how???

Fitness_Chick · February 2009

Gosh no wonder you're so hungry!! Most typical oatmeals are pretty low in protein so you basically are only getting in carbs if oatmeal is your breakfast, adding in protein which typically contains a bit of fat (which keeps you feeling satiated for much longer). One way to do that is adding in some PB to your oatmeal. I myself use 1-2 T. of Cashew Nut Butter mixed in. Before I had tried it out myself I thought it sounded odd..but it's really quite good and very satisfying, much more so than simply carbs for breakfast.

It's not likely you'll find yourself hungry if you bump up your cals on your first meal most especially if you're only going to be eating 3 times in a 24 hour period!

I find what works best for me is doing a carb/protein combo at each mini meal I do.

FC

mgullette · February 2009

Havingitall,

Who wrote this article? I LOVE it and feel like it could have been written by me! Thanks for the great read. I'm going to post it over in the Bring IT thread as well. Thanks again!

neeterskeeter · February 2009

Well, the way I avoid cravings/ temptations has already been covered but I will chime in my two cents anyway.

Small meals throughout the day so I'm not hungry... I usually eat at least 6 times a day LOL but every meal is small, 100 - 300 calories. If I know I'm going to have a bigger lunch or dinner than I may not eat as many "snacks" (aka small meals) but really I guess I've set my metabolism to the point where my stomach gets hungry every 2 - 3 hours and it's hard for me to let it stay hungry. So I just keep it full of good, light stuff all day long.

Also as someone else, I think fitness_chick mentioned, your cravings will go away if you don't give into them for awhile. This is what I think; a lot of our cravings for bad things are unnatural; sugar is like a drug, it's addictive, and it makes us hungrier and makes us crave more of it. It also doesn't keep us full the way healthy food does, so when we are soon hungry again and used to eating sugar or processed junk food etc. so we crave more. But none of this is natural... in our natural, caveman-like (ha ha) state, our body craves what we really need and what is good for us! Thus we have to re-program our body away from fake food... and yes, something full of chemically engineered modified crap is fake food... and towards whole, nutritious food. After we do that, we realize how bad for us the bad stuff is and we no longer even desire it.

It worked for me, I had a huge sweet tooth and was a big fast food junkie. Now that I think about what I'm eating and what is best for my body, when I crave something "sweet" I reach for a grape. That is *naturally* sweet! And when I think of something like a donut or a piece of cake, I think that tastes "too" sweet... unnaturally sweet, and I honestly don't even want it. I am so proud of myself for getting to this place and I think anyone can do it... it's a matter of willpower and mind over matter. Good luck to you OP in resisting temptations and hopefully re-programming your "cravings."

specialsong77 · February 2009

THAT is an awesome way to handle the junk food battle! Substitute with items as close as you can but that are healthy choices... trick your cravings! BRILLIANT!!! I like the meal you described too! I am going to try that...

neeterskeeter · February 2009

You can also grill potatoes pretty healthy so they seem like fries but aren't dripping in oil and fat.

specialsong77 · February 2009

I have to say I am doing the same thing... I feel so guilty thinking about how far over I would go on my goal for calories and carbs for the day.... it has been helping me a lot just having the visual and actual numbers to look at. Kinda snaps me back to reality.

JennaK · February 2009

If you add half of your meals to be vegetables (broccoli or brussel sprouts or whatever) you will use less calories and feel fuller. Today for dinner I had a chicken breast, half a cup of brown rice and 1 cup of brussel sprouts for only 300cals approximately and I was stuffed! If you are low on extra calories, try an apple for a snack w hich is less than 100. I started to play around with possibilities and plan my meals the day ahead.

mrsyac2 · February 2009

1500 calories eating 5 times a day

Breakfast 400 calories

Snack 100 (it doesn't have to be a big snack)

Lunch 400 calories

Snack 100 calories (again it doesn't have to be a big snack

Dinner 400 calories

Total 1500 calories

jtintx · February 2009

I guess my biggest problem is my lunch. I just absolutely, positively HAVE to get away from the office at lunch time or I WILL go insane! So, I eat at Subway every weekday (except 1 day a week is lunch with hubby), I have a veggie with chips and a diet drink and it comes to 540 calories. So by the end of lunch I have hardly any calories left for dinner/evening snack. I guess I just don't know how to eat low cal.

MyaPapaya75 · February 2009

More than likely Im willing to bet her food contains lots if good things veggies and fruit and lean meats in small portions....

mgullette · February 2009

I'd cut the diet soda and the chips for sure. Subway offers side options like apples, yogurt, etc. You can also have your favorite sandwich made into a salad with lots of veggies instead, so you'd get all the good fillings but not the calories from the bread. And what bread you choose at Subway makes a huge difference! Just say no to the cheese and whatever. And diet soda doesn't do any good even if it doesn't have calories. Many studies suggest that caffeine can even stimulate hunger more, so maybe try cutting that out and see how it affects your hunger.

neeterskeeter · February 2009

I agree. Also on the Biggest Loser last night Prevention Magazine was doing a quiz and one of the answers was that *both* regular and diet soda have the ability to cut your lifespan short because they can lead to metabolic syndrome.

I try to bring my lunch to work and even if you need to get away from the office, why not go on a walk and eat your lunch somewhere outside (if it's warm) or come early and eat it if there's anywhere away from your desk at work? When I do go to Subway I get the six inch turkey sub on wheat, even if I add pepperjack cheese and low fat honey mustard dressing, it's under 500 calories. Or you could have half it it with some fruit, and then repeat that later in the day if you can eat at your desk? Good luck.

jtintx · February 2009

Well, I didn't cut out the chips today but I did bring them back to the office and will have them as my afternoon snack. A step in the right direction I guess...:ohwell:

neeterskeeter · February 2009

Good job jtinx! Next you can try snacking on fruit (like an apple or banana with some peanut butter) or veggies (like chopped carrots and low fat dressing) and you might find that you stay fuller than after you eat the chips.

aprilvet · February 2009

jtintx- I love Subway but mine comes in at about 300 cals! 6"turkey sub, no cheese or condiments, ALL of the veggies! It's quite tasty, very filling, and the cruch of the veggies takes away my learned desire for the texture of chips! Hope this helps!

bitty_401 · February 2009

I try everything and it was almost impossible.Everyone began telling me how fatty I look or I was getting.I saw myself and it was true.My scale show the numbers and I didn't like what I saw.I used to walk a lot aand since several weeks I noticed I was getting fatigue and my legs hurt.
Theeeeeeeeeeere I realized it was time to say no to certain food and began asking around and telling friends and family that I wanted to lose weight.
So my mind was set to say NOOOOOOOO.
Began looking for labels...so try to set your mind first of what you want or not.It work for me maybe it can work for others.

dothompson · February 2009

I don't think you should, if it's something you really love and can control, then have some as long as you fit it into your plan. Sometimes you realize that what you have to give up makes it not worth it, but if you have permission then it takes the edge off the craving.

Some foods may be trigger foods where if you eat one bite you can't stop. Then it's best to avoid them all together.

neeterskeeter · February 2009

That's an awesome tip. I'm a big believer in mind over matter. I read something today that cravings for sweets are caused by poor nutrition. If you're body isn't used to proper care and feeding, it will crave the wrong things... you have to re-train your mind to want the right things, like you say. Then soon you *won't* be craving the bad stuff because you know better. Your mind can say no, your body will just have to go along with it!

jtintx · February 2009

jtintx- I love Subway but mine comes in at about 300 cals! 6"turkey sub, no cheese or condiments, ALL of the veggies! It's quite tasty, very filling, and the cruch of the veggies takes away my learned desire for the texture of chips! Hope this helps!
[/quote]I finally figured out that someone had posted incorrect info here in the food database. So now, my lunch comes in at 475, including a bag of chips! That's a lot better than 540! Now when I'm able to give up the chips it will be even better.

neeterskeeter · February 2009

That makes sense, I was *wondering* how it was that many calories and figured you must have been eating a foot-long instead of a 6" LOL. I get cheese and low fat honey mustard dressing when I do get the turkey sub and it still comes in at 375 or so. Good job figuring that out.

how???

Replies

Categories