trouble meeting calorie intake

daddoculbreath
daddoculbreath Posts: 4
edited September 29 in Food and Nutrition
On an average day, I'm burning between high-600's to high-900's in calories from working out (~ 1 hr/day). According to MFP, and the goals I've set, my normal food intake daily (without eating back exercise calories) is about 1,500 daily.

I'm trying to make sure that my NET calorie intake (food intake minus exercise calories burnt) is NOT LESS than 1,200 daily.

Some days, I can barely eat enough to get to 1,500 or even 1,800 calories. And after burning 600-900 calories in a work-out,
my net dips down to well below the min. of 1,200.

Other than high calorie foods (like "junk food" or "comfort food"), I'm having a hard time to find ways to take in enough, GOOD QUALITY calories every day, in order to stay well above 1,200 min. / day. (the veggies, fruits, protein suppl., etc. are not enough).

IDEAS ????

Replies

  • barbiex3
    barbiex3 Posts: 1,036 Member
    you dont have to met your net goal, but muscle milk. protein bars.. idk!
  • Sarahcuda
    Sarahcuda Posts: 76
    I utilize cheese, yogurt, milk, or peanut butter to help bump up my calories.
    Good luck!
  • junipuni
    junipuni Posts: 264 Member
    My go to things for this type of situation are avocados, peanut butter, nuts, etc. It just depends on what you are eating. If I do a sandwich for lunch but I'm needing more calories I'll make sure to have cheese on it and avocado. If I don't have enough calories I just do a lot of lettuce, and some meat.

    What types of things are you eating already?
  • mialsya
    mialsya Posts: 188 Member
    Oatmeal made with skim milk and topped with berries - YUM!
  • fastbelly
    fastbelly Posts: 727 Member
    mix some nuts in your salads these are high calorie foods that are in general good for you.
  • mdkiwi
    mdkiwi Posts: 8
    1200 calories seems like an awfully small amount of caloric intake, but if it's in your plan I'd suggest avoiding supplements and bars and focus on real food. Real protein like beef, chicken, eggs, milk and cheese. These will add good calories that have real protein for your body. Plus they have other nutrients in them you don't get from shakes or bars. Try to stay low on carbs, but don't exclude them completely. Complex carbohydrates would be best.
    Good luck!
  • windseeker
    windseeker Posts: 3 Member
    It's ok to be below your cal goal with exercise. WebMD just posted a good article about safe "rapid" weight loss, just make sure you get your min calories for nutrition.
  • blueliss26
    blueliss26 Posts: 79 Member
    I never have trouble eating all my calories... lol.. so these types of posts blow my mind.... but just remember that mfp can sometimes overestimate on calories burned, and we tend to underestimate when we track even when measuring. For these two reasons i try to only eat half my exercise cals back.
  • SheilaSisco
    SheilaSisco Posts: 722 Member
    Another thing you might want to be aware of... For men the min is 1500.... 1200 is the minimum for females...
  • NikkisNewStart
    NikkisNewStart Posts: 1,075 Member
    you dont have to met your net goal, but muscle milk. protein bars.. idk!

    WHY do you always post such nonsense? You're giving people inaccurate and unsound advice... just because you think it is ok to net 700 or 800 calories... does not mean it is healthy.
  • windseeker
    windseeker Posts: 3 Member
    http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/lose-weight-fast-how-to-do-it-safely
  • dragonfly1120
    dragonfly1120 Posts: 29 Member
    Make sure you're eating frequently 3 meals with snacks in between. Bananas are a good way to add a few calories and good for muscle cramps too. Nuts and avocados are good too. If you're still having trouble, you may want to look at Ensure or one of the drinks they give people to help them put on weight. They are nutritious but higher calories. I wish I had your drive to exercise an hours or more a day. That's my trouble. No get up and go. Good luck!
  • cheshirequeen
    cheshirequeen Posts: 1,324 Member
    i personally think smoothies help. maybe a peanut butter banana one. i get bolthouse farms premade ones. I always make too much and it's so messy, well im so messy, haha, but they are premade and you can get a bunch of your fruits and drink it up. they are 120 calories, on average, thats mine strawberry banana, and couple servings really help me.
  • TS65
    TS65 Posts: 1,024 Member
    "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."

    It's only hard when you've failed to plan ahead. So... plan ahead. Plan your meal for the day before you work out. Enter foods you know you're going to eat and adjust your plan accordingly. This way, you aren't left with 800 calories at 9pm.

    I notice a lot of over-weight people tend to be "all or nothing." I was one of them and still struggle for balance. This needs to be a life plan. Allow yourself some fun in your "diet" or you are going to end up quitting. While, yes, it's good to have veggies, fruits and protein, don't make it ALL you eat. Allow yourself to enjoy your food. (If you don't, you WILL slip and enjoy something you hadn't planned on! And it may not be the best choice.)

    For example, instead of eating just celery, have celery & peanut butter. Incorporate nuts into your diet (chopped nuts on stir fry or in salads, for example). Eat higher calorie or fat "fruits" - e.g., avocado (toss in a salad or add to a sandwich). Eat 2 eggs instead of just 1 (don't be afraid to cook it in a tsp of butter or to allow yourself a piece of bacon). Have a whole grain english muffin with it. Have a sandwich on whole grain bread. Enjoy a nice snack (I love butter toffee almonds - 1 oz = 160 calories, so it's an easy way to add calories!) Have a skinny cow ice cream treat.

    High calorie doesn't mean it has to be bad for you. Instead of baking fish or chicken, sautee it in 1 TBSP of olive oil. Or, drizzle the olive oil over it when it's done baking. Don't be afraid to use butter or olive oil in cooking. Make a nice sauce to go over your meat or veggies.

    Find high calories (but good for you) foods you love and figure ways to work them into your menu. It's not hard, but it does take some planning.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    I agree with TS - plan!

    Plan to get in some extra cals at each meal. Add a banana to breakfast, avocado to lunch, snack on almonds during the morning/afternoon, use olive oil dressing on a salad for dinner.
    Dead easy ways to add extra healthy calories to give your body fuel - which it sounds like it must really need!

    Or, if you just can't eat more, then drop down your exercise. Sticking to such a low calorie intake over a period of time is not going to do your body any favours.
  • daddoculbreath
    daddoculbreath Posts: 4
    Just some more clarifications.

    (1) I use a pretty good HRM to monitor/record calorie burn during workouts. As for the caloric intake, I rely on this site (MFP) for the data provided when you log foods...

    (2) most days I eat 1,500 or more calories, but my exercise burn (avg. 600-900 daily), brings my NET calorie intake down below 1,200... this is my concern.

    Looking for sound ways to increase good calorie intake.
  • cheshirechic
    cheshirechic Posts: 489 Member
    I agree with the planning and adding nutrient-dense foods (like nuts, avocado, banana, etc.). To figure out what to add, figure out what macronutrient (protein, fat, or carbs) you're usually lowest in. If you're way under in fat, add some avocado or nuts to a salad. If you're low in protein, add some more lean meats to your meals. If it's carbs, then whole grains and fruit (though some would argue with the sugar part) are an easy way to get it. I hope this helps, and good luck!

    Added:

    This describes the macronutrients in better detail, and where to find good sources of them:
    http://www.livestrong.com/article/358708-carbohydrates-proteins-fats-as-a-source-of-energy/

    I know it's from Livestrong, but it has references, too. Many "diet" or "lifestyle changing" books have good lists of these. I read Jackie Warner's "This Is Why You're Fat," and it had some good nutrition information on what macro and micronutrients do in the body. I'm sure that our fellow MFPers have more experience and knowledge than me on this, but balancing macros is what has worked for me.
  • lpirie
    lpirie Posts: 24
    I have a similar problem. I have changed my goals to maintain my current weight and mfp wants me to eat 1750 before exercise. However I am an athlete and I work out everyday. I really try to only eat foods that are good for me which makes it hard to reach full calories since most good foods are filling and low calories. Whats helped me is snacking more. I think almond butter or peanut butter is a good way to get calories since they give good fat and are high in calories. If you add about 100 calories more to each meal, it may help reach your total calories in the end. Good luck
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
    Can I get a helll yeah for avocado? Yum! I like it sliced onto toast (I mash it down a little so its like a spread) and then salt and pepper.

    Also roast a yam or half a yam - this is a good snack esp in the winter (Which I realize it is not right now, in the northern hemisphere) and Koreans/Chinese/Japanese people pop these in the toaster oven or oven and just peel it while they snack. No need for butter.
  • totustuusmaria
    totustuusmaria Posts: 182 Member
    Have you tried making juice/shakes out of veggies?

    Take a bunch of veggies, put them through the juicer, and wha-lah! instant calories in a little bitty cup of liquid possibly goodness (depending on what you use). You won't have to try so hard and you will be getting tons of nutrients and it will be very very filling.
  • SheilaSisco
    SheilaSisco Posts: 722 Member
    What I was saying was that you need to be at 1500 NET calories minimum... which means 1500 AFTER you've exercised. You are right to be concerned. A lot of ppl have given you really good advice.... nuts, nut butters, avocado... anything that is calorie-dense and still good for you is a GOOD thing for you right now... Maybe an almond butter sandwich right before or right after a workout... and if you find you still can't make those calories... maybe you should back off the workouts a bit so those calories ARE possible...
  • buell1200
    buell1200 Posts: 11
    A healthy protein shake with skim milk, 1-3 times a day will fix this.

    I use optimum nutrition gold standard whey.

    I need to consume about 3500-4000 calories a day, and this helps meet me needs.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Try a good old fashioned pbj sandwich. 2 slices of whole grain bread at nearly 100 cal each, 2 tbs peanut (or other nut) butter at over 100 cal, plus a little jelly or fress sliced fruit for a little more calories. Add a glass of skim milk and you have a delicious, healthy high calorie snack.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories