400 calories left by 5:30PM. What's for dinner?

knittingbee928

Right now I'm looking for what will get me the most "bang for my buck" food-wise - lower calories, and staying fuller longer.

I'm on a 1200 calorie diet, trying to lose about 10-13 lbs. I'm 5'0 and weigh about 113. I generally have a cup of kefir with blueberries for breakfast (150 calories), homemade healthy leftovers (4-500), and 2 pieces of fruit throughout the day (200 calories). These are estimates, but usually I'm left with about 400 calories left for dinner.

The thing is... I'm hungry. I'm not eating out of boredom or emotions. I don't want to up my calorie intake. I'm learning not to eat rice (for example - high calories, zero return) but I'm looking for strategies on how to maximize what I'm eating, stay fuller longer, and still have an OK number at the end of the day. I'd be happy with 500, but sometimes by 5:30 I've eaten down to where I have 300 calories left. So far my strategies are 1.) drink more water and 2.) if I'm going to go over the calorie amount, do so mindfully and eating as little calories as possible while not starving myself/being unhealthy about it. Nuts are a great snack, but walnuts are 200 calories in 1/4 cup. Yowza!

On exercise: I'm healing from surgery and can't do any impact/strength training right now, so that's out. I can walk, that's about it for the next 2 months.

Any and all ideas are welcome.

Thanks.

sllm1

Protein keeps you full longer, and you get the most bang for your buck with something like grilled chicken. 30 calories per ounce with 7 grams of protein. I can have two grilled chicken tacos on corn tortillas with a dab of cheese dip for 300 calories and more than 30 grams of protein. Keeps me satiated.

concordancia

You are already at a healthy weight, so any changes will be slow and entirely unnecessary.

As for your question, I would suggest less fruit and more veggies. The sugars in the fruit could be affecting your blood sugar levels. Plus, you will get veggies a lot of most veggies and sti be able to get in some fats or proteins to help keep you feeling full for the 200+ calories you are currently using on fruit.

jessicapk

Loads of veggies and shrimp. I once ate over a pound of shrimp and veggies (mostly mushrooms) for just over 300 calories AND that included cooking oil. I was stuffed and had plenty of protein and fiber to keep me full.

Sabine_Stroehm

Veg and lean protein all the way.

NewMeSM75

Last night I had 5 oz of chicken breast (boneless, skinless). Seasoned and cooked in nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray. Finished in oven. On side, fresh zucchini sliced (1 medium) - sauteed same and 1 cup of green beans. Appx. 300 calories.

So lean proteins and fresh veggies.

rnlarry24

concordancia wrote: »

You are already at a healthy weight, so any changes will be slow and entirely unnecessary.

As for your question, I would suggest less fruit and more veggies. The sugars in the fruit could be affecting your blood sugar levels. Plus, you will get veggies a lot of most veggies and sti be able to get in some fats or proteins to help keep you feeling full for the 200+ calories you are currently using on fruit.

concordancia wrote: »

You are already at a healthy weight, so any changes will be slow and entirely unnecessary.

As for your question, I would suggest less fruit and more veggies. The sugars in the fruit could be affecting your blood sugar levels. Plus, you will get veggies a lot of most veggies and sti be able to get in some fats or proteins to help keep you feeling full for the 200+ calories you are currently using on fruit.

rnlarry24

Good advice, cut down the fruit ,2 cups steamed veggies 60 calories better

JenHuedy

For more filling snacks, look at replacing one of the fruits with something higher in protein like an 80 cal greek yogurt.

My go-tos for a filling dinner when I'm low on calories is a huge mushroom, spinach & ham omelette or a 6-8 oz fillet of some sort of white fish with a ginormous serving of steamed broccoli, green beans or some other veggie.

michael_jordan7

Lots of good suggestions here already. Mine would be a full cup of cottage cheese (220 cals) plus whatever fruit you like with it: diced peaches, diced pears, pineapple tidbits, applesauce. That should come in well under 400 total and cottage cheese is high protein and should keep you satisfied until bedtime.

ElizabethOakes2

Pretty much what everyone else has suggested- Bulk your diet with veggies and whole grains.
Yes, white rice is a wash, and not very nutritious. Instead, try whole brown rice, wild rice, quinoa (takes less time to cook than rice, bonus!), barley, etc. OR substitute beans for other carb dishes like rice. You can do almost all the same things to white beans as you can with rice, and beans are much higher in protein and fiber, which will help you feel full.

My dinners usually fall in the 400-500 range and consist of 3-4 oz of meat protein, a cooked vegetable (broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, etc), spinach salad with lots of tomato, cucumber (leave the skin on for the fiber), celery, carrot, etc, and a 1/4 cup of a fiber-high whole grain or bean dish. (White beans and kale is a favorite in our house.)

JeromeBarry1

knittingbee928 wrote: »

Right now I'm looking for what will get me the most "bang for my buck" food-wise - lower calories, and staying fuller longer.

I'm on a 1200 calorie diet, trying to lose about 10-13 lbs. I'm 5'0 and weigh about 113. I generally have a cup of kefir with blueberries for breakfast (150 calories), homemade healthy leftovers (4-500), and 2 pieces of fruit throughout the day (200 calories). These are estimates, but usually I'm left with about 400 calories left for dinner.

The thing is... I'm hungry. I'm not eating out of boredom or emotions. I don't want to up my calorie intake. I'm learning not to eat rice (for example - high calories, zero return) but I'm looking for strategies on how to maximize what I'm eating, stay fuller longer, and still have an OK number at the end of the day. I'd be happy with 500, but sometimes by 5:30 I've eaten down to where I have 300 calories left. So far my strategies are 1.) drink more water and 2.) if I'm going to go over the calorie amount, do so mindfully and eating as little calories as possible while not starving myself/being unhealthy about it. Nuts are a great snack, but walnuts are 200 calories in 1/4 cup. Yowza!

On exercise: I'm healing from surgery and can't do any impact/strength training right now, so that's out. I can walk, that's about it for the next 2 months.

Any and all ideas are welcome.

Thanks.

I also am getting slightly over 1200 each day. My dinner consists of a steamed fillet of salmon, a single 1/2 cup serving of brown rice, a single 1/2 cup serving of legumes, a serving of 6 brussels sprouts, a serving of 2/3 cup of mixed vegetables, and a serving of 3 oz blend of carrots, squash, and zucchini. That's 3 servings of veg, 1 of starch, one of legumes, one of protein. I add a pat of butter. There's also a squeeze of lemon in my dinner and the dinner totals 468 calories. To reduce that to 400, I could eliminate the rice and add a pat of butter, or I could eliminate 2 of the veg, or I could eliminate the beans and add 1 more servings of vegetables. For myself, I'm going to leave that plan as it is and have planned a later snack of 2 oz tuna if I need something else. Rather, I've planned a later 2 oz tuna and a Chip's Ahoy chocolate chip cookie just to get to my 1200 calories.

peachyfuzzle

Chili!

Shalynlink

knittingbee928 wrote: »

Right now I'm looking for what will get me the most "bang for my buck" food-wise - lower calories, and staying fuller longer.

I'm on a 1200 calorie diet, trying to lose about 10-13 lbs. I'm 5'0 and weigh about 113. I generally have a cup of kefir with blueberries for breakfast (150 calories), homemade healthy leftovers (4-500), and 2 pieces of fruit throughout the day (200 calories). These are estimates, but usually I'm left with about 400 calories left for dinner.

The thing is... I'm hungry. I'm not eating out of boredom or emotions. I don't want to up my calorie intake. I'm learning not to eat rice (for example - high calories, zero return) but I'm looking for strategies on how to maximize what I'm eating, stay fuller longer, and still have an OK number at the end of the day. I'd be happy with 500, but sometimes by 5:30 I've eaten down to where I have 300 calories left. So far my strategies are 1.) drink more water and 2.) if I'm going to go over the calorie amount, do so mindfully and eating as little calories as possible while not starving myself/being unhealthy about it. Nuts are a great snack, but walnuts are 200 calories in 1/4 cup. Yowza!

On exercise: I'm healing from surgery and can't do any impact/strength training right now, so that's out. I can walk, that's about it for the next 2 months.

Any and all ideas are welcome.

Thanks.

Wow twin. I am also 5 ft, 115 lbs and all same as you. I have lost 19.4 lbs to date (with 10lbs left) . I eat a Vega protein shake in the AM, a 300-350 cal lunch and then a veg heavy dinner. I don't do nuts because they are too calorie laden. I use some chia but people generally go overboard with nuts and trail mixes. Below are my go to's:

boiled egg with hot sauce
ground turkey stuffed peppers (no rice)
quinoa w/ stir fried vegetable w tons of hot sauce
cottage cheese w/ apple
Vega shake (I use water, ice and a banana)
lots of green tea
vegetables & hummus
cucumbers & tomatos & spinach mixed with 1 T tzatiki (sp)
lots of spinach with raw vegetable with balsamic

But even after all this, I have to exercise. And walking is fantastic! Can you do seated weights? Like sit in a chair and do curls?

erinc5

Agreed with what others are saying about protein and veggies for volume. A great meal that I do for lower calories is some sort of salad. I know people think salads are boring, but you can literally put anything on them. My base is always 3-5 oz of chicken (depending on how many calories I have to spare) on a bed of spinach or mixed greens. Then I add the toppings I want. My favorite combos are:

• Buffalo sauce and blue cheese crumbles
• Grilled pepper/onion, sour cream, salsa, (shredded cheese and avocado are good too)
• fresh chopped tomato, basil, fresh mozzarella, balsamic vinegar
• hard boiled egg, chopped up bacon, red onion slices, balsamic vinegar mixed with a little dijon
• spiced pecans, dried cranberries, blue or gorgonzola cheese crumbles, balsamic vinegar

Salads are great because you can adjust the amounts of anything. The taco salad variation is the one I eat the most, as my husband gets tired of salad, but not of actual tacos. I like the salad because I'd rather eat more cheese/sour cream rather than a taco shell. You can definitely keep one of these less than or right at 400 calories and finish feeling full.

Shalynlink

concordancia wrote: »

You are already at a healthy weight, so any changes will be slow and entirely unnecessary.

This really depends on body structure. I am 2 lbs heavier and still have easily 10 lbs of fat weight to lose. When you are 5 feet with a very small bone structure (I have the bones of a 10 year old), it is really surprising what I weigh.

knittingbee928

Thanks to all the great suggestions so far!

You are already at a healthy weight, so any changes will be slow and entirely unnecessary.

I think I'll be the judge of that, thank you. Despite what my BMI appears to be on paper, personally I feel my best at 103. So yeah, while I'm a healthy weight according to what any BMI calculator will show, my butt and thighs reveal a different story. As anyone who's very short like myself knows, each pound gained feels like 5. Especially when all the weight goes to one place. And after a surgery and 10-pound weight gain, when my entire entire life I've been just shy of 102, it's not "entirely unnecessary" at all.

Thanks for the food suggestions, though! I'll keep them in mind - everyone here has great ideas.

shadows2424

Two pieces of barbaqued talapia made ont he stove top with broccoli and cheese.

JeepHair77

Mmmmm, tilapia. Except I'd season it and put it on the grill. With some green beans tossed in a touch of olive oil. You could do that for 400 calories, easy.

faithsstaircase

I'm a huge fan of a nice steak with a bunch of veggies and a salad.

dollydiva2

Today I had chicken steaks, sweet potato chips, mushrooms and salad. A great big dinner that was just under 500 cals (I had 2 chicken steaks that were 122 each so one less would have made it 400)
Tomorrow I'm having cajun tuna steaks with savory cauliflower rice and peppers with salad on the side which comes in at 440.
I try and swap rice for cauli rice, pasta for spiralized veg etc so you get a big dinner for less calories.

minizebu

Protein and fiber are your friends as far as satiety is concerned. Also front loading this protein and fiber early in the day, in your first and second meals of the day, will help you to feel full throughout the day and less hungry in the evening.

knittingbee928

These suggestions are amazing, thank you!! Cauliflower rice? I never heard of it (and I'm a healthy eater) but it sounds delish!

Rage_Phish

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

Veg and lean protein all the way.

yup

mecsami

I'm addicted to a 300 calorie pasta meal that I found and tweaked a little, that's super healthy, full of protein, and keeps me full for a long time. I make a big batch on Sundays & eat it for lunch during the week. My family likes it too if I add cheese. If I'm working out hard that day/week, I'll add fresh parmesan, but if not, then skip it. I usually have fruit, greek yogurt and (pick one or more) wheat germ/granola/flax seed/chia, then my lunch, and rarely eat a full dinner because lunch is so satisfying. I do make sure I reach at least 1200 calories though, and go 1400-1600 if I'm exercising, because when I'm under I actually hold on to weight.

Serves 10-12 depending on portion size
1lb whole wheat pasta
1lb shrimp, peeled & deveined
2 (15-16 oz) cans of cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
4 cups fresh green beans, trimmed & chopped
1 large onion diced
Red chile flake
3-4 cloves of garlic chopped
white wine/water/stock (I use 1/2 cup wine to deglaze then add 2-3 cups of stock later)
1lb diced or cherry tomatoes (or canned, rinsed & drained)
salt & pepper
large handful of whatever fresh chopped herbs you like: parsley, basil, cilantro, sage, oregano...

Boil the pasta (in salty water) a couple minutes shorter than recommended to finish in sauce later, and add green beans 2 minutes before that to partially cook. Drain pasta & green beans immediately.

In a large pan sauté onion s&p and chile flake in olive oil on med-high heat. If using dried instead of fresh herbs add them now to bring out their flavor. Add garlic for about 30 seconds then add shrimp cooking just 1-2 minutes on each side until just pink (not cooked through. Remove shrimp & set aside. Add 1/2 cup wine/water/stock to deglaze & reduce couple minutes. Then add all remaining ingredients except fresh herbs, salt & pepper to taste, and let simmer.

When tomatoes "pop" or begin to break down and stock has reduced a little (5 minutes or so), turn off heat, toss in pasta and shrimp with fresh herbs. You may have to move it all to a bigger bowl to be able to mix. Grate parmesan over individual servings if you've earned it

dollydiva2

knittingbee928 wrote: »

These suggestions are amazing, thank you!! Cauliflower rice? I never heard of it (and I'm a healthy eater) but it sounds delish!

You can make your own easily enough if you have a food processor, then it's best dry fried (there's lots of recipes on the Web....I found one for paleo dirty rice that I want to try today) but supermarkets in the UK have started to sell it ready riced which is really handy.

ASKyle

Lean protein and veggies seem to be my go to dinner.

Salmon filet seasoned with salt pepper and butter, side of green beans = 445 cals, 27f/7c/39.

I'd suggest eating more fat too. It may keep you more satiated.

Meganthedogmom

My 348 calorie dinner. Ground turkey for the meat in my homemade spaghetti sauce. Barilla protein plus angel hair pasta. I am stuffed! I don't know how some people think 2oz of pasta is "hardly anything"

concordancia

knittingbee928 wrote: »

Thanks to all the great suggestions so far!

You are already at a healthy weight, so any changes will be slow and entirely unnecessary.

I think I'll be the judge of that, thank you. Despite what my BMI appears to be on paper, personally I feel my best at 103. So yeah, while I'm a healthy weight according to what any BMI calculator will show, my butt and thighs reveal a different story. As anyone who's very short like myself knows, each pound gained feels like 5. Especially when all the weight goes to one place. And after a surgery and 10-pound weight gain, when my entire entire life I've been just shy of 102, it's not "entirely unnecessary" at all.

Thanks for the food suggestions, though! I'll keep them in mind - everyone here has great ideas.

There is a difference between necessary and important to you. Since you are already at a healthy weight, your struggles will be different than if you were obese.

MichaelRpal

Stirfry. I love stirfry, and I've made a nice one that MFP calcs at around 375-385 calories. Two Kirkland chicken breasts, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, broccoli head, green beans, water chestnuts (I love these things even if they're effectively just taking up space), garlic, white onion, cucumber, and three tablespoons of Kikkoman Teriyaki Baste & Glaze Sauce (optional for less sodium and calories - though after a few weeks without sauce this change helped keep stirfry from getting old; also found some herb and spice stirfry mix at Costco that can be used instead). And a serving of brown rice. Sometimes I use sesame oil, but this last time I used safflower oil -- didn't have any extra virgin olive oil to try. The ingredients change a little each time; like the cucumber was new, and I usually have carrots (was out) too. Makes at least 4 servings.

For me stirfries (even when eating out) have always been the most enjoyable way to get in a variety of and a good helping of vegetables.

Still not sure why Kirkland chicken breasts are rated at being so sodium heavy in MFP, but I guess that's frozen packaging for you.

reachrajini

Don't keep yourself starving before dinner as this wud make you eat a bigger meal. Before starting to cook when I am too hungry, I munch on a small carrot or two as this wud stop me from cooking bigger quantit.