healthy high carb meals

neeb

This might sound like an odd problem, but sometimes I find it quite difficult to make an evening meal using really healthy carb sources while also getting enough calories. E.g. one of my stalwarts is wholegrain pasta with broccoli and tofu in some sort of tomato based sauce, but when I actually look at the calories in the pasta (say 100g of dry pasta which makes a decent plate) it's not all that much, about 330 kca. Same goes for rice, when you look at the actual calories there's not a huge amount unless you eat buckets of the stuff. Doubtless the total calorie count of the meal will be quite a bit more, but I do find it quite difficult when I really need to refuel to avoid less healthy foods, e.g. pizza always does the trick but is not very healthy due to the fat content.

What's the best way to get 800 kca in a really healthy meal?

Ands

There are some really good recipes on this website (it's the Australian Institute of Sport)
http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/nutrition ... survival_I

I have 2 of these 3 cookbooks (see the 3 tabs across the top) and they are excellent. Each recipe provides analysis of energy, carb, fat, protein content etc, plus they are designed for athletes.

(for info, a capsicum is a pepper and a zucchini is a courgette!)

Herbsman

dissolve maltodextrin in the water that you cook the rice in

bigpikle

grazing - eat smaller meals more often so you dont end up bloating out on a single huge meal with all the issues that come with that. Snack during the day to add those extra calories if they are needed eg fruit, dried fruit, maltloaf, sandwiches etc etc

SBezza

Should be able to get 800 calories in a healthy meal without too many difficulties, decent sized chicken breast will be about 200 as a minimum, along with veg and potatoes (or pasta) should see you getting near 800 calories. Even if the meal doesn't reach 800 calories, a couple of pieces of fruit will be another 200 calories or thereabouts.

There is nothing wrong with fat, just need to eat it in the correct proportions.

As Bigpikle has mentioned, eat the calories required on a daily basis throughout the day, rather than just in a meal after exercise for example.

neeb

Thanks for all the tips. One mistake I was making I think was underestimating the non-carb calories.

I just had it in my head for some reason that the vast majority of calories in a balanced meal came from carbs, but of course this isn't the case. The carb component is just more easily metabolised for energy.

SBezza

The carbs will be processed by the body quicker that is true, but protein and fat are used for energy as well. If your glycogen stores are low and need to be refilled then protien and fat will help here as well it isn't just carbs that do the job.

For what it is worth, I hardly eat any starchy carbs, (no pasta, potatoes and very minimal amounts of bread), yet I never have any issues for refueling using mainly veg and fruit, with obviously meat/nuts/cheese and the occasional sugary treat. The only grain type food I really eat regularly is shreddies for my breakfast.

I train hard on almost a daily basis, if not twice a day, and always have enough energy. There are plenty of foods out there that are healthy and provide the body with enough calories.

Herbsman

Are you on the 'paleo for athletes' diet?

johnboy183

Ands wrote:

There are some really good recipes on this website (it's the Australian Institute of Sport)
http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/nutrition ... survival_I

I have 2 of these 3 cookbooks (see the 3 tabs across the top) and they are excellent. Each recipe provides analysis of energy, carb, fat, protein content etc, plus they are designed for athletes.

(for info, a capsicum is a pepper and a zucchini is a courgette!)

Good website thanks

SBezza

Herbsman wrote:

Are you on the 'paleo for athletes' diet?

Is that aimed at me of the OP.

If me then no I am not, I just don't eat many starchy carbs out of preference. In fact I can't stand pasta, and I don't really like rice much , so only leaves bread and potatoes and I can take or leave them as well.

neeb

Well, I'm certainly not on a so-called "paleo" diet (in fact, many hunter-gatherers both now and in the past would have eaten a fair amount of starch in the form of tubers etc.)

I suspect that it's possible to have a very healthy diet either with or without lots of carbs, as long as you are getting all of the right nutrients and aren't eating too many calories in whatever form. I also suspect that different people's metabolisms may be better suited to certain diets, e.g. I know that unlike SBezza I would find it very difficult to avoid carbs, but then I am one of those people who never really puts on much weight whether I am training and eating healthily or not.

One thing that I think is really important is that if you are going to eat lots of carbs, make sure they are wholegrain. I love pasta and bread, but I pretty much always eat wholegrain stuff and try to get bread that is both made with wholegrain flour and also has lots of seeds and things in it (tragically, this is actually amazingly difficult to find in most countries).

It's amazing when you look into it just how many essential minerals and nutrients are present in wholegrain cereals (of course you can also get them from nuts and seeds, and many vegetables).

SBezza

I do eat carbs, fruit, veg, seeds, nuts, cereal, milk, cheese, occasional cakes and chocolate etc. Most food we eat contains carbs with the exception of meat, so you can get more than enough carbs in you without eat shedloads of pasta, bread, potatoes etc. I eat bread occasionally, and normally wholegrain, just not that much.

I never have energy issues, and trust me I use alot of energy during the week just on training. In fact I eat more than enough carbs in % terms for an endurance athlete.

Herbsman

SBezza wrote:

Herbsman wrote:

Are you on the 'paleo for athletes' diet?

Is that aimed at me of the OP.

If me then no I am not, I just don't eat many starchy carbs out of preference. In fact I can't stand pasta, and I don't really like rice much , so only leaves bread and potatoes and I can take or leave them as well.

It was aimed at you. I find that diet interesting, just because it advocates eating lots of good food, in addition to healthier carbohydrates. It's a no brainer really...

Ands

Herbsman wrote:

It was aimed at you. I find that diet interesting, just because it advocates eating lots of good food, in addition to healthier carbohydrates. It's a no brainer really...

My husband follows the stoneage/paleo diet- protein breakfast (e.g eggs, meat/fish, no carbs), protein and low gi carbs, plus good fats for lunch, (e.g chicken, spinach, feta, avocado and other salad or veg, virgin coconut oil for cooking), one carb meal in the evening, e.g. rice or rice-flour pasta with meat and veg. He snacks on low gi fruit (berry fruit), nuts, seeds, hemp protein in a fruit smoothie for recovery. He has no refined sugars in his diet, nor yeast, or wheat. When the nutritionalist did the calorie breakdown, it came out at 4500 calories a day (he's less than 70kg). The protein in the day makes him more alert, he feels leaner and fitter and more energised. He started this diet for medical reasons and it has made a huge difference to his recovery from illness.

The only downside, is that it costs a fortune to feed him.

fuzzynavel

Ands wrote:

Herbsman wrote:

It was aimed at you. I find that diet interesting, just because it advocates eating lots of good food, in addition to healthier carbohydrates. It's a no brainer really...

My husband follows the stoneage/paleo diet- protein breakfast (e.g eggs, meat/fish, no carbs), protein and low gi carbs, plus good fats for lunch, (e.g chicken, spinach, feta, avocado and other salad or veg, virgin coconut oil for cooking), one carb meal in the evening, e.g. rice or rice-flour pasta with meat and veg. He snacks on low gi fruit (berry fruit), nuts, seeds, hemp protein in a fruit smoothie for recovery. He has no refined sugars in his diet, nor yeast, or wheat. When the nutritionalist did the calorie breakdown, it came out at 4500 calories a day (he's less than 70kg). The protein in the day makes him more alert, he feels leaner and fitter and more energised. He started this diet for medical reasons and it has made a huge difference to his recovery from illness.

The only downside, is that it costs a fortune to feed him.

I do Paleo as well....I started back in August to help me lose a little weight and to try and see if my Arthritis was diet related as Paleo works like an exclusion diet in a lot of ways.
I pack in tons of calories in the form of meat/veg/fruit etc and stay away from anything processed but have still lost 10kg between August and Christmas.
It is an expensive diet due to the quantity of fresh meat consumed but well worth it in my opinion.

neeb

I'm more or less vegetarian, have been for 25 years (although I do eat some fish these days). I guess the so-called paleo diet doesn't really work for veggies..

I'm not getting at anyone here, as I said I think there are lots of different healthy diets (humans are omnivores), but it's worth pointing our that in terms of scientifically sound nutrition the important things are just to eat plenty fruit and veg., minimise saturated fats and refined sugars, avoid processed meats (burgers, sausages etc) and get enough of all of the healthy fats/oils, vitamins, minerals and protein. Wholegrain cereals are a really good source of many vitamins & minerals (as well as metabolically efficient energy and fibre), but so are a number of other things (nuts, veg, some meats etc).

There's some evidence that eating vast amounts of protein can put a lot of strain on the kidneys, and you certainly don't NEED that much to keep the body ticking over.

Xommul

I'm sure it's been said but I will re enforce it.

Eat 5 meals a day instead of 3, big breakfast ang big lunch with smaller between snacks. Normal size dinner with no carbs. Even out your calories throughout the day so you don't get metabolism spikes. Eating big meals slows metabolism, makes you bloated and sometimes you can't eat enough.

6 egg whites and bowl of whole grain muesli with nuts and milk
85g Chicken breast plus salad
Whole grain bagel with 85g turkey breast and salad
85g tuna salad
150g salmon with steamed veggies, no carbs
Plus a protein shake.
2l water a day.

So how to do it? Prepare meals previous day or in morning. Set alarm to go off every three hours as an eating reminder, vary meals using different sauces and flavours,

You will lose fat, feel healthy and never be hungry so you crave junk.

neeb

I take the point about easting less more often, but no way could I survive on that diet (or its veggie equivalent), I would simply fall over! I'm 5'9", 63kg and I need my carbs!

Mr cyclist

Loads of pasta and a tin of baked beans.

t.m.h.n.e.t

Xommul wrote:

I'm sure it's been said but I will re enforce it.

Eat 5 meals a day instead of 3, big breakfast ang big lunch with smaller between snacks. Normal size dinner with no carbs. Even out your calories throughout the day so you don't get metabolism spikes. Eating big meals slows metabolism, makes you bloated and sometimes you can't eat enough.

6 egg whites and bowl of whole grain muesli with nuts and milk
85g Chicken breast plus salad
Whole grain bagel with 85g turkey breast and salad
85g tuna salad
150g salmon with steamed veggies, no carbs
Plus a protein shake.
2l water a day.

So how to do it? Prepare meals previous day or in morning. Set alarm to go off every three hours as an eating reminder, vary meals using different sauces and flavours,

You will lose fat, feel healthy and never be hungry so you crave junk.

There is no set in stone rule though, 3 meals will work fine for some 5678 for others. Not quite sure why you would recommend no-carb dinners,I'm curious as to your reasoning for this?

SBezza

Xommul wrote:

I'm sure it's been said but I will re enforce it.

Eat 5 meals a day instead of 3, big breakfast ang big lunch with smaller between snacks. Normal size dinner with no carbs. Even out your calories throughout the day so you don't get metabolism spikes. Eating big meals slows metabolism, makes you bloated and sometimes you can't eat enough.

6 egg whites and bowl of whole grain muesli with nuts and milk - Plenty of carbs in it
85g Chicken breast plus salad - Carbs in this as well
Whole grain bagel with 85g turkey breast and salad - Carbs in this as well
85g tuna salad - Carbs in this as well
150g salmon with steamed veggies, no carbs - Carbs in this as well
Plus a protein shake.
2l water a day.

So how to do it? Prepare meals previous day or in morning. Set alarm to go off every three hours as an eating reminder, vary meals using different sauces and flavours,

You will lose fat, feel healthy and never be hungry so you crave junk.

Everything apart from 100% unprocessed meat that you eat contains carbs, unless you eat 100% unprocessed meat you will get a fair amount of carbs in.