strict low-calorie diets and followed for eight weeks. Each subject consumed the same number of calories per day, but one group took in three meals a day and the other six.

Both groups lost significant and equivalent amounts of weight. There was no difference between them in fat loss, appetite control or measurements of hormones that signal hunger and satiety. Other studies have had similar results."

http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/articles/diabetes-news/9222-does-eating-more-frequent-meals-increase-metabolism

Citation: The British Journal of Nutrition November 30, 2009; 1-4.

Oh give me a break "randomly assigned to very strict low-calorie diets" I doubt that there are many people on that, also you need a number of studies to prove/disprove a theory anyway it doesn't go on one and there are a million contributing factors to weight loss. Also, it doesnt say whether they were regularly burining calories through exercise, and it doesnt suggest whether or not they were able to keep the weight off. For it to be sustainable you cant just eat minimal calories, you need to change habits and lifestyle. Keeping your metabolism at a constant rate means that your body is able to adjust more to an intake of calories and your weight wont fluctuate.

I cited several studies in my post, and there is plenty of material out there, if you did some research you will find that the whole 'you must eat all the time to keep your metabolism going' is actually false and that breakfast does not 'jump start' your metabolism. Anyway, I am tired of seeing this myth be repeated over and over again like it's truth, without a shred of real evidence.

HonkyTonks

Well this is good enough research for me!

People who skip breakfast are shown to choose less nutritious and convenience foods to curb their ravenous appetite. Poor eating habits lead to eating throughout the evening and calories are stored the evening hours as the metabolism slows down. Calories stored equals fat.

That is sited in just about every artilce I have ever read........I've taken nutriton classes also and am also a personal trainer. Think of your body as a car........can your car run without fuel........no.......and neither can your body! I understand the surplus/negative calorie issue. But you have to eat in order for your body to function normally!

Skipping breakfast works fine for me. I don't overeat at lunch, I just eat a normal meal. I don't waste my calories on a meal I don't feel like eating and I would rather save them for something better. Some people will overeat at lunch if they skip breakfast, but that's because they probably aren't watching their calories, or just don't have the mindset to stop eating when they're no longer hungry. I go periods in a week where I don't eat until the evening. Different strokes etc. What I am saying is two people, one eating breakfast and one not eating breakfast, but eating the same number of calories a day, with the same metabolism, will show similar results.

DestinationFitnessChick

Sorry but meal timing does matter..............just like I said before a car isn't going to run correctly on no fuel and neither is your body.........do I have research to back it up???? Yes I do ISSA says "eat at least 5 times a day Two or three meals are simply not enough. It is permissable to regard two of these meals as snacks, provided they contain sufficent calories toget you to your next meal and they are comprised of the appropriate ratio of macronutrients. You blood sugar and insulin levels will be controlled and thus your energy level. Yu will get protein in small aounts throughout the day to support growth and revoery and most important body fat will not be stored, but instead metabolized . Wen you eat infrequently your body recognizes a famine situation and your entire endocrine system is thrown for a loop."

Therefore no when you don't eat and you don't fuel your body NOTHING works correctly......metabolism, brain, bodily functions.......nothing! You simply cannot just get up in the morning and not eat til evening and expect your body to run smoothly. If it works for you great........but it is not a safe and effective way to lose weight. I cringe to think about blood sugar levels of those that haven't eaten all day long. You can cite all the research you won't, but you will find just as much stating that you must fuel your body. I agree that there has to be deficit ..........all fine and good, but if you are not eating the correct amount of macronutrients (proteins, carbs, fats) then you are still not going to lose weight!!! How can you possibly get in your calorie requirments by eating one or two meals? This is especially dangerous if you are working out at all.

Therefore, I could really care less if breakfast increases your metabolism. Whether it does or not...........BREAKFAST is important you must feed and fuel your body correctly! It puts fuel in your body to get the endocrine system running cuse it won't function without fuel! So therefore, the best way is to eat 3 meals a day and 2 snacks.

RaeLB

Stop hijacking the thread guys! this isn't a thread about the breakfast debate!


But speaking of breakfast.. i do agree with a previous poster that eating breakfast is a good way for you to increase your caloric intake. That is what I did... I too often find myself stuffing my face in the evening to hit my goal and feeling ill so I started eating breakfast and larger lunches so I wouldn't have to try to eat 50+% of my calories at the end of the day.

I am trying to gain weight so I am constantly looking for ways to increase my calories. However, peanut butter & cheese are a big thing for me which you cannot eat.
I also do things like eat sandwiches on bagels instead of bread because they have more calories. And I try to drink a lot of my calories: juice, milk (you can do lactose-free milk), smoothies, etc with my meals

feel free to add me if you like, maybe you will get some ideas from my diary

aquamarine_lady

Nuts. Seeds. Peanut butter. Cliff Builder Bars.

TamaraGraceS

Are you al oud to drink at your desk ? If so protein drink.Mine is about 350 calories.

well im not allowed to eat at my desk so i can have 5 meals a day if i go by eating something before and after work then on my 3 breaks