Menu Planning

Blaqheart

Is this a yea or ney? Btw YAY my first thread! :drinker:
I looked and didn't see this type of thread so thought I could start it and get feedback.

I am clueless when it comes to what to eat to gain. I feel like this --> :noway: when trying to figure it out. Anyone else??

MamaAubry

I'm in pretty much the same boat as you. I'm having a hard time meeting my calorie goals. I do know that pine nuts make a great snack. 1/2 a cup of them has 460 calories. You can sometimes find flavor coated varieties in the same area of the grocery store as the trail mix and dried fruit. The flavoring adds extra calories too.

Peanut butter, avocado, hummus are all good. And WHOLE MILK. 2 cups (16 oz/ 473 ml) of A&E whole milk contains 300 calories, and since it's liquid, it doesn't fill you you up too much.

I'd love to hear what everyone else on here is eating. Especially the people that are actually gaining. lol!

findingmyhappyplace

When I gained 15lbs, I pre-logged my whole day the night before, so that it was just over my required cals. Then I would try to eat more on top of that, but not feel obliged to. I didn't eat anything special really, just lots of it. And I ate out a lot. Peanut butter held a pretty special place in my heart around that time I seem to remember.

RaeLB

i drink a lot of my calories: milk, all natural juice, and fruit smoothies... and when i first started & had a really difficult time i would drink ensure
i don't think i could meet my calories without drinking a lot of them

i think menu planning can be helpful... i usually eat as i go till supper then when i know what's left i pre-log my evening snacks

bciochetti

The only things that change for me from day to day are the main part of my lunch and my dinner. Otherwise it is the same every weekday:
5 AM: (Pre Workout) Granola cereal with Skim Milk
6:45 AM: (Post Workout) Protein Shake
9 AM: Cashew, Almond, Pumpkin seed clusters from costco (150 cal / 5 clusters; I eat 10)
10 AM: Grilled Chicken Thigh and a piece of cheddar cheese
11:30 AM: Carrots and Spinach
12:45 PM: Juice Box and Apple, along with lunch
3:00 PM: Orange and 300 cal protein bar

If you can set out your days to be the same and find things you like to eat every day, it makes it much easier to meet your calorie goals.

Blaqheart

I eat pretty much regular foods same week to week. I have heard everyone has about 20 different recipes they love and actually use week to week.

For me it's Stoneyfield Whole Milk Yogurt with a tsp organic local honey, sliced or chopped fresh fruit along with granola or I'll have a nature Valley granola bar with natural peanut butter for breakfast. i've given up anything like eggs because I think I may have an allergy, but not sure.

Lunch consists of some meat be it ground chuck, steak, fish, chicken with veggies rice or some other carb such as a potato or noodles. Beans are good too. Also use cheese in alot of dishes.

Supper pretty much same. We do make meatloaf, stirfry, noodle dishes, lasagna, crockpot, casseroles, fried foods, pizza

Snacks are fresh fruits, ice cream, shakes, baked cookies, cobblers, pie, nuts, avocado, sherbet

I also eat several salads because you really need those fresh veggies to get your micronutrients and vitamins.
We have a nice garden in our backyard. A nice hobby we share.

I use butter, olive oil, coconut oil and things like that.

I drink a lot of unsweetened green tea both room temp and hot. (I hate cold drinks). Gatorade, and insane amounts of water. A bit of milk. I used to be a milkaholic 2-3 gal a week! I really hate soda tastes too chemical and not good for anyone wanting to be healthy.

I don't eat a lot of bread because it's hard to eat for me. Same with cake and doughnuts.

I do use a lot of different herbs and spices to season dishes.

I agree share what you're eating so we can compare and get tips from each other. Yes especially those of you who are gaining or have gained weight. We soooo need this help!

Thanks!
Blaq

ijiiii

I too drink a lot of my calories from whole milk and fruit smoothies, over 1600 calories a day from liquids.

There are a lot of things I despise eating which does make things difficult for me. I just go with what I like and force myself to eat it even though I get sick of it. Occasionally I'll try something different.

So it's a struggle for me to stay above 4500. So far only 1 real bad day since the 2 weeks I've started logging here.

I really wish I liked peanuts or peanut butter due to the tons of calories packed in a small amount. Unfortunately they are just not palatable with my tongue.

Oats seem to be a good weight gain item, of course I don't like traditional cooking methods with them so I use two alternatives.
1. Use a cup a day in fruit smoothies with yogurt (to hide the hideous oats taste + xtra calories).
2. Use them to make oatmeal cookies. All that sugar in cookies hides the oats taste in that as well. So I eat 3 oatmeal cookies every morning which pack 465 calories total every morning.

Blaqheart

Love the cookies idea, but how do you get oatmeal into your smoothies since they're solid?? I can't eat oatmeal can't swallow it.

I used to hate peanut butter, but I grew up and taste changed. I don't like pbj sandwiches a lot, but I will smear peanut butter on stuff like apples or granola bars.

Yeah sugar packs calories! I'm looking for what to eat that's calorie dense and good for you. I know this is a big challenge.

I was thinking if we all added foods to this list we could come up with a pretty good and extensive list to hopefully build menus from????

ijiiii

I have a Vitamix blender which is a top of the line blender. I put milk in first, then the cup of oats, then fruit, then yogurt, and ice on top. The Vitamix blender does a fantastic job in creating a nice smooth drink. I don't even need to use the tamper.

Blaqheart

I have a Vitamix blender which is a top of the line blender. I put milk in first, then the cup of oats, then fruit, then yogurt, and ice on top. The Vitamix blender does a fantastic job in creating a nice smooth drink. I don't even need to use the tamper.

Is it really worth the price?
I heard it can overheat the food. Don't want to have buttermilk instead of milk. Not a popular idea to me.

ijiiii

It takes minutes for food start getting warm and hot. I haven't tried it yet, but the Vitamix company encourages making soups with the Vitamix.

I always add some ice cubes to my blends to keep it real cold. It only takes like 30 seconds max to make a real good smoothie. You can always put frozen food in the blender too to keep the smoothie cold, but I find I end up with more of a 7-11 slurpee that needs a spoon to eat instead of drink. Have the liquid food turn warm is really a non-issue. I recommend it.

Have you compared reviews of various blenders on Amazon.com? I've had it probably a month now and used it every day and used it more than my oven and stove. It's a regular appliance for me.

Blaqheart

It takes minutes for food start getting warm and hot. I haven't tried it yet, but the Vitamix company encourages making soups with the Vitamix.

I always add some ice cubes to my blends to keep it real cold. It only takes like 30 seconds max to make a real good smoothie. You can always put frozen food in the blender too to keep the smoothie cold, but I find I end up with more of a 7-11 slurpee that needs a spoon to eat instead of drink. Have the liquid food turn warm is really a non-issue. I recommend it.

Have you compared reviews of various blenders on Amazon.com? I've had it probably a month now and used it every day and used it more than my oven and stove. It's a regular appliance for me.

Hahahaha spoonable food that I might like sometime. :laugh:

Not yet I just started hearing about it again. Seems everyone was talking about 2-3 years ago and then they stopped. Prob due to the heating food myth I guess. Now I'm hearing about it again. I will start reviewing and researching it again. Sounds like a great appliance to add to my kit. Thanks for the info!