Weight Gain

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 :]

Original Post by gibbit:

I've been bloating for weeks! it's kind of bad because I'll get sooo full and feel like that for hours afterward but I'll know that I have to eat anyways. Either that or I turn into a balloon, kinda gross lol. 

Well, it's only 9:30 so I can't really post my days meals but so far I've had dried apricots, tea, papaya and strawberries with yogurt and almonds, and oatmeal. 

Last night I went to a Raw Vegan Foods potluck! I know, sounds crazy. I've just gotten curious about raw foods and I'm really into nutrition in general. Obviously I'm in no position to go raw at the moment plus I think that's a bit extreme, but the food was amazing! Nut and veggie burgers, key lime pie made from nuts and avocados, salads, about 4 different kinds of brownies, it was a very colorful and beautiful display of food. And I bet all those nuts and avocados did me some good as well :)

As for whole milk yogurt and products in general, i know how hard that is! I don't know where you all live but I've found Yobaby here, it's for babies but it's about the same size as any of the other cups, it's full fat, and organic, so no extra sugars. Greek yogurts are also great, up to 20 g of fat per cup! but they're on the pricey side so I don't buy them as much. 

yyonah, i feel your pain! a whole year? That would be frustrating. I'm getting really impatient and I've been trying to gain since November now and have barely gained anything. I have to keep it above 3000 just to maintain. Keep eating and good luck!

 I hear ya on the bloating balloon thing; my stomach goes from 24 inches to 36 inches nearly every day due to bloating (my mom measured me out of curiosity). We have a joke going around my house..."When's the baby due?" and I always say,"In August I'm giving birth to triplets as a birthday present to me!" It's really funny, actually. My parents are such a riot and they do a good job of lifting my spirits.

My doctor said that the bloating may come down once I get a period if it isn't due to the GI issues I'm currently having. What's weird is that it was happening for one week at a time,once  amonth for a while. I was starting to think that maybe my cycle was finally returning! NOw I've been having pain for nearly a month, though.:[  

Mmmm...it sounds like you've got a great taste in foodage! I looovvee fruit and yogurt, too! I just wish that yogurt weren't so darned pricey. Everything seems pricey wehn you're trying to gain, though, I suppose! This whole process has caused me to fallin love with bulk food stores and farmer's markets. :P

Breakfast: Oatmeal made with skim. milk, apple, raisins, cinnamon and brown sugar.

Lunch: Wholewheat toasted sandwich with Quorn beef style slices and a green side salad, an apple, an orange and a pear.

Snack: Alpro Soya dark chocolate dreams yoghurt topped with all bran and half a sliced banana.

Dinner:wholewheat spaghetti with vegetarian mince (made like bolagnaise) topped with grated soy cheese.

Snack: cocoloco Nakd raw food bar with about 1 cup of strawberries, 1/2 cup mango and the other half of the banana from earlier.

Supper: cocopops mega munchers (dry) and 2 cadburys instant hot chocolates...

soooooooooooo, turns out I was being a little optimistic to think I could gain on 1500 cals a day! I lost 0.8lb this week! Oops!! Trying to move it up slowly, starting with 200 more cals a day- does that sound ok? (18, 5ft 6, 84.6lb)

Breakfast: homemade raspberry muffin

Snack: Ensure plus

Lunch: 3 ryvita crackers with hoummous, light choc and vanilla mousse

Snack: Ensure plus

Supper: Chilli con carne with rice (mainly beans not mince), 1/3 cup strawberries

Snack: Options hot chocolate made with 200ml semi-skimmed milk

okay soo nearly hit the target again...i need to get a bit better at this!!

Breakfast: Oatmeal + Strawberries (140)

Snack: French Fries (crisps) + 2 falafel (140)

Lunch: Apple, cottage cheese and crackers (250)

Snack: Yoghurt + All Bran (200)

Snack: 'innoccent smoothie' milkshake (230)

Tea: Gnocchi w. cheese, celery, green beans + sweetcorn (400)

Dessert: Mini Green and Blacks bar + Mini biscuits (200)

Snack: Milkshake w/ 200ml milk, banana + 20g pb (270)

TOTAL: 1830

Breakfast: Oatmeal made with skim. milk, toffee hot chocolate and sliced banana.

Lunch: wholewheat wrap with quorn chunks, salsa, avocado, lettuce and tomatoes, an apple, an orange and 2 satsumas.

Snack: boiled rhubarb with brown sugar and custard.

Dinner: Grilled Quorn steak with a black pepper dressing, boiled sweet potato and turnip, green beans and baby corn.

Snack: peach and passion fruit yoghurt, topped with sliced strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and mango, then sprinkled with all bran and cinnamon.

Supper: raisin and cinnamon bagel topped with 1 T. soy nut butter and 2 instant hot chocolates.

WEIGH IN TOMORROW.... EEEEK!

B- apple with tons of honey wheat pretzels (random, but craved them, maybe period related haaa?) and huge coffee with creamer

S- pear and **** tofu noodles with cheese (sorta like mac and cheese)

L- turkey wrap with mushrooms, spinach, and honey mustard

S- tuna with whole wheat crackers and another huge coffee

D- not too sure yet....possibly steamed veggies with chicken or salmon and toast

S- and another snack here!

Let's see if I can remember..

breakfast was a pear (100), a banana/berry/whole milk smoothie (400), peanut butter on toast (250),  another spoonfull of peanut butter (100)

lunch was 2 sausage sandwiches with ketchup (800), a spoonful of peanut butter (100)

then i found leftover steamed beans in the fridge (50) and ate those along with another spoonful of peanut butter (150)

for dinner i had some vegetable and veal casserole with brown rice (800) which was delicious and then i had another berry/whole milk/yogurt smoothie (200)

i probably also had more unrecorded spoonfuls of peanut butter too so I had at least 3000 calories today.

Breakfast: Oatmeal made with skim. milk, banana, chocolate powder and all bran mixed in.

Snack: 2 caramel ricecakes, a vanilla bio yoghurt and some strawberries

Lunch: 2 slices of wholewheat toast with soynut butter and jam.
an apple, an orange and a pear.

Snack:Steamed rhubarb with brown sugar.

Dinner: baked aubergine with wholewheat farfalle, grated lemon rind and fromage frais.

Snack: cocopops mega munchers (dry)

Before bed: 2 instant hot chocolates.

yum! yyoha can I go to your house for dinner? :)

And curves, I love the random spoonfuls of peanut butter, I even venture to say all of my weight gain can be attributed to the dozens of spoonfulls I consume throughout the day.

Since it's early i'll post what I ate yesterday:

Breakfast: Avocado, spinach, apple smoothie ( I swear its good!); Apple and blueberries with yogurt and granola.

Snack: Vanilla protein shake

Lunch: Went to black walnut cafe, avocado, veggie and cheese sandwich on HUGE hamburger bun, plus side of roasted potatoes. I was a bit overstuffed afterward :\

Snack: Went to whole foods with friends, bought some latte's and walked around the store snacking on various cheese cubes, fruit, and olives lol. <3 whole foods!

Dinner: black bean and creamed corn soup. Avocado and cilantro salad. Peach juice.

Snack: Oat bran made with soymilk and extra milk powder, walnuts, raisins, a banana.

Gibbit: please do ;)

 

Breakfast: Oatmeal made with skim. milk, sliced banana, hot chocolate powder and 25g sugar puffs cereal mixed in.
200g fresh pineapple chunks.

Lunch: Wholewheat muffin with soynut butter and soy nutella! mmmmmm :), sliced strawberries and more banana mushed up on top.
an apple, an orange and a pear.

Snack: Homemade banana bran muffin and an innocent strawberry and banana smoothie.

Dinner: spinach and ricotta canneloni with a side dish of steamed asparagus.

Supper: 2 dry weetabix with chocolate custard and some mango.

Before bed: 2 instant hot chocolates.

 

its my hospital appt todayyyyy....... wish me luck! :|

Original Post by yyonah:

its my hospital appt todayyyyy....... wish me luck! :|

 Best of luck! Break a leg! Have a good one...uh...yeah. GOOD LUCK!!!:] How;d your weight turn out the other day, by the way? If you don't mind me asking..

I have an appt today, too. :o Are we twins?

i feel i had a good day today :D

breakfast: special k cereal + an apple (it was 6am!)

snack: dried fruit, cashews, pecans + hazelnuts

lunch: falafel, hummous + roast pepper wrap...mmm

snack: strawberry banana + yougurt smoothie

snack: there will b something in here...i havent decided yet!!

tea: soy mince chilli w/ wholemeal toast + veggies :P

snack: banana + pb milkshake

well done charlotte, youre my lil sugarplum fairy now and im not letting you go, sorry ;)

the hospital appt (by the way) was HORRIBLE, the doctor was checking inside my intestines with all these tubes and ive been in pain all night :(
i have to go back for an xray next week and have these barium sachets, loads of laxatives and no food before hand.... im scared :|

Breakfast: Oatmeal made with skim. milk, sliced banana, rice crispies and a toffee hot chocolate mixed in.

Snack: A handful of dates, dried apricots, raisins and mango crisps.

Lunch: wholewheat toasted sandwich with soynut butter and mashed banana (microwaved for melted perfection ;))
an apple, an orange and a pear.

Snack: homemade cheesecakey tasting thing (grapenuts and a crushed digestive for the base, vanilla bio yoghurt on top of that, then topped with fresh strawberries and frozen.

Dinner: 2 grilled Quorn sausages in wholewheat wraps, with steamed tomatoes, onion and wholegrain mustard, green beans, butterbeans and baked courgettes.

Snack: doves farm, organic, gluten free chocolate stars cereal and 2 instant hot chocolates. 

Original Post by yyonah:

well done charlotte, youre my lil sugarplum fairy now and im not letting you go, sorry ;)

 LOL My name is Charlotte, too! That confused me until I realized that nobody here knew my real name. xD

I hoep that thigns lighten up for you, yyonah! You deserve to have an easy time with recovery...I can tell you're trying hard. Heck, EVERYONE here is! Don't worry too much about the tests and such. I've had them, too. The fasting was the worst part in reality. ;]

I'm so going to make that cheesecake snack!

This morning was my first day of summer! So I made amazing french toast! Cranberry nut bread slices soaked in eggs, vanilla soy, crushed walnuts, and dried apricots. Then topped with margarine, maple syrup and apricot jelly. MMmmm it makes me happy!

yyonah, i've had to do the barium thing, yuck. They made me drink like 2 liters of the stuff. When they began to mention needed all the tubes stuck into me I started avoiding the doctors lol. good luck!

thanks gibbit :) youre a gem.

 

Breakfast: 2 weetabix topped with oatmeal (made with skim. milk, chopped banana and a toffee hot chocolate sachet)

Snack: 1 slice of homemade banana and rasin bread with 1 T. soy nut butter.

Lunch: toasted wholewheat sandwich with veggie bacon, lettuce and tomatoes.

Snack: an apple, an orange and a pear.

Dinner: homemade pizza (lentil and tomato sauce, grated soy cheese, olives, pepper, mozzarella and quorn chicken style pieces)
green beans and peas on the side.

Snack: half a honey and maple syrup flapjack (i only had half coz theyre huge) with vanilla bio yoghurt, strawberries, raspberries and mango.

Before bed: 2 instant hot chocolates.

just out of hospital with anorexia, still on weight gain.

My typical diet at the moment, helps me gain between 0.5kg-1kg a week.

Here is what i ate yesterday:

 

Breakfast

• 2 and a half weetabix, 200ml semi skimmed milk
• 200ml pure pineapple juice
• 2 slices toast with butter & chocolate spread
• Large banana

Mid-morning snack

• 3 Digestive Biscuits
• 300ml banana milkshake

Lunch

• 2 Quorn burgers in a bun, with mayonnaise AND butter.
• chips
• salad
• Swiss roll & custard
• 300ml apple juice

Mid-afternoon Snack

• Fruit Cake (410 calories)
• 2 med-sized pancakes with butter & jam
• 200ml fresh pineapple juice

Dinner

• Large portion Beef Lasagne
• Chips
• 3 scoops strawberry ice cream, strawberry sauce, strawberry jelly.
• 300ml apple juice

Supper

• 50g branflakes, 250ml semi skimmed milk
• 1 slice toast with butter & peanut butter
• Small pot full fat yogurt with raisins
• 200ml apple juice.

 

Hope this helps:)xx

 

830- fage 0% yogurt, all bran extra fiber, melon, coffee

10-apple

12- sliced turkey, wheat roll up, lettuce, string beans, cucumber, tomato

3- apple, pops cereal

7- grilled chicken breast, lettuce, tomato, broccoli, mushrooms

9- pudding cup

 

i'm moving up from eating 400 calories a day and trying to make it a thousand. anyone have any suggestions for my diet? i know theres a lot of carbs and i'm working on that and adding fat.. i also feel like lunch and dinner are SO overwhelmingly huge but my mom reassures me that they're not- any tips?

natalia82589 nuts, nut butters, dried fruits, potatoes, oatmeal, milkshakes/smoothies, cheeses, more yoghurt!, granola....
etc etc...all very calorie dense and easy to eat without getting too full.

 

Natalia- Try eating some dried apples rather than regular ones and eating regular fage yogurt instead of 0%. Dried melon/cantaloupe/papaya is yummy, too. If you can find a natural foods or bulk food store near your house, you can find all sorts of healthy, dense goodies! Dried pineapple is my favorite.:] Nuts are awesome, too! Any kind of nut or seed will supply you with a wonderful source of quality fats without seeming too "scary" to eat. Ground flaxseed and some dried fruit on top of your yogurt would be a yummy way to add omega 3's and extra fruit to your day.  

I felt the same way at the beginning of recovery, but those thoughts will eventually quiet or disappear. Honestly, you aren't eating a ton. Though you eat some very low-density foods, which makes it seem like much more than it is. It would definitely help to switch to denser foods.

I would advise you to up your intake to 2000 after you've hit the 1000 mark.It isn't safe in the slightest manner to remain at such a low level. Your body is going to need AT LEAST that much once it's healthy, as you are still young. You need to repair vital organs, fat and muscle tissue, and possibly even brain mass. Going up to 2000 will also kick-start your metabolism, basically yelling at it to wake up. You'll very likely end up needing more than 2000 to gain after a while. Eating will really help you out with the pestering you get from ED, and it'll only benefit you at this point! You will probably experience some bloating and stomach aches, but these issues will leave once you've recovered. Always remind yourself when you're feeling down about eating or bloating, "I'm not fat, I'm bloated!" After a while, it will help, despite being tacky.

I wish you the best of luck!:] I'm proud of you for choosing recovery over eventual death!