To wonder how you can get enough calories eating healthily?

[moutonfou]

I'm not trying to lose weight, but I'm trying to eat healthily - a few relatives have had heart/diabetes scares lately so I really want to cut back on excessive fat/salt/sugar and try to eat more lean protein, wholemeal, etc.

Today I've eaten porridge for breakfast; a pitta with chicken, feta and salad for lunch; chicken in a coconut marinade with rice for tea, and for snacks strawberries with full fat greek yoghurt, some cherries, and some cashew nuts.

And I'm still 500 calories under my supposed calorie needs which is only 1800. I also burn about 1500-2000 calories per week through exercise (didn't exercise today so the 500 deficit is before any exercise).

How am I meant to make up the calorie deficit without resorting to something easy like chocolate or crisps? I guess I could have just eaten more of everything, like two pittas instead of one, but I get full quite quickly. Took two pittas to work for that reason but just couldn't face the second.

On the other hand, could quite easily stuff my face with 500 calories of chocolate before getting full....

Olive oil dressing on salad , snack of cheese and crackers , glass of fruit juice

Are you sure you are counting your calories correctly? 1300 seems quite low for what you listed unless you are having teeny portions...

Uncooked/unsalted nuts
Avocado
Wholemeal toast
Glass of whole milk
Dark chocolate
Malt loaf

Yeah that calorie count doesn't sound right to me. Also that's double chicken - you need a bit more variety. But also, fat isn't inherently unhealthy - that's a diet myth. If you cut out the sugar, you can eat fat in reasonable quantities. It's not necessary to avoid oil and fats at all.

Are you sure it's only 1300 calories?

um... sorry but the idea that only crisps & chocolate will give you enough calories is pretty funny.

In a recent "10 a day' (fruit & veg) challenge on MN, a lot of people worried that they would never get enough calories. But nobody reported massive weight loss at end of the month, after all. Seems we found a way.

I think you have way more calories in your day than you think. Porridge about 300cal, each main meal about 600 then fruit about another 200 ish. Full fat yoghurt and feta are pretty calorific.

It was only about a tablespoon of yoghurt and a few small cubes of feta (maybe adding up to 4-5 normal size cubes). Maybe I need to be having more of the stuff like that.

If that food equals 1300 calories then you are having tiny portions.

I have 800 cals a day and am rarely hungry.

Don't fear fat - it's your friend.

Here you go. Should do the trick

Did you weigh the food to measure calories or are you guesstimating?

According to Fitbit calculations, I've had 1142 calories today, made up of one slice of whoemeal toast with peanut butter; mixed leaf salad with mozzarella and dressing, hazelnut yoghurt, apple; stir fried veg and tofu with noodles; three cups of tea with milk.

So I'd expect yours to add up to a bit more than 1300 but I don't really know. I'd probably add some more substantial veg eg roast carrots and sweet potato, oatcakes and cheese, or a fruity pudding. Any excuse for a rhubarb crumble...

Sorry to interrupt but could you please tell me which fats are healthy? ( I'm not that clued up on fats)

Tbh a banana for breakfast, a little bit more chicken for lunch plus a piece of fruit, maybe some olives and another handful of nuts and your there. A slice of peanut butter on wholemeal toast at some point? Its really really not difficult

Thanks all! Yes I did weigh because DH is actually trying to lose weight so was important to weigh for him. I think I'll just up things like the yoghurt, nuts, etc. and try a slice of toast/banana as suggested.

Gotanewusernamenow most fats are healthy. Oils, such as olive, grapenut, rapeseed and coconut are all healthy, but not when superheated (e.g. in a deep fat fryer) as it changes their molecular make up.

Nuts (raw, not salted or dry roasted), avocado, fats in fish, such as salmon, mackerel, sardines. Even red meat, eaten infrequently is a healthy source of fat.

The issue with fats come from transfats (standard 'cooking' fat) and when fats are heated above 200 degrees - deep fat fryer or a really really hot pan. Also when put with refined sugars, so adonut, not healthy due to the ratio of trans fat to refined sugar. Avocado on wholemeal toast, same ratio but better fats and complex carbs.

Don't listen to randos on the internet

www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-truth-about-fats-bad-and-good

Mawalls hahaha

For starters you can have the odd treat, but other than that avocados, walnuts or other nuts, certain oils....healthy but calorific. Cheese is very calorie dense, go for the higher calorie ones.

Increase portion size or add in mini meals and snacks.

Big glass of red wine, dark chocolate with over 80% cocoa solids.

Just seen your update. Your predicament must be quite annoying for your DH! But at least you are not going to be consuming yummy puddings in front of him.

Thanks manglethedangle

Nuts are the obvious thing. Nut butters too. Bread/rice/pasta. Cheese. Doesn't take much of those foods to really up your calories.

I wish I had to eat more calories...it's the dream...

Update: gone for a bit of stilton and a few crackers. Will get some nom-cheese-based snacks in tomorrow

non-cheese based, not nom! freudian slip*