Can’t Eat Enough for Muscle Growth? Use These 5 Proven Calorie-Boosting Tips
5 easy ways to increase your calorie intake.
It can be difficult to meet your daily calorie requirements if you’re trying to gain muscle mass. Eating a lot of food isn’t always easy, especially if you have a weak appetite.
The good news is that there are tried-and-true methods for increasing your calorie intake and reaching your goal. In this blog post, I’ll share five practical and effective tips to help you consume the required calories without breaking a sweat.
This post has you covered if you’re looking for simple tricks to increase your calorie intake or ways to make mealtime more manageable. As usual, a table of contents has been included for your convenience.
So, let’s dive in and take a closer look at these calorie-boosting ideas.
· Tip #1: Increase Your Fat Intake
· Tip #2: Consume More Liquid Calories
· Tip #3: Reduce Your Intake of Low-Calorie Dense Foods
· Tip #4: Include Snacks in Your Diet
· Tip #5: Eat Small Frequent Meals
Tip #1: Increase Your Fat Intake
Fat is a macronutrient that our bodies require for overall health and, in particular, for energy and proper cell functioning.
It’s important to remember that fats have 9 calories per gram, making them an easy and efficient way to hit your calorie target with less food. Don’t be afraid of fat, but be careful not to overdo it.
A healthy fat intake that is balanced and moderate can provide numerous benefits to your body.
Here are a few of the best and healthiest fat sources: Coconut milk, nuts (almonds, walnuts, and pecans), butter, seed oils (flaxseed, chia seed, hemp seed), chocolate (dark chocolate with 70% or more cacao), fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, and sardines), and avocado.
It’s critical to remember that some fats are better for you than others. Unsaturated fats found in nuts, seeds, and fatty fish are thought to be healthier than saturated fats found in butter and animal products.
According to a Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health study, eating more unsaturated fats was associated with lower mortality.
In addition, be mindful of portion control when trying to increase your fat intake. A tablespoon of nut butter or a medium-sized avocado, for example, can provide a substantial amount of healthy fats, so moderation is essential.
Overall, healthy fats can be simple and delicious to incorporate into your diet. You can drizzle olive oil over your vegetables, spread nut butter on your morning toast, or eat fatty fish for dinner.
The possibilities are limitless, and with the right balance, you’ll be able to meet your calorie goal while also supporting your muscle growth journey.
Tip #2: Consume More Liquid Calories
Consuming a portion of your calories in liquid form can be a game changer in terms of meeting your calorie needs, especially if solid foods are highly satiating or you have trouble with your appetite.
Drinking your calories can help you get more energy into your diet without feeling bloated. Liquid foods are absorbed faster into the bloodstream, which can boost energy, keep you hydrated, and improve muscle recovery after strenuous exercise.
Here are some ideas for consuming more calories in liquid form:
Protein smoothies are among the most practical and simple ways to increase your calorie intake. Your preferred ingredients, a scoop of protein powder, and a blender are all you require.
A decent smoothie should include protein, fibre, healthy fats, and carbohydrates. Bananas, oats, almond milk, nut butter, and berries are excellent additions. You can also include some spinach or kale to improve your nutrient intake.
Meal Replacement Shakes: If your appetite is a problem for you, meal replacement shakes may be able to help.
They are made to offer a well-balanced meal in a convenient and drinkable form. Find a smoothie with high-quality protein, beneficial fats, and slowly absorbing carbohydrates.
Juice: You can choose a more natural approach with juice if you don’t like smoothies or meal replacement shakes. Mangoes, bananas, and dates are examples of fruits with a high sugar content that can be blended with healthy fats like coconut milk or almond butter to create a high-calorie juice. This will increase your nutrient intake while also giving you more energy.
Tip #3: Reduce Your Intake of Low-Calorie Dense Foods
Reduce your intake of low-calorie-dense foods and replace it with high-calorie-dense foods as one option if you’re having trouble meeting your calorie needs.
Some Fruits and vegetables, for example, are nutrient-dense and healthy, but they are low in calories and provide little energy.
Examples of high-calorie foods are oils, sauces, gravies, peanut butter, whole milk, yoghurt, mayonnaise, and sour cream, granola cereal with fruit and granola bars, muffins, pancakes, waffles, and other bread. Milkshakes, puddings, and custard.
To get the best of both worlds, eat more high-calorie-dense foods while also including some low-calorie-dense foods in your diet if you’re having trouble meeting your calorie needs.
However, it’s important to remember that eating too many high-calorie-dense foods can lead to weight gain, so keep portion sizes and overall calorie intake in mind.
It will be simpler to meet your calorie requirements and promote muscle growth if you consume fewer low-calorie-dense foods and more high-calorie-dense ones. So, be inventive and try a variety of high-calorie foods until you discover what suits you the most.
Tip #4: Include Snacks in Your Diet
We’ve all been told that snacking is bad, but when it comes to meeting your calorie requirements, snacks can be a lifesaver.
By incorporating snacks throughout your day, you can meet your caloric needs without feeling burdened by large meals.
Here’s how you can put this tip to use:
Include wholesome snacks. Focus on adding healthy, nutrient-dense snacks to your diet rather than grabbing for processed or junk food. Nuts, cheese, canned fruit, peanut butter, crackers, cottage cheese, muffins, pretzels with dip, dried fruits, and yoghurt are a few delicious alternatives.
Prepare your treats. Make your snacks at home if you’re feeling inventive. This can contain protein snacks, energy nibbles, or nutritious muffins. Making your snacks gives you complete control over the ingredients and allows you to customize them to your needs.
Experiment with several snack options. Snacks come in many different forms and sizes, so don’t be hesitant to try out all varieties until you find one that suits you. Try cheese or crackers instead of nuts, for instance, if you don’t like them. If you dislike dry fruit, consider canned fruit.
Make snacks a part of your routine. Include snacking in your everyday routine to make it a habit. You may, for instance, nibble in the morning, following lunch, and in the evening. This will assist you in consuming the calories you need while limiting your lunchtime overeating.
Tip #5: Eat Small Frequent Meals
You may ensure that you meet your daily calorie consumption targets by eating small, frequent meals.
By incorporating this strategy into your diet, you can more easily reach your calorie goal and increase your metabolism, which will help you absorb food more quickly and prevent the languid sensation that frequently follows a large, heavy meal.
Focus on nutrient-dense, high-calorie foods when selecting your meals, such as those that are rich in protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates.
This will maximize the number of calories in each meal while also ensuring that you are obtaining the vital nutrients your body needs to sustain muscular building.
If you struggle with snacking or don’t have time for full meals, keep high-calorie snacks like nuts, cheese, canned fruit, peanut butter, crackers, cottage cheese, muffins, pretzels with dip, nuts, dried fruit, crackers, and yoghurt on hand throughout the day.
These alternatives can help you add more calories and nutrients to your diet while also avoiding the pitfalls of unhealthy snacks and junk food.
Ultimately, incorporating small, frequent meals into your diet can be an effective way to ensure you meet your calorie intake goals while also building the muscle mass you desire.
With a little planning and preparation, you can reap the benefits of this approach and quickly achieve your fitness and body composition goals!
To sum it up, meeting your daily calorie intake or achieving a surplus can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. By following the advice in this blog post, you’ll be able to easily increase your calorie intake and provide your body with the energy it requires to grow.
Remember that muscle building takes time and patience, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t see results right away. Continue to push forward, stay focused on your objectives, and, most importantly, enjoy the journey!
That’s all there is to it, folks! These are tried-and-true methods for increasing your calorie intake and achieving your muscle-building objectives. Whether you’re having trouble controlling your appetite or simply want to be more conscious of the foods you eat, these tips will help.
