What sort of calorie dense foods do you guys eat to make up the calorie deficit on big training days? I have trouble on days that I workout over 2 hours making up the defect and wondered what are some of the healthy (not pizza or junk food) options I can add to my diet as snacks or an extra meal to make up the deficit.
Usually I try to eat at least 1 extra meal (under 800 calories) and more snacks (bananas and fruit) on big training days but I often find that I end up with a big deficit at the end of the day.
Post workout I usually end up at Chipotle, Qdoba, or some other “somewhat healthy” burrito place for a chicken burrito, light on the rice, no cheese or sour cream, add avocado.
At home I will eat baked sweet potato with butter or olive oil and some lean protein, like sliced chicken deli meat.
I have trouble with that too, feels like I’m chewing all day.
I have found sanity in a good quality protein shake. With added fruit and milk it can add a nice punch of +300 cals, and not make me feeling like I’m just stuffing more food into my mouth.
I have one for breakfast, and another in the afternoon on big training days.
Including nuts and healthy oils (coconut / olive) can help make up the deficit. Also beans and lentils can be quite energy dense and avocados give you energy dense healthy fats. Its a great question and I’m interested in other’s responses.
I like to stay on the safe side and have a burrito for breakfast/lunch/dinner everyday. You never know when someone is going to ask you to train and you have to be prepared!
I make what I call the superpancake. Take some Aunt Jemima pancake mix, add two eggs (even though its a complete mix), 1/2 cup oats, brown sugar, powdered milk, raisins
and whole milk until thick. Dont make the mix too watery or the oats will make the cake just fall apart. Ma5:30 ke three or four and snack on them all day. You’ll get massive like me and still run a 5:30 split.
I have trouble with that too, feels like I’m chewing all day.
… and not make me feeling like I’m just stuffing more food into my mouth.
Wait till you discover the joys of food. Eating is one of life’s greatest pleasures. Not rubbish, but fresh, whole foods. Shame you dislike it so much. For me it’s the best thing about a big, in fact any, training day!
I mixed up my own trail mix in 50 pound batches. Moderately healthy. Delicious. Just gotta be creative with the ingredients to spice it up from regular store stuff.
berries (straw-, black-, blue-, rasp-, cran-), pineapple, grapefruit, banana, orange (or orange juice), brown cow cream-on-top vanilla yogurt, 20-25 g whey/casein protein powder, water/ice
all this into a 20-24 ounce Magic Bullet cup.
blended for 20-30 seconds.
i’d estimate 600-800 calories.
sometimes i add peanut or almond butter. the fruit varies depending on what is cheap/on sale. pomegranate in the winter months
I actually use a Vitamix (actually Health Master by Montel Williams, cheap vitamix) when using whole oranges or whole grapefruit.
sometimes i even add fresh spinach if using the Health Master (Vitamix), and you can’t even taste it.
i find the fruit + whole milk brown cow cream-on-top yogurt + flavored protein powder provides most of the taste. peanut/almond butter adds a nice flavor as well.
other favorite “shake” is:
chocolate whey/casein protein + choc milk + fresh Goat milk + a little water.
Peanut butter on bananas, PB & J on whole wheat, dried figs
Great question, and as “last tri in 83” stated, peanut butter on bananas on an english muffin with peanuts are a great way to eat 300-400 calories in a small meal. Personally I love plain Greek yogurt on raspberries with some vanilla granola on it. An extra bowl or two of that during the day is a great way to repair muscles with high protein and a reasonable amount of carbs.
