TOPIC: I have a few questions

Hi Laura,

Those bars look okay. I wouldn't call them a "Healthy bar" tho because of all the additives. Can you buy just a few and see how you do. I wonder how you'll handle the sugar alcohol.

Yea I wondered about the sugar alcohol too, if I try one maybe I will just try a small piece at a time. I usually keep a Larabar in my purse just incase I am somewhere I can't eat anything. But I will let you know if I try them how I react.

I have a question, I should know the answer to. I was trying to figure up my calorie needs the other day because I feel like I have a hard time eating over 1300 a day so it reccomended for my activity level like 2,400 calories. Does that seem off? If it is correct how do I go about getting that many calories eating gluten free and somewhat dairy free? If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them!

Hi Laura,

How much do you weigh and how tall are you? And how active are you? Do you exercise a lot?

Right now I weigh like 108-110. I am 5'6 and I usually do 30-45 mins of exercise like walking or eliptical about 4 days a week. I just feel like its hard to get 2000 healthy calories a day.

Hi Laura,

You need 1,400 calories just to maintain your weight at 110 pounds. In order to gain at least one pound a week you need to add 500 calories a day. Adding 500 calories a day is very very easy (IMHO)

Eat what you normally like but instead of low fat soy milk or low fat yogurts go with the full fat versions, these should be monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. You should be able to easily add 40-50 calories per cup.

Add peanut butter and more smart balance to gf breads, crackers, rice cakes, add real mayonnaise to sandwiches. Real mayo contains a whopping 90 calories per Tbs. Watch for preservatives and hydrogenated fats.

For an easy 200 calories a day just add 1/4 cup (palm full) of walnuts or nuts. If you like nuts, this is one of the easies ways to add calories fast. Add pine nuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds to vegetables, salads, soups....really anything as a topping.

Are you doing dairy? Add nuts and dried fruit to ice cream or coconut ice cream, soy yogurt...get the picture.

Dried fruit and nuts are also high in calories and easy to get in 1/2 cup at an average of 280-300 calories.

Do you like guacamole or hummus? 1/2 cup is 200 calories with great nutritional profiles. Hummus contains about 125 calories for 1/2 cup.

Look at bumping up protein a bit too. An extra egg, an extra ounce of chicken, turkey dark meat.

Good luck, how's the appetite?

Thank you so much for figuring this up for me. We have been talking in class about eating few too calories will lead your body to think its starving. I just want to be healthy! I have felt so much better trying to follow the cycle diet and trying to add more calories seems hard but I understand I need to think the opposite of a dieter. Bigger portion sizes and full fat versions of products. I love nuts and peanutbutter.. I by the kind you grind yourself( I hope they dont recall those peanuts too!) I love hummus too but I usually just have a few tablespoons at a time but I could increase that. My problem is I am not hungry for a lot at once I am used to eating smaller more frequent meals. I get full easy, but I am gonna try to slowly increase. I have never weighed more than 115 which is probably a healthier weight for me. My dad and his side of the family are naturally thin so its partly genetics but it does look like I could pick up the calories. I have maintained a few extra pounds the last few months, so I feel like I am on the right track I got done so slow that my periods stopped about 2 years ago I was down to 104, but my periods have returned I am having about a 40 day cylce. I am somewhat lactose intolerant but I have been taking lactaid and eating dairy to get more calories. I really appreciate you taking the time to think of suggestions for me. I know most girls would never want to gain weight but I just wanna be healthy!