The main problem is that I am FULL pretty much all the time.
Breakfast: My normal breakfast which is usually about 400 calories fills me up, so I don't really want/need to add more. I usually eat cold cereal or hot cereal in some form with add ins and half a grapefruit.
Lunch: I've considered substituting a more calorie dense SANDWICH at lunch time, but the truth is, I just LOVE my toasted avocado, laughing cow and tomato sandwich so much that I can't bring myself to make the switch. I added a side dish to my sandwich and my lunch comes to around 500 calories in total. But honestly, I eat SO MUCH food at lunch, somedays it makes me feel overfull, which I don't like. I eat my sandwich, my side dish (veggie soup, veggie sticks or rice crisps), a fruit, a yoghurt and a vitatop...
Dinner: The calories for my dinner vary more, but more often than not, I cook some sort of lean protein (chicken, fish, pork) and pair it with PILES of steamed veggies and either potato or 1/2 cup of rice or couscous. I'll usually add some discretionary calories (e.g. olive oil or butter for potato, dipping sauce for meat, butter in rice etc... depending). My dinner usually comes to around 500 calories including my dessert (normally tapioca or rice pudding).
Snacks: I don't have a set snacking pattern. I usually look at my day, and what I have planned in terms of exercise and add snacks, if I think I'll need them (or if my calories seem low). Most of my snacks are 100-200 calories and my favorites include: Ryvita Crisps with Laughing Cow and sliced apple or grapes; Raw Almonds, Fruit, Popcorn, Hummus and Crackers...
So, it is starting to become apparent that I need to add MORE somewhere. But where and what? How do I add more without (a) changing what I already eat - which I love OR (b) not eating junk food OR (c) not being even more OVERFULL than I already am...
The current times of the day when I would be hungry enough to eat are right after work about 4-5pm before dinner - but I don't like to "spoil my dinner" and I don't let my kids eat then... and I should probably practice what I preach! And right before bed, I'm not usually "hungry" per se, but not full either - I could accommodate a snack. But again, for some reason eating right before I go to bed seems like something I shouldn't make a habit of...
Anyway, something I've noticed is that you should NEVER EVER EVER mention aloud that you are having trouble figuring out how to work enough calories into your diet in order to stabilize your weight... I makes people REALLY ANGRY AND BELLIGERENT... LOL. A friend commented the other day on my weight... one of those "you're wasting away" comments (not said in a nice way), and I said (a little defensively)... "I'm not really trying to lose more weight, but I'm having trouble getting my calories high enough... I've lost about 5 more pounds than I originally intended".... she got REALLY angry.... She was like, well EAT MORE!!!! STOP STARVING YOURSELF!!! Then she starts trying to push some Tim Hortons cookies on me (and I said "no thanks", which seemed to make her MORE ANGRY). I wanted to go on to explain that I was trying to eat more, but in a healthy way... I don't want to eat junk, or more things that come from packages and are high in sodium!! But I didn't - she struggles with some unwanted pounds and I thought it would be best not to say more...
Anyway, here is what I ate yesterday.... I have discovered a new add in for my oatmeal... mashed banana and a tablespoon of brownie mix powder - YES BROWNIE MIX... I know that isn't consistent with ANYTHING I said about about adding HEALTHY calories... but it's SO GOOD, and even I make exceptions sometimes (if its worth it!)...
Hey I totally get what you're saying and struggling with...it's got to be difficult to hear stuff like "you're wasting away" when you're working so hard to be healthy. (and succeeding!) I used to have a friend who weighed around 110 soaking wet and she would always complain to me how she no longer fit in her size zeros. I was a size 26 so I couldn't understand her perspective at all and I probably said something like "I wish I had your problem!" I've come to learn though, that we all have different struggles and different bodies, and my target weight may be completely different than yours and that doesn't make yours wrong, just different. I've also come to realize that there are people who struggle everyday to GAIN weight because they are so tiny...their struggle can be just as hard as mine trying to lose. That brownie mix sounds good btw...mmmmm
ReplyDeleteI think I've mentioned before that with your amount of exercise I would be surprised if you will maintain (not lose) with eating much under 1800 and possibly even 2000. I know that seems like a HUGE amount to you, but it's really not.
ReplyDeleteInstead of trying to add in more different foods can you try just eating a little bit larger portions of the foods you are already eating at regular meal times? It shouldn't take much. That's my initial thought - if I think of anything else I'll come back by.
Also, I totally relate to the people not understanding where you are coming from!!