Snacks

kirkyloon86
kirkyloon86 Posts: 10 Member
edited December 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I am really struggling to fill my 1200 calories a day and I think it's because the main thing I snack on is fruit. Most of my main meals are fish or lean meat with potatos and salad or vegetables.

I am training to run a half marathon next month and worried about making myself ill if I'm not eating enough. I'm finding my meals substantial but getting hungry in between.

Can anyone suggest anything I can snack on? I really don't have a sweet tooth and previously use to munch on crisps (pre-diet).

Replies

  • Lyra89
    Lyra89 Posts: 674 Member
    Roasted edamame/chick peas or raw/roasted nuts, 'ants on a log' which is a celery stalk topped with peanut butter and raisins...low-cal popcorn, natural yoghurt WITH your fruit, string cheese, protein shakes, carrot sticks & hummus, granola bars x
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Don't eat lean meat if you're short of calories.
  • Gwenski
    Gwenski Posts: 348 Member
    Hi There! I would aim for smaller, more frequent meals (perhaps four 300 cal meals instead of three 400 cal meals if that can fit into your schedule, or perhaps a snack between each meal. It's a really good idea to make sure to pair a protein with a carb every time you eat. These tips will help to keep your blood sugar at a more even level - which is really good for keeping hunger down and burning your calories in the best way possible. Another good snack food would be a hard boiled egg. Lean roast beef can also be fairly low cal but full of the iron you will be needing to train.
    All the best!
  • LADYDEBORAH1984
    LADYDEBORAH1984 Posts: 64 Member
    have you tried snack a jacks, theyre a good replacement for crisps!!
  • sc1572
    sc1572 Posts: 2,309 Member
    high calorie healthy foods... nuts, almonds, edamame, apple/banana with peanut/almond butter, greek yogurt (could even top with granola), etc. :)
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    It sounds like your diet is quite low fat, and particular reason for that? If not, then eat more fat and that will soon get your calories up. Cheese, nuts, seeds, avocados, nut butters, full fat dairy etc. I imagine you'll have improved results with your half marathon training if you eat more than 1200 cals.

    Also, I notice you're very close to your goal weight. Are you set to lose 2 lb a week? That might be too aggressive a rate of loss for you, especially considering your training.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    A portion of chips? (Yes, English chips, not crisps :) .)
    Some fat, but a lot of carbs and should easily bump you up.

    Any reason for stopping the crisps?
    Often seen them given out for people doing exercise for the salt to go with water drank.

    I've been getting in to indoor climbing recently.
    Always find a cafe at the venue selling all sorts of cakes and the like - with plenty of people partaking, but generally not an issue as people there are burning plenty of calories in the first place as well as leading generally healthy life styles.
  • stuffinmuffin
    stuffinmuffin Posts: 985 Member
    1200 calories is incredibly low for someone training to do a half marathon and would suggest you eat more, you might even be surprised by feeling more energetic and performing better when running.

    As someone mentioned, incorporating some healthy fats would be good and it is good for your body. I did the weight loss on 1200 and eating barely an fat - in fact almost freaking out at the thought of consuming any. Through regular exercise I increased my calories through healthy fats and it made a tremendous difference to my overall mood and physical ability!

    Eat nuts, full fat greek yoghurt, avocados, oily fish....and enjoy it. : )

    Good luck with the half, I did one on Sunday and burned 1300 calories in the process! (Which I quickly replaced afterwards!)

    (Just to note - I did 1200 calories for only around 3 months of a 6 month weight loss period. I have been maintaining for almost a year now).
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