3500 cal meal plans please!

hi im trying to do mechanical eating at 3500 cals/day, but im finding that the lack of variation in my diet is sabatoging my efforts. for example ill bake a bunch of quiche (425 cals/slice) and then eat two pieces every meal breakfast lunch and dinner. every day. until i get so sick of it i stop eating. this is NOT working. i find it very difficult to be spontaneous and add new things to my meals - im very rigid with myself and if ive decided to eat one thing, i wont let myself eat anything else or add anything else to the current recipe either. i know thats very ED and im trying to work on it, but in the meantime i think if i had a bunch of different meal plans with good nutrition and variety that i could follow and know im still reaching my calorie target, it would really help.

so if as many people as possible could post even just one sample days worth of food (breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack), then i can pick a different persons meal plan to follow each day and therefore get some variety in my diet and maybe start to enjoy food again. thanks so much! :)

How about this?

nice! thanks. seems to have an excessive amount of oatmeal, though... :)

keep the meal plans coming, people, this is good...

and happy new year!

Read the "weight gainers: what did you eat today?" thread. Lots of good ideas, just make sure you're following the people on 3000+ cals. Try and challenge yourself though! If you set your mind to it, you can break out of these habits. It won't be easy at first but you won't succeed if you just give in and say "oh well, ed won't let me eat anything else". ED is not YOU and only YOU should be the one deciding what you want to eat.

It's late and I'm sleepy, but if youstill need some ideas tomorrow i'd be happy to go over some of my daily eats with you.

i definitely will read that thread.

oh and yes, when you wake up id love to hear about some of your daily eats! thanks so much!

Original Post by kiote:

nice! thanks. seems to have an excessive amount of oatmeal, though... :)

keep the meal plans coming, people, this is good...

and happy new year!

Happy new year to you too, friend! Hmm, you can probably replace oatmeal with wholemeal bread or brown rice. :D

Follow this guide and double the serving sizes.  Also, add a couple more servings of fats.

1500 Calories in Six Meals-a-Day

This is a plan for 3000, but it may start you off with some ideas.


A SAMPLE MEAL PLAN OF 3000 CALORIES:

BREAKFAST - 750
Two slices of wholemeal toast, thick slice [200] with a tbsp of butter (unsalted, ideally) or margarine between both [100 - no light stuff!] and a tbsp of jam on each slice [90 on average]. Two rashers streaky bacon [80] and two large fried eggs [160] using a tbsp of olive oil [120]. Sauce of your choice to accompany.

SNACK AM - 250
An ounce of almonds [160 or so] and an ounce of raisins. [90]

LUNCH - 800
A large wholegrain pitabread [170] stuffed with 40g whole fat feta cheese [110], 60g sundried tomatoes packed in oil (but drained off) [120], and salad leaves [negligable]. Greek yoghurt parfait - 150g whole fat FAGE total (no 2% or 0%!) or other whole fat greek yoghurt [250], topped with 35g of granola [150].

SNACK PM - 200
80g hummus [180] and 60g baby carrots [20]

DINNER - 620
Tuna Pasta Bake at 492 calories a serving, having a slightly larger serving to take it up to [500]. Make sure you use whole fat cheese in the recipe. A side of mixed vegetables - broccoli, cauliflower, courgettes, carrots... pick your favourites [negligable], and dress them with a tbsp of olive oil [120].

SNACK EVENING - DESSERT - 380
60g rolled oats [230] made with a mix of 100ml whole milk and 200ml water [60], topped with a small sliced banana [90].

TOTAL: 3000

Even if you're vegetarian, lactose intolerant, coeliac... etc, this is still proof you CAN make totals like 3000 without having to cram food, with balance of nutrition and still enjoying what you're eating.


To take that to 3500, you could:

Have 50g each of almonds and raisins, not an ounce, at the morning snack. [+185]
Make the evening porridge with entirely 300ml whole milk, and not with any water. [+120]
Have a 500ml glass of 100% juice with your pm snack. [+220]

Those ideas add an extra 525 calories alone. It's easy to come up with more ideas to add calories fast, though.

Breakfast:  1 large bagel (350 calories) with 2 TB peanut butter (190), with 8 oz juice (110), and 1 large banana (100)

750 calories

Snack:  1 power bar (230) with 1/4 cup dried fruit (130)

360 calories

Lunch:  Turkey sandwich:  2 slices whole wheat bread (180), 3+ oz turkey (120) with 2 TB mayonnaise (100), 1 cup chocolate milk (150), 1/2 cup trail mix (250)

800 calories

Snack:  Smoothie:  1 cup whole milk (150), yogurt (170), 1 banana (100), 1 scoop protein powder (100)

520 calories

Dinner:  1.5 cups pasta (300) with 2 TB salad dressing (120) and 3 oz chicken (150) with sauteed vegetables (75)

645 calories

Total:  3,075 calories

I eat 3600 calories a day. I don't post my menus that much anymore, but there is a link in my profile to my blog. And if I may say so myself, I make a darned good 1200 calorie breakfast every morning. Always something different too (mainly because I can never remember what exactly it is that I put into something to make it 1200)