Struggling for Good Calories

sabras18

Ok this sounds odd..... I just started watching my calories again because I have been putting on weight even though I am an aggressive work out girl (round 2 P90Xf)...... So here's my problem I need help with I can not hit my maintain goal ever, which means my body is in starving mode, I eat or at least I thought I did, I need to add about 400 calories to my diet. I need some great ideas to help.

thanks!!!!

rose313

What's your maintenance number?

3laine75

your diary is private so i don't know what you eat. but try getting more fat easiest thing would be to cut out any low-fat options you have.

sabras18

I changed it its only been 2 days, if you have ideas starting now that would be AMAZING!!!

sabras18

its 1270.... I know it should be easy but I am always so stuffed.... I never worried about it until now, I started gaining inches and pounds which is why I am concerned

GrammaBonnie

Here's a few things my coach taught us:

* Eat 6 meals a day, 3 meals plus 3 healthy snacks. (It keeps your blood sugar levels more even. If it fluctuates too much, it will store fat in your belly.)

* Eat a big breakfast. (A veggie omelet with 2-3 egg whites plus one whole egg. Steel cut oatmeal: Make a big batch, then reheat it over several days.) (I struggle with this one, too, but see better results when I follow this rule!)

* Ditch the coffee. (Caffeine does a bunch of things, and affects your blood sugar levels. It increases cortisol, which causes your body to store fat in your belly). Your coffee mate has a lot of chemicals that you don't need, either!

* Drink water. 8-10 glasses per day MINIMUM!!! (Fat needs water to breakdown)

* Eat enough calories (if you don't get enough, your body thinks there is a famine, and slows down metabolism.)

* Ditch white foods. (Eliminate salt, sugar, white flour, white rice, white potatoes.)

* Ditch processed foods. (Shop the outer edges of the grocery store.)

* Eat lots of fresh veggies, some fruit, more veggies.

* Don't eat after 8:00 pm. (We fail at this one almost every night!)

* Drink more water!

To add calories:
We have brown rice or quinoa or a baked sweet potato most nights.
We eat a lot of nuts and seeds. But we weigh or measure them, to make sure we aren't getting too many calories.

Don't forget that muscle weighs more than fat, so measure your progress with your clothes and your tape measure, too, not just with the scale.

I hope this will help!

Good luck!

runfatmanrun

You can view my diary for ideas.

sabras18

not my coffee its my one vice.....lol....Thank you so much, the fresh food keeps me so full.....I will work on the breakfast thing and snaking more....great info

mommyweighless

You do NOT have to give up coffee.. one cup a day with no additives(sugar/sweetner/creamer) is actually good for you. And your body will not go into starvation mode so long as you are consuming at least 1200 calories a day. Which you are. Your body only goes into starvation mode..if you want to call that..when you have gone a minimum of 14 days without any food. You also do NOT have to give up white foods. Potatoes and some starches are actually good for you..in moderation. I eat them everyday. Carbs like those are great after a workout for the energy or fuel you body needs. And eating after 8 is perfectly fine. You could eat at 1 in the morning and your body is not gonna to turn it into fat. It will metabolize it just like all the other calories. If you go to bed late it is especially important to have a snack before bed..so you body is not going such a long duration without any food.

sabras18

Thanks!!!!

jessicamfox82

I have also heard about coffee being very good in helping your workouts.

sabras18

I hope thats true!!! I can give up almost anything but coffee is my friend

debbiestine

Your protein is too low. up it to 100/day. You have to eat more meat, chicken, fish, drink protein shakes- look at my diary.
sometimes your sugar is too high,
substitute heavy whipping cream for the creamer organic valley has 0carbs, 0sugar, 50cal/T I use it in my coffee with sugar free vanilly syrup (sams' club) and now I love my coffee!
Don't eat flavored yogurt. Substitute plain greek yogurt- I just found Cabot Greek yogurt which is higher in fat (it's a good fat!) and I add cinnamon/berries.
I am down to 110lbs from following this advice and the primal blueprint- google it. Dont be afraid of the added protein -it made me lose fat and now I look so much more lean...

babycook

Coffee is my vice too. But to be honest I am trying to cut back because of the fact it raises your cortisol level which increases abd. fat storage. Which is exactly where all my fat is.
I had problems eating enough calories at the beginning too. I added healthy fats and increased my protein. I gradually got more of an appetite and I've lost ten lbs in around a month.
Try adding some nuts into your diet. I eat a lot of greek yogurt, cottage cheese and use protein powder. You can look at my diary. It's open.

froggy15

Here's a few things my coach taught us:

* Eat 6 meals a day, 3 meals plus 3 healthy snacks. (It keeps your blood sugar levels more even. If it fluctuates too much, it will store fat in your belly.)

* Eat a big breakfast. (A veggie omelet with 2-3 egg whites plus one whole egg. Steel cut oatmeal: Make a big batch, then reheat it over several days.) (I struggle with this one, too, but see better results when I follow this rule!)

* Ditch the coffee. (Caffeine does a bunch of things, and affects your blood sugar levels. It increases cortisol, which causes your body to store fat in your belly). Your coffee mate has a lot of chemicals that you don't need, either!

* Drink water. 8-10 glasses per day MINIMUM!!! (Fat needs water to breakdown)

* Eat enough calories (if you don't get enough, your body thinks there is a famine, and slows down metabolism.)

* Ditch white foods. (Eliminate salt, sugar, white flour, white rice, white potatoes.)

* Ditch processed foods. (Shop the outer edges of the grocery store.)

* Eat lots of fresh veggies, some fruit, more veggies.

* Don't eat after 8:00 pm. (We fail at this one almost every night!)

* Drink more water!

To add calories:
We have brown rice or quinoa or a baked sweet potato most nights.
We eat a lot of nuts and seeds. But we weigh or measure them, to make sure we aren't getting too many calories.

Don't forget that muscle weighs more than fat, so measure your progress with your clothes and your tape measure, too, not just with the scale.

I hope this will help!

Good luck!

This is very useful! Thanks. And as far as breakfast, do you mean to eat both eggs AND oatmeal or eggs OR oatmeal?

toffee322

nuts are great.. you just need to eat so little but they are packed with nutrients and calories, which you are looking for!

sabras18

thank you I will see what to adjust....good coffee idea will have to try for sure...going to start using plain greek in my smoothie...... more protien, I can do that.... I'm trying to go all veg.....so will have to learn how to cook tofu better......my youngest is totally veg so want to make dinner fun for him too!!! Thanks for the tips

sabras18

Thanks will look....nuts is a good one...wish I could my oldest is deadly allergic.....cottage cheese will try that too....