Can’t eat enough…

[ready123]

Heyoooo….
I have recently started lifting weights, and thereby tracking macros… I never have before. But I quickly came to the realization that I am not eating enough… as I usually just eat one meal a day, but that one meal is no where near where I (think?) I should be calorie / protein wise.
I got a protein powder to help, but forcing down three meals is killing me.

Anyone have tips / tricks or is this just something my body is going to have to get used to? TIA!

 

[celizabethdavis]

@ready123 What does your diet currently look like? 3 meals a day is hardly unusual.

 

[ready123]

@celizabethdavis One meal of a veggie based soup over quinoa, fruit as a dessert… it’s just not enough for me to put in the muscle I’d like.

 

[celizabethdavis]

@ready123 Try eating "denser" foods. Soup is high volume and is mostly water, so it fills you up without many calories or protein.

 

[ready123]

@celizabethdavis Yeah I am, (three meals of black rice, tofu & veggies, along with 2 protein shakes) it’s killing Me to eat that much, I’m miserable all day.

 

[celizabethdavis]

@ready123 Maybe start with just 2 meals if you're used to 1.

Nuts and peanut butter are good.

 

[ready123]

@celizabethdavis Thank you!

 

[rafa83]

@ready123 Honestly, eating more can be hard, but your body will probably get used to it over time. I had to just force myself to eat a bit more every day (not skipping meals, and topping up my portions to be a bit bigger than I want), and eventually it got to the point where I actually got hungry if I missed a meal.

Keep going and you'll get there

 

[ready123]

@rafa83 Thank you! I hope it happens quickly

 

[reviewmayhutmui]

@ready123 I don't have a big appetite and often don't eat 3 full meals a day. I started drinking a fat smoothie with mass gainer for breakfast (or before bed) and it's probably doubled my macro intake. It's liquid so I digest it quickly, don't stay full and still eat the amount I did before.

 

[ready123]

@reviewmayhutmui Thank you! I’ll look into that!

 

[frieda]

@ready123 Peanut butterrrr

 

[dawn16]

@frieda Yessss it’s that simple for me too. Literally sitting here with a jar & spoon right now bc I noticed today I was losing faster than I’d like

 

[dubschanging]

@ready123 Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

 

[danielson0101]

@dubschanging A thicc PBJ sammy is

 

[ready123]

@danielson0101 Noooiiiccee

 

[ready123]

@dubschanging Thanks!

 

[floz]

@ready123 Takes time to get used to higher calories. So keep going and your body will adjust.

 

[ready123]

@floz Thanks!

 

[lorilu05]

@ready123 So it sounds like the best place to start would be to try to establish your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure), if you haven't' already. You can use an online calculator or other tracking apps, but just know that these are just estimates. Ultimately you'll have to do weigh-ins to see if you're gaining or losing. This should at least let you know what to start with.

For me, I really liked intermittent fasting and like you did OMAD for a while, which I really liked when doing cardio and losing weight, but I found it wasn't working when I started lifting. The problem is, even if you could eat your entire day's worth of calories, you'd be getting all your protein in one go, which isn't optimal. When were you eating your one meal? One thing you could try is eat your first meal as soon as you get up, or as early as possible, and after lifting weights you may find your body crying out for food, at least that's how I felt.

If you're doing a lot of leafy greens the fiber can really fill you up, while not providing as much protein. You will need those later on, but like others suggested, while you build up to it try to incorporate more calorie rich foods. Peanut butter, avocado, nuts, something like curry with full fat coconut milk etc.