How am I gonna get to 2000 calories????

Voca_Star
Voca_Star Posts: 140
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm trying to eat up to 1800 - 2000 calories a day, and I want to keep my diet really clean and healthy. But since I'm a picky eater, I find it hard to reach those calories without peanut butter, nuts, and if I want to have fruit, grapes. I don't like much other fruit. I don't like any vegetable yet I force myself to eat them every day. I try to keep my fat and sugar DOWN but I always overeat on them! Grapes are high in sugar. Peanut butter and almonds are high in fat.

I don't really like fish. I can eat tuna, but that's it. There's just something about the taste of sea food that drives me up the wall. My Mom won't buy fat-free dressing (only light) because it's rather expensive. And she rarely buys fruit unless it's on sale at a really good price. Just because it's rather expensive and we're struggling with money right now. Occasionally she'll buy almonds, and I try to make them last as long as possible, but my sister munches on them endlessly so they run out pretty fast.

It's so hard trying to eat right and lose weight and be healthy when you're picky. I don't like almond butter to replace peanut butter.

Anyone got any advice? Wanna look at my diary and give me some tips? Please?

EDIT: By the way, I've only ate breakfast today. I like to put food in my diary before I eat it to give me some sort of guide, ya know? Sorry for posting this again T___T

Replies

  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    You don't really say what you like don't like to eat, so it's hard to give advice. But you have to eat something. Calories come from fat, carbs, and protein.

    High calorie food with nutritional value (other than nuts, which I can't figure out if you do like almonds and don't like peanuts?) include cheese, good bread, and starches like pasta. There are breads and pastas made out of whole wheat, barley, and buckwheat you might enjoy. Anything with cream or milk in it will add calories.

    I am on many fewer calories than that, but all I need to do to add a few hundred more is to have a melted cheese sandwich. Or anything with rice. Or a quiche. I would consider all those things relatively unprocessed as I make them, but they can easily add up to 700 calories if you let them.
  • needamulligan
    needamulligan Posts: 558 Member
    You could eat 2 eggs? How about some dairy? Cottage cheese, yogurt, &/or cheese? Avocados? Potatoes? Bread? Also, us girls have to watch our iron. Some lean red meat is important, too. Seems like a little more protein couldn't hurt
  • Voca_Star
    Voca_Star Posts: 140
    I don't like most fruit, I don't like fish. I don;t like beef. The only meat I like is chicken and bacon, and bacon isn't healthy.

    I like almonds and peanuts both, but eating more nuts is just gonna put more fat in my diet. I always overeat on fat, which is part of my problem. Most dairy products are high in fat, too. I can't buy fat-free, or ask for it, seeing as they're so much more money than regular dairy products. At least most of the time they are.

    I'm trying to keep my carbs and sodium down a bit, too. People have told me in the past that I eat too many carbs. Cheese is high in fat. :/
  • Voca_Star
    Voca_Star Posts: 140
    I usually eat two eggs, but I only have one egg left. And, they are sorta high in fat. I don't like cottage cheese, I ate yogurt with breakfast but it's pretty high in sugar. I don't like avocados, but I can eat potatoes.....I usually get around 70 - 100 grams of protein per day with eggs, peanut butter, and chicken.

    I try to keep my bread intake low so I don't have too many carbs.
  • msmimi
    msmimi Posts: 238 Member
    From looking at your your food journal you seem to be reaching that goal. Monday-Wednesday. Not sure what you're trying to accomplish. Are you following a low carb diet? Dr.'s diet?
  • beckajw
    beckajw Posts: 1,728 Member
    Don't worry about sugar and it's okay to eat healthy fats and be over on the fat number.
  • Voca_Star
    Voca_Star Posts: 140
    I really push it to reach that goal, and again. It's not getting that many calories which is a problem - it's the eating too much fat, sugar and carbs!!! :(
  • Voca_Star
    Voca_Star Posts: 140
    I hope you're right cause it's not easy to get 2000 calories without eating nuts and peanut butter :/
  • chicadejmu
    chicadejmu Posts: 171 Member
    I hope you're right cause it's not easy to get 2000 calories without eating nuts and peanut butter :/

    Nuts are fine in moderation. Also, if you are eating natural peanut butter there is no added sugar (check the organic section and read some labels).
  • Voca_Star
    Voca_Star Posts: 140
    It's not "natural" since my Mom won't buy that and I don't have money for it.
    I only eat one serving of almonds a day.
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    Eating a "large" amount of a particular macro nutrient isn't going to cause you to gain weight - it's eating those while over your maintenance range that will. So if your maintenance is under 2000 calories, then don't worry about enjoying lots of nuts, seeds, pastas, bread, whole-fat or 2% greek yogurt, etc.
  • Voca_Star
    Voca_Star Posts: 140
    Meaning, I can eat 2000 calories, and overeat on my fat and sugar a little bit and not gain weight from it?
  • weird_me2
    weird_me2 Posts: 716 Member
    Just because the nuts are high in fat doesn't mean you shouldn't eat them. They are a great way to add more calories, nutrition and healthy fat to your diet, which will help you be satiated. If you are worried about going over your MFP macros numbers, change them. I changed mine to 40/30/30 carbs/fat/protein and still sometimes go over on fat.

    Yesterday, for 2000 calories I had:
    2 C 1% milk + 1/2 oz walnuts, homemade triple decker tuna/egg salad sandwich on 100% whole wheat bread, watermelon, 1 oz cheddar cheese, hummus, 1/2 100% whole wheat pita pocket, 5 oz strip steak, 7 oz baked potato w/ RF sour cream, chives, 2 T cheese and about 1 T chopped bacon, then a large sweet tea. The tea was unplanned and my original plan was a protein smoothie made with 1 scoop powder, 1 C milk and 1 C frozen strawberries. Yesterday was higher on carbs than I usually am, but I don't worry if I'm over on fat or protein as long as I'm not over on my calories.
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    Yes. There are lifestyles out there like Paleo and Primal with people eating well over 100g of healthy fats a day while staying within their maintenance range and not gaining anything.
  • Voca_Star
    Voca_Star Posts: 140
    Thank you :)
  • Voca_Star
    Voca_Star Posts: 140
    Thank you, very much! :)
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    Douitashimash i te! (You're welcome!). I love grapes, too, and always have 5 or 6 large globe grapes with my 1/2 cup of 2% cottage cheese with some flax cereal that taste like a wheat Kix and some cinnamon - very yummy breakfast.

    Wow. I can't even say that in japanese due to the last few letters LOL.
  • Rubyayn
    Rubyayn Posts: 433 Member
    I almost always eat over 2,000 and only have a problem NOT eating more. Feel free to check out my diary and ask any questions you want. I am a clean/organic eater also. Never know, you may get some ideas.
  • Voca_Star
    Voca_Star Posts: 140
    I appreciate this sooo much! :D
  • Voca_Star
    Voca_Star Posts: 140
    Thank you :)
  • jimbo480
    jimbo480 Posts: 22 Member
    Try Almond Butter
  • Psychoanalytic
    Psychoanalytic Posts: 261
    Yes. There are lifestyles out there like Paleo and Primal with people eating well over 100g of healthy fats a day while staying within their maintenance range and not gaining anything.

    This.

    I average 1900 cals, try to stay under 90 carbs (I keep it lower due to being a diabetic,) 115g of fat, 120g protein, and staying under 35g of sugars. I loosely follow a primal lifestyle. It works for me and my lifestyle. (Being a diabetic, running on occasion, lifting weights, etc.) (But what works for me may not work for someone else. All of our bodies are different.) Between my eating habits and exercise, I've lost a bit of weight as well as gaining muscle and getting stronger.

    Healthy fats are not evil, I promise you.

    ETA: And to answer your original question, I eat a lot of salads topped with chicken or crab, cheese, nuts, wraps of various sorts, veggies with a healthy dip, etc. You say you don't like fruits and other foods, but keep trying. Find something you like and find different recipes for it to suit your tastes.
  • Voca_Star
    Voca_Star Posts: 140
    I already said I don't like it :((
  • Voca_Star
    Voca_Star Posts: 140
    I appreciate this a lot. I eat a lot of salads with chicken, too. But Chicken breasts are so high in sodium! And, cheese is really high in fat. And I don't think cheese is healthy fat.
  • beckajw
    beckajw Posts: 1,728 Member
    I appreciate this a lot. I eat a lot of salads with chicken, too. But Chicken breasts are so high in sodium! And, cheese is really high in fat. And I don't think cheese is healthy fat.

    You're right, cheese isn't the healthiest fat, but there are a lot of ways to get more healthy fats in your diet that you won't necessarily notice. For example, when you make a chicken breast or even eggs, add olive oil. 1 tsp. gives you 40 calories of healthy fat.

    Cheese does have saturated fat, which isn't the healthiest kind of fat, but it's still better for you than getting your calories from something like a donut. Cheese can be a good part of a balanced diet.
  • jillebean60
    jillebean60 Posts: 78 Member
    Healthy sources that come to mind- beans of any kind, lentils, eggs, Boca or Morning Star protein sub, almond nut butter.
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    I appreciate this a lot. I eat a lot of salads with chicken, too. But Chicken breasts are so high in sodium! And, cheese is really high in fat. And I don't think cheese is healthy fat.
    There are chicken products not pre-seasoned with less than 100mg of sodium. Buy the boneless skinless fresh meats, not the pre-cooked frozen products.

    Not all your fats have to be "healthy." The same about your total calories in general. If 85% of your calories comes from healthy options, the remaining 15% or so can come from the not-so-good items and it won't hurt you. I usually reserve 10% or so for Japanese candy and other treats. You do not have to eat perfectly the entire day, in other words. Just be mindful of your caloric daily goal and ensure the treats do not make you go over.
  • Voca_Star
    Voca_Star Posts: 140
    Thank you!

Categories