Does healthy eating = low-calorie eating?
It can… but it depends a great deal on the individual person. In many cases, I’d argue that a low-calorie diet is not ideal for optimum health (such as the case of an athlete, a growing child or teen, an underweight or healthy-weight adult, etc.).
Today’s post is going to be a little different.
It’s a topic about which I’ve been meaning to write for quite a while; ever since there was a bit of drama and confusion over it in the comment section of this post.
You see, I don’t want to send out the wrong message or give people the impression that I only eat low-calorie foods… or that anyone else should only eat low-calorie foods if he/she doesn’t medically need to do so. My website is not a “this is what I ate today” food blog, and the photos you see on this site are usually just of the recipes (as opposed to the entire meal I might’ve eaten along with the recipe. I can tell you I hardly ever eat just a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast!).
Due to the fact that healthier foods are often lower in calories, and because I know a large number of my blog’s readers are watching their weights, many of the recipes on this blog are—or can be—quite low in calories.
In the photo above: Low-Calorie Peanut Butter Ice Cream
To help the large percentage of my readership that doesn’t want the extra calories, I try to always point out when lower-calorie options exist in my recipes (such as when one can sub applesauce, how to make a recipe lower in fat, etc.).
However, the cool thing is that many of my recipes are easily adaptable to almost any diet. Perhaps I need to pay better attention to the other portion of my readers; those who do not have weight to lose?
It’s a common (and dangerous) misconception that a person who needs to gain weight or eat a high-calorie diet must consume exorbitant amounts of junk food in order to meet this goal. You can meet your nutritional needs without downing milkshakes at every meal, and you’ll probably feel much less sluggish.
Today, I thought I’d highlight a few of the tricks I use to calorically bulk up my food while still being healthy.
In the above picture: Chocolate-Strawberry Truffle Pie.
1. Focus on calorie-dense foods.
Eat these first at a meal, so you don’t feel too full before you’ve gotten in enough calories. Here are some calorie-dense, yet healthy, foods:
- all nuts and nut butters
- oils (such as olive, sesame, or coconut) in their pure form (not the hydrogenated stuff they put in packaged goods!)
- avocados
- Thai coconut meat (really good in smoothies, pies, or puddings)
- dried fruit
- canned coconut milk
- giant bowls of pasta (my favorite!)
- dark chocolate (oh wait, that’s my favorite!)
Raw recipes are often calorie-dense. Here are my favorites.
2. Don’t skip the veggies
…because you’re afraid they’re too low-cal. But do be sure to not just eat them plain and steamed. Try sautéing or roasting with a generous drizzle of olive or coconut oil (so so good).
3. Bigger portions.
For example, I post oatmeal recipes that are for one serving. But when I make them for myself, I always times the recipe by 1.5. Try it sometime… you probably won’t even notice you’re taking in more calories!
4. And eating more often.
Instead of three huge meals per day, space it out with 5-6 smaller meals and snacks throughout the day, giving your stomach a chance to digest. Personally, my job as a recipe developer means I never stop snacking! Chocolate is always close to my heart greedy fingers.
5. Non-healthy treats… sometimes.
I’d say I probably eat healthy foods 80% of the time. But does that mean I’ll turn down a friend’s cookies that she veganized just for me? Or Hangawi’s incredible cheesecake in NYC? No, it does not. (I probably should get a post up about this topic, too… but not today. I think I’ve already talked your ears off enough for one day!)
Do you eat a high-calorie diet? A low-calorie diet?
Or maybe you have absolutely no idea how many calories you consume! Please take an introspective look at your life and make responsible food decisions for you. If that means eating a low-calorie diet, my recipes are here to help. But if that means not eating a low-calorie diet, please take advantage of some of the higher-calorie options listed both in this post and in my recipe posts!
For more, see the following: High Calorie Recipes.
Sorry for double commenting. It said error so I tried to send it again.
Katie, I cannot express how grateful I am to you for all your work. Your Blog literally saved my life, I was borderline anorexic (i didnt think i was fat i just didnt eat much) but your site helped me to realise that little, active people (me) need plenty of food and calories and you can get them in a healthy way. I rarely used to have anything high calorie, but your blog has encouraged me to bake loads more, and therefore eat all the foods which I baked! You also taught me how important healthy fats are and now i probably eat way too many lol (my mum asked if someone had thrown the bottle of olive oil away…)
Please keep doing all your hard work and effort because it does make a difference <3
Thank you so much
love katy
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Aww that really makes me so happy!
And lol about the olive oil thing… There is absolutely nothing in this world as good (or maybe as good for you either!) as caramelized, roasted veggies drizzled with olive oil). I always buy the biggest container :).
I know you get plenty of comments, so I thought why not add one more? lol! Anyways, as others have mentioned, I would not have survived if it wasn’t for your blog. My suggestion is that you post some high-calorie vegetable recipes because I am one who typically avoids low-cal. veggies (plus, weird looks from people thinking a thin girl can’t eat veggies just turns it off for me) to bulk up on healthy fats. I know my reason is no excuse, but that is just a recipe suggestion haha. I am a weight gainer who is gluten-free, soy-free, and vegan. I have been an avid reader for about a year, and I just HAD to thank you so much for all you have given to me to gain weight and deal with food allergies:)
Aw thanks, Chloe! I will definitely try to get some savory recipes up… but I must admit I like dessert posts better. Veggies are so darn hard to photoshoot! Green ones esspecially ;).
Hi Katie!
I’m glad to finally find a healthy food blogger who is actually trying to gain weight! I am too. You’re really encouraging and inspiring. I’m in high school, and am very active with track and cross country. It’s really hard for me to gain weight because I do not like eating big portions, I like healthy food, and I am so busy, active, and have a high metabolism. I am self-conscious about how skinny I am, and I HATE it when people tell me I’m too skinny. Why is it not okay to tease someone for being overweight, but it’s acceptable to make fun of someone for being too skinny? Anyway, I think you are a great role model and really enjoy your blog!
-Eliza
Thank you so much for posting this. I’m a recovering anorexic and it’s difficult for me to find other blogs that promote a healthy lifestyle whatever that means for the individual, not one that sends a “Do what I do because I’m a blogger and I’m thin” type message. I really appreciate you writing this. Thank you.
Hi Katie- I haven’t read your blog very much but it seems interesting. Looking forward to checking out the recipes. Seems like this last post has brought a lot of discussion… I don’t have anything to add that’s not been said but as far as my current diet, I don’t count calories and follow a meal plan with exchanges.
I love this post! I’m a fifteen-almost-sixteen-yeatr-old girl who just somewhat recently got out of treatment for an eating disorder (mostly orthorexia, but anorexia as well, and I have a ridiculous metabolism. At the treatment center, they were kind of irked by my veganism and adverseness to any foods that I considered unhealthy (anything processed, with refined sugar, etc.). I’m always looking for ways to condense healthy foods, and I’ve pretty much figured it out, but you’ve summed it up pretty nicely. (-: Love your blog, by the way; your recipes are delicious!
Hi Katie!
I wondered: could you make chocolatecoveredkatiestyle Waffles?
A fan from Belgium.
It’s definitely on my to-do list!!
yay! 🙂
I must to apologize, Katie: I got tangled into the rumors that you’re anorexic and all those other conspiracies for a spell; I really regret it. It’s absurd to sit here on my computer half-way across the country while speculating about how much you eat. Who am I to say if you’re anorexic or orthorexic, just based on what you publish on this blog? I certainly haven’t met or seen you, much less known you!
In fact, I’ve known a couple of girls who were, from what I can see, about your size growing up. They were constantly taunted and derided about their weight; ironically, I was the one standing up for them. I knew then, even as a bigger-boned child, that it was logically faulty to compare your own weight with your peers; everyone’s built differently, and there’s myriad factors that come into play.
I shouldn’t forget my initial logic on this matter, and once again, I apologize for being so judgmental. Thank you for being so candor with your readers and yourself – it’s time that I do the same.
Aw Catalina, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your honesty and kindness in leaving this comment.
I am certainly not above making snap judgements about people… I think it’s just human nature!
Great post! There have been a few times in my life where I’ve wanted to gain weight, and it wasn’t until I learned to do it by incorporating healthy foods that I managed to form good habits that kept me in a comfortable place. You’re so right—when you fill up on junk, it’s harder to work up the enthusiasm for a filling meal that’s going to give you the nutrients your body needs.