how do i INCREASE calorie intake?

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rainydays557
rainydays557 Posts: 1
in Food and Nutrition
It sounds dumb, I know. But I want to do this in a healthy manner, and considering the foods I normally eat (foods i always thought were healthy), I'm just not getting enough calories, apparently.

A typical day might include Wheaties for breakfast (sometimes with a slice of fiber toast); soup, or salad, or a sandwich for lunch (usually the former, sometimes with a bowl of fruit or a slice of toast); and the same for supper (soup, or salad, soemtimeswith toast, usually with fruit [apple, cantaloupe, banana, etc] or maybe some carrots). I come out with my carbs maxed and everythign else too low.
Plus I'll do some moderate exercise because it's enjoyable.

For example, yesterday's meal included:
Breakfast: Wheaties
Lunch: Einstein Bros Bagels Grab n Go Deli Ham Sandwich
Dinner: Bear Creek Minestrone Soup
Snack: candy bar, crackers with 1 slice cheese

And I'm not usually all that hungry, given that. But after exercise I came out

Calories: 548 short
Carbs: 70 short (a typical meal usually maxes out on carbs, and any attempt to increase everything else would surpass carb and I'd rather keep everything as close to maxed out as possible)
Fat: 15 short
Protein: 45 short
Sugar: surpassed of course, I wanted that candy bar...
Cholesterol: 220 short

What healthy things can I add to my diet that would increase those necessary without overreaching those that are already close? I never realized before how low my calorie intake was since I never was that hungry, and even the snacks I eat when I am hungry (toast or fruit or something like that) raise my carbs but not everything else. Any suggestions?

Replies

  • gemiwing
    gemiwing Posts: 1,525 Member
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    It's going to be a long list- suffice it to say, eat eggs, chicken, beef, cheese, veggies, oils, nuts, fruits, butter... the list goes on for a long time.

    Take a look at the food groups and add three of the ones you are missing ;)

    Do you cook at all? Ever tried making your own soups in a crock pot? Just toss and go- very simple and easy. Take a cruise around a regular recipe website- even the MFP one here is good for some things- and see what catches your eye.

    At the very least- toss some more veggies and protein in there somewhere. Get some chicken breasts and eggs- that'll go a good ways to upping your cals.
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
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    A peanut butter sandwich will catch you up and go slightly over in fat. However, the fat in peanut butter is the good kind so it won't be a big problem.
  • NekaLee
    NekaLee Posts: 51
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    I'm in the same boat as OP. I drink Jay Robb's Whey w strawberries/blueberries and a few other things added before doing Insanity and Jillian, and it adds up to about 420cal. Then after my workout I drink 2coops of whey with water (anothr 220cal). For lunch and dinner I try to have veggies and baked chicken/fish or turkey. But I'm hardly hitting 1000cal. I don't know what else to do to increase my cal to at least 1300. MFP gave me 1200cal but my frd said since I'm doing Insanity and JIllian, I need more calories (at least 1400) but I'm not hitting my calories. I tried adding a boil egg but after two days of eating 1-2, I can't eat anymore. I'm not a big meat eater so adding more meat won't work either. I'm trying not have high carbs after 4. So I'm lost :frown:
  • AME1962
    AME1962 Posts: 2
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    how about making a protein pudding with your protein powder? Add 2 scoops to 2 cups of milk and pudding mix.
  • gemiwing
    gemiwing Posts: 1,525 Member
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    I'm in the same boat as OP. I drink Jay Robb's Whey w strawberries/blueberries and a few other things added before doing Insanity and Jillian, and it adds up to about 420cal. Then after my workout I drink 2coops of whey with water (anothr 220cal). For lunch and dinner I try to have veggies and baked chicken/fish or turkey. But I'm hardly hitting 1000cal. I don't know what else to do to increase my cal to at least 1300. MFP gave me 1200cal but my frd said since I'm doing Insanity and JIllian, I need more calories (at least 1400) but I'm not hitting my calories. I tried adding a boil egg but after two days of eating 1-2, I can't eat anymore. I'm not a big meat eater so adding more meat won't work either. I'm trying not have high carbs after 4. So I'm lost :frown:

    Add fats (olive oil is great as is coconut oil), add nuts (sprinkle them on your chicken), cheese is great and dense as well. Red meat has tons more calories than chicken or turkey.

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