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 :]

Peanut Butter- I know how you feel. I have been in recovery for 5 weeks now and I've gained 5 pounds, but my doctors still won't even let me do strength training at all. It really stinks because I want to be able to run and swim again. I am going to a new school this year, and I thought joining the cros country team would be a good way to meet people who have similar interests to me. I really don't know if I'll be able to do it though. :( Hang in there!

Peanut Butter- I know how you feel. I have been in recovery for 5 weeks now and I've gained 5 pounds, but my doctors still won't even let me do strength training at all. It really stinks because I want to be able to run and swim again. I am going to a new school this year, and I thought joining the cross country team would be a good way to meet people who have similar interests to me. I really don't know if I'll be able to do it though. :( Hang in there!

hi everyone, im shooting for 2000 today, thats about a 400-500 increase from yesterday, i hope that its ok?  how often do you all eat "treats" and eat out?  i told my father id go out with him tomm night for dinner.  im sort of thinking a slice of pizza- i live near NY, theyre huge slices but not so much a "scarey" food for me.

Breakfast: oatmeal made with semi skimmed milk, sliced banana, tbsp peanut butter sprinkled with some pecan nuts

Snack: Eat natural yogurt and apricot bar

Lunch: 2 slices wholemeal bread with cheese and salad. Danone Activa strawberry yogurt

Snack: 3 ryvita with light cream cheese

Dinner: Homemade vegetable lasagne (using whole wheat lasanga sheets)and salad

Snack: Options instant white hot chocolate madde with 200ml semi skimmed milk

Agruskin: some ideas your could have for dinner are: peppers stufed with broown rice and cheese or tofu, baked potato with tuna/cheese/chilli/beans and veggies, pasta with creme fraiche stirred in with peas, lemon zest, cheese and you could add strips of chicken too. Stir fry is good as you can get ready made ones that are pre calorie counted if that scares you and add edd or rice noodles or brown rice and some tofu or pork/chicken, i love prawns or some mixed beans. Vegetarian lasagne is super good two or vegetable Mousakka as well as an omlette with cheese and baby spinach.

Also i would like to know how often everybody has treats (i think i asked this before).

Oh god. Cried after EVERY meal today. Das ist nicht gut.

Breakfast: 40g rice crispies, 92g healthy living soya milk, 20g prunes, 1dsp peanut butter, 55g wholemeal pitta.

Snack: Homemade vegan 'nana muffin

Lunch: 4 strawberries, 1dsp veg pate, 1 slice rye bread (140kcal), forest fruits alpro pot

Snack: Orange, soya chocolate milk.

Dinner: 2 vegan 'fish' fingers, 140g potato, 1 raw carrot with dipping salsa, ketchup.

Snack: Vanilla alpro pot, banana I should be aiming for 2000, seeing as an average of 1833 per day last week only made me gain 0.2kg. But today only equalled like 1730...

BUTTERFLY-thank you for all of those ideas!  i tried the potato w tuna and cheese the other day-so good!

i also am curious as to how much and how often, what types of treats everyone eats?  also, does ayone count carb equivelants and how many a day?  im shooting for 8?

i plan on getting to 2000 today.  my mother is still sort of yelling at me, told me im too sick to even help myself and therefore does not listen at all when i even attempt to tell her what im doing.  so far ive had-

1 thomas' bagel, 1 tbsp PB+jelly, orange

protein shake, 1 cup cereal, 3/4 cup milk, tblspn trail mix

cheese sandwich, fage yogurt, cut up veggies, 1 tbspn chumas---about 1050 so far

will have--

vitamuffin, apple--220

english muffin, boca burger, toppings, salad, tbspn trail mix--300

apple, yogurt--220  so i estimate it to about 1800 but i figure i miscount some things, random bites, and leaving room for additional random bites.  any thoughts/suggestions?  thanks!

howdy everyone, I'm back! Well done on all the progress you've been making, I've been keeping an eye on the boards but unfortunately have been too ashamed to post as have really not been recovering, I even managed to let the weight slide down a little to 83/84lb...

BUT I'M GOING TO DO WELL NOW!! (scuse the capitals but i am really working hard to convince myself)

Weight gain is essential, my brain is soooo screwed up right now, feeling so so irritable, depressed, very emotional and teary, even more so since this last little bit of weight loss, all should be evidence that my brain needs more weight on my body! ( healthy body = healthy, happy mind is my new mantra). Going 2 get to at least 2000cals a day and see where that takes me, I figure the quicker I can get some weight on the sooner I'll be happy right and can move on with my life right? I have also come to terms with the fact that I might not be ready to go to uni in October, and I shouldn't be ashamed of that, it's more important for me to get really well and maybe take a mini gap year and start in 09 instead.

Anyway sorry  for the long post- Oh here is what I ate today:

Breakfast: 20g all bran with 3 prunes, 180ml Kid's Innocent smoothie carton (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries)

Snack: Ensure plus ( orange)

Lunch: Wholewheat wrap with 2 big waitrose beetroot falafel and green salad,  Activia  forest fruits yoghurt

Snack: 2 little homemade iced biscuits!

Snack 2: Ensure plus ( blackcurrant)

Supper: pork, cherry tomatoes, orange pepper & red onion on a skewer with rice, strawberries

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

 

howdy everyone, I'm back! Well done on all the progress you've been making, I've been keeping an eye on the boards but unfortunately have been too ashamed to post as have really not been recovering, I even managed to let the weight slide down a little to 83/84lb...

BUT I'M GOING TO DO WELL NOW!! (scuse the capitals but i am really working hard to convince myself)

Weight gain is essential, my brain is soooo screwed up right now, feeling so so irritable, depressed, very emotional and teary, even more so since this last little bit of weight loss, all should be evidence that my brain needs more weight on my body! ( healthy body = healthy, happy mind is my new mantra). Going 2 get to at least 2000cals a day and see where that takes me, I figure the quicker I can get some weight on the sooner I'll be happy right and can move on with my life right? I have also come to terms with the fact that I might not be ready to go to uni in October, and I shouldn't be ashamed of that, it's more important for me to get really well and maybe take a mini gap year and start in 09 instead.

Anyway sorry  for the long post- Oh here is what I ate today:

Breakfast: 20g all bran with 3 prunes, 180ml Kid's Innocent smoothie carton (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries)

Snack: Ensure plus ( orange)

Lunch: Wholewheat wrap with 2 big waitrose beetroot falafel and green salad,  Activia  forest fruits yoghurt

Snack: 2 little homemade iced biscuits!

Snack 2: Ensure plus ( blackcurrant)

Supper: pork, cherry tomatoes, orange pepper & red onion on a skewer with rice, strawberries

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

 

so its deff scarey going from 1500ish to 2000, yup, deff is.  tomm were going for chinese and so scarey, i sort of broke down tomm and 2000 comes so fast when you eat out for 1 meal!  not sure what ill order...?

HEADINGUP-great attitude, thats how i sounded earlier today but now im just sort of nervous but its ok.  whats beetroot or wahtever you ahd?

wed-

1 thomas' bagel, 1 tbsp PB+jelly, orange

protein shake, 1 cup cereal, 3/4 cup milk, tblspn trail mix

cheese sandwich, fage yogurt, cut up veggies, 1 tbspn chumas

vitamuffin, apple

english muffin, boca burger, toppings, salad, tbspn trail mix

apple, apricot, yogurt, 1 1/2 tspn PB

Agru- beetroot is the English term for "beets" I think? As in the purple vegetable? I don't know if you know what falafel is but they are sort of chickpeas, herbs and spices in little balls baked in the oven- I had a variation on the original falafel bites made with braised beetroot (or beet), onion, chickpeas and spices. Yum!!

Good luck with the dinner out, just try and relax and enjoy it- order whatever sounds tastiest to you, remember portions are often scarily big in restaurants so  just eat what you can manage.

thanks HEADINGUP.  yea, when i go outtonight i think ill just stick w my "safe" foods, but w extra random bites from other ppl. 

so when i used the tools on the site to figure out how many cals i need to gain about 14lbs in 8 wks, it said only 2140 cals.  i say "only" bc thats only about 100 over reccommended intake for ppl?  weird?

 

Agruskin: i looked on yahoo answers about treats and how often people eat them. On one answer most people but once a day (dieters put 3 - 4 times a month but there are trying to lose not gain). I think a little something like chocolate or 1/2 cup of ice cream or some cake/biscuits etc etc once a dya would be fine plus things like this are calorie dense so it will help get the cals up a bit too! (man...wish i could take my own advice)

Breakfast: oatmeal made with semi skimmed milk, tbsp peanut butter, blueberries and sliced banana. Glass of oj

Snack: 3 ryvita with light cream cheese

Lunch: 2 slices wholewheat bread, cheese and salad. Danone activa strawberry yogurt

Snack: sliced apple with tbsp peanut butter

Dinner: 2 Quorn peppered steaks with summer roasted vegetables

Snack: instant hot chocolate with 200mls semi skimmed milk.

lol, BUTTERFLY, i hear you, easier said than done when giving advice.  it is deff much easier to eat more dried fruit of PB, than to even have a 60 calorie chocolate pudding?!  i sort of want french fries, like from a restaurant.  i dont know how mentally healthy it is but i would almost make it a meal, like still make my calories for the day but since its like 500 calories-i think, that would be lunch or something, i dunno?  what do you awll do when you go out to eat?  are you able to mentally get whatever youre craving?

Agruskin: One of the aswers to your question is very simple for me. I just dont go out to eat anymore. It terrifies me and my family have just given up trying to push me into things i dont feel mentally ready to do. I think this was one of the reasons that my first attepmt of recovery failed miserable. I ened up even worse. When i am ready i will try to go to a resteraunt and order what i would like to eat of the menu. Wether that be a salad or some pasta.

Also i wanted to say i feel for you about the whole parent situation. Mine are watcing me like a hawk at the moment and my mum is really stressing at me. I have been eating 2000cals for the past 2 - 3 weeks and after a slight increase of 1.4lbs my weight hasnt changed at all. My mum is conviced i am somehow cheating.. sometime peple just dont understand. This is hard and i think someone without an ed finds it difficult to comprehend the feelings we have and what goes on in our heads.  Hell sometimes i dont think we even know. Keep going, well done for getting to 2000 cals that is a huge acheivement. Think of yourself not others and just keep giving your body the nutrition it needs no matter what everyone else says.

p.s what is your opinion on FAGE greek yogurt. Yummy?? what is the nutrional content like?? i was thinking of getting some...

BUTTERFLY-thanks so much!  i forget, how old are you?  fage yogurt- it has different versions w/diff calorie counts.  yes, i get the lowest calorie one-80, but it goes up to 250 or so, not sure.  i love it, very high in protein.  i mix either sugar or jelly into it, or fruit, i eat it every day, probably bc im so rigid though.

i feel like i need to prove that i am normal, that i can eat out, get a cheeseburger or whatever, and part of me is like, well i need to gain, i dont do that for every meal, but i think it could then mess up my eating later. 

still curious as to what others do about eating out, what you order etc... ever get french fries or whatever?

breakfast: activia yogurt with honey almond flax cereal, blueberries and strawberries

snack: dried fig, nectarine, pineapple

lunch: sesame and wheat crackers with jam, ancient grain crackers with skim milk cheese and strawberry jam, blueberries, apple

snack: salba rice krispie, potato puffs, few spoonfuls of activia yogurt, kiwi

dinner: yves ground round veggie meat, with pasta sauce and 1 slice of rye bread

snack: corn squares

hi everyone, thurs-

1/2 thomas bagel, 1/2 english muffin, 1tbspn PB, jelly, asian pear

protein shake, 1cup cereal, 3/4 cup milk, tbspn trail mix

roll, cheese, fage, carrot sticks, tbspn cottage cheese

pudding, 1/3 kashi bar crumbled in, 3 strawberries, whip cream

maybe 12(forgot to count) jumbo shrimp, lots and lots of veggies(brocc, carrots, peas...)maybe 2 cups?, about 1/3 cup brown rice, 1 sesame sauce shrimp (from my father)

~1/3 apple, tspn PB, tbspn trail mix

yogurt, peach---too full, feel like i miscounted or ate too much or something.  random bites and eating out, feeling full but not able to trust my satiety level but not knowing exactly how much i ate, but knowing i need to gain, it makes everything really hard and confusing!?

hi everyone, me again, where is everyone today?  well im going to go for ice cream today at a local place, my question is, how do you count that?  lets say i get 1 scoop of chocolate chip ice cream, well i look it up in the database on the site and there are so many different choices, it ranges from 140-340cals?  what to do?

thanks

Agruskin - Way to go on the ice cream!! well done!! I myself am planning to have got to the cinema next weekend and going to starbucks afterwards and getting a capuccino and slice of cake. I also feel i need to prove that i am normal. The fact i can get the nutrion and cal count from their web is reasuring. To answer your question i am 15. I think i some may get some FAGE this week. Need some more protein.

 

Breakfast: oatmeal made with semi skimmed milk, tbsp peanut butter, sliced banana and 4 sliced strawberries

Snack: 3 ryvita and tbsp peanut butter

Lunch: 2 slices wholemeal bread, sliced egg and salad. Raspberry yogurt

Snack: sliced apple and tbsp peanut butter

 Dinner: baked potato topped with tuna with veggies

Snack: 1/2 tbsp hot chocolate powder with 200mls semi skimmed milk

breakfast - 40g rice crispis, 14g raisins, 100mls hl soya milk, i dsp pb, i slice rye toast (140)

snack - homemade berry vegan muffin (150)

lunch - 1 slice rye bread, 1 veggie sausage, 1 pink wafer

snack - 9 wholebake bar

dinner - 1 slice rye bread, 5 ginger oatcakes, 1 strawberry alpro carton

snack - LOTS of cashews, apple sauce, 14g raisins

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH