LOCKED TOPIC

Weight Gainers: What did YOU eat today?

I am copying the many times copied thread, "What did you eat today?" in hopes of helping some of those who are just starting to gain and have no clue what to eat. I know that when I began weight recovery, I was eating tons of low-cal foods just because that's what I was used to. I learned the hard way that dense foods are essential to weight gain when you have high caloric requirements (at one point I needed 4500 cal to maintain my weight on BEDREST). Perhaps newbies can get some ideas if we post our weight gain meal plans! Even if you're not gaining anymore, grab an old one and post it!:]
Please note that every body is different and some will need more or less calories than others to gain. This thread is just so that you can get an idea of what you need.
Oh, and yes, I'm breaking the "no calories, no portions" rule, since it is pretty helpful in this case. If you want to post cals/portions you can. I just ask that you don't post if you're not eating enough, though as this is a weight gain thread, I would hope none of you are undereating.;]
I'll start....
Breakfast (875 cal)*

• 1/2 cup oatmeal (150) cooked with
• 1 cup evaporated whole milk (300)
• 1 mashed banana (100)
• 2 tbsp peanut butter (200)
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed and cinnamon to taste (50) 
• 1 hard-boiled egg (75 cal)

Morning Snack (300 cal)*

• 1/4 cup mixed nuts (200)
• 1/4 cup dried apricots (100)

Lunch (660 cal)*

• 1/4 cup rice cooked in 1 cup chicken stock (300) and
• 1/2 cup canned or cooked chickpeas (145) and
• 1/3 cup shredded cheese (150) and
• 1/4 cup each onion, peppers, and tomato (30) cooked with
• 1 tbsp olive oil and curry powder to taste (120)

Afternoon snack (390 cal)*

• 1 serving baby carrots (35)
• 1/4 cup hummus (155)
• 1/4 cup mixed nuts (200)

Dinner (875 cal)*

• 1 cup of my insane Mac & Cheese recipe (515)
• 2 cups tossed salad (45)
• 2 tbsp rasins (60)
• 2 tbsp sunflower seeds (105)
• 2 tbsp dressing (150)

Evening snack (480)*

• 1 cup plain whole milk yogurt (180)
• 1/2 cup homemade granola (300)

About 3600 calories :]

hi everyone-

butterfky-im no expert but ive tried both yoga and pilates a few times  and didnt like either one at all.  also, their are diff types out there, some moer vigorous than others.

trigirl-thats great!  no advice per se, but maybe just now try and get in touch w/ your bodies hunger cues and go from there.

so for me, ive found that i either need to eat all my food during the day, or make my dinner during the day bc by the time its dinner time, i dont want to make anything, maybe cereal or PB+J, both of which i would have already had earlier in the day.  so im not sure what to do about that.  im thinking that tomm i might get a bagel w/tuna salad from the bagel store and have half for lunch w a yogurt and fruit and then the other 1/2 for dinner w my loaded salads.  i never know waht to have w/ bagels, especially for lunch when its already made w tuna salad.  hmm, so i dunno what to do about dinners in the future.

tues-

BFAST-  thomas' plain bagel mini bagel bread, 1.5 tbspn PB, peach, plum

SNACK- eas PROTEIN SHAKE, 1 cup all bran extra fiber cereal, 3/4 cup skim milk, 1 tbspn TRAIL MIX

LUNCH-roll, cheese, fage, apricot, hard boiled egg~400ish

SNACK-~ 3/4cup ice cream- edys loaded choc fudge brownie-very good!

DINNER- ~1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1 slice sargento reduced fat cheddar, roll, veg salad w/ 1-2 tbspns trail mix

SNACK-apple, yogurt, peach

trigirl-you only sell yourself short by eating less! You are able to gain off of 18-2000 because your body is in "conserve calories" mode.  If you want it to build lean mass vs. fat, work normally, have a faster metabolism that doesnt gain on even 3000 or so calories, you have to give it the signals that it can use all those calories [for the good things] by actually eating that much.  As long as you send it the signals that it's only going to get sub-2000 it will get better and better at storing them and making them strrrrrrretch.  --in exchange for your body temperature, general zest and passion for life, and a lot of other important functions.  As a consequence you not only have to survive off of diet level calories, but you lose touch with your real personality, find yourself constantly preoccuppied with eating [in a love-hate relationship] and how great it feels to really live!

agruskin-on a similar note, 2500+ is perfectly normal for your average person.  As a runner I try and stay closer to 4000+ and may even be pushing 5000 this fall.  3000ish is pretty standard, and when ED patients are forced to consistently increase without jinxing it with activity or sporadic low days [no choice, it has to happen and increase steadily] they often get a huge metabolic rebound and have to take in these same levels doing nothing--at very petite sizes.

It just seems like a lot because you've become used to the 18-2000 level.  Think of it as getting rid of the old crap and starting your new, your best.  HATE the limits ED has placed on you and decide to do YOUR thing--starting with the meal plan for LIFE.  It won't happen until you make it.

Edit-suggestions: start with some easy snacks and drinks!  Stock up on munchies and juices and start by just turning our mind off and adding them wherever possible.  Try adding a desert item or treat you've never dared touch [demanding your new life!] every day.

 Every time you go to eat ask yourself "how high can I set the bar, how far do I want to go?"  See how many ways you can set the bar for your inake as high as possible with extras, bigger options, add-ins, portion sizes--after all, you're gaining!  Take advantage of the fact that you need to gain anyways and get your body the signals that it can work with lots of calories.

Once you start to reap the results of the increases it will get easier.

ahh, TUFFSTUFF- youre awesome!  youre so right bc i need to start my life already.  i hate to ask you for more help but if you happened to have some extra time, would you maybe be able to suggest some changes to my meal plan or even a sample plan or where i could find something.  i find that when i look up sample 2000 cal meal plans its only 3 meals and maybe 1 snack, but i really like the energy i get from eating 6 times throughout the day, if that makes sense.  i like the foods i eat, so i dunno.  its also really hard for me to eat out though, something else i need to work on.  thanks so much!  how are you doing?  i wish you the best of luck!

hmm, lol, same time.  so the thing is, adding extra cals or treats, am i still trying to count cals, i really dont know how to just eat normally, my hunger/saitiety cues are all messed up.  i dont want to be too junky, i have ice cream and pudding almost daily.  i think i just really need someone to say, this is what youre having, but hopefully its all stuff that i really like.  i want to gain but also in a healthy way.  i do want to be normal already though.

trigirl- Congratulations! Don't worry about only gaining on 1800 or 2000. In the beginning of weight gain, the extra calories are sort of a shock to your system because your metabolism has been slowed down so much. Your body sort of tries to cling to whatever food it gets, so the weight comes on quickly. It happened to me to a month or two ago. But b/c my goal weight is like 25 or 30 lbs from my low weight, I've had a lot more time to up my calories when my metabolism sped up. I'm at 3300 now, and the weight isn't coming on too fast.. I have I feeling I'll have to up them more soon. Like tuffstuff said, if you keep eating 2000 cals, you are just going to train your body to make those cals last as looong as possible. I hope your nutritionist can be of help.

Breakfast- Oatmeal with pumpkin and SNB mixed in, mini WW bagel with veggie cream cheese, egg, nectarine

Snack- String cheese, WW Cheddar Bunnies, strawberries

Lunch- Mini WW bagel with PB, Kashi soft-baked bar, chocolate mousse yogurt, carrots

Snack- Berries, carrots, Yoplait kids, pudding, Boost smoothie

Dinner- Quesadilla made with flour tortilla (AHHH!), 1/2 c. cheddar cheese and black olives, refried beans, WW English muffin with butter (random much?)

Snack- Almonds, orange, Luna bar, strawberry banana smoothie shake thing, Ben & Jerry'

agruskin- I am going throgh the exact same thing I want to plan meals in advance to make sure I will be on track for the day but Ialways end up changing my mind about what I want to eat and now I am just starting to feel too obsessed with counting calories that I don't even ennjoy eating at all.  I know that if I dont count though I will definitely be under, so there's really no choice at this point.  Hopefully our bodies will figure it out soon!

hi everyone-

just want to say again a thank you to TUFFSTUF. 

So i weighed today-i weigh wed mornings, and last week i fluctuated btwn 91-91.5 each time i stepped on the scale, this wk 92.5-93, scales are weird.  so maybe up 1.5lbs in 1 wk?  since ive still been averaging 1800-2000ish, im going to chalk it up to me needing to gain and the like what AQUA and TUFFSTUF said that my body is clinging to the initial cals, and that i should continue to increase, despite the gain at least to 2000-2150ish for a few days on a consistant basis?

1 prob i have is that i really dont know what "normal" eating is.  i have my eating every few hr schedule, which i like, but dont know anything else.  if for instance i have something completely diff like TUFFSTUFF suggested, maybe a muffin from dunkin donuts-~400 cals, for bfast, then what?  eat soemthing w/it, change my carbs for the rest of the day since thats like 5 right there?  i dunno.

also, as i said, and for AEROPINK, dinner is really hard for me so for today im planning on buying it in the morning so i know ill have it already made by later.  my plan for today-suggestions or advice, always welcome!  have a great day everyone!

BFAST-  thomas' plain bagel mini bagel bread, 1 tbspn PB, yogurt, peach, apricot~400cals

SNACK- 1 cup all bran extra fiber cereal, 3/4 cup skim milk, 1 tbspn TRAIL MIX~200

LUNCH-1/2 bagel+tuna salad sandwich from bagel store, fage yogurt, plum, cut up veggies~450

SNACK-~ 3/4cup ice cream- edys loaded choc fudge brownie, apricot~250

DINNER- ~1/2 bagel+tuna salad sandwich from bagel store, veg salad w/ 1-2 tbspns trail mix, peach~400

SNACK-apple, yogurt

Tuffstuff: I'd just like to say that you've been super-inspirational to me :D Heh. It was very hard (still is ><) to get to 3000 physically as well as mentally, but seeing your posts regarding the necessity of 2500+ as a steady intake reminds me why I'm doing this when I lose sight of it.

Am hopefully seeing a nutritionist next week, though it's been SO long now I have already made a lot of progress solo - I have no idea how useful seeing one will be for me, now. ><;

Tuffstuff-You are so right and I agree, such an inspiration! Eating just 2000 cals for the rest of a person's life does not sound like fun to me. I keep reminding myself that I need to make sure and give myself the nutrients I need for life and the energy (cals) I need. I want to healthy, you know?

Agruskin- I totally understand the "I have no idea when I am hungry/satisfied." I was the same way. I honestly had no clue. It was all based on cals. The calories determined when I would be hungry or not. If I only has such and such cals and needed more, well I GUESS I was hungry. The sensations will come back. It may take time. Try and eat slower. Stop at times during meals to see how full/not full you are. I would suggest getting the book: "A Guide to 'Normal' Eating." It is very good and has helped me so much! You are doing so well. Maybe you could try the three main meals being 500 calories, then two 250 calorie snacks? That would equal 2000. It is a lot easier to eat smaller more frequently I think. You need to continue to up your calories. You can do it!  Since you gained on 2000 a pound and a half that would mean you have been eating ~ 750 calories in excess. That means your "maintenance" calories would be like 1300! That does not sound right to me.  Hope this has helped!

I will post what I ate later :)

Agru and Psycho-I don’t have a lot of time to post an example right now, but I’ll try to come back to that. The one thing I did want to point out is that during this time period it is important to have some sort of criteria.  You can’t trust yourself to eat what you need on intuition until you’ve trained your body how to eat what it needs.  As you get used to that plus get to a weight your body is comfortable at, the choices and eating in general won’t feel like such a big deal.  Your brain is still out of wack + overly anxious due to the deprival. 

A good action plan is to have a set # of calories + challenge foods that must be included each day.  The rest can be your safe foods or what you feel like.  Assuming you continue to increase the calories and variety this will give you steady progress towards your best physical potential and mental freedom.

Also look at your portions.  ½ bagel?  You should be able to have at least a whole bagel on maintenance, so to set up for that you should have the full portion plus.  Think extras, not cuts.  This includes portions, spreads, add-ins, and lots of full fat and calorie dense options.  Make a list, include 3 each day as part of your action plan towards a future at your best.

I also see a lot of diet-geared products on the menu, like fiber one cereal.  Try to challenge yourself to choosing granolas over light or fibery cereals, and picking easily digestable carb snacks instead of heavy protein and fiber.  This will help your digestive system heal, rev your metabolism, and kick the ED tormenting voice out.  In the future you can substitute more of the “safe” fibery or diet-geared foods without risking that they might limit you—your physically best or your freedom.

Agruskin-Definitely keep in mind that the key to your body evening out and working at it’s best [+ less mental fixation and anxiety, and more passion for other things and zest for life] is to keep increasing your intake.  One of my latest ED clients gained 3lbs a week when she initially started on 1600-2000 calorie meal plan in patient.  By discharge she was up to 3200 and we haven’t seen any gain in  month, though she is now at about 3500-4000 and still not allowed activity beyond daily function.  Once you cross that threshold and give your body the signals that it has plenty [not just what seems like plenty to you—but more than it would need to work normally, not make due on diet levels] it actually starts making good use of them.

Lala-Get excited about your nutritionist appointment!  It’s important that you’ve been making the progress, because when it comes down to it you have to be the one to make the changes.  You’ve gotten on the road, and the nutritionist is about to give you a map to make sure you get to the destination rather than running in circles.

Don't get stuck, folks!  Take your destiny by the horns and hate the old habits, as comforting as ED convinces you that they are.  Make him leave, and eventually it WILL feel better than you can know.

psychoj-so much of what you wrote is exactly how i feel, if i have cals left, then i guess im hungry and so on. 

tuffstuff-im going to read what you wrote like 5 more times, but first ill just write this, and thank you so much!  the all bran cereal- I have IBS-contipation and have had it since i was 12, the ed started when i was about 22-almost 3 yrs ago.  ive become more regular since i started eating more but its still a contstant prob so thats why i look for fiber. 

the bagel-should i be counting carb equivelants?  i had 2 at bfast, 1 for a cereal snack, then if i had the whole bagel at lunch, thats 4 more-and regarding that-i really have no clue, do you have something w/ the bagel +tuna?, and then say another carb for dinner, thats 8 or more.  i really have no idea what "normal" eating is. 

also, when i think extras and daring things, i can only think junky stuff, nothing diff and daring, yet perhaps not bad for me. 

easily digestable foods so that i get hungry sooner?  so that i then eat more often? 

i certainly do not want to live on 1600 cals in the future.  cross the threshold?  not sure how to?  if i dont count i undereat and i really dont know yet how to listen to my body.  i will deff make sure to hit 2000, at least, today.  still unsure as how to handle the bagel+tuna, do you have something w/ it or is it enough?  lol, i must sounnd nuts!

Tuffstuff-I love reading what you write! I agree completely. I have reached my comfortable weight and I know what my body needs. (I see a nutritionist who thinks I am doing great!) I now have my hunger back. Finally! It feels amazing to know when I am hungry/full!

Agruskin-Thanks! I really just have to stop and completely forget about the calories, and actually take a moment and think. I think about what I really want, and whether I am actually truly hungry. Counting is fine and all(although I no longer do) but you can become very obsessed with numbers, you know? I think that the body is amazingly designed and configured. If we listen to it, and do what it wants, it is going to function perfectly. The majority of people, I would say, do not listen and treat the body how it should be. About the add ins all being junk. Here arer some suggestions: guacamole and chips, nuts, popcorn, peanut butter, dark CHOCOLATE(!!!), dried fruit is amazingly dense, REAL all natural/organic ice cream(not the light I know!), whole milk yogurt, whole milk cheese/string cheese,and I will edit later if I think of anymore! You are doing amazing though. Think of how far you have come. I remember when I first started posting you were struggling to eat 1400! Now, you are at like 2000. Doesn't it feel great? You are such an inspiration, all of you are!

XXX

PSYCHOJ- you are so lucky to be recovering and healthy, youre going to be amazing at basket ball and i am seriously so jealous, yet motivated to keep going when i read your posts! 

w/food, im like a robot bc my hunger/satiety cues are gone.  ive said before, even when i stop and try to listen to what my body really wants, it just doesnt talk so thats why i think i still need to plan my meals and count calories, which is not normal.  i want to just be normal.  i still live at home which means that occasionally my mother will cook something.  i want o be able to eat it whether or not ive eaten a lot during the day or not-but that wouldnt neccessaraly be normal behavior either, for anyone else i dont think?  i do lots of trail mix-dried fruit and nuts-w/cereal and in salad.  when you have the ice cream, do you do the 1/2 cup serving?  i dont want to be a pig!  bagel+tuna salad, im going now to get it, lol, thats a lot to have the whole thing and more stuff for lunch, yes or no?  i hover btwn thinking im a pig, knowing i need to gain, yet unsure how to do it.  i mean, lets say i have the whole bagel at lunch, that would be 4, plus 2 at bfast, 1 at a snack, then lets say i was "normal" and had pasta for dinner-2 more carbs, at least 9 carbs for the day! ?

thanx for the info....... I have been asked by my doc to gain weight, not too much, about 10-12 lbs. and I didnt know what foods to eat...

Hello everybody. Ho hum..... my head is a confusing muddle right now. I saw my beloved (ahem) Dr Jaffa yesterday, and had gained 1.1kg (like 2.3lbs!!!) in a week on average 2700 per day - but hey, my mental eating was worth it because he actually had a bed reserved and ready for me in the Phoenix Centre.... we also assigned my target range (43-45kg), on the understanding that, if in a few months I haven't grown or started my period, then it shall go up :( I was aiming for 43 anyways, so that's not bad......

 I'm kind of scared now, though... I have 6 weeks to gain 1.5kg, and am not seeing the dietician for 4, and I really don't want to go over my tw in that time, and am to be honest really scared that in the time I don't see her I'll balloon. So worried about it, and feeling so massive that I managed to gain over 2lbs in a week, that I've only done about 1200 today, which makes me feel really happy....... but that's not a good thing.

tuffstuff - what kcal intake do you recommend? For a really steady weight gain? Sorry for taking advantage of your nutritionist status. I gained 0.1 kg in a week on 1900, and the tool thing on this said I should be aiming for that to gain a kg by the 2nd September...... and how does your sciency body/calorie conditioning thing work.... I don't quite get it.....I do hardly any activity, really... I don't like running....

Also, now I am allowed to excercise, I'm kind of stuck on what to do. I aim to walk about 10000 steps a day, but don't always get there, and some days go over. What do people recommend to gain fitness levels after practically 2 years of doctor-induced couch potato-ing?

So, todays intake (drum roll):

Brekkie: 50g all bran, 250mls choco soya milk

Snack: 23% of a whole pinapple

Lunch: Plain food doctor multiseed bagel, pear, vanilla soya pot, 4 strawberries

Dinner: Small salad box (from sainsbury's), 2 fava beans, 2-3tbsp edamame, 1 tbsp kidney beans, a lot of olives, lots of carrot and 4 slices of cucumber, 1 tbsp hummous, 1/2 canteloupe.

oh goodness!  today's changes!--

BFAST-  thomas' plain bagel mini bagel bread, 1 tbspn PB, yogurt, peach, apricot~400cals

SNACK- 1 cup all bran extra fiber cereal, 3/4 cup skim milk, 1 tbspn TRAIL MIX~200

LUNCH-1 WHOLE pumpernickel bagel+  ALOT of tuna salad from the bagel store, plum- 600?

the rest--????  ideas??

Agruskin-Thanks so so much! You make me feel so good! Hmmm...what could you eat? You have had a pretty good amount of carbs and protein(not to say you cannot have lots more or anything!) but not a whole lot of fat. Maybe make a PB smoothie/milk shake? You could use ice cream and peanut butter! Maybe some steak or chicken? Do you like burgers? Challenge yourself! I do not think I have ever seen you post anything like a burger/steak.(do not mean to offend any of the non meat eaters!!!) When I have ice cream, I eat hmmm...however much I want! LOL. I would say about a cup maybe? When I have B+J'S I have a cup, so I would say a cup :)

Peanut butter: Good to hear you do not have to go to inpatient! Keep on working hard. You can do it! Tell the eating disorder voice to shut up!!! Maybe add some variety to your food. You seem to eat the same bfast and stuff a lot. Life needs variety! Haha, I am so glad that tuffstuff is here. She is such a help!

XXX

psycho-yea, deff had lots of carbs today, not really any dairy though.  i was thinking maybe an english muffin w/ cream cheese and yogurt, and a salad for dinner?  i dont like steak but im not vegetarian.  boca burgers are just very convenient bc theyre microwavable.  i had pb for bfast, i know im lacking dairy and veggies-ive had none! lol  i could always buy chicken i guess but we dont have in the house.  i have boca, cheese, tuna, yogurt, oh, i have frozen cod?  random?  i dunno, ive had so much vcarbs, im thinking maybe 1 more carb and yogurt and salad for dinner?  i feel like ive eaten so much!  you reccoemmended a book b4?  do you know the author?

thanks so much-gg walk the dog!  lol

That sounds good! Calcium is so important. Have a great night! I actually messed up the title, sorry! It is The Rules of "Normal" Eating by Karen R. Koenig.

thanks for everything psychoj, i think i might go to barnes and noble tomm and take a look at it!  still dont have a clue for dinner, besides for my regualr loaded salad.  suggestions?? lol

so far-

BFAST-  thomas' plain bagel mini bagel bread, 1 tbspn PB, yogurt, peach, apricot~400cals

SNACK- 1 cup all bran extra fiber cereal, 3/4 cup skim milk, 1 tbspn TRAIL MIX~200

LUNCH-1 WHOLE pumpernickel bagel+  ALOT of tuna salad from the bagel store, plum- 600?

SNACK-yogurt, 1/2 orange~170ish