Low calorie foods BUT filling.....HELP!!!

Lusciousss

Okay, here's the problem...I'm a newbie so please bear with me.

Before I joined MFP I would eat whenever the mood so took me. Call it what you like, I grazed, picked, pigged out, well just ate for comfort basically. I'm really trying to exercise some self displine but lasting on 1200 calories per day is very challenging.

I'd just be grateful for any tips/advice that you do to make your calories go so much further.

I'm not a fussy eater and love all food. But would love some tips so that my menu is more varied.

Thanks in advance x

neelia

It's not necessarily low calorie, but it really helps to keep me satisfied- peanut butter!

Fallin_Again

Are you eating 6 small meals a day or are you doing 3 larger ones?

Jeneba

I will be watching this thread with great interest! Meanwhile - String cheese, almonds (in SMALL quantities), lots & lots of water....

cakeums

Reset your goal to 1lb/week and eat the extra 300-400 or so calories that MFP will give you. Think of it as a lifestyle change, not a diet - can you live with 1200 calories/day for the rest of your life? Also, work out and eat the extra calories you get from that.

Hollybot

Tofu Shiratake noodles, veggies, chicken breast, greek yogurt, pretzels. There is a lot of things, feel free to add me, my diary is open, at 1200 calories and a rarely feel hungry!

kimoates

I eat every 2 hrs. or so. I alot of fresh fruit, veggies, yougurt, nuts/ granola. this helps to fight of hunger & keep me from feeling straved all day. Hope this helps.

cakeums

And to add to that - make sure you get enough protein and fiber, it will help keep you fuller, longer.

RobertaG

Maybe you should ease into a lower calorie diet. Try to eat 1500 calls first and decrease slowly if you want. You can also eat foods high in fiber (beans, fruit, veggies) to keep you full. Try lean protein as well (greek yogurt, fish, chicken breast, lean red meats). Try eating a big salad (no/little dressing) before every meal. Oh and drink TONS of water. You'll be surprised how full you get if you drink water as you eat.

TheFitHooker

First off 1200 calories isn't always the magic number for everyone, is 1200 what you put you on or is it what you are suppose to be on?

Low calories aren't always healthy, and high calories aren't always unhealthy. Our bodies need a certain amount of calories a day to survive and not go into starvation mode. Don't be afraid to eat something higher in calories, just be sure it's not empty, with that said, good choices would be raw almonds, pecans, peanut butter for higher calories, but be careful with peanut butter, you can find some that isn't loaded down in sugar and is better for ya. I haven't eaten peanut butter in a while because I refuse to pay the price for it.

Amanda_Rae_Rae

When I'm in a rush with school and clinicals I'll make myself a boca patty. Much lower in fat and calories and really quick easy and yummy! My favorite is the spicy chik'n. I also like to carry around cut up fruit and veggies in a baggie to graze on when I get the munchies.

MiChaChelle

oats are really good for breakfast/dinner with milk.. plenty of fibers in there that'll keep u full longer. carrots are really good too and taste gd. try to work out more as well and eat back whatever calories u burn during ur workout

cbl40

Greek yogurt, fat free cottage cheese, Kashi Go Lean, lots of green veggies, egg whites, lean protein, almonds, nut butters, ezekial bread....

1200 is too little (it is for me). The days I don't exercise, I go over MFP's goal of 1210. I'm still losing BF, which is what I want to do, since my weight is actually pretty low to begin with. Eat 5 to 6 meals per day, lots of protein.....

Good luck!

still_crafty

1200 calories a day isn't enough to sustain basic body function - it's just not healthy
spend some time on fat2fitradio.com calculating your BMR and TDEE and base your goals on MFP from that.

jessicamariewoods

i'm addicted to fresh raw veggies dipped in soy sauce... sounds weird i know but if you like soy sauce you will like this. it works great with most raw veggies, such as broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, carrots, and bell peppers.

Or instead of soy sauce, try low-fat ranch. I love "low-fat" Ranch because it tastes better than fat free but you still don't overload on calories! Just watch your portions...

Wisemomoffour

A vanilla greek yogurt (check calories--mine is about 100 calories) with a few blueberries or Walden Farm (0 cal) chocolate sauce on top--tons of protein to keep you full.

Ayeshat

Beans!.. canellini , kidney.. add em and they'll stuff u

TheFitHooker

1200 calories a day isn't enough to sustain basic body function - it's just not healthy
spend some time on fat2fitradio.com calculating your BMR and TDEE and base your goals on MFP from that.

Depends on the person's body type. My doc has me on a 1200 calorie diet, I can't lose weight on anything higher, I've tried. I work out as well. So everyone is different, depends on the person.

Hernandeak11

If you don't regularly eat breakfast like i used to, DO IT! I find that starting the day off with oatmeal or high-protein egg whites keep me full much longer

Amanda_Rae_Rae

i'm addicted to fresh raw veggies dipped in soy sauce... sounds weird i know but if you like soy sauce you will like this. it works great with most raw veggies, such as broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, carrots, and bell peppers.

Or instead of soy sauce, try low-fat ranch. I love "low-fat" Ranch because it tastes better than fat free but you still don't overload on calories! Just watch your portions...

I thought I was the only one who did the whole raw veggie soy sauce lol! My favorite is radishes. Love the spicy!

wackyfunster

Brown rice
lean turkey
quinoa
fruits/veggies

avoid:
cereals
sugar
"diet bars/protein bars"
anything high in fat (fat and refined carbohydrates are the biggest factor in calorie denseness, for the most part)


The easiest way to evaluate a food is to look at caloric density in terms of calories per gram of food. Look for stuff under 1.5 calories per gram and you should be good.

linnyrhea

Agreed. Maybe reset your goals so you have around 1500 calories for the day. Then you wont feel so hungry.

As far as filling foods go, try spinach salads, greek yogurt is higher in calories then regular yogurt but its loaded with protein, so it helps to keep you full. Almonds and peanut butter are good too, in small amounts

MoooveOverFluffy

IF you are working out, PLEASE read this:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/539980-people-who-have-had-success-by-upping-their-calories

lizard053

High fiber, high protein foods help keep you satisfied longer. Look for fruits and veggies with high water and high fiber content like lettuce, celery, apples, pears and melons. Lean sources of proteins, including nuts, are also great for helping you stay full and feel satisfied.

Captain_Tightpants

Protein will keep you feeling fuller for longer. Fat will satiate you. So a mix of protein and fat is the winning combo - lean meats, nuts, eggs etc.

Silver_Star

Okay, here's the problem...I'm a newbie so please bear with me.

Before I joined MFP I would eat whenever the mood so took me. Call it what you like, I grazed, picked, pigged out, well just ate for comfort basically. I'm really trying to exercise some self displine but lasting on 1200 calories per day is very challenging.

I'd just be grateful for any tips/advice that you do to make your calories go so much further.

I'm not a fussy eater and love all food. But would love some tips so that my menu is more varied.

Thanks in advance x

Im a food lover too and im on a 1220 cal per day too....and i get hungry all the time!
What i found worked for me is:

Whey Protein shakes
Adding beans to my diet
Eating more chicken....as is MORE PROTEIN..it keeps me full for a lot longer

Drink lots of water and separate your cals into several smaller sections and eat those throughout the day.
and DONT keep any high sodium and sugary snacks at home! get rid of them. They are so unsatisfying in small amounts so the urge to scarf all of it down is overpowering.

TeaBea

Protein, fats, fiber, complex carbs ALL keep you full. Eat the foods you enjoy, but see if there is a "healthier" swap to make.


Example: White bread vs. wheat bread. The more processed "Wonder" bread has much less fiber & protein than wheat. Look for higher fiber & protein cereals .... Kashi has several.

Yogurt - greek yogurt has less carbs, and more protein than regular. This is a good swap.

Whole fruits usually have more fiber than fruit juices.

Nuts and nut butters are healthy fats (have some protein too). These are healthy choices.

Finally, I love a big bowl of hot air popped popcorn. Even making it with a little oil is still healthy, lots of fiber.

graelwyn

I have a tbsp of peanut butter followed by some water sometimes to fill me up.
I also eat things like rice noodles, brown rice, baked potato, lots of vegetables, a piece of fruit a day, boiled or grilled fish, avocado, cottage cheese, Total greek yoghurt(which tastes nice with low calorie drinking chocolate stirred in), beans, soups, dried prunes(for regularity and they are very filling with liquid) and eggs. I avoid bread and wheat products as much as I can, personally, as I feel better for it and get less bloated.

I agree with others, try starting at around 1500 calories, and see how that goes. If you aren't losing weight on that, then reduce it a bit. Make sure to get some exercise in, it buys you extra calories and tends to take up time you might otherwise spend eating. Drink lots of water, trust me, it makes a difference. I always find a low calorie hot chocolate drink fills me up a lot too if I get hungry or crave something sweet before bed.

19Snowflake57

The more exercise that you do the more you get to eat. Hope that helps. I couldn't stay on 1200 calories a day either if it weren't for logging in my exercising. Even if you are just walking or cleaning the house or mowing, it all counts! Good luck.

robin49505

Good comments from everyone - in lieu of repeating all the food choices everyone gave you, I would strongly recommend "friending" people and looking at their diary's. I do it and it provides great food ideas when I get bored! Feel free to add me!

amymimi12

I totally had the same problem. I'm an elbow bender, I like to have more volume, so here are a few things that have helped me so far (15 pounds down but still a ways to go)...
Lots of water - make sure you get 8 glasses per day. It's hard at the beginning but helps you feel full. And it makes your skin look good! Add fruit or veggies to EVERYTHING - i.e.: eat a salad with lunch & dinner, add extra veggies to any packaged foods, add fruit to cereal or oatmeal, all the fiber helps me feel full and makes me feel like I'm getting more bulk. Make sure you get a bit of protein with every meal & snack. Egg, greek yogurt, lean meats, etc. And prepare snacks that are healthier... my favorites are frozen grapes, string cheese or light Babybel, baby carrots/cucumber/bell peppers with hummus, freeze dried fruit (not just dried fruit with all that sugar, try Crispy Greens or Crunchies), and the 100-cal bags of microwave popcorn. Most afternoons I eat a nonfat greek yogurt with a cup of berries and that keeps me full between lunch and dinner.
I LOVE peanut butter and almonds and cashews, and a lot of people say they help you feel full, but they're too high in calories for me to have them very often, because I just don't have the self control yet to stop eating them!
Also - exercise and then eat the extra calories. As long as you maintain your deficit, you can eat the calories you've earned through working out. And it helps my will power too because I don't want to undo with food what I've done with exercise. Good luck, we're all in this together!