help- post dinner snacks- another meal? protein? low cal?

1fitnessplanner

Hello, my current allowed calories to lose 1lb a week is 1600
after I have my evening meal around 6pm I then spend the night time snacking within my calorie goals and I am hungry I usually have 300-500 calories spare. I don't want to change my aims and I already don't eat exercise calories back so don't want to alter the 1600 aim

Sooo....
am I better having another meal
having a protein or meal replacement bar/shake
carry on with low calorie snacking within my intake aims?

I don't mindlessly snack or do it for emotional reasons or because I have the calories left so think I should eat them because I'm entitled I eat because I'm hungry.

advice please and i am losing weight as i currently am (65 days to lose the weight on my ticker)

timmieklose

So you're wanting suggestions on foods/snacks that are 300-500 calories right? That way you can eat them and still be within your limit right?

1fitnessplanner

yeah I guess that is what I'm asking and whether snacking is OK or I should eat another meal instead or whether I should replace completely with a protein bar/shake?

timmieklose

Check out my food diary from 7-15-13, I have things on there that total up to your 300-500 calorie range.
Of course there are alot of other things you can eat too, but having 300-500 calories left over, you have a good variety of different snacks or foods you can eat. You just gotta find the right ones and what youre in the mood for.

hammomh

It just depends on your personal preference.

If you are still hungry, some slow release carbs during the day and protein will help fill you up more, this may add more calories to your day so you may have less for the evening, but depends what else you have.

I would just trial them all if it was me, try snacking for a week, meal replacements for a week, and an extra meal for a week. See which you prefer. You are not changing the calories in any of them, so they total the same amount. Just depends what you feel best with.

As I said above though, protein and slow release carbs will help with hunger, so if that is what you don't like as you have said you don't mindlessly snack then perhaps upping calories in this way in your day so you have less in the evening, but may be less hungry so wont need/want them.

timmieklose

yeah I guess that is what I'm asking and whether snacking is OK or I should eat another meal instead or whether I should replace completely with a protein bar/shake?

Everyones always told me that Protein is what helps fill you up longer. So the more protein you eat, the more fuller you will feel. Make sense? Like for "breakfast" I sometimes have a meal shake & a meal bar, together it makes up 20g of protein, so if I have them together I feel full alittle longer. I would suggest if you did have both, it should hold you over til you go to bed, and have your breakfast the next morning.

Mind you, that shake and bar, are supposed to be eaten separately, and I normally do that, but sometimes I eat them together. Its okay if you do.

I guess its up to you what you wanna eat or not. If you feel like a meal, then go for it. If you want something light and quick, then maybe do the shake or bar. Also, check into the Smart Ones diet dinner things. I eat those for lunch, and they have a good variety, all under 500 calories too, if Im not mistaken. So if you wanted a sort of meal type, then maybe go for the Smart Ones.

1fitnessplanner

good ideas i'll go on the search for bars now- i have shakes and snacks already

timmieklose

Try looking up the Special K meal bars they have a few flavors that are pretty tastey.
Or something new I've tried is Life Choice Protein Bar, the chocolate mint one. It has 20g of protein BOOM in 1 bar. :laugh:

Good luck with your search!
:bigsmile:

1fitnessplanner

love the special k bars but can't get the life choice ones- curse of living in germany