I need lower calorie breakfast options! Help!

Cathleenr

Hi, well today I entered the data for my breakfast: plain oatmeal with dried cranberries, walnuts and an apple, plus my cup of coffee with 2% milk and I was close to 600 calories! My bowl was not even that big so I thought wow, I need to figure out some options that help energize me for a run/hike or workout most mornings but not so many calories that I spend my workout working it off. I am guessing between 300-400 calories most mornings is reasonable.

1/2 Cup dry oatmeal has 150 calories and 27 carbs, 3 g of fat and 5 g. You don't say that you are measuring the walnuts or cranberries (really high in sodium and preservatives, btw) and the apple has a lot of carbs in it too.
If you are going to exercise after eating, you should have the carbs and fats in there, but almonds might be a better choice...1/8 of a cup (about 2 teaspoons) and pick either the cranberries or the apple. You DO need energy before and after your workout, so don;t focus so much on cutting back when your body needs it...just pick denser foods for your caloric intake buck.

brittanynhammond

Greek Yogurt and Kashi Cereals .. Taste Great! I like the Honey Flaux by Kashi and the Dannon Okis Vanilla.Very filling and under 250 caloires also try adding blueberries or rasberries to the greek yougurt

cdparker13

This is such a helpful feed! I am vicariously getting so many awesome answers. Thanks for posting the question and thanks to all who answered, as well.

nikkijune1811

You can still have your oatmeal but for less calories
1/2 cup quick oats- 140 cals
1/2 cub strawberries- around 30 cals
1 glass of skim milk- about 80 cals
so that's only 250... add whatever you want as long as it's 150 cals or less and you're still under that 400 mark

tonie13

I usually go for the normal ones,


Weetabix with semi skimmed milk
rice crispies with semi skimmed milk
2 scrambled eggs
mini weetabix (a little higher in Kcals)

anything cereal with the chocolatey rubbish, add the bananas and fruit

i never eat more then 300kcal for breakfast

crazytreelady

-A poached egg on whole grain toast (I love eggs!)
-apple slices and PB (lots of energy)
or
-a yogurt and pineapple chunk (not canned)

dargytaylor

crustless quiche!! you can make a whole quiche on Sunday, and have it all week. YUM! you can put anything you want in too!!

chikachic817

I either have 1/2 c dry oatmeal, 1 cup skim milk, 1 tablespoon of creamer, and 1 splenda packet = around 250 cal or a 110 cal whole grain sandwich thin with a slice of cheese, 1 egg white and 1 serving of turkey sausage crumbles = around 300 cal. Both are really filling because of the fiber content.

crazytreelady

That makes my mouth water just thinking about it!

Ruchell

Hi, well today I entered the data for my breakfast: plain oatmeal with dried cranberries, walnuts and an apple, plus my cup of coffee with 2% milk and I was close to 600 calories! My bowl was not even that big so I thought wow, I need to figure out some options that help energize me for a run/hike or workout most mornings but not so many calories that I spend my workout working it off. I am guessing between 300-400 calories most mornings is reasonable.

Maybe look at the portions you're using for your oatmeal toppings. We had almost identical breakfasts and mine added up to 379 calories?

1/4 quick cooking oats
2Tbs chopped walnuts
2Tbs raisins
1 medium red delicious apple chopped up in the oatmeal
1/4 cup sugar free maple pancake syrup for sweetness
It was delish and so filling. the nuts and dried fruits can pack on the calories fast, so you just have to limit them and I still feel like I get enough of them in my bowl.

For my coffee, I have a big mug with 1/4 cup of light vanilla silk soy milk and either splenda or sugar-free torani syrup (2 servings comes out to 44 calories).

jdavis193

I do half cup of oatmeal with 3/4 c of original almond milk after it's cooked I add 1-2 tbs peanut butter adn cinnamon with a banana and a glass of water. That is usually 400.

Ruchell

I need something I can just pop in the microwave in the morning or else I feel tempted to stop at McDonald's on the way to drop my oldest son at preschool. I keep the Weight Watchers Smart Ones breakfast quesadillas in the freezer. Most morning I have one of those (230 calories), if I'm still hungry I'll add on a banana (100-120 calories depending on size). So my breakfast ranges from 230-350 calories on most days, when I'm in a hurry. I know some people are not fans of frozen meals like this but it works well for me. If I run out of the quesadillas or just want to switch it up a little, sometimes I'll do cheese toast (50 calorie cheese single on a 45 calorie slice of bread) plus a banana. But I also don't normally workout until the afternoon so I'm not fueling up right then, just trying to keep myself from being hungry until lunch.

Just saw on Pinterest an idea where you can bake eggs individually in muffin tins and assaemble your own egg mcmuffins for the freezer with low fat cheese and whole wheat English muffins. Wrap them in plastic wrap and keep them in the freezer. Grab them and heat them up when youre ready!

janeinspain

low-carb and filling breakfast: 2 eggs (140 cal), 25 g smoked salmon/50 g turkey or chicken breast (50 cal), a spoon of skimmed creamy cheese (20 cal) and a tomato/cucumber (max 50 cal). it is under 300 cals and it will keep you full for a long time.

it_be_asin

Don't know what people arund here are doing with their porridge, but my 1/2 cup porridge made with water and 1 teaspoon of Manuka honey comes out at less than 200cal. Porridge, weetbix, oat brits etc are low cal, low sugar, healthy breakfasts, but not if you add a butt-ton of high calorie additives to them to make it palatable. If you can't eat porridge plain, you may be better off just having some vegemite (or marmite or whatever salty spread you prefer) toast.

lisasays

Remove the walnuts and you will be good!
I have 1/4-1/2 cup oatmeal with 1/4-1/2 cup frozen blueberries and then add a 1/2-1tsp agave and 1/4 cup blue diamond unsweetened almond milk. Its between 100-200 depending on how much you make :-)

You can also add a banana and be satisfied, low fat and healthy! Really, it is filling.

Or have a lowfat/cal cereal (like kashi) and berries, banana and almond milk.

allie1904

I don't think it's the porridge that is the problem it's what's going on top of it.

I have porridge everyday and it's 97 calories. If I decide to put a tsp of honey on top it's an extra 18?

Myabe stick with some simple fruit on top, like banana or strawberries.

carriereid24

I have two go to breakfast options:

1) 1 egg + 2 egg whites on a flat out wrap with a laughing cow cheese

or

2) fiber one 80 calorie cereal with a quarter cup of unsweetened vanilla
almond milk

(I also have coffee with a splenda and touch of unsweetened vanilla almond milk)

bnazarian

Ha ha ha! Never! I would never skip breakfast. I am sure that was a joke.

So many variations. I wish my brain worked better in the morning. I have a hard boiled egg and bread some mornings and nut butters with whole grain English muffin, yogurt and muesli and cereals other mornings. I like the oatmeal though. I liked those suggestions. I am going to experiment around because oatmeal works really well for me on cold days and like today I ran and hiked, I burned it off, but...I can not control myself with a jar full of walnuts or dried fruits. Before I know it, I've had a few handfuls and hundreds of calories! :-D

Megan2Project

I either have a protien smoothy with fruit and spring mix 340cal (keeps me full until lunch)
or
3 eggwhites scrambled or fried with 2 tbsp salsa and one slice of toast 150 cal but filling, sometimes I have both for 500 cal
or
I have a packaged oatmeal with pecans that's 160 cal, add the eggwhites and toast and its a big breakfast for 310 cal

MusicKeepsMeSane

i tend to have a breakfast essentials nutrition drink for 130 cals but 220 cals. when made with a cup of fat free milk
with it i'll either have a waffle for 100 cals or a cup of cereal (like cheerios) for 100 cals.
that usually holds me over til i have a morning snack.

tschmelzer

the cranberries are what get you. They are shockingly high in sugars and calories so chop up that apple you had and put it in your oatmeal instead. Also try egg whites with an english muffin. i have three or four egg whites and then a toasted english muffin. Sometimes I put cheese on the muffin other times not. It is a great breakfast that gets you going. Also try greek yogurt w an apple and walnuts instead of the oatmeal. You will get a lot more protein that will stick with you throughout the morning. Try 1% milk too w your coffee. that will cut some calories all by itself.

rita27ny

Have you tried unsweetned cocoa in your oatmeal? its soo good and only 10 calories.

akgirl42

I dont count my coffee or creamer which I tend to drink throughout the work day. I figure if I still lose weight it is not an issue. For breakfast I eat instant oatmeal or some good cereal. That tends to make the breakfast about 200 to 300 calories. I figure I burn off enough at the gym.

pambeane

Drop the dried cranberries and go for a fresh or frozen fruit (like blueberries). When you add nuts to anything you'll see a spike in calories, you just have to decide if the benefits outweigh the costs. Also, go with fruit on your oats or eat the apple (or cut up the apple and put it on your oats) not both, you're getting a lot of fiber that way, but a ton of sugar too.

my thoughts exactly. A few mornings each week I eat oats (the large single portion!) with a tablespoon of reduced-sugar blueberry preserves (and a stevia packet if i want it sweeter). I allow myself 2oz. of half and half for my morning coffee and I'm still only at 334 calories. Give it a try!

joyzoso

I have been doing 1 banana, 2 boiled eggs, and one rice cake with 1 tbsp almond butter
and cup of coffee with almond butter
(I have been adding just a touch of honey and cinnamon on the rice cake, but honey adds up quickly!!!)
I also want to try and cut down to one egg for calories

great ideas though

I've also been incorporating a small sweet potato that I have boiled or baked the night before, plain or with some cinnamon to substitute for the rice cake with almond butter

joyzoso

sorry cup of coffee with almond milk not almond butter!!!! that would be some intense thick coffee!

sleepytexan

Time to cook: 2 eggs scrambled with chopped onion and 1 tsp. butter, whatever fresh veggies you have on hand (love asparagus in mine), 2 T. shredded cheese (or not), topped with roasted chipotle (or your fave) salsa. Side of fresh strawberries and raspberries. About 250 cals.

In a rush: banana + mozzarella cheese stick + hard boiled egg. Fully portable, nice mix of carb and protein and only 250 cals. Eat in car on the way to starbucks for Iced tall soy 1-pump pumpkin spice latte (110 cals).

blessings.

kleavitt1992

do you like eggs? 1 egg (scrambled/fried), half slice of cheese, english muffin, and a little ketchup is 250

jskaggs1971

Here's my go-to breakfast :

Florida's Natural - Orange Juice - Original - No Pulp, 8 fl. oz.
Bananas - Frozen, 1 small (6" to 6-7/8" long)
Great Value Frozen Mixed Fruit (No Sugar Added) - Frozen Fruit, 1 Cup
Fage Total 0% - Non Fat Greek Yogurt, 25 g
Eas - Premium Protein Powder, 1 scoops

I actually use a different whey protein that I buy from a local natural grocer, but the nutrition from it is about the same. I dump it all in the blender, whip it until it's smooth, add ice cubes to bring it to 24 oz volume, dump it in a go-cup, and I'm ready to get moving, at least once I drink a cup or two of really good black coffee. The whole thing adds up to 374 calories. It's obviously not for the low-carb set, but it works just fine for me.

Then again, I've never been much of a breakfast person. I can;t eat eggs, due to allergies, so I have to come up with something else. If I just eat oatmeal or cereal, I'm ravenous by lunchtime, but the smoothie tides me over until noon or later.

slowlysteadily

Just skip breakfast, 0 calories

That's what I do. I finish dinner at (say) 9pm and then don't eat anything for 15-16 hours so typically 1pm. The only thing I ingest before lunch is a large black coffee or water. Works for me, cuts out several hundred calories and frees up 20-30 mins at the busiest time of my day. Gives me plenty of room to hit my 1600 daily limit with lunch and dinner.

SS

Wow... my body couldn't handle that! Especially if I'm working out in the morning - my blood sugar drops and I pass out. I really find that my system works and feels better when I eat something every 2-3 hours.

I thought the same. However I got used to it very quickly. I accept that it may not suit everybody. For me the "eating something every 2-3 hours" just ended up with me snacking with very little control, but all power to those who can do it that way. Testament to the diversity of human dietary experience!

SS