I know this sounds like a stupid question, and I've been asking a ton of questions lately, but bare with me.  I like the input.  It helps me sort things out in my mind.  

As most of you know I'm trying to gain weight.  And a lot of my thinking has to be changed in order to do such.  I think it has to do with the fact that when I first got sick 5 years ago, when I ate a lot of anything, which I was used to doing, I felt awful.  So, my portions got smaller and I got smaller.  And I'm trying to reverse all that right now.  But my mind has to get over it to do it.  

When I eat nut butters, like on a rice cake, I've been sticking to approximately a teaspoon.  Which to be honest, doesn't even cover a rice cake very well.  How much does a normal person do?  A tablespoon?  Two?  I just don't know.  I know that as I eat more, I'm craving more, which is a good thing.  Because I'm getting hungry not long after I eat.  This is a new sensation for me.  For a long time, I wasn't ever hungry.  But it's like I picture myself having a coronary or something if I eat too much of anything at one time.  It's a false picture I need to remove.  Well, there is probably some rationale in it, but I'm pretty sure I can eat more than I do.  I'm pushing the boundaries all the time, and upping my portions of meats, and veggies and everything.  So, I'm just wondering if it's safe to eat like a tablespoon at once.  

Or for that matter oils.  My swami says I should only eat 8 tablespoons of oil per week.  Well, to me, that just isn't very much if you're including your cooking oil. But I'm pretty sure I need more right now to up my weight.  I'm not going overboard, but at this point I'm probably eating maybe 1-1/2 tablespoons of oil.  I could probably up it to 2 or 3, but I worry about doing some kind of damage or something.  I have no clue what.  I guess raising cholesterol.  Which I know I need to get rid of that fear.  But why would my swami only tell me 8 tablespoons a week, if there wasn't some kind of problem with them in too large amounts?  Is it because it's geared for people who want to lose weight????

Thank you for your help!!!

swami knows you do not wish to loose weight, but given your variables and all your personal data, that is what you got

I eat it until I'm out of celery.  

Swami tells me the amount... I start there... My problem is I'm working on losing not gaining.. so yeah... a small problem.

Quoted from TJ

I eat it until I'm out of celery.  

Do you put ants on them too?  Too funny.  Sounds delicious.

Quoted from JJR

Do you put ants on them too?  Too funny.  Sounds delicious.

No ants, just almond butter that I've mixed with honey and salt.

It has been suggested to that the reason oil portions are so small is that I am not able to digest fat well (lack the proper enzyme). Some people have suggested that I could take the enzyme and eat more fat, I have hesitated since I did not really consider that as part of the diet.

I did not realize how lucky I was with my nut butter portion size--one teaspoon would really limit me.

Nuts and nut butters make me hungry every time. I'm thinking that means I have some sort of intolerance. Time to back off again for me. I am not trying to lose or gain but don't like the hungry feeling.

I frequently eat 1-2 Tablespoons of nut butter at a sitting. Less than that is just not satisfying.

Quoted from JJR

When I eat nut butters, like on a rice cake, I've been sticking to approximately a teaspoon.  Which to be honest, doesn't even cover a rice cake very well.  How much does a normal person do?  A tablespoon?  Two?

I think this is somewhat an individual thing, but if I'm eating peanut butter on rice cakes for a meal, I usually eat two rice cakes (the thick Lundberg cakes) and probably 1 1/2 Tablespoons PB on each one.  I usually either steam about 2 cups veggies or cut up 2 small or 1 large carrot into sticks, as well.
If it is a snack, it is only 1 cakes and maybe less PB, but it depends on appetite at the time.

Quoted from JJR

Or for that matter oils.  My swami says I should only eat 8 tablespoons of oil per week.  Well, to me, that just isn't very much if you're including your cooking oil. But I'm pretty sure I need more right now to up my weight.  I'm not going overboard, but at this point I'm probably eating maybe 1-1/2 tablespoons of oil.  I could probably up it to 2 or 3, but I worry about doing some kind of damage or something.  I have no clue what.  I guess raising cholesterol.  Which I know I need to get rid of that fear.  But why would my swami only tell me 8 tablespoons a week, if there wasn't some kind of problem with them in too large amounts?  Is it because it's geared for people who want to lose weight????

My SWAMI gives me only 5 Tablespoons oil per week, which is 2 teaspoons per day.  Most weeks I am very close to that.  I only use oil with eggs and when I saute onions and liver, so don't need that much.  

I get fats/oils from foods, though, so I don't feel slighted.  Nut butters and fish provide significant amounts of oil to my diet and I feel that those fat amounts are included in the frequencies for those foods.

I don't even know how much my swami says of nut butters I can have.  I didn't think it did.  I'll go look. But I know I eat more than my recommended amount of nuts.  I don't really care.  I probably need more meat and less nuts though.  

This advice is helping me.  Thank you guys!!!

I'm reminded of comedian Elayne Boosler's take on the "serving size" of a pint of ice cream...

"Serves 4?"  (insert sarcastic look here)

My Mom is convinced that a serving size of peanut butter is approximately however much you can fit onto a large wooden spoon.  

I eat half a jar in one sitting but this seems to be my current phase.  Also, could be the genotype thing and that I eat only one substantial meal per day.  I probably eat a jar of almond butter per week on average.  

About two tablespoons of almond butter per slice of spelt bread.  I might get a bit hungry after four hours, but at least I don't experience the hypoglycemic responses of weakness and shakiness.

You can always re-run your SWAMI and request larger portions of all your foods.  It will help you keep the ratios balanced.

I was gonna say: Doesn't he tell you portion sizes?

Quoted from C_sharp

I did not realize how lucky I was with my nut butter portion size--one teaspoon would really limit me.

me too - my swami allowance is 2 tbspn, 6 times per week.

So when swami shows both, does that mean you are allowed both those portions of nut AND nut butters?  Or one or the other?

Quoted from Drea

I frequently eat 1-2 Tablespoons of nut butter at a sitting. Less than that is just not satisfying.

Same here. I might go days without eating any nuts or nut butters, but when I eat them, I want a satisfying quantity.

Probably one tablespoon per rice cake ,and I might have 2 rice cakes with almond butter at a sitting.

Quoted from JJR

So when swami shows both, does that mean you are allowed both those portions of nut AND nut butters?  Or one or the other?

One or the other.

And beans count as serving of vegetable protein as well.

The count you are given is the total of all vegetable protein servings.

A serving can be beans, seeds, nuts, nut butters, or various protein products (soy pasta for instance).

A serving does not include all the various types of vegetable protein at once.

Quoted Text

So when swami shows both, does that mean you are allowed both those portions of nut AND nut butters?  Or one or the other?

I have taken this to mean one or the other. Can you actually taste a teaspoon of nut butter on a rice cake? I use about 1 tablespoon.

Like you, I am trying to gain weight, although this has been a lifetime quest so I might not get too far. I selected "bigger portions" on Swami (don't know if that is the exact wording but the one for those who are underweight) and even with that I get 8 tablespoons of oil per week and 1 tablespoon of nut butter 6 times a week. I also wonder which category is the best to increase to gain weight. Is it oils, animal protein, grains? I am pretty sure it's not dairy! Probably animal protein for me but I am already eating 2 decent portions per day. We have discussed this before and even though grains seem to put weight on people, they don't have an effect on me unless they are non-compliant grains with refined sugar!

Another thing we have in common, trying to get everything just right and worrying! I'm working on it and it seems you are too!

Lisa

Thank you Lisa for understanding my perspective.

I didn't know you could choose a "larger portion" thing on swami.  I'm going to go look at it now.

Hey hey!!!  I just changed the status to "More Frequent / Larger Portions and it did change my swami quite a bit.  It wants me to eat more meat.  Larger amounts at each meal and more times per week.  It didn't change my nut status.  I guess that's the whole omega 3 to omega 6 ratio thing.  But I have been trying to up my meats lately.  I'll keep working on this!