Low calorie/fat/carb lunch options

emmakbroughton

Hi, I am looking to lose weight and need ideas for a low calorie lunch (not salad). I am bored of eating salad all the time and would like advice on other options that are relative easy to prepare and eat at work - do you have any suggestions?

littledante

You could make up your own veg pots at the weekend - e.g. rice/ qourn mince/ homemade tomato sauce? soups? What do you normally put in a salad?

emmakbroughton

I normally have leaves and low fat cottage cheese with tomatoes, cucumber, onions and then either chicken or prawns - like the idea of veg pots - might make some this evening

littledante

Try making salads more exciting with substance -
haricot bean and spinach salad with orange sauce or grapes nuts and halloumi
quorn sausage and tomato rice with rocket

or hummus is so easy to make with olives and rocket and cous cous

littledante

chicken and prawns are a great idea. Fish also very good if you like it? Tuna/ mackeral easy to put in a salad?

littledante

Fell like I'm not eating enough as I am always hungry after breakfast - but not sure how to eat enough and what to snack on without piling on the carbs/ calories. Am already bored with the ideas for breakfast. Concerned that I will not be able to maintain it all when work starts again.

emmakbroughton

I have been having 3 eggs, scrambled for breakfast. This seems to last me till lunch time. I add smoked salmon or spinach to make it more exciting

rtjenny

1. Quinoa with roasted vegetables
2. Soup eg carrot & lentil, chorizo & chickpea etc
3. Cold quiche

littledante

I'm assuming thats for lunch not breakfast?! :0)

rtjenny

Oh, sorry - should have said - yes lunch options. My breakfasts are usually some form of overnight oats or shredded wheat & almond milk during the week. Pancakes for brekkie on the weekends yay!

littledante

yes i'm wondering when I should allow myself my favourite foods - pastry etc if I really want to see a change over the coming months - having been steering clear of pastries/ sugary cereals/ toast - altogether in the first few weeks as I am a total addict!! Dont know when I will be controlled enough just to have small amounts of these things as treats!

rtjenny

yes i'm wondering when I should allow myself my favourite foods - pastry etc if I really want to see a change over the coming months - having been steering clear of pastries/ sugary cereals/ toast - altogether in the first few weeks as I am a total addict!! Dont know when I will be controlled enough just to have small amounts of these things as treats!

I think everything in moderation is a good thing. For example I bake a cake every two weeks. If I do have a slice now and again I see no harm. I believe depriving yourself sometimes make you want it more. I do go to the gym at least 5 times a week - so I make sure I run off the cake!!

l911jnt

I bought some red wine vinegar. soaked cgicken breast tenders and season w mrs dash. baked. also broccoli n cauliflower roasted w seasoning and tad olive oil. put them in fridge and take out as much as I need for lunch each day. use other seasonings and no calorie marinade also. tilapia too. brussels sprouts. I switch it up.

yellowbd

honestly the best option i found was cooking one night a week for all my meals. I bake a ton of chicken breasts and fry one of the value packs of extra lean ground beef. While thats going I boil and/or steam veggies.

Once each item is cooked, I weigh out four ounces of one of the meats and add four ounces of veggies. Anything I can eat wihtin two days goes in the fridge and the rest goes in the freezer.

Try it for one week and I pormise you will never go back to scrambling for meals.

GingerLolita

I love making a nice pot of chili on the weekend to bring for lunch during the week! Chili also freezes nicely so you can save some for lunch another time.

I like using a variety of beans, and maybe a small amount of lean ground beef, and added a ton of chopped veggies!

littledante

yes i'm wondering when I should allow myself my favourite foods - pastry etc if I really want to see a change over the coming months - having been steering clear of pastries/ sugary cereals/ toast - altogether in the first few weeks as I am a total addict!! Dont know when I will be controlled enough just to have small amounts of these things as treats!

I think everything in moderation is a good thing. For example I bake a cake every two weeks. If I do have a slice now and again I see no harm. I believe depriving yourself sometimes make you want it more. I do go to the gym at least 5 times a week - so I make sure I run off the cake!!

Thanks for that... I sometimes do okay at the exercise but can easily lack in motivation...

littledante

honestly the best option i found was cooking one night a week for all my meals. I bake a ton of chicken breasts and fry one of the value packs of extra lean ground beef. While thats going I boil and/or steam veggies.

Once each item is cooked, I weigh out four ounces of one of the meats and add four ounces of veggies. Anything I can eat wihtin two days goes in the fridge and the rest goes in the freezer.

Try it for one week and I pormise you will never go back to scrambling for meals.

Really great advice - am going to try that when school starts again because I either have made sandwiches for work or I have no energy and then eat cake that often appears in vast quantities on the staff room table.

Laura3BB

Hi,

for breakfast I vary between porridge, bread and jam, eggs and ham...

for lunch I bring whatever's left over from dinner the night before - ie a cooked lunch, today for example it's a little bit of pasta with homemade low-cal meat and tomato sauce + cucumber and lettuce.
Yesterday it was turkey breast with herbs, quinoa and lettuce again...

Laura3BB

honestly the best option i found was cooking one night a week for all my meals. I bake a ton of chicken breasts and fry one of the value packs of extra lean ground beef. While thats going I boil and/or steam veggies.

Once each item is cooked, I weigh out four ounces of one of the meats and add four ounces of veggies. Anything I can eat wihtin two days goes in the fridge and the rest goes in the freezer.

Try it for one week and I pormise you will never go back to scrambling for meals.

That's a great idea :-)

thequiltmama

One of my favorites for breakfast is Instant oatmeal strawberries and cream. It is already sweet enough and only 130 cals per package. Not a lot to eat but has substance for breakfast.

As for lunch, I am all over the place on that. But one of my favorites for under 200 cals is a refried bean taco.
1 flour tortilla 100 cals (or 2 corn tortillas- hard to heat at work)
1/4 cup refried beans 45 cals
lettuce and tomato plus add hot sauce to flavor. And if you don't add the sprinkle of cheese on top you will save more.

So the grand total (without cheese) is right around 150 cals. And oh so yummy. If you add a smidge of cheese you are around 180 and get everything you need..... protein, carb, veggies and diary.

Can't wait to see ideas from others as I am always looking for new ones.

thequiltmama

One of my favorites for breakfast is Instant oatmeal strawberries and cream. It is already sweet enough and only 130 cals per package. Not a lot to eat but has substance for breakfast.

As for lunch, I am all over the place on that. But one of my favorites for under 200 cals is a refried bean taco.
1 flour tortilla 100 cals (or 2 corn tortillas- hard to heat at work)
1/4 cup refried beans 45 cals
lettuce and tomato plus add hot sauce to flavor. And if you don't add the sprinkle of cheese on top you will save more.

So the grand total (without cheese) is right around 150 cals. And oh so yummy. If you add a smidge of cheese you are around 180 and get everything you need..... protein, carb, veggies and diary.

Can't wait to see ideas from others as I am always looking for new ones.

OOPS ...... DAIRY NOT DIARY.

rachseby

I rotate smoothies, turkey sandwiches, tuna sandwiches, and lentil soup...The soup especially really fills me up. I make a lot in the crock pot and it lasts a while. I make smoothies with fage 0% yogurt, almond/coconut milk, berries, and a banana.

itsscottwilder

Eat salad anyway.

The benefits of eating your veggies have really been underestimated all our lives.

In the last five years, research has uncovered that veggies are key in keeping our digestive system healthy and running well.

littledante

One of my favorites for breakfast is Instant oatmeal strawberries and cream. It is already sweet enough and only 130 cals per package. Not a lot to eat but has substance for breakfast.

As for lunch, I am all over the place on that. But one of my favorites for under 200 cals is a refried bean taco.
1 flour tortilla 100 cals (or 2 corn tortillas- hard to heat at work)
1/4 cup refried beans 45 cals
lettuce and tomato plus add hot sauce to flavor. And if you don't add the sprinkle of cheese on top you will save more.

So the grand total (without cheese) is right around 150 cals. And oh so yummy. If you add a smidge of cheese you are around 180 and get everything you need..... protein, carb, veggies and diary.

Can't wait to see ideas from others as I am always looking for new ones.

Definately going to do this idea for dinner tonight!! Didn't realise it was so low cal

JesterMFP

Er... lean meat?

Any particular reason you need to eat low carb and low fat?

mpawlicki

I try to eat 5+ times per day. I split my total caloric needs into 5+ even meals, and each one has about 40% carbs, 40% protein, and 20% fat. It takes a week or two of practice, but then it's easy.
What I do is cook up some chicken, steak, and fish on the weekend, bake a potato and boil some rice. Then I make containers for work, each one is a meal. It will have about 50/50 meat and rice/potato, and a side salad. For breakfast I will do oatmeal with whey, or a burrito wrap with ham and eggs.
I guess what I am saying is that my meals don't consist of just lettuce, I will have plenty of meat and starchy veggies, just in small portions every 2.5-3 hours. I don't think I'd make it far on lunches made of salads.

thequiltmama

One of my favorites for breakfast is Instant oatmeal strawberries and cream. It is already sweet enough and only 130 cals per package. Not a lot to eat but has substance for breakfast.

As for lunch, I am all over the place on that. But one of my favorites for under 200 cals is a refried bean taco.
1 flour tortilla 100 cals (or 2 corn tortillas- hard to heat at work)
1/4 cup refried beans 45 cals
lettuce and tomato plus add hot sauce to flavor. And if you don't add the sprinkle of cheese on top you will save more.

So the grand total (without cheese) is right around 150 cals. And oh so yummy. If you add a smidge of cheese you are around 180 and get everything you need..... protein, carb, veggies and diary.

Can't wait to see ideas from others as I am always looking for new ones.

Definately going to do this idea for dinner tonight!! Didn't realise it was so low cal

I know it is great. Just make sure you measure your stuff (refried beans). Oh and I buy the lower cal beans too. But the originals are only 20 more cals if that is what you have in the cupboard.