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Weight Gainers:What Did YOU Eat Today? Oct 18-Oct 31

I am taking the liberty of starting a new thread.  This thread is for those of you looking to actively gain weight for whatever reason.

Requirements- If you are a male you need to eat at least 3000 calories, females must eat 2500-this is so that your body can begin to now only gain weight, but also for your internal organs to begin to recover, this takes fuel/calories.

It is NOT suggested that you excercise while underweight.  Excercsie is often an addicition seen with those with eating disorders. Try to stop cold turkey, IF you excercise, 2500/3000 is NOT enough.  You are only harming yourself+prolonging the illness by excercising.

If you are struggling to reach the necessary amount, and we all did, then please post a seperate thread w/ questions.  It is harmful for ppl to see posts that are under the food reuirement amount.  There are suggestions on this forum ontop regarding higher calorie+denser foods that should be incorporated to aid in reaching calorie goals.

A new thread will be started every two weeks, anyone can start the thread when the time comes.  Please start the thread by copying the initial post or two.

(copied from previous thread)-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 :]

 An example of when i was a ctively gaining weight, i was 25 and sedentary (female)-

B: Bagel, 1.5tbspns PB, yogurt, HB egg, apple, trail mix~750

S: cereal w/ milk+trail mix~360

L: 2 slices WW w/ cheddar, avocado, +sweet potato, Fage 2%, a Pepperidge Farm cookie, a plum, carrots ~700

S: ice c ream w/ trail mix~250

D: veg salad w/ trail mix+tbspn alomd butter mixed in, chicken nuggets, corn on the cob~460

S: apple, yogurt, 1/2 Chocolate Candy Bar ~410

Total ~2930

Breakfast Oatmeal: oats, soy milk, apple, cinnamon, chia seeds and a crumbled in Go natural fruit and nut bar

Snack: crackers with celery and glob of peanutbutter (i love the word glob as my measurment :P)

Lunch: 3 sushi rolls (grilled satay chicken, lobster salad and lemongrass chicken)

Smoothie: Large frozen banana, soy milk, natural yoghurt, stawberries and canned peaches

Dinner Salad: Roasted chickpeas, pumpkin, red onion and zucchini (in oil, chilli, lemon and cumin) with roasted lemon and herb chicken breast. Dressing: Tahini, corriander, lemon, garlic and natural yoghurt. Slice of wholemeal toast:

Snack: Vanilla Ice-cream with grated dark chocolate, marshmallows and 2 crumbled peanut and cocoa biscotti

although i am hitting beyond the 2500 calorie mark my menu seems to appear as a normal amount of food for most people. with 3 meals and 3 snacks. I may need to do something about that so when i am done gaining I don't feel like i need to deprive myself of eating the amount im eating now, if that makes sense. not that i would deprive myself of food i just don't want Ed to think i can't eat as much once i'm done.

Liney,

I totally do that! It's like I know what I like and how I want to eat, so I think about that as how I want to live my life, and since I'm gaining to that I go over that, so then I'll adjust to what I like.

So it's like adding the "unwanted" or "unnoticed" calories, or going for the higher calorie thing that tastes worse.
Or proportions: I know how much broccoli I want to eat with my spaghetti.  So if I have more spaghetti and less broccoli to gain then I can have just how much I like to maintain-and never have to go back to the "all broccoli with a touch of pasta" life again!

It's like a strategy so I can eat it what I like, how I like it at the goal.

Hi everyone, glad youve found the new thread! Its a Winnie the Pooh sort of day here, rainy+blustery!  Weighed this morning, basically the same as last week eventho i felt as tho id gained tons AND my bigger clothes were too tight this past week??!!!

LINEY-i know what u mean, im not sure what id reduce in the future from my eating but i suppose its not time to think about that now, u say over 2500? by how much and how consistantly?

LILMISSGUTZ-hi, how r u? ur gaining? y dont u post ur meal plan?

Hey guys, hope you're well. Agru - maybe you didn't gain because you've recently been ill so burning more than you thought? Hope you feel better now though and put some on next week!

Today:

B: Apple before gym, then branflakes, oats, wholemilk and a touch of cream and brown sugar.

S: 2 tbs PB and 2 dried figs

L (at uni bar): Roast beef, roast potatoes, yorkshire pudding, broccoli, carrots, gravy. Followed by some weird banana mouse-cheesecake thing... not my fave but I finished it anyway lol.

D: Will be some leftover tinned salmon mixed with mayo, cucumber sticks for dipping, and some oatcakes.

S: Probably more dried fruit and PB

Will do feed of 1200 cals.

SMASH-yea, its just odd since all my clothes felt tight this past week?? what do u do at the gym? how r u doing?

breakfast:  2x eggs (140), ww bagel (240) with 2 TB peanut butter (190);  fruit salad (75) = 645 calories

Snack:  clif bar (240) & vanilla yogurt (150) = 390 calories

Lunch:  Amy's (frozen) lasagna (290), wheat thins (140) & dried fruit (175) = 605 calories

Snack:  yoplait yogurt smoothie (220) with a banana (100) & trail mix (200) = 520 calories

Dinner:  turkey burger (200?) with bread (150) and sauteed veggies (100?) = 450 calories

Snack:  hot chocolate--1 cup whole milk (150) with hot choc mix (100)...and dried fruit (175) = 425 calories

total:  3035 calories

Agru - Sometimes that happens! I sometimes feel physically bigger but haven't really gained, and other times I feel smaller but weigh more. I don't really know why that happens lol... I'm good thanks! At the moment I do about 20 minutes of light cardio such as cycling or jogging, then various weights and stretching stuff. Probably about 3-4 times a week, and do walking and ballet on top of that. x

SMASH-yea, i know the feeling means nothing it was more that all my clothing was fitting tighter.  youre pretty active!! r u gaining?

SWIMFAN-hi, how r u? r u currently trying to gain again?

lil miss... i love broccolli. about the pasta i add a whole head of broccolli for myself and eat that before i get to the pasta... but i can manage both althoug i probably shouldn't eat so much broccolli!!

agruskin, right shouldn't be thinking about the future, should be thinking about now... thanks for the reminder. with calories it ranges from 2650 onwards, i try not to go any lower. on most days i will eat around 2,800 though. you'll never see what i eat but just trust that i know what im doing and am eating what i say, in large quantitites (well above average and how much i want). remeber i don't count the calories in non starchy veges, berries, spices, soy sauce or cooking oil (i know weird) so just trust me!!!

Oatmeal: Oats, Soy milk, canned peaches, cinnamon, chopped in 'real' brand yoghurt coated fruit and nut bar and popcorn on top (it was good beleive me!)

Snack: Pretzels dipped in a glob of peanutbutter, an apple

Trailmix: Popcorn sprinkled with cinnamon, dark chocolate coated fru chocs (the mini versions), almonds, walnuts, dried dates and apricots 

Lunch (cooked during class):1/2 a Ricotta and sundried tomato stuffed chicken breast (we had to share with our partners) roasted potatoes, steamed beans and basil pesto

Dinner: Sweet Potato vermecilli salad with roasted chicken, carrot, lettuce, cucumber, mango. Dressing: Soy Sauce, Garlic, Sweet Chilli Sauce and corriander

Dessert: Frozen banana and stawberry ice-cream

quieter work day so more focussed on the food front - trying to get back in the game ahead of my weigh in Wednesday...

B: 1/2 cup muesli + 1/2 cup skim milk + 1 banana + 1 tub full fat yoghurt

S: 1 piece of bakery carrot cake with cream cheese icing (so so good...)

L: Japanese bento box (3 gyoza dumplings, 3 fried takoyaki balls, 2 nigiri (prawn/salmon on bite size rice), 1 fried potato/veg patty, 5 pieces of sashimi, 1 cup steamed rice) + 350mL apple juice

S: 1 choc chip muesli bar + 1 apple

D: 300g marinated tofu, 1.5 cups steamed veg, 1 cup egg noodles, 1/3 cup cashews

S: 1 snack size kit kat

B : Muesli and yoghurt, Up&go banana shake

L : Subway 6" chicken fillet (previous feared food...god am i ever glad i eat it again!!) with cheddar cheese & salad. 2 squares of heaven/lindt chocolate :P

S : Bowl of Special K and soy milk. Ensure

D : Fillet of crumbed fish, 2 dinner rolls and steamed corn, carrot and brocc.

S : Vanilla-choc icecream. Ensure

Nom nom nommmmm

Hey Agru, yeah I'm active enough to keep fit and healthy-ish. I have to be fit to keep my lungs in good shape lol... helps clear the nasties! I am gaining (BMI 17 up from 16 the other month) slowly, and getting 4000 cals plus each day! Which my dieticien and Dr are happy enough with. Do you exercise of are you still holding off till you're at a good weight? x

Original Post by smash_uk:

Hey Agru, yeah I'm active enough to keep fit and healthy-ish. I have to be fit to keep my lungs in good shape lol... helps clear the nasties! I am gaining (BMI 17 up from 16 the other month) slowly, and getting 4000 cals plus each day! Which my dieticien and Dr are happy enough with. Do you exercise of are you still holding off till you're at a good weight? x

 Obviously though with you having CF (hope i got this right) you will need way more calories than a normal person anyway! How often do you have to take your enzyme tablets and stuff, also how many would you take with snack? If you'd rather not reply i'll understand!

Original Post by liney_line:

lil miss... i love broccolli. about the pasta i add a whole head of broccolli for myself and eat that before i get to the pasta... but i can manage both althoug i probably shouldn't eat so much broccolli!!

Well, if a person needed to loose weight and just looooooooooved eating whole boxes of cookies, what would you tell them?

Just eat a portion now as part of CUTTING to get to your goal.

So think in reverse...

Limit portions of the light stuff now, and you can eat however much you want at your goal!

I mean if you're gaining weight off gobs of broccoli, what's maintenance gonna look like?

I like to picture the "ideal diet" -eating things just how I please- as the goal, how I want to live my life.

And for weight gain mode i "pay my diet dues" with OVERboard setup -less yummy broccoli, more boring pasta, etc.

I am sort of in a quandry at the moment. I am still underweight but I actually like my body and I haven't for years so I am reluctant to gain anymore weight, at least not at the moment.

I'm thinking of cutting down to 2300 at first to see how that affects me. It's bad I know but I'm so scared of relapsing because last time I couldn't cope with going any highter than the weight I am now and I ended up sicker than ever.

I got to 2500 today though:

B: 100g granola + milk + cranberries, raspberries, strawberries + an orange + toast with butter

L: Chicken + sweetcorn sandwich + snack a jacks + cadbury's caramel nibbles

S: 2 rich tea biscuits + an apple

D: McDonalds McChicken sandwich + medium fries + half a caramel McFlurry

S: Not sure yet

Original Post by youngainer:

Original Post by smash_uk:

Hey Agru, yeah I'm active enough to keep fit and healthy-ish. I have to be fit to keep my lungs in good shape lol... helps clear the nasties! I am gaining (BMI 17 up from 16 the other month) slowly, and getting 4000 cals plus each day! Which my dieticien and Dr are happy enough with. Do you exercise of are you still holding off till you're at a good weight? x

 Obviously though with you having CF (hope i got this right) you will need way more calories than a normal person anyway! How often do you have to take your enzyme tablets and stuff, also how many would you take with snack? If you'd rather not reply i'll understand!

Hehe no I don't mind you asking at all! Impressed you know so much lol. Hrm, well I take 1 for roughly every 5g fat... but i don't really look anymore because you just get a feel for what you take with certain stuff! Including what I take with the overnight feed, I take 40-50 each day. Lol, sounds alot but I swallow like 5-10 in one go. Depends on the snack really! If I'm having a calshake (600cals) I take 6, if I'm having an apple and a bottle of juice I don't need any because it's no fat or protein if that makes sense!

Hope you're doing well? x

Emma - I'd reccomend not cutting back at all yet matey - you may like your body at the moment, but maybe that's a sign you're getting more accepting of being closer to normal? So if you gained to a healthy weight you would be physically better and eventually okay with it mentally too? xx

Today:

B: Branflakes, oats, dried tropical fruits mix, milk, cream and banana.

S: Coffee with cream, 2 tbs PB, 2 figs

L: OMG delish - pasta, tom sauce, sauteed garlic mushrooms and onions, and loads of cheddar cheese on top. Mmm.

S: Strawberry calshake, apple pie nak'd bar

D: Oatcakes, half a pot of jalapeno hummus, a whole red pepper cut in to dippers, and a glass of cranberry juice.

S: More PB on oatcakes, topped with some honey.

4 fresubins throughout night.

Hey, havent posted in a while, dunno why, anyway!

Breakfast: My usual oats, with soy milk, peaches (yum!) ground brazils and ground almonds (loving ground nuts lately!), glass of oj, tea and honey

Snack: Soya Milkshake, Chocolate Covered Apple (Halloween treat!)

Lunch: M&S Sushi Pack, carrots dipped in hummus

Snaxck: Tea with a dark chocolate almond marzipan bar (never thought i liked marzipan-turns out i do!)

Dinner: Chicken Stirfry with asparagus, carrots, tomatoes and rice noodles with a side of hummus

Snack: Dried prunes withsoya cream and berry compote

Tasty day all round!

Hi everyone!

SMASH-i do 20ish mins 5-6 days/week of something, am at a bmi of 19 or so. yikes, i know nothing of CF but i do wish u the best and know ur just following doctor's prders w the activity im sure.

EMMA-would NOT recc reducing ur cals, ur recovering from a MENTAL disease, im sorry, but ur inderweight and u dont see ur body as it is, as others see it, its not healthy and would NOT reduce.

DRIVEN-i saw u were struggling, doing better+back to 2500+ and gaining? thats great!

LINEY-hi! i believe that ur eating what u say, im guessing ur parents help u out too which is great! also, keep in mind, u wont have to maintain on a small amount either, keep it up!

LILMISS-hi, y dont u post??

Breakfast - 2 Van's blueberry waffles (210) with PB (190) & J (35); vanilla yogurt (140) with 1/2 banana (50), dried cherries (50) and cinnamon; Chai tea = 675 calories

Lunch - Ezekiel tortilla (150) with roast beef (160?) mustard & spinach; peach (50) dipped in 1 T almond butter (100) = 550 calories

Snack - Kashi TLC trail mix bar (150) and almonds (170) = 320 calories

Dinner - tortellini (270) with 1/2 cup tomato sauce (70); salad (40) with 2 T dressing (180); Ezekiel bread (80) with earth balance (80) = 720

Snack - oatmeal (150) cooked with almond milk (40) topped with Bear Naked Peak Protein granola (140) and almond butter drizzle (100) = 430 calories

Total = 2695 calories