Is it hard to eat your calories?

[ovfdfireman]

Could use some pointers here. I am 36, 6ft, currently 235 (just weighed in). Taking Whey, Casien, Creatine, Multi Vitamin, Fish oil, BCAA. Lifting 3 to 4 times a week, been able to keep my intensity high. My first week back I gain 6 pound of muscle. But then got sick for 2 weeks, and dropped from 237 to 233 (back now to 235). Primarily concerned with bulking right now. There are a ton of equations but I have found I can hit 240 with 3600 to 3800 cals a day. I am only doing 5 mins of intense cardio prior to lifting.

I know mass powders are garbage, but what do you do? I want to eat 4000 calls a day, but ****, I feel like I could puke at every meal. I am eating clean as can be, only good fats, the occasion real butter, or peanut butter to bump cals. But chicken breast, sweet potato, asparagus, oatmeal, raisins, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, I love all the food, but I cannot eat it all!

What do you do? What kind of foods to you eat to keep cals up? I don't want to gain anymore fat than I already have. My strength gains are improving weekly so it is working, but I want clean calories with swallowing twice.....pointers?

[IdahoViking]

When eating 'dirty' it is very easy to eat my minimum calories, now while eating 'clean' that is an entirely different story.

[geer_matt]

Cheese is good for you and packs a lot of calories, just use it wisely. A lot of times I am on the run and really busy I grab cheese snack sticks from convenient stores, and depending on how much or little I have had time to take in I grab skim, or whole milk to go with it.

[Brackneyc]

4000 a day. Easy. Wish I wasn't always hungry. I do not eat 4000 cals a day, but easily could.

[bigtallox]

I am eating clean as can be, only good fats, the occasion real butter, or peanut butter to bump cals. But chicken breast, sweet potato, asparagus, oatmeal, raisins, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, I love all the food, but I cannot eat it all!

Define "clean". Is olive oil, clean? What about whole milk, or cream?

What do you do? What kind of foods to you eat to keep cals up?

When I'm trying to bulk, I eat lots of food with high calorie content, but no (or little) preservatives, sugar, artificial sweeteners, or things on the label that I can't pronounce... I guess by bodybuilding standards they'd be considered "dirty" because of their fat content ( i.e. drinking olive oil ), but by my standards they're "clean" because they don't have preservatives, corn syrup, sugar, artificial sweeteners, etc.

I don't want to gain anymore fat than I already have. My strength gains are improving weekly so it is working, but I want clean calories with swallowing twice.....pointers?

IMHO, the amount of fat that you gain while eating above maintenance depends on more your training than if the calories are "clean" or not.

[DaniGrrl]

Nothing wrong with peanut butter! I eat sometimes 4 TBSP of nut butter a day

4000 calories is a lot to get in so drink them if you must - whole milk instead of skim, make it chocolate milk. Roast veggies in olive oil to add calories. Eat whole eggs and not just whites, low fat or whole fat yogurt instead of nonfat, have beef instead of chicken, chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts, higher calorie fish instead of tilapia which has practically no calories, starchier vegetables instead of super low calorie green ones.

And honestly, once you get up to the level of 4000 calories, it's gonna be pretty hard to do it without eating some stuff that might not be considered "clean." I've taken to throwing chocolate chips onto my yogurt at night Not that I'm anywhere near 4000 but all the same, my calories are high and it was getting difficult trying to do it, but I found a good way Bulking is about getting your calories in - do it however you can.

[bigtallox]

I've taken to throwing chocolate chips onto my yogurt at night

When I'm bulking, I eat around 9000 calories a day, but I'd never use chocolate chips to get the calories up. Olive oil, peanut butter ( but way more than 4 table spoons ), whole milk and cream, STEAK..., but sugar is basically evil at least in my opinion.

[DaniGrrl]

When I'm bulking, I eat around 9000 calories a day, but I'd never use chocolate chips to get the calories up. Olive oil, peanut butter ( but way more than 4 table spoons ), whole milk and cream, STEAK..., but sugar is basically evil at least in my opinion.

I don't really disagree with you - I try to avoid sugar as well but I hit my fat and protein and all I have left is carbs. Is there a better carb source I could use? Yes, definitely, but it fits in my macros. I'd certainly have no problem with more nut butter, but seriously, I get way more than the minimum amount of fat without even trying. If I had anymore fat by the end of the day, I'd go way over the recommended amounts for my size.

OP, I'm not saying you have to do what I do, but definitely olive oil and peanut butter will help you with calories. I've heard some people mix coconut oil into their oatmeal which I've never done but I hear it's good and its an easy thing to do without adding volume.

[ovfdfireman]

Hey Big Tall Ox, clean i shard to define, but I would define clean as you would meaning no processed garbage. I use Olive oil in everything, but I avoid cream, and high fat stuff. I even tend to avoid white carbs like white bread and pasta accept right after a work out. But honestly pixie stix gummie bears or gum drops, sorbet or even grape juice is a favorite for my for a fast carb. So Danielle, I can see the need for chocolate sometimes .

However, you guys have already helped me a great deal. Cheese! I love cheese, I will eat more. I am going to up my Olive oil intake and my red meat intake. And maybe I do need to get some whole milk in here (pats tummy) That will help I am sure, this really helps guys/gals thanks.

[soonerman4life]

I haven't actually done it, but I've heard of people getting up in the middle of the night for a quick snack to help reach their caloric intake for a 24hr period.

[bigtallox]

Is there a better carb source I could use?

I'm not really the person to ask that. I just avoid sugar, corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohol, etc.. other than that I eat lots of carbs ( usually potatoes, pasta, rice,... ), but I really don't try to eat the "best" carbs or anything, I just avoid all the crap that they put in processed food ( basically as humans beings I don't think we're meant to be eating lots of those things. )

[bigtallox]

I haven't actually done it, but I've heard of people getting up in the middle of the night for a quick snack to help reach their caloric intake for a 24hr period.

Yup. I usually get up and eat around 1AM and again at 4AM. But it's rarely simple carbs ( unless it's something from my yard/garden ), instead lots of protein (BEEF).

[hammerfelt]

I'm not really the person to ask that. I just avoid sugar, corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohol, etc.. other than that I eat lots of carbs ( usually potatoes, pasta, rice,... ), but I really don't try to eat the "best" carbs or anything, I just avoid all the crap that they put in processed food ( basically as humans beings I don't think we're meant to be eating lots of those things. )

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to bigtallox again.

[hammerfelt]

Clean yes, dirty no.

I have started a body building split and eating six times a day in an effort to lose weight.

11 days completed on this strict diet and I have only consumed all of the food I was supposed to on two of those days.

I am on a calorie deficit struggling to eat all the food I am supposed to. mind = blown

[acrawlingchaos]

I don't see anything wrong with using sugar to hit your macros on a bulk. Sugar consumption should be based on goals and preferences. I agree that the bulk of your diet should be nutrient dense, there is no logical reason to avoid sugar (barring certain medical conditions).

Personally, I have a difficult time hitting my caloric intake (have always been a chronic under eater), and for me, whole milk is my go to food.

[orb85750]

I am eating clean as can be, only good fats, the occasion real butter, or peanut butter to bump cals. But chicken breast, sweet potato, asparagus, oatmeal, raisins, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, I love all the food, but I cannot eat it all!

While fiber is very healthy, don't overdo it while bulking, because it fills you up fast and makes you feel extremely bloated if you keep eating more. Sweet potatoes, vegetables, raisins all have plenty of fiber, especially when eaten in large quantities. For *some* people, too much dairy can cause major bloat and stomach problems (large quantities if you have even a mild intolerance -- and it is by far the most common food intolerance).

Eating 4000 calories/day sounds like heaven to me! But I'd pack on the body fat very quickly. :-(

[IdahoViking]

. For *some* people, too much dairy can cause major bloat and stomach problems (large quantities if you have even a mild intolerance -- and it is by far the most common food intolerance)... :-(

There are OTC that you can get that help with that, but that is all they do "HELP" they don't solve the problem completely in my experience. just bloat instead of painful bloat - LOL.

However, if you are just slightly lactose intolerant they might be more beneficial.

[JerryB]

Six pounds of muscle in a week? That hard to do on steroids and years experience of hard training. Strength gains can come from improvements in neuromuscular activity and more muscle glycogen from eating all that food rather than adding significant muscle mass.

[IronCharles]

Six pounds of muscle in a week?

That equates to 312 lbs of muscle per year! Those are some crazy genetics! Wish I could gain that fast.....

[DaniGrrl]

I'm not really the person to ask that. I just avoid sugar, corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohol, etc.. other than that I eat lots of carbs ( usually potatoes, pasta, rice,... ), but I really don't try to eat the "best" carbs or anything, I just avoid all the crap that they put in processed food ( basically as humans beings I don't think we're meant to be eating lots of those things. )

I try to avoid those things as well - I actually have vegan chocolate chips that I use - there isn't corn syrup in them, and I buy mostly organic snacks for my kids so on the off chance I eat something sweet, it doesn't have any of that fake stuff in it. I know obviously it would be better to have fruit, but the choc chips give me the calories - I'd have to eat a huge amount of fruit to end up meeting my calories by the end of the day.

[ovfdfireman]

Holy smokes, I meant first month back I gained 6 pounds of muscle, at least according to the gym staff, but once again lost 4 of it after being sick. Sorry for the typo, I wish I could gain 6 in a week, though I was shocked I even accomplished that in a month

[BrotherWolf]

I've taken to throwing chocolate chips onto my yogurt at night

Nice ...

[BrotherWolf]

What do you do? What kind of foods to you eat to keep cals up? I don't want to gain anymore fat than I already have. My strength gains are improving weekly so it is working, but I want clean calories with swallowing twice.....pointers?

Ice cream ,beans, eggs, milk up to a gallon a day if you can take it , I did that for about 5-6 months, a gallon of milk adds 2200 calories .

The occasional fast food item , 1/2 dozen donuts after your workout etc... .. how much fat you're going to gain eating like this depends on your routine, I went from 170 to 196 and didn't gain too much fat

If you make your own meals you can easily boost their calorie content with fat and sugar, olive oil for example 1tsp is 100 calories , fry your eggs in 4-5 tsp of olive oil and you can easily chug down 1000 calories in one meal ..

Weight gainers are mostly carbs so you can save yourself a bundle by "eating" your carbs .. rice, pasta, potatoes , beans
plus you can eat a ton of veggies all drizzled with olive oil, I usually eat 1lb of cooked spinach with butter or oil sometimes tossed with bacon, nuts and eggs and suddenly you have a 1500 calories salad
speaking of bacon I save the fat from the bacon as long that it's not burned and use it for cooking

[ModoVincere]

I can hit my calorie goals, no problem....but the food would be crap.
My biggest issue is trying to consume the proper amount of protein. At 170 lbs, I should theoretically be trying to consume about 170gms of protein/day. Seems about 120gms is about where I stall out each day.

[DubfromGA]

Great tasting low carb protein powders really make it easy. Myofusion is my favorite.

Also having some of your favorite cheese and almonds can really boost your calorie intake by a huge amount as boh are very calorie dense and provide good levels of protein.

[cmoore]

Half and Half is one of my favorites. 1-2 cups a day here (makes my pro shakes taste awesome)

[trayalford]

It's difficult for me to get all my calories and protein in so u take 2 shakes a day.

My shake
1 cup skim milk
1 1/2 - 2 cups Whey
Non fat strawberry banana yogurt
1 fresh banana or 5 frozen strawberrys
1 protein scoop ground steel cut oats
5 ice cubes

[JRT6]

My first week back I gain 6 pound of muscle.

No you didn't

[jrctherake]

Hell no...........clean or not I'm always hungry. I'm glad I can lose bf on 3000 cals a day or I would be in big trouble.

Rake

[dazlittle]

Double cream is my saviour, 100ML mouthfull is around 400 calories, a bowl of bran flakes, 250Ml 2% milk and 100Ml double cream for breakfast is over 900 calories!!

its awesome in protein shakes as well.

I'm eating 4000 calories a day at the moment and the double cream makes it an easy amount to eat each day, along with the usual suspects of course (Nuts, olive oil, ice cream, greek yogurt, eggs, cheese....)