Finding a good balance for our calorie sources

aejaygoehring

You: "I'm having a hard time reaching my calorie goal today."
Friend: "I can't see how that's possible. Just go grab a Flame-Grilled McWhopper from the local 'restaurant' and you'll be set."
You: "I'm trying to eat only whole foods: lean, unprocessed meats, veggies, fruits, etc."
Friend: "You'll never gain weight on that. All I'm saying is that I wish I had I could spend my day eating trying to pass a calorie goal instead of trying to avoid one."

Wanting to put on extra weight is no reason to throw out the rulebook on proper nutrition, no matter what our friends think. Reaching caloric goals on junk food is easy because junk food is high in fats. 1 gram of fat translates into 9 calories (making it the most calorie-significant substance you can find in food), whereas protein and carbs only translate to about 4 calories per gram. What's that mean to you? It means you have to eat more high-fiber, high-protein foods to gain as many calories as eating fat-heavy foods.

"So I just need to load up on fiber-heavy, protein-heavy foods, right?"

Hold it, friend. We still need fat in our diet! Believe it or not, some fats are good for you (in moderation). For instance, monounsaturated fats help lower your overall cholesterol, while helping to maintain your HDL (good) cholesterol.

The key is to put your food into a correct balance. The following is what I use to balance my diet (if you have your own suggestions, please share!):

20% of your calories should come from protein.
30% of your calories should come from fats (try to focus on unsaturated fats!)
50% of your calories should come from carbohydrates (aim for a high-fiber diet!)

My daily calorie goal is 2700, so the following is my goal for each of these:

140g protein (140 x 4 = 560 calories)
90g fat (90 x 9 = 810 calories)
332 carbs (332 x 4 = 1328 calories)

amber10101

I struggle with this!

I've not eaten meat for a number of years and feel much better since removing it from my diet. I still consume dairy and eggs though.

Living in Wisconsin, my diet also goes through wild seasonal swings. In the summer, I do a worker share on an organic farm (I work 4 hours a week in exchange for a giant basket of fresh produce). Then, in the winter fresh produce is expensive and really not very tasty. I do stock my giant freezer during the summer, so I have some veggies on hand, but it's not like the summer! But let me tell you, I have tomato sauce and apple sauce to last me through the Spring!

As of late, I've been trying to keep very healthy and balanced MEALS - but at snack time, I have things like fudge, peanut butter and ice cream - just to bump up the fat and calories. I don't know if it's the best solution, but it's what I'm doing!

aejaygoehring

I have a few foods I use as last minute calorie boosts, too, but it's important to keep sights on what fats we're giving our bodies. My cholesterol numbers are very good, but I would like to maintain that into the future. It's hardly possible to cut out *all* saturated fats, but with planning it becomes easier to shift more of your fats to unsaturated sources (Olive Oil is a much better alternative to Butter, for instance). Will you avoid butter entirely (forever)? Probably not, but minimizing your intake can help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

I have considered vegetarianism several times, but I do not know how I would make it work for me currently. Perhaps once I reach my weight goal, and my calorie goal goes down from gain to maintenance, it would be easier for me to reach my goals on a vegetarian diet. I will admit, though, that scrambling a few omega-3 eggs and crumbled boca burger patties is actually very delicious, and gets you quite a bit of protein and healthy fatty acids.

I think unbalanced snacks can be appropriate as long as you have them planned out at the start of each day. If you know you're going to get X of your fat and carbs from your second snack, you know how to adjust your meals to compensate. You don't have to meet this balance perfectly each day, but it gives us a goal by which to model and adjust our diets.

lowelo

Hey guys, I had a hard time figuring this out as well. I had no clue how I was supposed to calculate the exact percentages of each nutrient source. I used the institute of medicine's "Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range" chart. Also, through out my journey of trying to gain weight I've been told by multiple sources including my nutritionist that focusing on protien sources is beneficial when trying to gain weight. So i switch it around, staying within the suggested percentage range, and i'm shooting for:
50% (1,160 cals) carbohydrates, 20% (464 cals) fat and 30% (696 cals) protien.

I feel like I'm finally ready to do this properly and I can build my body into whatever I want it to be, so I should take advantage of that and put decent things in it from the start. Rather than bulking up and trying to get myself into shape.

Amber, your deal with your local organic farm sounds like a dream. I wish I had that opportunity, that's awesome.
I also wish I could become a vegeterian but I've neglected my diet so much with all the options in the world (minus my shell fish allergy) I can only immagine what I would do if I had protien sources that were any harder to come by. Maybe some day.

jrjchow

I don't think I ever really thought about the breakdown of fat/protein/carbs that way when I eat...it's a good point. I think I've tended to be carb heavy since I eat a lot of Asian food (the real stuff, not Americanized).

Have any of you incorporated any weight gain drinks?

I just purchased some because I've been finding it difficult to eat so frequently in order to reach/surpass 2200 calories. The one I just got is 750 calories per serving (with water) or 990 with milk. I'm using this to supplement my already increased meals. I just started to consciously eat more to bring my weight up as well as consult a personal trainer. I didn't know why he kept asking if I had started supplements, but now I know. It can be quite challenging (costly, time-consuming, too full to eat more) to take in so many calories when eating healthy food! I was actually getting tired of eating, then it dawned on me to go out and get some weight gain powder. I'll post something later as to what results I'm getting out of supplementing and weight training. Thoughts?

amber10101

Supplements... For a while I looked into it. And did not really like what I found.

Many are made out of whey protein (I'm lactose intolerant) some are made out of soy protein isolate which is not good in moderate to high quantities and then some even contain animal parts.

In all honesty, I've not looked into it for a few years, but I've never read the ingredient list and thought: Oh, I'd eat that!

For a while, I was on a smoothie kick. I made smoothies out of: Almond milk, frozen fruit, peanut butter and a "green powder" which is basically dehydrated, powdered vegetables. Those were pretty good and not too expensive.

What kind of supplement are you taking now?

jrjchow

I'm using a GNC amplified mass xxx gainer. I've been using it for under two weeks so far.

It does have whey and soy which might explain why I feel a bit bloated an hour after drinking the shake in any amount (0.25-0.5) in one sitting. It isn't as bad though if I let the shake sit for a bit to allow the bubbles from mixing to dissipate. I'm also a little sensitive to lactose, so a concentrated drink like this is something for me to get used to.

I have noticed some gains--about 3 lbs. This isn't all due to adding the shake. I have been weight lifting and eating more as well (anywhere between 2200 and 3000 calories/day).

The great thing about this is that I can drink this anywhere at work. I can't do that with food since I'm in meetings and chomping on food isn't very good business etiquette. I also drink about 1-2 scoops worth after working out so that I don't let my body start digging into my scarce reserves for more energy before I get around to eating real food.

I think once I finish this giant thing of powder, I'll try another brand/type of protein drink--one with much less sugar. The positives about this powder is that it has helped my post workout recovery (not so sore, energy level is higher, don't feel beat up). This one has creatine, betaine, glutamine, arginine, and leucine added to it. Since I haven't had other powders without this, I can't tell you whether this truly makes a difference. I do notice though that I'm not fatigued anymore after my workouts and I'm able to endure more repetitions without getting nauseated, shaky, weak so I'm able to lift until real muscle failure.

I kind of bought this on a whim, passing by the GNC store and didn't do a whole lot of research on what goes into these powders but I will the next time I need more. So far the worst of this is the stomach irritation and high sugar content.

amber10101

Sounds terrible - unhealthy.

It's full of chemicals and things you can't digest - and it upsets your stomach. And probably cost $50 or more.

Maybe have some trail mix or a peanut butter sandwich.

jrjchow

I never seem to finish those bags of trail mix. They feel like a chore to eat (in energy and quantity). I do eat peanut butter on wheat toast as well among other snacks (when I can squeeze in eating without being unprofessional at work). The shake just really helps as a supplement since I can take in more calories and protein faster, cheaper, and more frequently than I can eat a meal. The stuff I listed were amino acids added to the whey/soy concentrate and are supposed to help with the quality of your exercise regimen (which it seems to be doing compared to workouts without drinking this). It's also easier on my digestive system than stuffing meat down all the time so this allows me to eat typically less dense Asian vegetarian meals without giving up on the level of protein and calories I need for my weight training. For me, this is providing a lot more benefits than negatives (I'll just have to throw the strawberry out--vanilla doesn't upset my stomach at all) so I'll be looking for a different powder with less sugar (it's a touch too sweet tasting). Thanks for the suggestion, but this is working for me.

Just a side note...I've found eating sushi (specifically nigiri, not rolls) and sashimi to be the easiest (in taste, digestion) in taking in lots of protein and surprisingly calories. I didn't realize this until I entered it into the food diary. My one sushi/sashimi lunch ended up being 1400 calories! Granted I ate about 16 nigiri sushi and 1 plate of sashimi.

mng9

I saw this powder the other day at a store in town:
http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Life-Meal-1200-powder/dp/B00013YYR6
Does Not Contain: Soy protein, soy fiber, nuts, MSG, salt, wheat, corn, yeast, gluten, eggs, whey, dairy products, casein, sugar, honey, fructose, caffeine, maltodextrin, ginseng & cholesterol, as well as artificial preservatives, flavors, coloring, fillers & animal products.
I'm thinking of trying it. I've been using a whey protein powder for extra calories and protein, but I don't think I should have the dairy everyday. I'm looking for something to rotate with it. I'm also going to check out some of the egg protein powders.

JRJ, what kind of powder did you get?
Amber, what was the vege powder you used?

jrjchow

mng9,
I'm using a GNC amplified mass xxx gainer. It has whey and soy. I've gotten used to it now. At first it was a little harsh on my digestion, but I would attribute that more to not being much of a regular dairy consumer.

I've gained 6.2 pounds of non-fat mass in the past 6 weeks. I've only been taking the powder for 4 of those weeks but that has been the timeframe I've gained the most muscle. My fat has actually decreased by 2%.

This is in combination with weight training, calisthenics (fitness boot camp), and very little cardio (running). I've also changed to leaner cuts of meat. I'm sure the muscle gains I have had would probably be a bit more on a male.

The gainer I'm using does have a lot of the ingredients you listed, minus MSG (not sure why that would ever be in a protein drink), ginseng, caffeine, animal products. The version I bought adds many amino acids and creatine. Gives me plenty of energy for work outs.

aejaygoehring

MSG just changes the flavor of things. Usually when things say "No MSG," they are actually just saying that the product is free of glutamate (part of the MSG compound, along with sodium), which is a non-essential amino acid (ie: an amino acid that your body naturally produces, anyway). People are scared of MSG when honestly there is no real research suggesting that it is in any way harmful. There are claims that a severely small percentage of people have trouble digesting MSG, but even that hasn't really had any grounding in studies.

Robert Ho Man Kwok reported how he felt after a meal containing MSG, and proposed a hypothesis that the MSG was what caused his symptoms, which got accepted and spread by the masses before any of it was actually tested.

And I know this is a little late in the game, but @amber10101:

What is your daily calorie goal? Mine is about 3100 calories. When you have a high-calorie goal, it can be a challenge to get enough food in each day to meet it. I use bsn's true mass, and I get about two and a half peanut-butter sandwiches' worth of calories in one shake, and I get amino acids and other advantageous supplements in it.

Let's look at the gainer jrjchow is using, mass xxx gainer:

Betaine (A compound found in beets, quinoa, wheat bran, and spinach), HMB (A metabolite that helps with protein synthesis, and is produced naturally in the human body), Creatine (also produced in the human body and most animal products, promotes muscle hydration and hypertrophy), Amino acid blend (you know, those compounds that are vital for protein folding), protein (we know what that is), Triglycerides (just a fancy word for certain fats, usually unsaturated depending on the source), Lecithin (another unsaturated fatty substance, derived from soy).

Technically the only two ingredients that can't be digested are the two calorie-free sweeteners, Acesulfame Potassium and Sucralose (splenda). All the other ingredients *have* to be digestible, because they are already present in the human body naturally or found in many healthy, unprocessed foods.

smgwa

This is so difficult! Sometimes I just want to not think about it and grab all the unhealthy crap foods that may help me gain weight and ten diseases along with it..

Im 23, 5'11" and 120 lbs. Wanting to reach 135ish.

I have so little free time as it is.. Does anyone have any advice on trying to healthily gain weight with an extremely busy lifestyle?

Working full time, school full time, planning a wedding, and moving from Houston to Seattle! The megastress isn't helping but I can't do much to change that right now. I am a Yoga teacher by the way. I practice at least one hour per day (usually late at night) which helps with the stress and makes it easier for me to get to bed.

babystepsforward

I have the same problem! i love to eat and cook healthy and enjoy natural, healthy foods far more than processed ones. I'd rather have brown pasta and veggies instead of a takeaway with my familly for example. I'm trying t use things like nuts, hummus etc.. to get healthy fats and protein in my diet iwthout turning to saturated fat, sugar laden chocolate etc..

schparklemom

I have had a difficult time finding a good ratio of caloric sources, as well. When I was 29, fresh out of business school, single and kid-free, I had the luxury of a personal trainer. I was at my heaviest and in great physical shape, as well. Now, I'm 41 and going back to school for another grad degree, with a 7 year old son....all of which equals less time,energy and money being available to address this lifelong problem.

And can I just add for the record that IT IS A PROBLEM. I'm so very tired of people telling me how 'lucky' I am. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Cold all year round, catch every possible virus my beloved son brings home from the petri dish that is the classroom and, if it's a stomach virus....I'll lose 5 pounds in 3 days, easily. It takes weeks to replace it. My BMR is so far off the 'norm' for my gender/age/height/activity level that it's as if I'm another freakish species. I am a 41 year old woman with the curves of an 11 year old boy.

I really can't afford the 'good' supplements on a regular basis, at least. I'm 105lbs and 5'7". I know from past experiences that I need to add exercise - mainly weight training - with the calories but what else works for you all? Lastly, I just restarted a medication that has.....yep....weight loss as a major side effect. The first month I have been happy to lose only 4 pounds. It's also not my thyroid gland or any other parts mis-secreting, as far as blood test results show. I've just always been this way and I'd like to put some pounds on this summer before I continue with my insane plan to go back to school. Any help is incredibly welcome. Thanks.

bstn96

schparklemon

I don't use protein powders or supplements. I do however add "Carnation Instant Breakfast" powder to my diet daily, it adds extra nutrients & calories and its not that expensive. Another trick (suggested by a past Doctor) drink "Slim Fast" with your lunch and dinners, drinking one w/your meals is like having two meals in one sitting! (Just be warned, those trying to loose weight will give you an evil look)

Also try adding "healthy" fats to your daily meals (ie: olive oil, avacados (I put half in my green smoothies and slices on sandwiches and on salads and guacamolie is yummy on pita chips!!) , eat nusts (almods, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, etc) and add peanut butter to shakes (I use almond milk (for extra calcium), full fat yogurt, peanut butter and a banana).

Also if you dont go to a gym or have access to weight machines or hand weights use your own body as resistance, Strength training is best for us trying to gain weight seeing cardio makes us lose weight . Do push ups and chair dips (all for upper body - arms, chest). pick your son up alot (hes a free weight!!) use household items as weights.

I am in my mid-40's, 5'07 1/2" and weigh about 116 and have always been very thin also. I had put weight on in the past then got a thyroid disorder and lost a lot before they diagnosed me (was down in the 90's), I have since gained some weight back but still am trying to put more on. I am starting to realize gianing weight the healthy way is not a fast process but it sure beats eating Mcdonalds supersize crap and clogging our arteries while packing on the fat!!

Hope some of my tips can help you too!! Good luck!