Delurking with a Question - getting those calories up
crogerstx
Posts: 3
Like a lot of people who buy into the screaming headlines, I lost a lot of weight using a VLCD (hcg, to be exact - yup, I admit it). I lost 62 pounds (this was 8 or so years ago, hit the 50's (am now 53), hurt my knee badly, changed jobs, etc. etc., and the weight began to creep up again despite everything. Panicked, I slashed my calories to nothing again and it did work for awhile, but this Christmas I thought Oh my stars, I must stop eating practically, I am gaining anyway! Which also backfired - I gained 5 more lbs. and am now 24 pounds over what I held for years. I have been keeping track of my food as closely as I could for 35 days now and a week ago found this group. I am also doing C25k, am on week four and my knee is doing great. I want to get into kettlebells - my gym has them but I really want one of my very own.
In any case - a few days ago I upped my calories from around 1200ish to 1750 and have only gained 1 lb. My TDEE is 2150ish (can't remember off the top of my head) and about 1825 is where I am headed - maybe. The more I read about resetting, the more I think I should go for the 2150 for 8 weeks or whatever and give my body a chance to heal.
My question is - HOW do you afford the food? I am a single working mom with a kid in university and I always buy my fish, chicken and beef at a high quality (mentality I can't do any other way) but at the end of the day, I have been staring glumly at the need for 350 or more calories to round out the day and I am sooooo not hungry, and so worried about eating up all the food I have before I can afford more. I get hungry right before I eat (which I am excited about) but I wonder - is it advisable to turn to things like coconut oil or flax oil, olive oil, to up the calories? I am doing the 40/30/30 Carbs/Protein/Fat. Any tips for getting the calories up (after ages of not eating enough?) without breaking the bank? BTW - by eating more, my running is getting easier! LOTS EASIER. Who would've thought? I also get through each day more easily! I could kick myself for going the '1200 is plenty' route as it sure hasn't done a darn thing for me.
There is a lot of info out there about cutting calories, but that isn't what I want!
Thanks!
In any case - a few days ago I upped my calories from around 1200ish to 1750 and have only gained 1 lb. My TDEE is 2150ish (can't remember off the top of my head) and about 1825 is where I am headed - maybe. The more I read about resetting, the more I think I should go for the 2150 for 8 weeks or whatever and give my body a chance to heal.
My question is - HOW do you afford the food? I am a single working mom with a kid in university and I always buy my fish, chicken and beef at a high quality (mentality I can't do any other way) but at the end of the day, I have been staring glumly at the need for 350 or more calories to round out the day and I am sooooo not hungry, and so worried about eating up all the food I have before I can afford more. I get hungry right before I eat (which I am excited about) but I wonder - is it advisable to turn to things like coconut oil or flax oil, olive oil, to up the calories? I am doing the 40/30/30 Carbs/Protein/Fat. Any tips for getting the calories up (after ages of not eating enough?) without breaking the bank? BTW - by eating more, my running is getting easier! LOTS EASIER. Who would've thought? I also get through each day more easily! I could kick myself for going the '1200 is plenty' route as it sure hasn't done a darn thing for me.
There is a lot of info out there about cutting calories, but that isn't what I want!
Thanks!
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Replies
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May have to redefine what allowed foods to eat is.
Just like many define eating only "healthy" in their minds means low fat and tons of vegetables.
Well, you'll have issues reaching 2000 calories or more with vegetables and low fat, ain't going to happen easily.
Peanut butter is cheaper than some things, even almonds. Perhaps a natural version there is decent enough.
Perhaps you have a treat you'd allow yourself now with calorie to space, and while not what you'd normally consider healthy, is perfectly fine.
When you eat enough, it's not hard to get all your nutritional needs in - then you can have some fun, as long as it doesn't cause you to over do it.0 -
I eat chocolate and drink beer. As long as I'm close to my protein macro, it doesn't matter what I eat otherwise (though I do try to get in my 5 fruit/veg too).0
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And I eat full fat everything that I can get my hands on. Plus use oil. Get out of the VLC diet mindset that fat is evil!0
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I am long long long ways away from the fat is evil way of thinking - that is for sure. I love my avocados (and just bought some avocado oil, can't wait to try that). Thanks for the suggestions, I think I need to let go mostly of overthinking this.
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