Santaria

So, I've been having a hell of a time feeding the machine

I'm running 5 miles a day every morning.

Commuting on my all-purpose bike (set up for tris) 8 miles round trip.
3 days a week I am now up to 27 miles round trip.
2 days a week I am adding another 1 mile sprint at the mid point of those trips (bricks)
I'm adding swimming again here in a week (pools finally opening again) which will consist of:
2x 350 meters a week to start.
Also, I've added 1 day a week climbing and 1 day a week tai chi.

I'm eating like a PIG, and can't seem to come anywhere near the 2,800 calories I need

I don't want to eat like crap, and to make matters worse (or harder really) I'm down 13 lbs. (201 now) and know that my caloric requirements are actually lower than 2,800 now (I think).

I'm eating, just as a general example, today's intake:
3 bananas
2 apples
2 spinach salads (with cholesteral free-lactose free cheddar cheese 3 tbl spoons) and salsa
2 1/2 bowls of grape nuts with skim milk
1 tuna sandwhich on whole weat bread w/ mustard
24 unsalted almonds.
2 fig newtons
64 oz. of water

Yesterday:
2 apples
'some' watermelon (didn't pay attention)
1 banana
taco salad (my special recipe - boiled chicken with fresh japalenos, spinach, cholesteral free-lactose free cheddar cheese, habinaro peppers, hot lime salsa and onions.) The cool thing about this salad is, no matter how much you 'think' your going to eat, there is no way you can eat even half without the peppers catching up with you making it a slow and 'portion controlled' meal.
2 bowls of grape nuts
2 fig newtons
128 oz. of water

Anyhow, I keep calculating that I'm not eating enough.

Beyond that, I'm eating the 'three meals' and snacking about every 2 hours in between. What this ends up meaning is that I wake up at 4:30 a.m. - run until 5:30 a.m. and eat, then eat again at 7:30 a.m., et al until I get home after work and my final 4 mile ride home and eat again at 11:30 p.m.

So for example, instead of eating 5 times a day I end up doing:

6 a.m. (post run snack) - usually fruit or oatmeal
8 a.m. breakfast - fruit and grapenuts
10 a.m. (salad or fruit) spinach or banana/apple
12 noon lunch - chicken or tuna/smoked ham
2 p.m. (snack) almonds or trail mix
4 p.m. (snack) banana/apple
6 p.m. dinner - grape nuts
9 p.m. (snack) - almonds or fruit
11:30 p.m. (post ride snack) - spinach salad

So my concern is that I'm eating too much, ultimately, but not enough. If that doesn't confuse you. Anyhow, anybody else have this problem? Solutions?

Guest

Solution is for you to pony up the cash and schedule an appointment with a dietitian or nutritionist.

Koffee

badhabit

I don't see any real meals in here, just snacks and salads. Maybe try a 1/4 BBQ chicken, some steamed veggies on some rice? That'll up your intake. At first glance, it looks like you're trying to get by on quick fruit snacks and grape nuts!!

TheKillerPenguin

Word. What you eat in an entire day is like one meal for me. No wonder you're hungry!

Santaria

I'm starting to think your right Koffee. I've definitely improved my physical fitness over the last month, but it seems that my energy levels are overreaching what I consider a 'good intake' severely.

Probably gonna set up an appointment next week with a nutritionist at Scott and White hopefully.

Cerberusgl

In the mean time you could add:
cream of wheat, cream of rice
raisins 1/4 cup =130 calories
rice crackers
steamed rice
cliff bars
stuff like that, Is 2800 enough?

sch

You are doing a lot of different things, but not expending huge amounts of energy doing so. Your running and cycling probably use up 800-1200cal depending on how fast you are going. The swimming may add a few hundred calories to the mix. TaiChi is about the same as walking casually energy wise. If you are trying to lose weight you are on the right track. Unless you are well above 6' tall 201# is overweight by most criteria. What is the reason for 2800cal? I suspect you will start having problems with bonking if you extend your cycling into the 40mi range later in the summer. Steve

ramiso

Just a suggestion that is working for me. I am not concerned with weight as I am with body composition. The book By Dr. Scott Connelly "Body Rx" has a really great "diet" plan that will get your body where it needs to be. You will see in the menu plans that you are able to eat a lot of good food, and no I do not mean low fat this and Atkins that, just good eating with foods you like and yet will help you to build the right body comp for your needs. You can get his book at your local book store of online at www.bodyrx.com