High calorie, good for you, foods please

**snooks** · 01-28-2012 01:54 AM

I wonder if some of you more informed than me people on here could give me a wee list of high calorie, good for me foods please.

At present I am finding it quite hard work maintaining my weight. Over the past, maybe four or five months I have dropped around 5kgs that I didn't actually really want to lose. That was because, oh foolish me, I upped my exercise and didn't compensate by eating more!! I am doing better now and mostly I stick at around 55kg which is the low side of normal. (I am 5'4.5" & nearly 63yrs.)

Now I am aware that weight fluctuates a fair bit, but for the past week or so I have lost yet another kg. I am not all that happy with that and would really like to put it back on again. (Hahaha its not the usual comment people on here make is it)

I don't want to add cakes and dessert etc to my diet and my poor brittle teeth won't allow me to eat nuts. I haven't got a huge appetite either I'm afraid. That is why I would really like to see if there are some good foods that I don't know about that I could eat without actually having to eat more.

I haven't tracked my calories for ages but when I was they always seemed to be between 1550 and about 17400.

oh, by the way I only drink whole milk and seldom go for the low fat foods. My diet is pretty well balanced.

**panda87** · 01-28-2012 03:30 AM

Your dairy products are good.. Milk, yoghurt, cheese. If you like to drink milk by the glass and not just in cereal, you can add something like milo or sustagen to it (I'm in Aus, so not sure what sorts of products you have available to you), or even make up smoothies with banana, malted milk powder etc.

A question though, how much exercise would you say you are doing per day or per week if not every day? And what intensity? If it is moderate-high intensity regularly, that could definitely explain the 1kg in 1 week. There are a number of factors that can come into play with weight loss.

If you like, you can PM me, I can work out a few things i.e. energy requirements for your activity level, and maybe some practical changes to your diet..

**snooks** · 01-28-2012 06:40 PM

Thanks for your suggestions panda, will try for a bit more milk and yoghurt which I especially love.

As far as exercise goes I'm a little erratic but generally I would do around 10 or more hours per week at a rate that makes me puffy. Not to exhaustion, and usually no more than maybe an hour at a time. I am also extremely active in daily living - I will walk around 12 000 and up to 25 00 steps per day (that of course includes jogging, walking etc that I do specifically)

I have found that the more I exercise the less I actually want to eat!! Help, that isn't a good combination is it!!!

**panda87** · 01-29-2012 01:27 AM

You are certainly very active!! And good on you!! I wish I was that fit and I am less than half your age!!!

I've done a quick calculation of your daily energy recs based on a moderate-heavy physical activity level and the height weight and age in your first post. Note that it is only a guide, but it comes to approx 1900 cal per day, lower end 1700 cal, upper end 2000 cal.

I guess you would know the principle for weight maintenance is energy in = energy out. So if you are expending more (exercise) than you are putting in (food), then you will lose weight. Again remembering the other factors that we cant control so much.

Do you feel that you are losing muscle mass? If you are exercising as much as you say, protein is important. Again you will get this from dairy products, but also lean meats, chicken and fish, eggs, as well as legumes like baked beans, kidney beans etc. There is also some in cereal products.

It is also good to spread your meals, 3 main and even (healthy!) snacks in between.

If you do increase your energy intake, and find that you are still regularly losing weight, especially as much as 1+ kg a week, it might be worth bringing up next time you see your GP.

Hope that helps =)