So, I think I have been under-eating. Consuming no carbs and getting plenty of protein and fat is so satisfying that I am rarely hungry. However, I need to eat more! According to the app I’m using to track my macros, my current weight indicates that I need to consume around 2763 calories daily, and that’s a -14% deficit to reach my goal weight sometime next year. At most, I have only been consuming 1400 to 1700 calories. This amount of calories has stalled any weight loss. I’m told by others who are on this diet that I’m slowing my metabolism by under-eating.
So, I need more food. It’s already expensive to buy meat, so I am spending a lot to get what I need. I will likely have to eat more eggs, which are still reasonably affordable.
The other thing about increasing my egg consumption is that I get tired of eggs quickly. I like eggs. However, I will need more ideas, or at least I need to remember the recipes I have learned in the past.
Many recipes, such as frittatas and quiches, use eggs as a main ingredient. Different meats and cheeses may be added for more flavor. Several low-carb veggies work well in either of these recipes.
Eggs have tremendous nutritional value—some people call them a superfood—so there is no reason I can’t increase my calorie intake using them.
I have tried to add more chicken and fish to my diet in the last few weeks, but I quickly got tired of both. I prefer these two types of proteins fried, but that’s not the healthy way.
My main problem with chickens is that they are overgrown with steroids. In today’s market, chicken has an unusually high fat and muscle fiber content, and the taste is gnarly. It doesn’t taste like chicken.
However, I have found that Cornish game hens taste fantastic! They are basically young chickens, so they are not pumped full of growth hormones or other additives. The meat is not overgrown, there is no extra fat, and it tastes the way chicken is supposed to taste.
Still, adding more chicken to the diet is expensive. Cornish game hens aren’t necessarily cheaper than the grossly overgrown chickens. Also, one whole hen only yields around 660 calories. I would have to consume two daily to get close to my caloric goal. The cost of quality chicken, without steroids, anti-biotics, etc.; Organic chickens? Not cheap. And without it being fried, chicken is not one of my favorites.
Over the years, many of us have found out that restricting calories does not work long-term. Initially, you may lose some water weight. Then, the weight loss slows, and you have to restrict calories even more. Eventually, you give up, or your body begins to malfunction, and you may end up damaging your body. Right now, my sleep pattern is being disrupted. That’s one of the first signs for me, in addition to being tired all the time and not having enough energy.
I have to find a way to increase my caloric intake. It’s not only about the cost; it’s also about my ability to eat more. As I said, I’m not usually hungry because of the satiety this diet brings. The easiest way to do it is to add a meal. I had only been eating only two meals a day. I can increase by adding breakfast (which I have already done). The amount of calories I consume is insufficient to maintain my metabolic rate and keep it burning, causing my weight loss to stall. I never thought that a situation where I’m under-eating could ever exist.
As I said in parenthesis, I have started eating breakfast, a big breakfast—bigger than McDonald’s. It’s nothing special, just eggs, and lots of them—between 5 and 9, actually. They are easy to digest and supply an ample amount of energy (fat) for my morning workout and plenty of protein for recovery and muscle growth.
I cannot overstate how much harder I can go in the gym. My energy is massive, and I am truly enjoying it.
The eggs are only a start to increasing my calories. I still have work to do. Since I began with the eggs, I have managed to push my intake up to between 1800 and 2000 calories a day. With just this small increase, my weight loss has begun to move again.
It is hard to get used to the idea that I need to eat more to lose weight. My mind still believes I’m doing it wrong, but I can’t argue with the results.
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