Eating Intentionally

Let's face it, most of us are counting calories.  Whether you count calories to lose weight or count to gain muscle, if you're attempting to change your lifestyle chances are you're watching what you eat.  Granted, this isn't everyone, but for those of us who find it difficult to meet our caloric goal each day, pairing a healthy diet with a healthy calorie count can seem a little daunting.

As I work out more, I find my body hungry more often.  It's not a bad thing, my body needs fuel and energy to keep going, so I increased my caloric intake.  But by increasing my intake, I find myself finishing dinner still feeling a bit hungry and still needing roughly 400 more calories.  Likewise, If you're cutting calories and find yourself eating too few it can be a detriment to your body.  Your metabolism will slow and you may actually gain weight as your body goes into starvation mode.  Your body needs food to run, it's the gas in your tank. 
So how can you get a few extra calories without breaking your healthy lifestyle or feeling heavy, bloated, and overly full?

 1. 1/4 cup Almonds - A very light, easy way to grab an extra 200 calories throughout the day.  Eat them as a snack or add to a yummy salad or a bowl of oatmeal.  It's important to get good fats in your diet and almonds are a great source of monounsaturated fat which can help lower your risk of heart disease, help fight belly fat, and actually help you lose weight.

2. 1/2 cup Oatmeal - Unsweatened oatmeal can sound like the world's worst breakfast food, but when it comes to adding sugar or "fake" sugar, I tend to stay away.  1/2 cup of oatmeal is 150 calories, but adding a tablespoon full of natural peanutbutter (100 calories), a handful of fruit, cinnamon, or a bit of almond milk can help increase the calories to anywhere from 200 to 300.  Oatmeal is a good source of whole grain and fiber, and like almonds, can help to fight belly fat.

3. 1 medium Apple - 1 apple is roughly 100 calories and so good for you.  Apples can help give you a little pick up in the morning and can help you maintain your weight (respectively).  They're a good source of fiber and can actually help to whiten your teeth!

4. 1 slice of Whole Wheat Bread + 1 tablespoon of Natural Peanut Butter - Choose whole wheat bread over white bread which contains added sugar and high fructose corn syrup, and most whole wheat breads are vegan friendly while white breads typically aren't.  Natural peanut butter contains no additives and should only be peanuts (or whatever type nut-butter you choose).  Be sure to check the label on your brand name peanut butter, there are a surprising number of additives and extra unnecessary sugars, a good tip to remember is natural peanut butter needs refrigeration, while the others do not.

5. 1 level tablespoon Natural Peanut Butter - A single serving size of peanut butter is one level tablespoon full.  It's extremely easy to overdo it on a serving size and actually add too many calories to your diet if you aren't careful.  1 tablespoon is 100 calories, and like almonds, peanut butter is a good source of healthy fats.

6. Smoothies/Juices - If you have a juicer, this can be a great way to get a few extra calories in your diet in a very light manor.  Juicing is a highly successful way of getting your daily servings of fruits and veggies without the added sugar that store bought juice contains.  Smoothies, as well, are a great dessert option.  Add unsweatened, plain yogurt, fruits, veggies, and ice to make your own sweet creations.  There's no wrong way to create a yummy smoothie, just mix and match until you find something you love.

7. Add a serving of Whole Grain to your dinner - It's easy to get into the mindset that in order to eat clean or be healthy you must only eat fruits and veggies in your main meals.  You miss out on so many nutrient rich meals when you restrict yourself to foods like vegetables and fruit all day long.  1/2 cup of any particular whole grain can add anywhere from 150 to 300 extra wonderful calories to your diet without weighing you down.


There are plenty of ways to get what you need in your diet, what it comes down to is eating intentionally.  Spend a little extra time planning out your meals, take time to snack once or twice during the day, and remember to enjoy what you're eating.  There's plenty out there for the clean-eating vegetarians (or non vegetarians), sometimes it just takes a little trial and error.