Dinner and calories..

[C.Ann]

I just finished my dinner a little while ago.. I was lazy and started off with a Stouffer's frozen dinner - which was 440 calories.. I also had 2 cups of sweetened applesauce, and a large glass of chocolate milk.. Had a mini Mounds bar as dessert..

What can I gain out of that? An ounce? Two ounces??

I didn't have lunch today - just snacked on some chips, a few of the mini Mounds bars, and had my 6 High Protein Boost's..

I'll probably have at least one bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios before I go to bed - if not two.. Depends on how late I stay up.. Right now I'm not hungry..

I'm glad I have the appetite now, but gosh darn it! I want the weight to show up on the scales!!

If dieting is as hard as gaining, I really feel for anyone who is going through it..

 

[disykat]

I just finished my dinner a little while ago.. I was lazy and started off with a Stouffer's frozen dinner - which was 440 calories.. I also had 2 cups of sweetened applesauce, and a large glass of chocolate milk.. Had a mini Mounds bar as dessert..

What can I gain out of that? An ounce? Two ounces??

I didn't have lunch today - just snacked on some chips, a few of the mini Mounds bars, and had my 6 High Protein Boost's..

I'll probably have at least one bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios before I go to bed - if not two.. Depends on how late I stay up.. Right now I'm not hungry..

I'm glad I have the appetite now, but gosh darn it! I want the weight to show up on the scales!!

If dieting is as hard as gaining, I really feel for anyone who is going through it..

I struggle with weight gain, my dh struggles with weight loss. Our big joke is that on our honeymoon, we were together every minute eating almost all the same things. We weighed the same (both of us were 125 at the time), but he is two inches taller and much more lean. He agrees he ate much more than me and twice as many desserts. We got the same amount of exercise. We were gone one week. He lost two pounds, I gained eight. I knew then we were in trouble!

My dh finds he does best if he is very consistant with his eating. Never missing a meal, sticking to a routine schedule, etc. Like you, he finds protein helpful.

The whole weight thing is a struggle, whichever side you're on!

 

[Luv Bunnies]

You have to look at what you eat over a week or so. Remember that 3500 calories equals a pound. To gain a pound, you need to eat 3500 more calories than you burn off. To lose a pound, it's the opposite. I think that if you want to gain, you'll want to eat every meal plus snacks to keep the calorie intake consistent.

 

[mistymouse5001]

Maybe you could try the women's forums on body building dot com. They are pros at that stuff

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

The quality of food you put in your body matters to both weight gain and weight loss. Frozen foods, candy bars, meal replacements, and the like are not really within the parameters of healthy eating.

Try replacing those things with fresh vegetables, additional complex carbohydrates like brown rice, whole wheat pastas, grains, bean (legumes) meats, etc. Whole wheat bread, cheeses, etc. All are good choices, far preferable to honey nut cheerios and chips and missed meals.

Explore some nutritional approaches to find a healthy meal plan that works for you.

 

[C.Ann]

You have to look at what you eat over a week or so. Remember that 3500 calories equals a pound. To gain a pound, you need to eat 3500 more calories than you burn off. To lose a pound, it's the opposite. I think that if you want to gain, you'll want to eat every meal plus snacks to keep the calorie intake consistent.

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Eating "every" meal is a tough one.. I can't eat breakfast in the morning - never have - even as a child.. It makes me terribly sick to my stomach.. I have always eaten breakfast before I go to bed at night.. I can drink Boost in the morning, but that's about it..

Lunch I could probably do every day if I set an alarm clock or something.. LOL Sometimes I lose track of time and before I know it, it's time for dinner rather than lunch..

It's kind of funny when I get to the grocery store and I'm standing there scouring all the labels looking for foods with the highest amount of calories in them.. I'm sure people are looking at me and thinking, "Why is she checking calories? She looks like she has anorexia or something!"

All I know is this is very, very hard.. It's been 2 years now since I first got sick and dropped the weight and I just can't get it back up there.. I eat more now than I ever did then, but still nothing..

Gotta keep trying though..

 

[C.Ann]

The quality of food you put in your body matters to both weight gain and weight loss. Frozen foods, candy bars, meal replacements, and the like are not really within the parameters of healthy eating.

Try replacing those things with fresh vegetables, additional complex carbohydrates like brown rice, whole wheat pastas, grains, bean (legumes) meats, etc. Whole wheat bread, cheeses, etc. All are good choices, far preferable to honey nut cheerios and chips and missed meals.

Explore some nutritional approaches to find a healthy meal plan that works for you.

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Normally I would agree with you about the "healthy" eating - but at this point the doctors are so concerned about the weight issue, they don't care what I eat - as long as I put some weight back on..

Many (actually most) of the "healthy" items you mentioned I can't eat for other health reasons.. Out of that entire list the only possibles would be brown rice - and occasionally cheeses.. It's really a lot more complicated than what I'm comfortable posting here..

I thank you for your suggestions though.. Maybe someday I'll be able to eat like "normal" people do..

 

[LuvOrlando]

-

 

[MelanieC]

Can you have nut's, seeds, nut butter's etc? They are very healthy if you buy the natural ones and for nuts and seeds raw no salt?

Full of healthy stuff, and good for you fats? Do you like avocado's? My favorite food is avocado's - yummo!

What time do you wake up ? Sounds like you are setting your alarm for lunch if you want to eat then? Start your day when you get up. Try eating smaller (400-500) calorie meals 4-6 times a day every 2-3 hours? Would something like that be easier?

 

[C.Ann]

Maybe you could try the women's forums on body building dot com. They are pros at that stuff

Definitely worth a "look-see".. Thanks!

I have really developed a close relationship with my My Fitness Pal Account over the past 2 weeks. It lets me count calories for free on a daily basis. Taking weight off has been pretty easy because when its there in front of me before I eat I often opt out for a healthier alternative. Reg chocolate bars are way better than a scoop of butter on my bread but better still is a sugarfree cinnamon candy.


Good luck!

What is My Fitness Pal Account? Is that something online where I could see the calories that are in name-brand foods I would purchase in the supermarket? Years ago I had a book like that - paperback.. I wonder if they have a new edition out now? I think it even covered like "Wendy's Hamburgers" and things like that.. Hmm.. How would I search that on Amazon? Calorie Counters Guide?

 

[C.Ann]

Can you have nut's, seeds, nut butter's etc? They are very healthy if you buy the natural ones and for nuts and seeds raw no salt?

Full of healthy stuff, and good for you fats? Do you like avocado's? My favorite food is avocado's - yummo!

What time do you wake up ? Sounds like you are setting your alarm for lunch if you want to eat then? Start your day when you get up. Try eating smaller (400-500) calorie meals 4-6 times a day every 2-3 hours? Would something like that be easier?

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Absolutely NO nuts or seeds! I've never tasted an avacado - LOL.. What does it taste similar to?

If I go to bed before midnight, I'm usually up at 7 a.m.. If I stay up past midnight, I usually wake up between 8 and 9.. The smaller meals would be easier on my tummy, but because of other health issues, I feel "full" so easily I'm not sure I could do 4 to 6 times a day.. I could try though..

Oh - forgot to ask - what is "nut butters"? If they're smooth, they would be okay.. If there are pieces of nuts in them, no - I can't eat them..

 

[MelanieC]

An avocado is creamy and smooth. I love to mash it and add salsa. Slicing them and putting them on a sandwich is awesome too. They are very high calories, but its a healthy fat.

You buy avocado's usually hard and then let them sit on your counter till they give slightly when you push on them. They usually turn a darker color too.

yummo - I have two ready to be eaten downstairs now - yumm.

 

[C.Ann]

An avocado is creamy and smooth. I love to mash it and add salsa. Slicing them and putting them on a sandwich is awesome too. They are very high calories, but its a healthy fat.

You buy avocado's usually hard and then let them sit on your counter till they give slightly when you push on them. They usually turn a darker color too.

yummo - I have two ready to be eaten downstairs now - yumm.

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What the heck - I'll give it a try.. I'll pick up just one the first time to see if I like it..

 

[HunnyPots]

Two years ago after I had surgery, I lost my appetite due to pain killers and my weight dropped to the scary-looking point, so I know what you mean! I've always been thin but at 5'6", size 1's shouldn't be falling off of you, KWIM?
When my appetite finally came back, it still took a long time to gain any weight because I was pretty malnourished by then. But the things that helped me most were loaded baked potatoes - and I do mean loaded, and Ben and Jerry's ice cream. I also found that nibbling on things like candy actually kept me from gaining because it supressed my appetite and I ate less at meals. Weird, huh?

 

[Mrs.Toad]

Oh - forgot to ask - what is "nut butters"? If they're smooth, they would be okay.. If there are pieces of nuts in them, no - I can't eat them..

I think she meant foods llike peanut butter, cashew butter and Nutella (which is chocolate-flavored hazelnut butter, and is sssoooooo good!). Sunbutter is a sunflower seed alternative to peanut butter, and is also really yummy. Nutella and Sunbutter are smooth.

 

[C.Ann]

I think she meant foods llike peanut butter, cashew butter and Nutella (which is chocolate-flavored hazelnut butter, and is sssoooooo good!). Sunbutter is a sunflower seed alternative to peanut butter, and is also really yummy. Nutella and Sunbutter are smooth.

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I've never even looked beyond traditional peanut butter.. Love cashews - but can't eat them as a "nut".. Do they sell the cashew butter in most supermarkets? I've seen Nutella advertised on tv, but had no idea what the "flavor" was.. These all sound like serious possibilities.. Thanks!

 

[MoniqueU]

TOO bad you can'tt make a trip out to California and hit up all the local taco shops. Since I stopped going weekly and cut most dairy out of my diet I have lost at least 40lbs. I love anyting with guacomolle,made from avocados. And I love me a big ol bean and cheese burrito. You can buy the ingrediebts to make them at home but they aren't as big or as fattening as the ones at the taco shops. We have the best mexican food in the country, one of the last things I actually like about california but eat that stuff a couple of times a week for a few months and you will for sure go up in siize. I usually only eat two meals a day and also get distracted with kids but back when I didn't give a crap what I ate I would do alot of packaged foods like fettucini noodle roni, scalloped potatos, golden patties with sharp chedder cheese on them the patties are made by ore ida. I would also eat tator tots non stop with huge portions. I also make pina coladas with malibu. I dont get drunk or even a buzz ooff then but the nix piles on the lbs. Not sure what wyat you cab abd can't eat but those things packed the weight on me REAL fast.

 

[KirstenB]

I second the peanut butter suggestion. It's a very efficient way to get calories and protein. If I were trying to gain weight, I'd either eat it straight out of the jar, or get some nice buttery Club Crackers, and dip them in it.

OMG, I just thought of another idea. My favorite snack food, which I can't eat, because I'm trying to lose weight! Fritos Scoops with cream cheese. Delicious!!

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Hi C.Ann. OK, I totally understand (honest) the restrictions you may be facing, although of course, I don't have intimate knowledge of them.

I too am on a very restricted diet. The point I'm trying to make is that anything you put in your mouth should be the best choice of what you are allowed/will work for you.

That you are unfamiliar with some of the suggestions here, avocado, nut butters, etc. gives you lots of room for exploration and learning about new options for you.

Avocado for example comes in several different types. You may like one better than the other. Look for the small, dark green HAAS type (from Mexico, most often). They are often thought to have the best flavor and texture. An avocado is ready to be eaten when it gives to slight pressure. You'll learn as you go...it really takes a couple of times.

Find a health food store or a Whole Foods, or Fresh Market or other grocery that grinds its own nuts into butters. You can get them very smooth,and yes, cashews make the most delicious cashew butter!

I will never disregard (or pretend to override) what a doctor tells anyone. However, telling you to just get calories into your body sounds somewhat irresponsible. Understandable, but irresponsible.

Best of luck to you! I hope you find some healthy, high caloric foods that assist you in gaining weight!

 

[Todd&Copper]

I know you said you can't eat breakfast, but can you drink a couple of Ensure meal replacement drinks in the morning? My husband used them after he had surgery and thought they were great. I am pretty sure each one has between 200 and 300 calories and adding a couple would definitely boost your calorie intake.