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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 :]
Reason: Unstickied after being stickied for over a year 8/15/09. Locking in favor of bimonthly threads.
Hey all!
peanut butter-It is okay! Maybe you could give in to a little bit. It is not going to kill you, esp. considering you have not eaten nearly enough today! About the camping trip. Maybe bring your own mini grill? That way you could have whatever you want! Remember, you will be burning a lot while hiking. You will pretty much be able to eat whatever you want!
aquaev-that is really great advice! I think that making then freezing is an AWESOME idea!
I am going on vacation to the mountains tomorrow! We are staying in a cabin with our grandparents and I am so excited! We are bringing most of our food and I am not worried. I think I am going to bring my exercise ball, mat, and weights. While there we are planning on going horse back riding, tubing, and all sorts of other things! I will not be on until next Saturday though :(
Hey everyone i am off on my holiday tommorrow, im a little nervous still as y dad is not the most understanding person.
Breakfast: Oatmeal made w/ semi skimmed milk, blueberries, strawberries, sliced banana and tbps peanut butter
Snack: 3 ryvita with hard boiled egg. 180ml Innocent kids smoothies.
Lunch: 2 slices whole wheat, 3 cauldron falafel and salad. Activa strawberry yogurt.
Snack: 10 almonds, apple.
Dinner: Tuna steak, mediterrain vegetables and whole wheat bread roll
Snack: Either a hot chocolate made with 200ml semi skimmed milk or a yogurt.
Just wondering if anyone had some good, healthy and nutritious with snacks pereferably including protein but i am open to any suggestions?
butterfly_in_the_sky- Have fun on your holiday! Where are you going? As far as high protein snacks go, STRING CHEESE jumped in to my mind first. Yogurt and cottage cheese would also be good. If you don't have access to a fridge, you could also bring soy nuts or any other nuts. Or any type of protein bar, obviously. Hope I helped a little!
You lucky bums all getting to go on holiday so soon. :P I have to wait until September. Then again, at least I get one now! Hooray.
So, first up: The Dark Knight. OMG. Jaw-achingly awesome. I'm an avid lover of the old comics and the original, more traditional dark style of Batman and OH MY GOD. It just lived up to all expectations. Everyone's performances were stunning and the dialogue was as amazing as the action. ;__; And Heath deserves a posthumous (is that right?) oscar, seriously. I've never seen such an accurate page-to-screen representation of a character. I'd happily go see it a zillion more times. Oh man. I am such a fangirl. x__x
Now, to today! I was prescribed some peppermint oil capsules to help with bloating and I'm already feeling a difference. I don't feel as weighed down and nauseous and there's a good deal less distending now. What is best in this is that I am now having a better time recognising hunger (though I still eat on a sort of rota even if I don't feel hungry) because I don't feel like I've swallowed a brick all the time!
The other good news... in the past two weeks I've gained a kilo. That's ~3lbs in two weeks. I'm kind of happy but not; I wanted to gain, absolutely, but that's still slower than I hoped for (2lbs a week). I'm able to get a lot more in, now, especially without this horrible weighted feeling in my gut being there, so that might change! Thing is, with an average of 2500-3000 a day in the past two weeks, and a gain of 3lbs, that'd technically make my BMR 1000-1500, wouldn't it? What the ducks?! D: That can't be right at all. Am I still eating too low to adequately speed my metabolism, or is this thing still clinging on to calories for dear life? I don't know! >____<;;
I ate some new foods today :B I tried sardines for the first time and they were SO tasty. Had those alongside new potatoes and veg cool (not warm - it's way too hot for a hot lunch!) and it was deliiicious if not a pain to have to pick the spines out. My mum had always discouraged me when I'd wanted to try them before but I got determined, lol. >> And, I had aduki beans for the first time. Not quite so great, but interesting regardless! They mixed in nicely with rice. :]
I have a fun week ahead. Tomorrow we're going to a family friend's renewal of vows - they're having a buffet afterwards, but the woman in charge of the food is... not a good cook (she's given my parents food poisoning twice now with her party food). I'll likely head back to my house after the ceremony, but I'm still happy to be seeing it :] Theeenn, on Monday, we're likely going to the beach for a day out and a bit of a picnic. Woop! And we're going to a theme park at some point. I have a social life, sort of. Lol.
At some point, my mum wants to book a table at this really nice tapas restaurant for an evening next week! Yay! :D I feel a lot more comfortable when I eat out, though I have to watch out for dairy. :s Eep. I don't know if we can ask for things I order not to be cooked in butter... anything else gets listed on the menu, but butter is the grey area. I think we'll probably stick with just telling the waiter at the restaurant and praying they give a damn.
Butterfly: I know this is probably not the best suggestion, but when I'm completely at a loss and want a good source of protein as a snack, I tend to cook some chickpeas, let them cool a little and dry off a bit and then put them in a plastic baggie. I eat them like crisps! >__< D'oh. I'm wierd like that.
Hope you're all well! :]
hi everyone, wow, so many ppl going on vacation, thats awesome! i dont think im going anywhere bc im still looking for a job for sept. and all the openings are posted in the summer.
PSYCHOJ- what mountains are you going to? youll be so actuve there that i dont think youll really need any additional excercise. have a great time!!!!!! make smores! LOL
BUTTERFLY- i hope you have fun, aqua had great suggestions and if you have a fridge you can always stock up once youre there.
LALA-hmm, about the low bmr, maybe its still the initial gain and your body clinging to any food bc its scared that it will stop getting food. i know i gained on 1800 which would make my bmr 1200? i dunno, but i certainly hope that well be able to eat mroe than 1200 or 1300 in the future and not continuously gain! sounds like youre on your way though! how are you so relaxed when it comes to eating out?
going out tonight, hopefully i can find something.
Agru: I'm not sure what relaxes me, really. I just tend to take in the company and atmosphere more than concern over what's in the food. I think the key is that I'm totally oblivious to calorie numbers. What I don't know won't hurt, particularly not now while aiming to gain, right? o: I stick with ordering healthier cooking methods and with basic principles - remembering trigger foods (for my stomach) and no dairy - but other than that I don't fuss. It's a night out, after all.
Agruskin-The mountains in western north carolina! I am so excited! yeah you are right about the exercise thing.
TODAY:
Breakfast: Whole wheat english muffin w/ all natural PB, organic apple
Lunch: All natural pb sandwich on ww bread, kashi crackers, grapes
Snack: organic apple
Dinner: whole wheat tortellini in a red sauce, milk, and broccoli
Snacks: WHATEVER I WANT!!!
Goodbye to you all until next Saturday: Stay strong girls. You can beat the ed. You can gain weight. I want to hear all about how fabulous you did when I get back! ![]()
XOXOXO
yaya you guys are all doing realllyy well =D.
agruskin- try not to worry so much about the number of carbs you take in at everymeal etc.etc. i just usually take in a carb, protein and alittle fat at every meal/snack and you should be able to get in balanced nutrition. i also have sortof adapted my meal plan at hospital so that at everymeal/snack i TRY to have one dairy/equivalent eg.soymilk. but sometimes i will swap it for osmething else , eg. icecream, and i won't fret about it-.
lalabanana- OMG YES! I WATCHED DARK KNIGHT LAST WEDNESDAY (when it came out here in australia haha =D ) AND I AGREE IT WADS TOTALLY AWESOMEEEE! xD haha love heath ledger. he played the character so well! yup anyway, UBER movie, MUSTWATCH (and i've never read/seen batman before, so this isnt just fangirl-ness.) =)
gosh, school started, and i sorta feel like a fat lump now, coz im not doing any exercise (like strength training) coz i cant seem to fit it in- and ive seem to lost strength in my abs again (not that i had much strength there in the first place LOL i HATE situps etc.). i also have this thing where i feel like i HAVE to have a post-"workout" meal with protein and carbs and not much fat. do any of you do that? hahah.
hi everyone-
LALA- so im back from the restaurant, obviously, lol. i ordered a chicken sandwich, i think grilled but its in oil and stuff so who knows if its really better or not. i was ok while at the place but when i get home is when i get a little nuts trying to figure out how many cals it was.
PSYCHOJ-hae a great time! youve come so far, i have so much faith in you! riding horses and stuff, ive never done taht, i bet you have an amazing time!--dont restrict!!! enjoy!
SAYKYOKU-hmm, i think i get carbs, protein, fat..but mostly carbs and they deff dominate my eating. i lift weights 2/wk-really moderate stuff, but afterwards ideff have a protein shake and a big bowl of cereal and milk, you have to replenish yourself, rt!? i dunno about the fat thing though.
i really dont know how to judge my restaurant meal. i dont want to freak about it and i think i did really well actually, but i do fell like im "lsoing control", deff the ED talking, i know. but i feel like since each day im trying to eat a lot, its like im "splurging" everyday, splurges are not meant to be everyday. i have no clue how many cals were in my meal, grilled chicken on a smallish burger bun, maybe 4-5 thick cut fries. but it was a restaurant so its all in oil. do i count it as 350 or 800cals? i honestly think it was closer to 370 which is how i logged it, looked like maybe 4-5oz chicken w a regular supermarket burger bun. but i dunno, and i just feel like im on my way to gaining too fast and becoming unhealthy.
fri-
mini bagel, tbspn, pb, apple, babybel cheese circle-400ish
protein shale, cereal, milk, trail mix~260
roll, cheese, fage, pudding, peach, cut up veggies~400
grilled chicken on burger bun, 4-5 steak cut fries, lettuce, tomato, ketchup~400
apple, yogurt~250
ahh yes everyone is leaving haha. Hope you all enjoy your vacations!!
Agru- you seem to be doing really well and I know I don't know much about the whole gaining scene since I just started, but your meal plan looks very well balanced to me. You've got meat, so tons of protein, dairy, fats, carbs, fruits, and some veggies. I think the grilled chicken sounds like a healthy choice and good for you since you said you wanted to vary your meals a bit. In my book I would say you hardly splurged at all, so keep up the good work!
As for me, I had a rough one. I went with my dad to pick up his car (needed a steering wheel replacement) and on the way home I was so hungry I really couldn't wait any longer to eat (two hours from home) and it was weird because I'm usually never hungry. My only two choices were Wendys or Bob Evans. I felt Wendys was the safer of the two (actually I dk I've never been to a Bob Evans). I haven't had fast food in about two months, it totally killed me to eat there. I only ordered a jr hamburger to hold me over until we got home. I feel utterly disgusted with myself though. Stupid ED why can everyone else enjoy an ocassional trip to get some fast food, but all I do is sit there thinking about cals and all of the fats and oils I am consuming.
On a happier note, besides that slip up I managed to finally make it to around 2000 cals. I still hope to get to about 2500/day, but hey atleast it's a start.
aeropink- I'm sorry you had a hard time at Wendy's yesterday. Fast food is scary, and I still haven't gotten the courage to eat any. So you should be extremely proud of yourself for eating the burger even though the ED voice was yelling at you! It's a true fact that normal people enjoy a trip to a fast food restaurant every once in a while, sometimes more! Congrats on getting to 2000!
Breakfast- Veggie cream cheese on WW mini bagel, oatmeal with pumpkin and cream, egg, nectarine
Snack- String cheese and blueberries
Lunch- PB on WW potato bread, chocolate mousse yogurt, Kashi TLC cherry chocolate bar,carrots
Snack- Carrots, Yoplait kids, cheddar bunnies spread with PB, Vivanno smoothie from Starbucks (normally I am against Starbucks, but I'm going shopping so I need something so I don't get too hungry)
Dinner- Quorn chik'n cutlet fried in olive oil seasoned with cumin and garlic powder, organic Jasmine rice, steamed corn, vanilla ice cream
Snack- Orange, almonds, EAT NATURAL BAR AHAHAHAHAHAHA (almonds and apricot and yoghurt coating!!), strawberry banana shake, Ben and Jerry'
Thanks to everyone who gave me advice from my last post. I usually try not to plan out all my meals, but since I've been low on cals lately, I did today so that I know I'll get at LEAST 2000 cals, and hopefully more with nibbling on things through the rest of the day!
Breakfast: 1 cup Fage 0% with 1/3 cup dried cranberries and 3 tbsp toasted wheat germ; 3/4 cup scrambled egg whites with 1/2 a medium avocado; 1 package Apples & Cinnamon instant oatmeal with 1/2 cup skim milk
Snack: 1 cup soy milk blended with 1 packet chocolate carnation instant breakfast and 1 medium banana; 1 cup puffins cereal
Lunch: 1/2 a whole wheat pita stuffed with cannelloni beans stewed with spinach and marinara sauce; 1 serving of almonds; baby carrots
Dinner: (cookout!) black bean veggie burger on 1/2 a whole wheat pita; watermelon
Keep on truckin' everyone!
hi everyone-
AEROPINK- that is fantastic that you went to fast food and met 2000! i know im trying to be more "normal", i dont know about you, but id say that youre doing great and a burger there is NOT a bad choice, its actually whats reccommended in diet type meal plans! the ED voices, theyre still there for me too, but what ive learned, is that the longer you go through the motions, even if it is hard, the easier it will eventually become! post your meals!! i love McDonalds soft serve ice cream cone.
AQUA-how are the quorn cutlets? i saw one thats stuffed w/cheese and cranberries i think but havent tried them yet. i also dont like starbucks, lol. howd you get the eat natural bar??!!
LIKEARE-hey, w/planning, i know its not "normal" but sometimes it really does help. your goal is iver 2000, rt? im guessing youre a veggie so no real eggs or cheese? what about 1 whole pita-i mean that would be more of what another person might eat, rt? no dessert or evening snack? just some suggestions.
how often do you all eat out/delivery/take out? i even mean like deli or bagel sandwich. im trying to eat what and how much id like to eat in the future. i want to regulate my metabolism so that i could enjoy food in the future. still feel like im losing control, eating unhealthy, too many carbs, and too much take out, but hopefully i can make good choices.
have a great day everyone!
agruskin- I love quorn cutlets! They taste a lot like real chicken. The ones I get are just plain and are really easy to make on the stove. Haha, I got the Eat Natural bar on the way back from Italy. We stopped in Heathrow airport in London and they had them in a couple bookstores. I must have looked really really strange hopping all around and dancing in front of the nutrition bars! My mom's a meanie though so she only let me get one :(
Hey everyone-
Well, my nutritionist said that I still need to gain more weight. She said that my goal weight before was the lowest weight that would keep me out of inpatient. I'm still a little freaked out because I'm relatively comfortable where I am right now. I see the adolescent medicine doctor on Tues. I really hope she will let me do sports becuase I really want to do a fall sport for school. I am moving to a new state in a week, and I have been going to a lot of going-away parties. They really stress me out becuase I usually have no idea what we are going to be eating. I have another one today and I can infer that we will be having pizza or hot dogs!!! :(
So far I have eaten...
Breakfast- 1/4 cup egg whites, 2 T Mozzarella cheese, W.W. mini bagel, 1 T blackberry jam
Snack- Strawberry Crumble Luna bar, granola bar
Lunch- W.W. pita, 1 oz turkey, 1 slice reduced fat provolone cheese, plum, peach
hey everyone!
aqua-i love love the boca cheeseburgers. im not a vegetarian but since theyre microwavable theyre more convenient than real meat. i think ive seen quorn cutlets-theyre breaded or no? you have to tell me if the bars are all theyre talked up to me and if there is anything is the US similar to them! lol
trigirl-moving to a new state-exciting! i hope you have fun at the parties. it sounds like youre doing well and im srue youre nutritonsit will help you through this process.
sat-
BFAST-mini thomas's bagel square, tbspn pb, apple, hardboiled egg-440ish
SNACK-protein shake
LUNCH- 1 1/4C kashi vive cereal, 3/4 c. milk, fage yogurt, apricot, pudding~440
THINK FOR LATER-
SNACK-3/4c ice cream, peach~250
DINNER-1/3 KASHI THIN CRUST PIZZA, salad w/ tbspn trail mix~350
SNACK-apple, yogurt~250
maybe more too, suggestions always welcome!
Thanks for the suggestions agruskin! Yes, my goal for gaining is 3000, and yes, I am a vegetarian, but not a vegan - so I CAN eat real eggs/cheese, but I just prefer not to... and I guess if I'm being honest it's because of the fat content - I have this thing about wanting to eat only what I consider to be healthy fats (nuts, olive oils, etc) - even though I KNOW that at this point, I need any and all of the fat I can get! So you're definitely right to question that. Pre-planning has definitely helped me today. I'm finding that I like to front-load my calories for the day, as well. I think I cut down on some of the snacks because I missed actually feeling HUNGRY when it was time to eat. To be honest, I'm kind of losing motivation to gain right now - I know I could get in the 3000 if I really wanted to... but I don't and I know that's not good!
Anyway, thanks for the advice and keep up the great work, it sounds like you're doing so well! P.S. Kashi Vive - is that new? I absolutely love cereal - haven't been eating it as much since I've been trying to gain, but that's one thing that I could eat for every meal.
LIKEARE-i know its tough, believe me! i think ive had anorexia for going on 3 years now, tried recovering before, but i think that this time its really working, mentally and physically-and i feel great! i have so much energy, i feel like i can do cartwheels and its great! today i tried on clothing in my closet that i havent been able to wear in so long. yes, i feel like a pig, like im eating way tooooooooo much, and ill ask everyone here if iam-am i?? bc i feel like a pig!
and yes, i eat when im not hungry-its a preplanned scheduled snack, but i think my hunger/satiety cues are messed up and im just hoping that by eating, ill gain, and that ill regulate and repair my metabolism. eat an egg, the yolk is actually good for you, same w/all fats. we need them. it took me time to get it but i actually feel diff since incorporating fats into my diet, i feel better! kashi vive, maybe semi new, its really good though! i can seriously eat PB+J and cereal, and thats all. dont lose steam, refocus, get some ice cream or an ensureo r the other half of the pita, and just eat! going through the motions mindlessly actually helps me i think.
..I'm... melting.. so... hot... *gurgle*
What do you guys eat when it's like 40 degrees outside!? All I've had was yogurt and strawberries all day.. and I feel sick and full. Everything in the house I'd have to COOK.
so basically i feel stuffed and like a cow, but im still eating...again, no clue if im eating too much or what
sat-
BFAST-mini thomas's bagel square, tbspn pb, apple, hardboiled egg-440ish
SNACK-protein shake
LUNCH- 1 1/4C kashi vive cereal, 3/4 c. milk, fage yogurt, apricot, pudding~440
SNACK-3/4c ice cream, peach~250
DINNER-1 serving macaroni and cheese, veg salad+trail mix ~350
SNACK-apple, yogurt~250 maybe something w/it
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