Ways to add more calories?
 

Right now my daily calorie intake is around 1100-1200 which is WAY too low for my current weight. I eat three meals and two snacks I can't seem to up my calories to the right level.

The foods I eat are mostly whole wheat breads/pastas, fat free cheese, ground turkey, chicken, oatmeal, egg whites, apples, skim milk and a few more indulgent snacks like yogurt parfaits and skinny cow ice cream sandwiches. I'm not a huge meat eater so when I eat meat it usually has to be cooked in or wrapped in something.

I should probably add more fruit and crunchy vegetables to my diet (after years of eating lots of pizza and other fattening foods it takes a lot for me to down a giant bowl of salad, but I do it. It's actually more satisfying than I thought!) but those aren't very high in calories either. I want to up my calorie intake so if I hit a plateau I can adjust and keep losing weight. Thanks for any help!

do you feel hungry at 1100-1200? If you aren't hungry and are just looking to up the calories, nuts can add a couple of hundred easily.

Whenever I need to up my calories a little bit, I try adding healthy fats like olive oil, nut butters, nuts, and avocados into whatever I'm eating. You can get an additional 100-200 calories along with good fats, protein depending on whatever floats your boat, and get a boost in your calories as well.

A salad with oil and vinegar as dressing, sliced avocado, chicken, maybe a little cheese if that is how you like it, and all kinds of veggies would make a delicious meal and provide more calories than just a lot of crunchy vegetables.

I can't add much to what effie said. You could also make your portions a little bigger, if you're not already completely satisfied.

Add one more snack e.g. yogurt.

This.

Sometimes I feel hungry, but it's also my first week of healthier eating so I think it's normal to feel a bit hungrier than usual. I mostly just want to add calories. Effie, your suggestion sounds really good. I didn't think of adding more into my salad. Thanks for the ideas.

I was going to ask this same question.. glad I found this post. My calories have been on the lower side because I am eating really healthy. I have been having trouble adding more.

Good question and good answers!

I like cranberries in my salad. They add just a bit of extra calories and they taste yummy. :carrot:

Raw nuts and seeds (and nut butters and seed butters), extra virgin olive oil, and avocado are my favorite healthy higher-calorie foods. I have ZERO problem reaching calorie targets when I use them, and they make my food luscious and wonderful.