Snack ideas so I don't feel hungry

steveyinasia

Good idea. What do you normally the eat the peanut butter with? Do you buy natural or low fat or anything special?

natural and low fat isn't going to necessarily mean that it's any better for you.
You're new here, I think this might help.

1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
2. Make sure you eat enough.
3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
12. don't set time restrictions.
13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
14 BE PATIENT.
15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
16. If you ask a question on the forum, give as much information as you can ("yes, I have a food scale and weigh my food" is worlds better than "I eat a palm full of miscellaneous boiled chicken parts..sometimes.")
17. Be honest with yourself and honest with us.
18. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.

pretty much that.

...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:

the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.

Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.

I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.

Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.

Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

and make sure to read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

...and here's another approach.

Block off 6 weeks. log EXACTLY what you eat for those six weeks, weigh at the beginning, weight at the end. If you've lost, you're eating under your TDEE. If you haven't lost, congrats.. you found your TDEE, if you've gained... then you're above TDEE.

From there, look at how much you lost or gained and you have a rough estimate of how to shift your intake to balance it out.

Online calculators are great, but they're just estimates. They give you decent ideas for starting points. From there, it's on you to fine tune it.

edit: with only 15lbs to lose, you should make sure you're not set on the 2lbs loss goal. Set it at 1lb max expected loss, then reevaluate after 6 weeks.

Brilliant advice, came back in to edit, Scooby site is great and thanks gain for reminding me of him. I followed his video's years ago, he has gotten a lot bigger in muscle size since a couple of years ago.

JustAnotherGirlSuzanne

Fry up an egg. About 100-120 calories and it keeps you full.

Snip8241

Greek yogurt
1 tbsp peanut butter on a sandwich thin
Cottage cheese with hot sauce
Apples and peanut butter

I think some protein is the key.

I also agree that if your meals are balanced and substantial, not just a salad, you will be satisfied and find you are not looking for a snack.

veggieluvr45

- Hard boiled egg, or any kind of egg for that matter (I love eggs!)

- string cheese

- apple or celery with peanut butter, or a spoon of peanut butter

melinda200208

Hard boiled eggs, almonds, pistacios, string cheese, cottage cheese, fruit. I like to cut up cucumber and put it in water and vinegar. It's delicious!! Popcorn on the stove

dubird

Stove-top popcorn for me. I use about a teaspoon of melted butter and salt on it. I tend to crave salty foods myself, which isn't always good, but at least it's easier to keep calories down that way.

And I'm sorry, I've NEVER considered veggies snack food! Some fruits, maybe, but veggies? To me, veggies don't taste very good. I eat them because I need to, not because I like them. That's the biggest issue I have with people suggesting snacking foods, most of the time veggies is at the top of the list. Problem is, if I force myself to snack on something I don't like, I don't feel satisifed afterwards and still want something to eat. So maybe think of foods you like and then look for low calorie alternates?