

How to Eat 5000 Calories Per Day

By Leigh Wittman

Kilo calories, commonly simply referred to as calories, are units of energy in food to fuel your body. You and your doctor may have decided that you need to consume 5,000 calories per day for a variety of reasons, such as weight gain or to fuel an intense athletic regimen. In the beginning, you may find yourself unsure of how to eat 5,000 healthy calories each day, but with some practice, you can successfully eat nutritious, delicious meals with the calories you require.

  1. Eat six meals consisting of approximately 833 calories each. According to "Basic Nutrition and Diet Therapy," it is best for your metabolism and digestion to consume six meals daily as opposed to the traditional three.

  2. Plan your meals ahead of time to ensure that you have approximately 833 calories in each meal. Use a calorie counter book or online resource to look up calories for foods you are unfamiliar with.

  3. Include lean protein, vegetables and complex carbohydrates with each meal. Protein, vegetables and whole grains are the cornerstones to a healthy diet and you should incorporate lean cuts of meat, fish and tofu into your diet to meet your lean protein requirements, a wide array of vegetables such as lettuce, peppers and squash for your vegetables and a variety of whole grains, such as whole wheat pasta, whole grain bread, brown rice and wild rice to meet your complex carbohydrate needs.

  4. Cook with olive oil to add healthy omega fatty acids to your meals and increase your calories to assist you in reaching the required 833 calories per meal.

  5. Add calories to your meal by utilizing nutritious, calorie-dense foods. For example, enjoy a large avocado, which touts 322 calories, 14 g of fiber and 975 g of potassium. Alternatively, top your salad with some sunflower seeds or walnuts, which have 165 calories per ounce and 185 calories per ounce respectively.

  6. Avoid sugary and fatty foods, such as cookies, cakes, chocolates and candies. Though these may seem like ideal and necessary food choices to increase your caloric intake, it is better to choose healthy foods to meet your calorie needs.

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