Advice on Increasing Calories

Hey guys,

I am trying to increase my calories to 2500/day (I am currently at about 1600-1700), by adding around 200/week.

I was just wondering if you all find it easier to make the increase all at once, or if you find it easier to make several daily increases (like 50cals every other day) to reach your goals?

Also I started increasing a few weeks ago, but I seem to be mentally "stuck" at 1600-1700/day, so any motivation would be very helpful at this point!! I am just in one of those ruts, and I need a little 'kick in the butt' to get me where I need to be!!

Thank you!!

at this point, it's a mental barrier getting in your way, if you find it hard to increase by eating more then you should just try drinking 2 ensure shakes in addition to what you're eating to overcome the mental barrier. This will add an extra 700 calories to your intake and put you at 2300-2400, just 100 shy of the 2500 recommended for gaining. Eventually though, you should get there by eating actual food. 2 Ensure shakes won't make you extremely full but will help you reach your calorie goal, which is better done quickly so that you can overcome the mental barrier. Just make sure that you stay off the scales for at least a week because the bloating and water retention might freak you out...remember 3500 calories equals one pound, so increaining your intake by 800-900 will only lead to 1/4 to 1/3 pound gain each day, which is 1-2 pounds per week, which is not very much at all. What exactly are your goals? The faster you make the adjustment the faster your metabolism will adjust and your body will heal itself. I'm assuming you're recovering from an ED from your post, but correct me if I'm wrong. I hope this helps, if you don't want to do the ensure thing then try adding 1/4 cup nuts in your morning cereal, 1/4 cup nuts in a yogurt, 1/4 cup nuts on top of a salad or ice cream, and a 1/4 cup as a snack with some cereal or dried fruit. 1 cup of nuts per day will add over 700 calories as well. If you don't want to do that, then add 1/2 cup nuts, and 1/2 cup dried fruit to add 700 more calories. It's really easy to do and will prevent you from feeling so stuffed and discouraged!! :)

Hey Crissy,

Thank you for the advice! I have added ensure to my MP in the past, but I HATE it and would much rather just eat food. Oh and yes I am trying to gain weight due to a loss from an ED. I know I need to make several more increases, and I am thinking that it will probably just be easier to make one big one each week on monday rather than several small ones. I already eat nuts everyday, so I might add some string cheese, crackers and fruit for this week's increase. Thank you again for the advice!

Don't drag it out. It is a lot easier to do when you just... don't think about it too much. It is also considerably easier to add 300 to 500 calories to a MP over 50.

I second not needing Ensure for this unless you are severely malnourished or cannot literally stomach solid foods properly. Ensure should only be used in extreme cases, if your intake is reaching very high calorie needs, or if it is on TOP of a meal plan already of 2500+ calories.

Hi. I am working with a nutritionist and she has me increasing every 2 or so days though I did get a 4 day break from increasing. She has me increasing 200 calories like I said every 2 days.  I understand being mentally stuck. There will never be an easy time and there will be anxiety so you might as well do it now so to speak. That is what I am trying to tell myself. The end result needs to be to gain. It is scary but right now I am trying to focus on some positives. I know for myself I tend to focus on the negatives or the fears. Hang in there. I am in the same boat and go back to the nutritionist tomorrow so will see.

I used to take it slowly. I, like you, was very afraid of making huge jumps. But eventually, I realized it was much less frustrating and fear inducing to just make that big jump. That way - it was only the one day that I had to feel like I was eating so much more than I had the day before. I'm not saying to jump straight up to 2500 right off the bat - but 200 a week is a bit slow. It does partially depend on how underweight and physically stable you are right now how fast you can increase your calories. at my lowest, my body wouldn't have been able to process an increase of more than 100 every few days. Even tually though, it has gotten to the point where I've needed to increase by about 500 a week. And yes, I do it all in one shot. It's only as big and scary as you let yourself think it is. Keep trying to push yourself. 1600-1700 is not enough for you to gain, and depending on your age and activity level - it is probably not even enough for you to maintain where you're at right now. I know it is frightening, believe me I know. Two months ago I was entirely content with eating 2250 a day and maintaining my low weight. But I knew it wasn't right, that even though I had gained some weight, that I needed to push myself up to an actually healthy place. I am now eating 3600 calories a day. If I can do it, after everything I've been through in the past six years, you can do it too. I promise, it will become easier and you will start to feel stronger and more capable of defeating your eating disorder.

If you are recovering from an ED, you do have to be careful of refeeding syndrome, which can be deadly.  But, if this is not the case, you most likely can increase by 500 calories per day until your desired caloric intake is reached.  For weight gain, many aim for 3,500 calories each day.  It really is better to "rip the bandaid off" and just increase your calories.  It's much easier to just get it over with, than to stretch it out, oh-so-painfully.  You're also going to still be damaging your body until you reach a healthy weight.  Being underweight can be quite dangerous and can lead to many medical complications.  Do it for your health, because you deserve it :)

im male 29 and i did 2 yrs ago work out and went from 120lbs to 132lbs with some muscle.Im 5'7 and yes skinny.I stopped working out not sure why.

So i decided to try my luck and aim for 145 lbs n muscle build but not like those body builders.

I started looking for sites for high calorie meal plan.right now at 5pm im at 1800 calories not counting dinner.I will aim for 3000calories instead of 2500 once i get going. Since i will starting working out too it will help me gain weight before summer atleast.

I also notice that you can only eat so much for a 3000 calorie diet and I bet I will be dipping into shakes to make up for the rest of the calories.
Any advice would be welcomed.