Dinner ruins my calorie goal for the day

catherinemaxwell566
catherinemaxwell566 Posts: 75
in Health and Weight Loss
Im doing so well each day until it comes to dinner when I don't seem to know how to make a meal under 500 cals, breakfast and lunch are easy to make around the 300cal mark. Anyone got any dinner suggestions where I can have decent portions? Im sure this is just an upbringing thing where I expect dinner to be a big hearty meal. I cook for myself and husband every night so want something a typical man would enjoy aswell as I don't fancy cooking two separate meals
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Replies

  • navyrigger46
    navyrigger46 Posts: 1,301 Member
    Stir fry, fajitas, pork chops, fish, salad with chicken. Skinnytaste and allrecipes have tons of recipes and include nutrition information.

    Rigger
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I jsut had a full chicken breast, ff and veggies...under 400 cal actually
  • Bounce4
    Bounce4 Posts: 288 Member
    It is hard because I'm sorry - one cup of spaghetti is just not nice. I want one large plate, and seconds. I want mac and cheese - and not 1/2 cup, lol.

    I cook the same things I always did and eat a small serving but I make better veggies now and eat a truly astonishing amount of them so I fill up. I eat a lot of spinach too because it is nutrient dense and keeps me full much longer than other types of salads. Even at that they are usually closer to 600 on a good day.

    I spend a lot more at the grocery store but I don't do a gym membership so I try and tell myself it all evens out - which of course it doesn't at the end of the budget because I never did have a gym membership but whatever I need to tell myself right? hahahaha

    ETA: I also cook for my kids and am not making something different. They can eat their weight in spaghetti and meatballs and they would all blow away in a strong breeze so it is a good thing for me to fix - I just have to be way more careful and it has for sure been a process for me - one that I am still working on.
  • IsaTexDesigner
    IsaTexDesigner Posts: 54 Member
    I had the same problem. I began eating a late afternoon high protein snack, and by the time dinner rolls around, Im not as hungry. If I am super hungry at dinner, I eat a double serving of veggies first(I find eggplant or broccoili really filling), then I eat dinner. Good luck to you!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    The way my wife and I do it is that I have more and she has smaller portions of whatever it is that we're having for dinner. it's not so much that some recipe has to be under 500 calories or whatever...manage your portions. It is likely that your husband will not be satisfied with some smallish dinner that is under 500 calories...it has to be controlled by portion.
  • beamer0821
    beamer0821 Posts: 488 Member
    personally i have the same issue. i make healthy dinners but they are my highest calorie meal of the day. so i eat low calorie breakfast and lunches and one snack in the afternoon (sometimes) and usually have no issues getting a nice dinner and even a 100-150 "treat" in after dinner.

    my 1200 day

    i do 150-200 breakfast.
    200-300 calorie lunch (usually small portion of leftovers)
    100 calorie PM snack

    600 calories left for dinner. if i dont need a snack obviously i have more for dinner.
  • ojosh089
    ojosh089 Posts: 32 Member
    I like to eat in between meals. Between Breakfast & Lunch, Lunch & Dinner. Keeps my hunger in check and by the time dinner comes around it's usually and medium portion. I like to stick with fruits and nuts. but of course don't go nuts with the nuts since it's easy to eat a crap load.
  • BootCampC
    BootCampC Posts: 689 Member
    eat dinner in the morning
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
    I shoot for 500 for dinner, too, here's what I had this week:
    Sunday-ribs, beans and slaw
    Monday-bacon/egg/potato on tortilla with salsa
    Tuesday-6 oz pork chop with salad and rice
    Wednesday-spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic toast
    Thursday-shrimp tacos

    If I think it going to be higher, I just run for 30 minutes and that gives me a little room.
    Last week I crockpotted a bunch of frozen chicken breasts and shredded it so I could have chicken tacos, chicken tortilla soup, bbq chicken sandwiches, chicken pot pie, and chicken salad on pita (I make it with greek yogurt instead of mayo). I can also add it to vegetarian frozen meals like fettucine alfredo. the meat in lean cuisine is gross, but I like the pasta dishes ok and you can add your own meat.
    Also, breakfast food for dinner is easy-a crustless quiche is really low in cals. Broth-based soups are too.
  • breeshabebe
    breeshabebe Posts: 580
    Save more calories for dinner?

    I have an office job, so I really don't use as much energy in the mornings as I do in the evenings. I started eating a smaller breakfast and mid-morning snack so that I could eat a lot more at night.
  • Eric_DeCastro
    Eric_DeCastro Posts: 767 Member
    have you tried going for a 45 min walk? that can free up some calories for dinner.
  • ZOOpergal
    ZOOpergal Posts: 176 Member
    Tilapia filet OR Turkey Burger (no bun) with pico de gallo topping
    Steamed Broccoli
    Piece of French Bread w/ tbsp butter

    Yum.
  • iAmStarStuff27
    iAmStarStuff27 Posts: 109 Member
    Front load calories. more lean protein.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Do some exercise, then you can eat more than 500 cal for dinner
  • dawnLegend
    dawnLegend Posts: 2 Member
    The simplest method by which to increase the quantity of calories you can eat for dinner involves reducing intake earlier in the day. I eat 2 meals daily, with the first being relatively small (~200 calories makes for a reasonable meal). If I feel the need to consume something during the day, I'll grab a yogurt. This strategy makes dinner feel significantly more rewarding/filling.
  • xmichaelyx
    xmichaelyx Posts: 883 Member
    I make chili every week, freeze it, and have a serving for dinner. A cup and a half is about 400 calories (but yours may be different -- just add the calories from all your ingredients together and divide by 400 to see how many servings yours makes).
  • 970Mikaela1
    970Mikaela1 Posts: 2,013 Member
    Do some exercise, then you can eat more than 500 cal for dinner
    Dear lord for sure do this. I don't know how you can live on the 1200. That's what my dinner is tonight. The 45 minute walk would have to give you another 150 if you kept at a decent pace.
  • rayraex
    rayraex Posts: 50
    It's pretty easy to have a full meal for 500 calories. I get most of my recipes from skinnytaste.com or cookinglight.com. They are always filling, full of flavor and within my calorie range! I will also usually take my leftovers to work the next day for a healthy lunch.
  • Sovi_
    Sovi_ Posts: 575 Member
    No... poor planning does that.
  • catherinemaxwell566
    catherinemaxwell566 Posts: 75
    Do some exercise, then you can eat more than 500 cal for dinner
    Dear lord for sure do this. I don't know how you can live on the 1200. That's what my dinner is tonight. The 45 minute walk would have to give you another 150 if you kept at a decent pace.

    lol I do exercise don't worry, normally a 1 mile fast paced or 2 mile slow paced jog, its just on the off day when I don't I feel like im screwed for dinner. I need to start weighing my food actually because with all the meals everyone has listed seem like wayyyy over 500 cals to me
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    I log my dinner first thing in the morning so I know how many calories I have left for the rest of the day. Plan ahead it works every time.
  • dietcoke281
    dietcoke281 Posts: 226 Member
    Tonight for dinner I had Linda McCartney Vegetarian sausages - under 100 cals per sausage and tasted so yummy and so meaty.

    I make brown egg fried rice a lot, that's really low-cal, you can just add whatever meat or veggies you like. I made sesame chicken the other night too and it was super tasty and around 300 cals.

    I also agree with everyone saying do exercise to allow you to eat more. If 500 calories isn't cutting it for you, change it!
  • ChrisM8971
    ChrisM8971 Posts: 1,067 Member
    Dinners of around 500 calories are pretty easy to come by and I would use some of the sites already suggested.

    But looking at your diary its the 200 calorie plus evening snacks that throw you over the top.

    There are lower calorie snacks that you could swap to but if you wish to continue with them (and there is no reason why you can't) you either need to sacrifice other calories like your dinner or burn off some calories to eat back so you can enjoy both

    ETA and yes you really should start weighing everything you eat :-)
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    Im doing so well each day until it comes to dinner when I don't seem to know how to make a meal under 500 cals, breakfast and lunch are easy to make around the 300cal mark. Anyone got any dinner suggestions where I can have decent portions? Im sure this is just an upbringing thing where I expect dinner to be a big hearty meal. I cook for myself and husband every night so want something a typical man would enjoy aswell as I don't fancy cooking two separate meals

    Treat dinner as any other meal. Most of the time, you can get a serving of protein, starch/carb, and a veggie for <400 cals. Plan ahead/around.
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    Lemme guess. You set the MFP defaults to lose 2lbs/wk and MFP gave you 1200 calories per day, right? With less than 15lbs to lose, you will be better off with a more modest weight loss goal, about .5 - 1lb weekly loss. That will give you more calories to eat, a good fulling dinner won't ruin your day and you WILL lose weight.
  • zeastronomer
    zeastronomer Posts: 6
    What I do is eat less for breakfast and lunch. Then I can allocate more calories to supper.

    Or, alternatively, I might sometimes skip breakfast, eat lunch, and put the "breakfast" calories in the supper pile.

    20 or 40 minutes on the exercise bike gives me an additional 200-400 calories to play with.

    Lots of ways to skin this particular cat.
  • susie3g
    susie3g Posts: 267
    personally i have the same issue. i make healthy dinners but they are my highest calorie meal of the day. so i eat low calorie breakfast and lunches and one snack in the afternoon (sometimes) and usually have no issues getting a nice dinner and even a 100-150 "treat" in after dinner.

    my 1200 day

    i do 150-200 breakfast.
    200-300 calorie lunch (usually small portion of leftovers)
    100 calorie PM snack

    600 calories left for dinner. if i dont need a snack obviously i have more for dinner.

    This is me to a T. I also log my dinner calories first so I know what I have to work with the rest of the day.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Typically I eat a lot during the day and have light dinners... rarely over 400 calories.

    Cheeseburger (93% beef patty, bun, thin cheddar slice, ketchup and mustard) and a serving of mixed veggies... 381 calories.
    Homemade pizza so it was still 490 calories... thin premade crust with pizza sauce, mozzarella and gorgonzola cheese.
    1/5 of baguette with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and prosciutto - 273 calories
    Poultry sausage link with peppers and onions - 165 calories
    Spaghetti squash with pasta sauce, grilled chicken and mozzarella - 300 calories
    Beef stew - lean beef with carrots and potatoes (forgot the onions, doh) - 300 calories for a bowl
    Big salad with tomatoes, olive oil/vinegar/mustard dressing, gorgonzola and steak - 250 calories
    Chicken salad on lettuce and tomatoes - 200 calories

    I got a ton like this. My diary is open. My husband eats bigger portions and has dessert and a snack later.
  • serindipte
    serindipte Posts: 1,557 Member
    @450 cal: Baked pork chop, Baked sweet potato with 6g butter, Green beans with mushrooms and onions cooked with a T of olive oil

    @350 cal: Baked swai fillet, sauteed shrimp, stir-fried veggie blend with small amount of brown rice (45g) and stir-fry sauce

    @330 cal: Baked chicken breast, sauteed mushrooms, salad w/ green leaf, broccoli, spinach, carrot, low-fat dressing.

    @400 cal: Pinto beans, sausage and rice with cornbread.

    @480 cal: New York strip 5-6 oz, green beans with mushrooms and onions.

    @400 cal: Ground turkey spaghetti sauce over pasta with salad.

    @500 cal: Taco Bell, two crunchy tacos and a chicken soft taco

    Other recipes available in my blog, all under 400 cals/serving:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/serindipte

    ETA: Of course, serving sizes are key. You can eat nearly anything you may want, just maybe not quite as much of it as you'd have eaten before. Smaller bites, taking the time to savor each bite, I enjoy my food far more now than when I was hurrying through two or more servings at a time. These are meals directly from my food diary (it's open). There are a few that I went over the 500 by intentionally making space for extra.. like with cornbread. I love it, don't have it often, ate plenty and pushed my calories up with that but I'd saved them earlier in the day.
  • momma2azoo
    momma2azoo Posts: 50 Member
    I have 5 kids and the husband that contributed to them to feed in addition to myself. I have to plan ahead and make modifications or I can't meet my calorie goals. It's not hard to do, and I eat a lot of great food. I have a harder time eating enough calories than not going over unless we eat out.

    We had pasta and meat sauce with garlic bread tonight. I had spaghetti squash (which I love, more than noodles) instead of noodles, meat, sauce, cheese and a piece of garlic bread. Under 500 calories and I was full. The kids and hubby got to eat their fill of pasta, bread, sauce and some cut up veggies. Last night we had taco night. Instead of tortillas I make a huge salad (mixed greens) and top with lean ground beef/turkey, lots of veggies, salsa and light sour cream. Add fat free refried beans and cut green beans and it's another meal under 500 calories. The rest of the family has all the same with the addition of tortillas, Spanish rice and corn. Night before that we had roasted chicken breasts and veggies (carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, asparagus and onions). Love this because it's a one dish meal in my giant 14" cast iron skillet. The rest of the family also had bread. Night before that I made homemade pizza. Usually I make my pizza with a cauliflower crust ( which is really good, amazingly), fat free mozzarella, a healthy low sugar pizza sauce, tons of veggies and ham to keep calories down. Regular pizza for the rest of the family. I had a bunch of long mild chili peppers that needed to be used so I made open faced stuffed peppers instead for the hubby and I. He had pizza too, but the peppers were so good I didn't feel deprived missing out on the pizza. Stir fry is another favorite (tons of veggies, chicken breast, reasonable calorie sauce, baked egg rolls). My hubby just surprised me with a new cast iron wok that I can't wait to try out.

    I love to cook and since I'm cooking for so many anyway, it's not a big deal to made some variations and adaptations to make our regular meals lower calorie for me. Of course, it helps that we eat healthy in general and my crew likes veggies. I don't serve things out of a box or pre made very often. The more convenient and ready made a food is the more likely it is to have too many calories and other junk no one in the family needs to be eating. I want my whole family to be healthy, not just me!

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