Need Help adding good calories

bfeusner
bfeusner Posts: 66 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I started back using MFP today for the first time in a couple months. I've been gone dealing with a family emergency and unfortunately gained back most of the weight I lost the first time around.

I felt great about my progress today but I am still 258 calories under my 2000 calorie goal. I know that 2000 calories is actually much lower than I need, more like 2500, so technically I'm almost 750 calories too low. I have ate three great meals and felt full all day. I was way over on my protein and sodium for the day and am looking for recommendations to adjust my meal plans to increase calories without adding junk food. I hate "wasting" calories!

Please take a look at me food diary at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/bfeusner and let me know any ideas you may have. I can definitely add a protein shake with milk to increase calories but obviously protein seems to be taken care of.

Thanks for any help!

Replies

  • kkmarie11
    kkmarie11 Posts: 114
    first off I'm sorry about your family emergency and i hope everything is okay.... from looking at your diary you seem to be eating good I think since you want to eat more calories you should try having some fruit since you did not have any in your diary for today maybe have an apple with peanut butter or even try putting together a nice smoothie or maybe go treat yourself to one if you have any healthy fruit smoothie places near where you live...if that doesn't sound good maybe try a yogurt or even nuts
  • bfeusner
    bfeusner Posts: 66 Member
    Thanks everything is getting better slowly but surely! I just bought some peaches and cantaloupe today so I am definitely going to try to add some more fruit to my diet...I have a ton of peanut butter so I need to work on using it more in my daily diet! Thanks for the suggestions!
  • VMarkV
    VMarkV Posts: 522 Member
    Try adding 1-2 tbsp evoo, more monounsaturated fat has no real health detrimen unless it's causing you to go waaay over your calories
  • hippietofugirl
    hippietofugirl Posts: 430
    I agree with adding more fruit, and the peanut butter is a good idea also since you have some fat left. You should also consider almonds, avocados (or guacamole), a protein shake, dark chocolate, yogurt etc. So many things you can do with left over calories...I wish I had more of them. lol
  • mrsmel55
    mrsmel55 Posts: 168
    When I have a lot left at the end of the day, I make my snack from Nutella and /or peanut butter and low fat graham crackers. Easy and delcious. Yummy. Another great snack is nuts, Almonds, Brazil nuts or Pistacio nuts and sometimes I eat those with a little bit of nutella. Super Yummy.
  • hippietofugirl
    hippietofugirl Posts: 430
    When I have a lot left at the end of the day, I make my snack from Nutella and /or peanut butter and low fat graham crackers. Easy and delcious. Yummy. Another great snack is nuts, Almonds, Brazil nuts or Pistacio nuts and sometimes I eat those with a little bit of nutella. Super Yummy.

    I would say NO to Nutella. Its all saturated fat and sugar, and has very little nutritional value as opposed to peanutbutter or almond butter which is loaded with essential vitamins, proteins and good fats. Nutella might as well be a candy bar or a jar of chocolate icing.
  • bfeusner
    bfeusner Posts: 66 Member
    I will definitely start utilizing my peanut butter and occasionally my whey protein to add some calories...
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
    Fruits, nuts, seeds, and greek yogurt all make great snacks. Cheese sticks do too, but they're more "neutral" as opposed to healthy sources of fat. But they have protein which is good and filling. Dont' worry about going over your protein limit. High protein diets are helpful for weight loss.

    I noticed you had a couple glasses of sweet tea. That's an easy area to improve. Try replacing those sweet teas with a piece of fruit, and then drinking water instead.

    Also, if you just want more calories, whole milk tastes way better than skim milk and the fat from whole milk is not bad for you. Whole milk fats have been found to be "neutral" like fat from cheese. Some even think that it's much healthuer to drink whole milk than skim milk as long as you account for the calories b/c there are some good fats like CLA in whole milk.
  • wodforbacon
    wodforbacon Posts: 40
    A good start would be to increase the amount of vegetables you eat. Whatever you think is a normal portion of vegetables, multiply that by like 5 (at least 3). I eat paleo so I admittedly eat different than you, but for instance a 1 lb bag of frozen -X type of vegetables would be a more accurate portion for just about everyone, but usually that 1 lb bag gets divided by a 3-4 person family.

    Fruit is good to add, but make sure it's in moderation. Obviously it's high in Sugar.

    I would also add nuts...not peanuts (they are not nuts)

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