Under eating the calories your body needs can wreak havoc on your health making it harder to lose weight and long term can even lead to hormonal imbalances! Here are a few tips to make it easier add more nutrient and calorically dense foods to your day.
Add healthy fats: Olive oil, avocados, olives, nuts, seeds, fatty fish (salmon)
Add extra olive or avocado oil when cooking
Toss pasta with olive or avocado oil before adding sauces
Drizzle olive oil onto freshly popped popcorn
Have 1/4 to 1/2 cup of nuts or trail mix
Make your own trail mix with whole wheat cereal, nuts, raisins and dried fruit
Use peanut butter and raisins on whole grain breads/crackers, fruit and veggies (i.e. apples, bananas, carrots, celery)
Add olives, avocados, guacamole, hummus to whole wheat or chickpea pasta, salads, sandwiches/toast, whole grain crackers
Eat more oily omega-3 fat rich fish, like as grilled or smoked salmon
Add complex carbohydrates: Whole grains, beans, legumes, starchy veggies
Add a side of beans to your meals
Add chickpeas to your salads
Add a layer of brown rice under your protein
Pick side dishes that are higher calorie starchy vegetables like peas, carrots, corn, squash, roasted sweet potatoes, or a baked potato with nutrient dense toppings like reduced fat cheese, and plain greek yogurt (as a replacement for sour cream)
General tips and tricks to eating more:
Eat the highest calorie item on your plate first
Increase your portions (particularly your higher calorie foods) at meals and snacks
Sprinkle nuts and seeds on greek yogurt, cereal, oatmeal and in stir fry dishes
Use ultra filtered high protein milk (like Fairlife) instead of water to make oatmeal and quinoa
Be prepared and plan ahead and have a stash of snacks you can grab and go as you get busy