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Katie S.
Katie S. Sendmail

Need to add more calories to a vegetarian diet!

asked 11 months ago | Report

Hi everyone! I am a vegetarian but I eat a vegan diet most of the time because I am lactose intolerant. I have been through marathon training 6 times before, but this time around I am bumping up the cross/strength training and mileage. I eat very clean & keep track of what I eat, but I'm having a hard time getting ENOUGH calories daily without feeling overly stuffed at the end of the day. I don't necessarily feel more hungry, but I know that this is affecting my training because I notice I don't have enough energy while running the next day.

Does anyone have any ideas for sneaky ways to add calories into my meals/snacks? My typical day of eating right now looks like this:
B: Big bowl of oatmeal/cereal with fruit, almond milk, nut butter
L: Big salad with veggies + bread w/ hummus and avocado + fruit
D: Some type of grain (quinoa, rice, pasta, etc.) with beans and more veggies (broccoli, asparagus, sweet potato, etc.)
Snacks: Larabar, veggies & hummus, fruit, soy yogurt, granola, nuts

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11 answers

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  • Felix M.PRO
    Felix M. Sendmail

    I am a vegetarian too. Honestly speaking I do not have this problem because my diet is pretty poor, though it's vegetarian. One idea could be to add a decent amount of olive oil. Salad tastes great with it, it also goes along with pasta and quinoa. Plus olive oil is pretty healthy, at least that's what they say in my veggie cooking books.

    answered 11 months ago |Report

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  • Sarah B.PRO
    Sarah B. Sendmail

    How many calories are you trying to eat per day? Perhaps you could bump up the protein a bit - especially important post weight training. Can you add in some tofu, seitan, or tempeh? Saute in a bit of olive oil or sesame oil for added good fat. Additional snacks such as a bagel thin with nut butter, dried fruit (more caloric than regular fruit), and sunflower seeds. You could also try a protein drink. Spirutein mixed with almond milk is dairy free and is a good snack.

    answered 11 months ago |Report

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  • Karrie H.
    Karrie H. Sendmail

    PEANUT BUTTER (on your apples on your bananas on your spoon) :-) i love peanut butter, nice chunk of calories and pretty easy to digest too...because you are close to vegan only due to lactose intolerance do you eat eggs?

    there are some awesome vegetarian/vegan recipes online that are really yummy and probably up there in calories, you can make a normal serving and package it up if you are the only one eating it, then it becomes a quick meal anytime you take it out of the freezer?

    answered 11 months ago |Report

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  • Calvin
    Calvin Sendmail

    Your meal plans look pretty decent. But I would adjust it a little bit. Add more of the foods that give you more energy and less of those that cause your body to work harder to burn. Breads and grains are empty calories; that's what I see as your biggest energy drainer. Quinoa is good, rice is okay. Pasta is okay before a race as you will burn it up quicker. Otherwise your body is using more energy to burn it. Add more fruits, vegetables, nuts and healthy fats. Avocados are great. You can add cocoa nut oil to just about anything you eat. Flax sees, and hemp seeds are great additives also. Don't forget to balance your carbs for workouts and protein for recovery. Your recovery plan is just as important as your workouts. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Happy training.

    answered 11 months ago |edited 11 months ago |Report

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  • Maria K.
    Maria K. Sendmail

    How about avocados? Great on salads or in a sandwich. I'm no vegetarian. But i love a veggie sandwich. Wheat bread, avocado smeared on bread, alfalfa sprouts, i add some sort of cheese but since you can't. Tomato and maybe soy.

    I also like, wheat/corn soft tortilla with avocado, beans, tomatos, olive oil. Love it.

    answered 11 months ago |Report

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  • Alan H.
    Alan H. Sendmail

    Raw almonds are my favorite snack. 20 will get you 180 calories.

    answered 11 months ago |Report

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  • Lenny G.
    Lenny G. Sendmail

    A really quick way to get loads of calories for me is to make a bean salad with canned tuna/salmon. Spice and dress your salad however you like (throw in veggies too if you like) but it'll give you lots of nutrients. I make my own granola cereal for breakfast that I have with a cup of milk (insert your own soy substitute) and a 1/4 cup of almonds which is nutritious and calorie-rich. I think a big bowl (1.5 cups + milk + almonds) is about 700 calories (80g carbs/ 30g fat / 21 g protein).

    answered 11 months ago |Report

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  • Cameo
    Cameo Sendmail

    Aim for more nutrient dense foods and omega -3 fats. I suggest incorporating chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds, actually, all seeds. Also, look for a good vegan protein powder like Sunwarrior or Vega - it looks as though you are low on protein. Also, Nutritional Yeast is a great source of protein and B Vitamins and is delicious on salads and quinoa. I recommend Brendan Brazier's books, "Thrive" and "Thrive Fitness" - he is a vegan marathoner/triathelete/iron man. He knows his fuel.

    answered 10 months ago |Report

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  • Melissa M.PRO
    Melissa M. Sendmail

    Check out some of the advice on this guy's blog: http://www.nomeatathlete.com/

    Good luck and happy running-
    Melissa

    answered 10 months ago |Report

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  • Tricia L.
    Tricia L. Sendmail

    I noticed you are wearing a NMA shirt, I LOVE his blog!!!

    I add in extra calories with sauce. I include peanut butter in this category along with salad dressing's/oil and vegan butter. Coconut milk yogurt is also a really good option too!

    answered 10 months ago |Report

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  • Jenny P.
    Jenny P. Sendmail

    Hi Katie! Love the shirt, I have one as welll :-)

    I too am vegan and gluten free. So this is a topic near and dear to my heart. Do you ever have green smoothies? These make great snacks or meals and you can pack a ton of yummy goodness into one. Mine are typically make with romaine, kale, fruit (banana, blueberries or strawberries), goji berries, hemp seeds, spirulina, chia seeds, and sometimes raw cocoa. Add ice, water or almond milk.

    Another thought is chia pudding. Here is my recipe: 1/4C almond milk, 1 banana, 1-2T almond butter. Mash and mix then add 1/4C chia seeds, mix. Refridgerate for 30 mins or more and enjoy!

    Hope this helps.
    Jenny

    answered 10 months ago |Report

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