How to make meals filling and feel complete

FrancineDesign

Why do people have a low carb diet? I understand having more protein helps burn fat and that carbs get processed as sugar then stored as fat so I get why the white processed bread is not good but I like white rice and other similar things and countries like Asia, rice is a main ingredient, how come they aren't fat? Is rice ok with along with the other main foods in Asia?

I'm finding it hard to enjoy my meals or feel full. When I'm having eggs I can't have it on toast or with bacon so it's just eggs. I suppose I could have ham. I can't have a sandwich so it's just a salad and for dinner it's low carb veggies and chicken. Is there any ways that people make their meals more filling or interesting, I tried making hash browns from spaghetti squash and cauliflower pizza base but I'm just not that into it.

macgurlnet

Carbs aren't bad unless you've got medical issues that require you to limit them. Some people find it easier to lose when they do low carb.

You can have toast. You can have bacon. You can have a sandwich and hash browns and anything you want, as long as it fits in your calories.



~Lyssa

nutmegoreo

I eat mostly what I used to, just a bit less of it. To make sure I feel full, I add some extra veggies.

ETA: It's about balance. You don't need to cut things out, unless medically needed. You don't need to be miserable about your food choices.

pltjess

It's whatever works for you. Low carb is what works best for me. It helps keep me fuller and I have less cravings once I've gotten into it for a while. It's definitely not for everyone.

MsJulesRenee

Eat what you normally eat but less of it. That simple!

As for the rice question...you have to look at a diet in whole, not only one piece. They don't eat as much of it as us, they probably also get more exercise than us in general. There are so many variables in other countries' diets, you can't pin point it on one reason. You can eat rice with anything, everyday, just eat correct portion sizes.

nvmomketo

It sounds like you really like your carbs so eating low carb may not be for you. LC is not the way to lose weight, CI<CO will usually be the main factor. From what I see, and based on my own experiences, LC is about a healthy diet that improves health, at least in those who eat this way long term. It improves blood glucose levels, PCOS, heart disease, lowers triglycerides, raises HDL, and can help with dementia. Those eating low carb who lose weight still need to eat at a deficit, although that is often easier because appetite often diminishes.

Because those who eat low carb high fat often have health issues like T2D, rice is a bad idea. For those without health problems, or a genetic predisposition to health problems, rice is fine. Heart disease is lower in east Asia but they have higher levels of stroke. Who knows, maybe their carbs aren't doing the. Any favours.

It sounds like you might want to consider a moderate carb diet.

You might also benefit from adding fats. Most people who eat LC eat high fat and moderate protein. I find fat very filling and satisfying.

SLLRunner

francinejones7 wrote: »

Why do people have a low carb diet? I understand having more protein helps burn fat and that carbs get processed as sugar then stored as fat so I get why the white processed bread is not good but I like white rice and other similar things and countries like Asia, rice is a main ingredient, how come they aren't fat? Is rice ok with along with the other main foods in Asia?

I'm finding it hard to enjoy my meals or feel full. When I'm having eggs I can't have it on toast or with bacon so it's just eggs. I suppose I could have ham. I can't have a sandwich so it's just a salad and for dinner it's low carb veggies and chicken. Is there any ways that people make their meals more filling or interesting, I tried making hash browns from spaghetti squash and cauliflower pizza base but I'm just not that into it.

Low carb, for some people, is just a way to control calories in/out, that's all. No diet is special, and any diet will work if you eat at a calorie deficit. You just have to find the one that works best for you.

Why are you food restricting? Maybe just try to eat what you like in moderation and see what happens.

lemurcat12

francinejones7 wrote: »

Why do people have a low carb diet?

It can be a good way for some to control calorie intake (for some people without having to count, although I would).

Reasons:

(1) for some people it seems that they are hungrier when they eat carbs or have a serious drop in appetite when they do keto. I don't have hunger issues if I eat a balanced diet and don't have any interest in losing my appetite, so this doesn't interest me, but it seems to be an important part of why some like it.

(2) avoiding carbs for many is an indirect way of cutting out foods they find tempting/triggering or simply making the time cost of higher cal foods higher. If you can't go buy a bag of chips or order pizza and were in the habit of doing that, you save calories.

(3) some find that cutting carbs is a good way to cut calories without sacrificing much. This was me to a certain extent--I often enjoy a meal just as much if I replace a starchy carb with a non-starchy veg (which is also a carb, but has fewer carbs and also fewer calories).

There's no need to do low carb to lose, though. Like I said, cutting carbs at first helped me cut calories, but I never did low carb and when I got more active I added carbs back in. (I try to eat a healthy diet, but carbs are often part of that.)

I'm finding it hard to enjoy my meals or feel full. When I'm having eggs I can't have it on toast or with bacon so it's just eggs.

You have to do what works for you. No need to cut out bread. I tend to find the calories in bread uninteresting, so I'd choose to use them on something else (I have a vegetable omelet plus fruit and maybe some additional protein for breakfast), but I don't worry about carbs now. If you feel like it's more of a meal with bread (or bacon) and find the calories worth it, use them that way.

Francl27

Having some complex carbs makes meals more filling to me. I just tend to favor potatoes and whole wheat pasta over bread, because they are more filling (unless I really want bread, then I have some, obviously).

I've found that low carb tortillas/wraps are a tasty alternative to bread though. But eggs alone would never fill me up, it's totally worth it to me to use 100 calories in something else (like hash browns or a slice of whole wheat toast with butter) to be full 2 hours longer (also, sausage is great with eggs, or beans).

skinnymalinkyscot

I absolutely love carbs and thoroughly enjoy eating brown bread, white rice, white pasta, potatos etc. I have NO intention of giving up those things anytime soon. I dont like brown rice or pasta, so Im not eating them, Ever!

I count calories and instead of thinking carbs, fat and protein, every day I think/eat - fruit, vegetables & salads, protein, dairy, oils and cereal.

To me, breakfast cereal and bread are a cereal/grain, I dont think of foods as starches, because it doesnt conjure up a mental picture of anything to me. I cant quite imagine how bread and vegetables can both be starches although ive been assured they are. I dont want an explanation, I do understand, its just I group foods differently in my mind.

So on my food wheel 1/ cereals as already mentioned, breakfast cereal, breads, crackers etc . 2/Fruit and 3/veg & salad is self explanatory. 4/ dairy - is cheese, milk yogurts & butter. 5/protein - meat, fish, eggs, nuts & beans, (again im not quite sure what beans are, I HATE dried beans and only eat baked beans in a can). 6/Oils - Olive oil, yes there are others but thats what I cook with.

I eat anything I fancy every day, within the boundaries of something from each of my 6 food groups mentioned and between 1000 and 1500 calories a day, aiming for 1200 ish on average. Works for me. I find if I eat baked beans on toast or baked jacket potato or bananas for example, all complex carbohydrates and starches , I am more satiated, fuller feeling for longer, higher fibre and roughage, a happy bunny.

I eat only moderate amounts of oils in the form of snacks such as nuts or cooking with olive oil.

Dairy is kept to low fat yogurts, greek yogurts, margarine & skimmed milk. In theory cheese is both a dairy and a protein, as is milk, but again this is how I group it.

Protein is cheese, eggs, fish ( I hate fish and only like tinned tuna & tinned salmon) and both red and white meats. Yes, I eat roast beef, beef steaks, minced beef, lamb & liver along with chicken and pork.

I dont believe in restricting anything (red meat, potatos, bread, rice, pasta).

I am keen to keep my iron levels and B vitamins high, for both energy and to counteract my anaemia & fatigue due to having an underactive thyroid gland as well.

Bread and breakfast cereals are fortified with almost 100% of all vitamins and minerals necessary to health.

Im certain that people could almost live indefinitely on potatos, milk, rice, bread, eggs and bananas.

I have no time for fads like almond milk (main ingredient water and 2% almonds, yeh go on pull the other one) or stuff like that. I now try and eat proper wholefoods, I dont care if its fresh, frozen or out of a can. But I count my calories and using MFP food diary keep to my micronutrients in each category which are by default / MFP to protein, fat & carbs, mine is tailored further to iron, fibre and sodium intake . Calories In and Calories out. Rinse and repeat.

flrancho

You don't have to eliminate carbs unless you want to.

I've lost over 100 pounds, mostly with MFP, and I've eaten carbs every step of the way. I mostly eat whole grain carbs (wheat bread, wheat pasta, brown rice) and occasionally to rarely white/processed.

AleksMatic

I've done a low carb diet and that worked for me. Now just cause it worked doesn't mean it was easy I felt like I had to watch EVERYTHING so I stuck to it for a bit but after a while I stopped. I was so afraid of eating carbs even the good ones.. But I learned that carbs are actually great for your body and that's what helps you function! Don't be miserable in your journey to weightloss.. Eat what you want and what you like just have it fit your macros/calories