Any ideas on how to increase my calorie intake on Low Carb?

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  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
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    Hi, I seem to have trouble hitting my recommended daily calories (1200) while following Low Carb, any ideas on low carb foods that are higher in calories? I'm not feeling hungry every day by eating fewer calories, so I don't necessarily need bigger meals?

    These are my nutrition figures so far:

    Day 1 - 17g carbs | 981 Net cals
    Day 2 - 18g carbs | 703 Net cals
    Day 3 - 15g carbs | 894 Net cals
    Day 4 - 22g carbs | 795 Net cals
    Day 5 - 19g carbs | 672 Net cals

    There is no reason to count calories if you are low carbing and eating all natural, whole foods.

    The key is to eat nutrient dense foods, it has nothing to do with the amount. Remember QUALITY over QUANTITY - always.
  • durhamity
    durhamity Posts: 174 Member
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    I understand where you are coming from! I just re started my low carb diet yesterday and tend to eat around 1,000 cals while following my plan, so if I exercise I net about what your stats look like. I like the nuts idea.
  • CashierCantin
    CashierCantin Posts: 206 Member
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    cheese
    mayo
    olive oil
    eggs
    burgers
    black olives
    salad dressing
    sausages/pepperoni

    Not sure why you're so low on cals....I never had a problem eating 1500 or more a day. Remember....this plan is not like you're used to. YOU CAN EAT!! Just watch the carbs.....don't worry too much about the calories UNLESS you seem to be stuck on the scale, THEN check them out. Until then...enjoy yourself.....low carb is very healthy, even though we've been brow beated to believe its not!!!
  • DizzieLittleLifter
    DizzieLittleLifter Posts: 1,020 Member
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    ohh my dear, I took a peek at your food diary. While I get that you are sticking to low carb ( I'm not going to argue with you on that choice; it's your choice) you might want to try tracking more than one nutrient. How about eggs for breakfast with avocado? Try adding in a few higher calorie snacks like a handful of almonds, and cooking in batches will help you to eat a full meal rather than the snack sized meals. Search the forums; there are SO many recipes on here for low carb meals. Good luck!
  • philOHIO
    philOHIO Posts: 520 Member
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    eating like this will set you up for failure, unless you are anorexic.
  • NiciS72
    NiciS72 Posts: 1,043 Member
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    I agree with many of the folks that said add avocado, meats, nuts, etc. I looked at your diary and you are only tracking carbs. I would suggest that you add more macros in to track and go with more protein. I never have a problem keeping low carb if I eat lots of protein. I shoot for 90-120 grams per day. If you do 30 grams of lean protein for each major meal you should have plenty of calories added to get to 1200.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    You need to stay away from nuts in the beginning stages of low carb diets.

    Why, and according to who?
  • Gemmageldmacher
    Gemmageldmacher Posts: 45 Member
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    I'm having a tough time with this as well. MFP is constantly "yelling" at me for eating too few calories! Unfortunately (and I'm doing Atkins induction, which you may not be doing), those items that other posters mentioned, like nuts, dairy, etc, are not allowed! I'm just hoping that my body is doing what it's supposed to be doing, even if the calories are a little low. I'm certainly seeing results! Try checking out the Atkins website for some helpful discussions and tips.
  • carolann_22
    carolann_22 Posts: 364 Member
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    If you're exercising, you can eat nuts and not stall out your weightloss. I eat two packs of Blue Diamond almonds (160 cals each) a day and my weight loss has been fine. I also have a hard time eating more because I'm NOT hungry, but I recently upped my calories to close to 2000 a day (I'm a big girl, and I've been exercising at least 60 minutes a day) and I've been losing faster since I upped the calories. I add olive oil to lots of things, just for the fat. I second the avocados, too.
  • Panman75
    Panman75 Posts: 3
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    You need to stay away from nuts in the beginning stages of low carb diets.

    Why, and according to who?
    Nuts and seeds are high is carbs. When on a low carb plan during early stage you can only intake 20-25 grams of net carbs. Because of the lack of nutrients from low carb diet, you need to intake minimum of 15 net carbs from foundation veggies. This is to help replace the loss of nutrients. The small servings of nuts will eat up your carb allowence stalling your weight loss and body going through ketosis. Nuts and seeds are encouraged in later stages of low carb plans
  • Jacquelineclements3
    Jacquelineclements3 Posts: 1 Member
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    .
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    Nuts and seeds are high is carbs. When on a low carb plan during early stage you can only intake 20-25 grams of net carbs. Because of the lack of nutrients from low carb diet, you need to intake minimum of 15 net carbs from foundation veggies. This is to help replace the loss of nutrients. The small servings of nuts will eat up your carb allowence stalling your weight loss and body going through ketosis. Nuts and seeds are encouraged in later stages of low carb plans

    Thank you.
  • LATeagno
    LATeagno Posts: 620 Member
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    So much low carb bashing here. Ugh.

    Low carb will tank your appetite. When I'm doing induction level carb intake, I usually can't get above 1300 cals. Mind you, this is coming from someone who is significantly overweight and used to consume like 3000 cals a day! LOL.

    Fat is good on low carb. It's energy. Do not be afraid of it so long as it's natural! Full fat cheeses, cream in your coffee, swirled meats, mayo (i often eat tuna salad with mayo when I need more cals because it's relatively calorie dense; one can of light tuna in water with two tablespoons of mayo is 280 cals and no carbs), avocados, etc. I often have to eat despite the fact that I just don't feel hungry because my appetite is so curbed thanks to LC. :)

    Good luck and don't let the haters annoy you! LOL. Since I started LC about 10 months ago, my total cholesterol dropped from 147 to 118 and my fasting blood sugar from 119 to 71. My BP has also dropped. It just works for some of us-- some people just don't understand that.
  • LATeagno
    LATeagno Posts: 620 Member
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    Nuts and seeds are high is carbs. When on a low carb plan during early stage you can only intake 20-25 grams of net carbs. Because of the lack of nutrients from low carb diet, you need to intake minimum of 15 net carbs from foundation veggies. This is to help replace the loss of nutrients. The small servings of nuts will eat up your carb allowence stalling your weight loss and body going through ketosis. Nuts and seeds are encouraged in later stages of low carb plans

    Thank you.

    Most nuts aren't high in carbs; a serving of macadamia nuts is only 2g net carbs. :) That said, if you're following Atkins, nuts aren't allowed until the OWL phase. For me personally, though, I can eat a serving of macadamias or almonds, even during induction, and it doesn't stall me. Every person is different, though.
  • Panman75
    Panman75 Posts: 3
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    The problem with the nuts is that a SERVING SIZE is very little, and the instant gratification for the small amount of carbs is not necessarily worth taking away the carb count for the essential veggies. The point of not eating nuts is to make sure that you are using the carbs to intake the proper levels of nutrients that is lacking in the rest of your diet. BUT, agreed, if it works for you then go for it. everybody reacts differently to certain carb intake. For me, instead of going for the small serving of nuts, I would rather opt for half an avocado.....
  • Fabnover40Kat
    Fabnover40Kat Posts: 300 Member
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    don't eat low carb, 50% of your diet is supposed to be from carbs, it is where your body gets energy, also where you get all of your vitamins and nutrients. eat healthy carbs, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, 100% whole wheat... and what people don't know is for your body to take protein into the muscle you need carbs to do that, so please don't do a low carb diet, will be for your health and will only aid in temporary weight loss, not permanent weight loss

    Thank you for sharing this!!! Im doing 55% carbs which I will lower now to 50% and I was sooo worried I was getting way too many carbs! I was scared to lower them because I knew it would slow me down!
  • ShrinkingNinja
    ShrinkingNinja Posts: 460 Member
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    don't eat low carb, 50% of your diet is supposed to be from carbs, it is where your body gets energy, also where you get all of your vitamins and nutrients. eat healthy carbs, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, 100% whole wheat... and what people don't know is for your body to take protein into the muscle you need carbs to do that, so please don't do a low carb diet, will be for your health and will only aid in temporary weight loss, not permanent weight loss

    Thank you for sharing this!!! Im doing 55% carbs which I will lower now to 50% and I was sooo worried I was getting way too many carbs! I was scared to lower them because I knew it would slow me down!

    You have to listen to your body, not someone on the internet. Not all diets are right for everyone. Not every rule of thumb advise like you quoted is right for everyone. Although for a lot of people that advise would probably work just fine. For me however, that would send me on a weight gaining spree.

    I weigh every morning. I have to have a low carb, higher protein diet to lose weight. I can eat an apple on a non-workout day and I will gain the next morning. My body is just hyper sensitive to the sugars found in carbs.
  • adjones5
    adjones5 Posts: 938 Member
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    eating like this will set you up for failure, unless you are anorexic.

    :noway: ....what?
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
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    don't eat low carb, 50% of your diet is supposed to be from carbs, it is where your body gets energy, also where you get all of your vitamins and nutrients. eat healthy carbs, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, 100% whole wheat... and what people don't know is for your body to take protein into the muscle you need carbs to do that, so please don't do a low carb diet, will be for your health and will only aid in temporary weight loss, not permanent weight loss

    Thank you for sharing this!!! Im doing 55% carbs which I will lower now to 50% and I was sooo worried I was getting way too many carbs! I was scared to lower them because I knew it would slow me down!

    You have to listen to your body, not someone on the internet. Not all diets are right for everyone. Not every rule of thumb advise like you quoted is right for everyone. Although for a lot of people that advise would probably work just fine. For me however, that would send me on a weight gaining spree.

    I weigh every morning. I have to have a low carb, higher protein diet to lose weight. I can eat an apple on a non-workout day and I will gain the next morning. My body is just hyper sensitive to the sugars found in carbs.

    It would send me and many others on a weight gaining spree also..........

    I always tell people to make them stop and think................Grains are fed to livestock to fatten them up. What do you think it is doing to us?

    There is a reason that when the agriculture meat market went away from free range, grass fed meats and start giving grains is along side the start of the obesity epidemic for humans...........
  • AdAstra47
    AdAstra47 Posts: 823 Member
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    don't eat low carb, 50% of your diet is supposed to be from carbs, it is where your body gets energy, also where you get all of your vitamins and nutrients. eat healthy carbs, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, 100% whole wheat... and what people don't know is for your body to take protein into the muscle you need carbs to do that, so please don't do a low carb diet, will be for your health and will only aid in temporary weight loss, not permanent weight loss
    The statements you are making are not correct. Your body doesn't get vitamins and nutrients from carbs. It gets them from vitamins and nutrients. Carbs are an energy source. You can get vitamins and nutrients just fine from foods that are lower in carbs. Also, your body can survive just fine burning fat & protein instead of carbs. In fact, that's the whole reason we store fat, so we can burn it for energy when we need it. And since I've gone low-carb, according to my doctor's tests, I've lost over 60lb of fat while gaining over 7lb of muscle.

    Also, please don't make judgments about others' diets when you don't know the facts. My doctor instructed me to go low carb; he probably saved my life. I have a metabolic condition that makes it difficult for my body to process carbs, so I am required to severely limit them and get most of my energy from fat & protein. How do you know that the OP doesn't suffer from a similar affliction? She didn't ask people to criticize her choices, she asked people how to help her with her low-carb diet. If you don't "approve" of her diet, just don't reply to the post.

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