Avery R.
- Dec 8, 2020
- 2 min read

Feeding for calories - not bowl weight

Updated: Dec 9, 2020

A lot of people have been asking how I feed Navi so much more now so I figured I would address it in a post.

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The simplest response: choosing and knowing what I am putting into her bowl.

By picking cuts of meat and tailoring her diet, I can feed her nearly 1.5-2lbs a day, yet not exceed her daily caloric intake for a dog of her size, age, and activity level.

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I can buy fatty chunks of pork or beef, or keep the skin on all of the chicken I feed, and reach her daily caloric intake super easy, BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT. I'd be maxing out at about a pound, but be missing out on other nutrients for her. By choosing leaner cuts I'm able to bring variety to her bowls and make sure her nutrient requirements are easily being met by the NRC guidelines.

For example, on average:

100 grams of pork tenderloin = 120 kcal vs. 100 grams of pork loin = 201 kcal

100 grams of lean ground beef = 176 kcal vs. 100 grams of beef heart = 112 kcal

100 grams of chicken thigh = 121 kcal vs. 100 grams of chicken back = 208 kcal

One other crazy calorie fact, 35 grams of lean green beef tripe (i.e. the size of the orange BCR molds), is almost 200 kcals!!!! It may not seem like a lot of food, but it packs a punch in the calorie department and must be considered!

See how even just different cuts from a single protein have a huge variation in calories. So if a dog needed 1000 kcal a day, 10% of that would be coming from just fattier cut of meat...

So... it's not about how much the bowl weighs, it's about what's in it.

If your dog is struggling with weight gain or loss, consider their energy needs and the percentage of calories coming from each macronutrient.

I will NEVER feed based on bowl weight anymore, and if you are still feeding pre-made raw, look at the label and calorie content in each protein and adjust the daily amounts fed.

Calorie Calculator:

https://rawfedandnerdy.com/calorie-calculator