Ideas on how to eat more calories anyone??

[Koomie]

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help.

I aim to eat 1400kcals a day, and tend to work out 5/6 times a week. I don't eat my workout allowance, as I use that as my deficit, however I notice that no matter how I try, I tend to only eat around 1200kcals. For example today I had the following, and this is roughly what I tend to eat:

Breakfast- yogurt, oats and banana

Lunch- brown rice, turkey, tomato, courgettes, broccoli and corn.

Dinner- spinach, turkey, chickpeas and tomato.

Snack- apple and yogurt

Can anyone suggest a healthy snack that can bump up my kcals. Someone suggested peanut butter on a rice cake, but the thought of pb scares me as I thought it wasn't good for you.

What I don't want is for my body to go into starvation mode which will make things that much harder.

Any advice is much appreciated.

Thanks

[gingernut49]

Don't worry - starvation mode is a myth!

google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid...

If you're not using your workout calories - and I don't either - I'm sure you're eating all you need to and your diet is excellent.

[tootsiepops]

Hi, you could add some healthy fruit or higher Cal veggies, eg pears, nuts, advocado, pulses etc.

In my honest opinion starvation mode does not stop weight loss. Think anorexics, starvation victims etc.

Read this article for further information..

articlesbase.com/health-art...

[Zenette]

A handful of nuts as an extra snack, or a big portion of avocado slices will add 200 calories while also adding healthy fat. Cheese are high in calories too, or maybe add a glass of milk if you like drinking it (or eat a milk based desert).

Muesli is high in calories too - either as an alternative breakfast or additional snack.

[Pklme]

Healthy fat - peanut butter is ok if no added sugar, coconut oil, almonds, avocado, oily fish like mackeral and salmon.

[snoozylou]

peanut butter is ok but you have to get the natural stuff that hasn't got loads of extra sugar added to it. I would suggest a handful of nuts or seeds either, but do you really need those extra calories? Or could you not just add something to your meals, ie a slightly bigger helping?

[Koomie]

Thank you so much for your advice, you've all given me plenty of options.

Also, I didn't realise peanut butter in the form of Sunpat was a dud! Off to Holland and Barratt I go in the morning ;0)

[OlsBean]

Starvation Mode or Adaptive Thermogenesis is NOT a myth, incidentally if you Google "Moon Landings Myth" you'll also get some compelling results, oh and Elvis does work in our local Fish & Chip Shop.

Having said that at this stage in your diet it's doubtful you are doing yourself any harm and being aware/prepared for it is good.

Keep in mind that Peanuts contain Omega 6 so if you are eating them regularly you should increase your Omega 3 intake to balance it out. Personally I would recommend adding at least one (preferably 2) egg(s) to your daily intake.

Good Luck.

[returner]

Hi Koomie, perhaps - just perhaps - you're focussing a tad too much on only the calorific value of the food you eat. Especially when you undertake a weight reduction process and are therefore generally eating less food anyhow, it can be difficult to ensure that you take in all the nutrients that your body requires - vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, phyto chemicals, essential fatty acids, etc., etc.

In my view, the best gauge of how good your regime is for weight loss purposes is to keep track of your rate of weight loss. If it's averaging out at about 1 to 2 lbs a week, up to about 1kg (2.2 lbs) a week, then you're not likely to be hitting any form of 'starvation' mode. As Ols Bean says, starvation mode isn't a myth, but it is something that is pretty extreme - it is what happens when a person is literally starving and to keep itself alive as long as is possible, your body consumes its tissue, until it has no option other than to use protein from essential organs, causing death.

Very sadly, particularly amongst some within the body-beautiful professions, modelling, TV and film, etc., there are those who are literally exercising and dieting themselves to death, but obsessive exercise and failing to ensure they nourish themselves appropriately.

But the key is always to remember to aim for a full range of nutrients in your diet and there's lots of stuff about that on the NHS live well pages.