Need help hitting my daily CALORIE goal

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  • Love4fitnesslove4food2
    Love4fitnesslove4food2 Posts: 711 Member
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    Cheese, olives, avocado, nuts and nut butters, ice cream :wink: Maybe an extra glass of milk with protein powder.

    I'm curious, though, how you've met your macros (fat/protein/carb) and not your calorie goal, since they should be balanced. Anyway, you can look at protein as a minimum, and possibly fat, too, rather than a max, so if you need more calories, go for things that will add protein and fat rather than just carbs.

    I'm guessing the OP does view them as minimums and he/she has hit his/her calorie target without hitting his/her calorie goal. Usually with calorie targets that high you're not going to have every macro calculated so that when you add them all up they equal the calorie target.

    I'm confused by this issue too - the macros do add up to the calorie goal. I'd go to an iifym calculator to work out you macros before you just start eating whatever....I think it'll be more helpful for you to achieve your goals.

    I'll give you an example...

    150 pound person has the following goals:

    Calories = 3500
    150g protein (=600 calories)
    75g fat (=675 calories)

    carbs--> no target because total doesn't matter.

    600+ 675 = 1275 calories. So, the person would have 2225 calories that could be comprised of anything. Odds are that both protein and fat intake will exceed his/her target but those are merely minimums to ensure adequate fat and protein intake. It's kind of pointless to have a rigid target with every single macronutrient even when it will do nothing to further your goals--only complicate eating and make it harder to simply get enough calories in--which is the most important goal of all.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
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    Cheese, olives, avocado, nuts and nut butters, ice cream :wink: Maybe an extra glass of milk with protein powder.

    I'm curious, though, how you've met your macros (fat/protein/carb) and not your calorie goal, since they should be balanced. Anyway, you can look at protein as a minimum, and possibly fat, too, rather than a max, so if you need more calories, go for things that will add protein and fat rather than just carbs.

    I'm guessing the OP does view them as minimums and he/she has hit his/her calorie target without hitting his/her calorie goal. Usually with calorie targets that high you're not going to have every macro calculated so that when you add them all up they equal the calorie target.

    I'm confused by this issue too - the macros do add up to the calorie goal. I'd go to an iifym calculator to work out you macros before you just start eating whatever....I think it'll be more helpful for you to achieve your goals.

    I'll give you an example...

    150 pound person has the following goals:

    Calories = 3500
    150g protein (=600 calories)
    75g fat (=675 calories)

    carbs--> no target because total doesn't matter.

    600+ 675 = 1275 calories. So, the person would have 2225 calories that could be comprised of anything. Odds are that both protein and fat intake will exceed his/her target but those are merely minimums to ensure adequate fat and protein intake. It's kind of pointless to have a rigid target with every single macronutrient even when it will do nothing to further your goals--only complicate eating and make it harder to simply get enough calories in--which is the most important goal of all.

    IIFYM works fine for plenty of people, and that is a set amount for each macronutrient. The op days they meet their goals for protein, fat and carbs. So they should be eating enough calories...
  • Love4fitnesslove4food2
    Love4fitnesslove4food2 Posts: 711 Member
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    Nevermind. I must be failing at conveying what my point is.
  • Morgaath
    Morgaath Posts: 679 Member
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    IIFYM works fine for plenty of people, and that is a set amount for each macronutrient. The op days they meet their goals for protein, fat and carbs. So they should be eating enough calories...

    Take a look at the goals on IIFYM... http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/
    PROTEIN -- 1.00 grams per lb. of body weight
    FAT -- 0.40 grams per lb. of body weight

    So, a 150lb person would have a daily MINIMUM goal of 150 grams of protein, and 60 grams of fat. --- Kind of like you have a MINIMUM goal of getting in AT LEAST 150 minutes of exercise per week. No one says you can't go over that goal, and they tell you that you are doing great when you do.

    The OP is hitting their minimum daily intake goal (150g Pro, 60g fat), which would be 600 cals & 540 cals, for a total of 1140 cals out of their daily calorie goal of 3500 cals. They can fill in those remaining 2360 cals with anything....protein, fat, or carbs.

    Is it making more sense now?
  • ErikTee
    ErikTee Posts: 11 Member
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    I love Smuckers Natural Chunky... Another good tip for easy calories is HEAVY CREAM... And your shakes will taste much much better! :) My fav shake is 1 egg, 1 scoop Combta protein with half water half heavy cream... Delicious
  • conniemaxwell5
    conniemaxwell5 Posts: 943 Member
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    Does anyone know any healthy foods high in calories? For example on a good day I fall short, hitting 2700 cals, but my goal is 3500. I have no issues hitting my goals for protein/carbs/fat/sodium/sugar. Keep in mind I'm a vegetarian, which means no animals/seafood.

    I have already incorporated eggs, red kidney beans, milk, almonds, oatmeal, white rice in my diet.

    Thanks.

    Avocado; full fat cheese, cottage cheese or yogurt; walnuts; nut butters; olives
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    There are a lot of great suggestions already made, but I was wondering if you could open your diary?


    And here's a reference to two people that might be able to give you ideas from their diaries

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/user/Ophidion/status (vegan)
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/user/Sarauk2sf/status (vegetarian - but I'm not sure if her diary is public or not)
  • FrnkLft
    FrnkLft Posts: 1,821 Member
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    Hitting your goals for the macros but not enough calories? Do you mean that you're eating the right percentages of each, but too few calories?

    I would just say chug some milk for the rest of it.
  • Destanie_Robyn
    Destanie_Robyn Posts: 304 Member
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    Peanut butter and a spoon. :smile:

    ↑ this! A friend of mine once got really sick and lost a lot of weight and appetite because of it... her doctor told her to eat two big spoonfuls a day!

    Also nutella or Justins nut butters are a tasty treat too that will do the trick with similar protein ratios as PB!

    I also agree with all the avocado votes too!
  • vnar
    vnar Posts: 5
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    Overwhelmed by the number of responses... thanks guys!!!!!!! So pumped to try the foods suggested! I'm going to eat a scoop of PB between meals for extra calories. I am in fact 151 lb, trying to get to 160 by mid-March. I lift weights every other day and play basketball at least once a week. To answer a previous question, I am only falling short calories-wise, not having much of an issue hitting everything else. Looks like avocado has been mentioned the most; I need to figure out how to incorporate it in my diet.
  • geekprincess858
    geekprincess858 Posts: 86
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    Avocado...nuts...coconut, olive oil...I wish I had your problem lol :-)
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
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    IIFYM works fine for plenty of people, and that is a set amount for each macronutrient. The op days they meet their goals for protein, fat and carbs. So they should be eating enough calories...

    Take a look at the goals on IIFYM... http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/
    PROTEIN -- 1.00 grams per lb. of body weight
    FAT -- 0.40 grams per lb. of body weight

    So, a 150lb person would have a daily MINIMUM goal of 150 grams of protein, and 60 grams of fat. --- Kind of like you have a MINIMUM goal of getting in AT LEAST 150 minutes of exercise per week. No one says you can't go over that goal, and they tell you that you are doing great when you do.

    The OP is hitting their minimum daily intake goal (150g Pro, 60g fat), which would be 600 cals & 540 cals, for a total of 1140 cals out of their daily calorie goal of 3500 cals. They can fill in those remaining 2360 cals with anything....protein, fat, or carbs.

    Is it making more sense now?

    no

    why would I have a calorie goal separate to my macro goals? the iifym calculators work out the cals you require to lose, maintain or grow, then all 3 macros are worked out accordingly. if you work out the cals of the macros, they meet the calorie goal.

    the op said they are meeting their macro goals, for protein fat and carb....so how are they not meeting their calorie goal, unless they're just guesstimating their goals.
  • eviegainer
    eviegainer Posts: 4
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    I'm a vegetarian as well, trying to gain. I make 1,000 calorie smoothies every day using frozen bananas and a mix of various nuts/seeds and oils. Some of the items I add that help increase the calorie content include:

    Coconut oil (if combined with frozen pineapple, tastes like a pina colada!)
    Flax or Hemp oil
    Flax, chia or hemp seeds (ground up or whole)
    Protein powder
    Almond butter
    Whole fat yogurt
    Coconut milk (or soymilk, almond milk, whole milk)

    Hope this helps! Good luck!
  • topshopperwantabe
    topshopperwantabe Posts: 112 Member
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    Talenti Gelato

    LOL
  • Caporegiem
    Caporegiem Posts: 4,297 Member
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    This is why I keep plenty of PB and various nuts in the cabinets. I'm running behind today so I'm probably going to have a few ounces of cashews shortly to add a quick 320 calories.
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
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    Peanut butter and a spoon. :smile:

    seriously
  • Just_Scott
    Just_Scott Posts: 1,766 Member
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    Peanut butter and a spoon. :smile:

    very dangerous advice since the spoon isn't high in fiber or MACROS, tread lightly when consuming spoons.
  • vnar
    vnar Posts: 5
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    Haha.. I just downed 4 tbsp of PB, and a cup of peanuts... quick 800 cals right there along with a good amt of protein.
  • Lisahorstkamp
    Lisahorstkamp Posts: 11 Member
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    coconut oil and you can eat it by the table spoon it is very healthy for you and high in saturated vegetable fat. I have switched to this instead of butter on my toast. Also, when ever you cook anything with a sauce or when making breads/muffins/cakes add hemp protein powder. I do this for my skinny kids and husband. It has helped put on 1 pound in the last 3 months for my daughter which is a great success. Manitoba has 3 choices 70, 50, or protein + fiber. I use the protein + fiber because I found that all the whey based protein shakes made her constipated. the nutritionist had me adding milk powders to all these things before I read about hemp. I use 4TB in every thing I make. Plus adding it to corn bread (had to get use to green corn bread), I also began frying it like pancakes adds extra fat. I've personally gained 10 pounds that I didn't need too! I'm the fatty of the group though ;)
  • pandorakick
    pandorakick Posts: 901 Member
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    Besides the already mentioned cheese, avocado and peanut butter you can also think of chocolate, full fat dairy, nuts & seeds, icecream, all yummy desert type dishes etc.

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