First ever MFP post: Low cal secrets

Meli311ssa

As of this morning I've lost 20 # since the end of November! I wanted to lose 30 but have since upped it to 33, so I have 13 to go!

I was hoping to swap food tips. I eat pescatarian (like a vegetarian except I include all fish and shellfish) but let's swap our low cal secrets; what do you use to get the most calorie bang for your buck?

For dessert tonight I am having 2 caramel flavored rice cakes (80 cals) with a serving of PB2 (45 cals)
If you've never heard of PB2, you should definitely Google that! I like to mix a dash of stevia in it to make it sweeter for dessert.

Breakfast: always either eggs, oatmeal, or a protein shake

100-200 calorie snacks: VitaTops (also Google that), Southbeach whipped peanut butter bars, Chobani Greek yogurt, popcorn, EAS Advant protein shakes, Kellogg protein bars, flavored almonds, popsicles, etc.

Dinner: salad with balsamic vinegar, grilled shrimp and brown rice, baked fish and steamed veggies, vegan whole wheat burritos (Amy's brand from frozen aisle), light canned soup, English muffin pizza, subway veggie sub on wheat

USA chain restaurant dinners: ruby tuesday Creole catch with zucchini and spaghetti squash (335 c), green turtle black and blue salad with shrimp and vinegar as dressing (288 c), baja fresh shrimp baja ensalada with salsa for dressing (250 c) and the salad is huge, cheesecake factory seared tuna tataki salad with dressing on side (440) cals, applebees grilled lime jalapeno shrimp (300 c) outback either grilled mahi with mixed veggies (473 c) cal or app grilled shrimp (319 c)

Lunch I'm usually on the go so I snack on nuts, yogurt, hard boiled eggs, protein shakes and protein bars.

I add a few drops of liquid crystal light to water when I crave something more, I gave up alcohol, I chew sugar free gum, I never skip breakfast, I always plan meals in advance, I choose stairs over the elevator, I taught myself to not just drink my coffee black but prefer it that way, I sleep at least 7 hours, I weigh myself regularly, and I accomodate for days when I have social functions by eating 80 cal of soup for lunch and 120 cal of oatmeal for breakfast to hold me until dinner or whenever the function is.

Here are some of the secrets to my lifestyle! Let's hear some of yours!

bikinisuited

I am sorry no one has taken the time to appreciate your hard work in planning all meals and consistency, your . No wonder I am 5 up and 5 down. I joined MFP to lose 10 and this seems like a forever chore of mine.

Superb list of chain salad restaurants. You make this appear easy, cheers to great dedication on your part.

I do sip chicken broth but honestly I have many areas of improvement.

cook6609

I started using MFP and watching my calories since December 27... So far, I'm down 41 pounds....I'll post some of my most common meal ideas.... I have not cut anything out of my "diet" due to the fact that I will never be able to give them up forever... I love meats, carbs, etc... I've learned how to portion control. That is something that I will be able to do for the rest of my life is portion control.

breakfast: I typically eat 3 egg whites, some type of lean meat (turkey or turkey sausage), and a slice of Sarah Lee's 45 calorie whole wheat bread with honey (I especially like this because I don't have to add butter to it... The honey gives it a nice taste)

Lunch: Lean meat (chicken or fish), veggies, and sometimes I'll add some type of carb like rice or low-cal pasta. I also have added in veggie style meats such as veggie burgers or (my new favorite) veggie ribs. Low calorie and delicious!!! (it does NOT taste like the real thing, but it's just as good)

Dinner: Similar to lunch, but sometimes depending on the planned meal it may be different. For example, tonight I am making tacos (with ground beef 90/10)... I substitute a lot of lighter calorie options for the things I like. I bought low fat cheese to put on the tacos. I don't use the tortilla any more since that's un-needed calories which in turns allows me to eat more of the taco meat.

Snacks: While I don't really need to snack with the protein and fiber I take in during meals some of my favorites are the Fiber one bars, 100 calorie packs, Fiber one 80 calorie chocolate cereal (yummy!!!! definitely takes care of that chocolate craving), fruit (I'm really enjoying the Cuties- Mandarin oranges since they are only 40 calories for each one).

Drinks: I typically stick to water and Diet Green Tea... The only time I drink diet soda is when I go out to eat (but lately I've been avoiding that as well)...

Desserts: I Smart Ones desserts. I have also found a new love. If you have one in your area, Sweet Frog Premium Frozen Yogurt!!! OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!!! It's heaven on earth... seriously... Since finding it last week, I have been there 4 times since then!!! :blushing: The best part is that it's 1) frozen yogurt (so it's healthier than ice cream) 2) They post the calorie content beside the flavors 3) they have fresh fruit toppings to put on top..... So for a No Sugar Added Strawberry yogurt of 4 oz and fresh strawberries it is only 100 Calories!!!!!!!! You cannot beat that... It tastes divine!!!

My favorite USA chain restaurants with low-calorie options is 1) applebees and their 550 below menu 2) Olive Garden (came out with a low calorie options my favorite is the lasagna primavera with grilled chicken...sooo good) 3) Red Lobster- sea food is low in calories... Just don't go over board on the biscuit (lol) 4) I also enjoy Chili's... They have a low calorie menu as well... however, i have found a way to get my favorite meal for a lower calorie count... I The honey chipotle chicken crispers... The sad part is that it is 1600 calories... I asked the waiter if I could get the chicken grilled instead of with breading... They were able to accommodate... So with grilled chicken, low-fat ranch dressing for dipping (instead of regular ranch), broccoli (substituted for fries), and corn on the cob it comes out to about 520... However, when I had it, the corn gave me issues, so that's another 220 calories I can cut out or substitute for another lower calorie option..

As you can see, I food!!!!! I am all about getting my favorite meals for the least amount of calories... I did buy smaller dinner plates.. I have a "mini contest" with myself to see how much food I can fit on the plate with the least amount of calories... I find it a huge accomplishment when I need to use a large dinner plate for my low calorie meal... Just this past week I made grilled chicken Parmesan (no breading), salad, and roasted red potatoes... I needed a large plate for the entire meal!!! It was 475 calories!!!

My suggestion is to find what you love in a lower calorie option. It may take more time to find it on the shelf, but it has help cut calories in one area so that you can use it in another area... hope this helps... sometimes, it's just all about finding what works for you

bikinisuited

^^ You have some great ideas. Thank you for sharing. For me is portion control and the hardest part of my life when I came to MFP for almost a year in trying to lose 10 lbs. I gain 3 and lose 3, it's like a game. I am definitely taking it more serious knowing I have joined MFP for almost a year!

cook6609

yes, portion control was my BIGGEST problem.... Now that I've pretty much got it under control, I don't exactly stress when I have to eat at a birthday party or some other function where I don't know the exact calorie content... I just go based on what I've learned the past 3 months... Although it's hard when they bring out the cake lol

kcworkingdiver

This really helps me to get these ideas. I recently read about tuna and salsa - that has been a favorite of mine - really nice flavor. Also I had never tried just balsamic vinegar as a salad dressing (without any oil) until recently - I absolutely love it. I also take cukes, tomatoes, any kind of veggie and drizzle the balsamic and am very satisfied.

I usually always have a turkey breast in the fridge - I cook it in the crockpot and then after I refrigerate the broth and get all the fat off of it use it to simmer my veggies in.

A favorite of my dinners is to use lean ground turkey, onion, 1/2 c. brown rice, 1/2 c navy beans, onion, spinach and simmer. I also make it with other veggies instead of spinach - also sometimes I use the crockpot turkey instead of ground turkey.

I try to be very conscience about processed foods - I try to avoid. Although I do eat Healthy Life Bread or English Muffins as well as string cheese and yogurt.

No diet sodas - only water for me. Only have about 3 glasses of wine a month. I drink no more than two cups of black coffee a day.

My favorite is take Light and Fit yogurt, 1 cup frozen fruit, some splenda and water in a blender - wonderful smoothie.

The biggest thing that works for me is eating something small every 2 hours during the day and nothing after dinner - I usually eat around 5:00 - so after dinner during the week I go to the gym and am done eating, only water for me. I don't go to the gym hungry because I don't want to hurry home to eat. I don't eat too much before the gym because then I don't feel like going.

This seems to work for me.

JavaSparrow

I eat pescetarian also. Most days I don't even eat fish though.
My three meals (ideally) can go up to 250 calories, maybe 300 but are usually lower, with three 150 calorie snacks.
I really love snacks though, so I'll have even smaller meals so I can have more snacks and eat more often ^w^

BREAKFAST: A lovely breakfast for me is a hard boiled egg white (w/ salt/pepper), a cup of coffee and a some type of fruit (100 cal). Some days I'll have oatmeal or cereal (kix or special k or some other type of healthy cereal) with 8th continent soymilk (200 cal).

LUNCH: Sometimes I skip to be honest. But on days when I do have lunch it could be hot tea/coffee with a pb2 and honey sandwich with a fruit or a vegetable (230 depending on the fruit/veg). Or I may have a boca burger with veggies and mustard (220). Oh or tofu/shrimp salad (180). Or even just coffee and peanut butter crackers (180) or coffee with an orange and pretzels (180) Or anything I feel like so long as it's under 250.

AFTERNOON SNACKS: Around three pm, (especially if i skipped lunch) I'll have toast, 1/2 an avocado/tomato (w/ salt/pepper) or a sandwich (230). If I did eat lunch, my first afternoon snack will be smaller, like 150. I usually have another snack late afternoon which could be another egg white, or yoplait frozen yogurt bars or yogurt or a raw fruit/veg or tuna/black bean salad or cookies with 0 cal ice cold sweet tea it's usually smaller than my first afternoon snack (100-150).

DINNER: Usually a stir fry of vegetables or baked/grilled vegetables with zero cal pan spray with a salad or baked fish (210) or a veg burger (210) or shrimp and salad (150) or even sushi if i feel like making it and have enough calories left (250-300)

LATE SNACK: Usually have about 150-200 left by the end of the day so I like to have something sweet before bed. It could be toast and soymilk (140) or tea and cookies (140) or tea and strawberry shortcake (120) or apple slices with pb2 (160-200)

I really love snacks and will have special k snacks, rice cakes w/ pico de gaio or chocolate, anything i like so long as it fits my "budget" ^_^
I try to be careful with certain things like babel cheeses or things that come in a large quantity though since it could trigger a binge I won't buy it if I don't think I can handle it lol
Also when I snack it's usually two items. Even if one of them is a drink. I guess it's just more satisfying to have ice tea and crackers than just crackers lol
For the bread products, I go with saralee 45 cal bread or 80 cal wheat buns from either saralee or wonder bread.
For store bought tea, I go with Arizona diet green tea w/ ginseng, or Lipton diet green tea with citrus. Ice cold, it's so good. I drink tons of water.
I read fitness/health blogs when i need motivation too. Like on tumblr or pinterest. Coming to these message boards, or looking at peoples before and after shots also help my motivation.
-^.^- om nom nom

SabrinaLC

I'm a vegan
I've found that eating fresh foods and food from scratch as often as possible is the best thing for me. I am able to keep my calories low, get my nutrients and feel satisfied.

Breakfast: usually oatmeal, quinoa, toast or pancakes - all items are made from scratch at home

Lunches: I try to have a grain of sort and some vegetables, although most of the time my lunches are leftovers from previous dinners

Dinners: They change weekly, we rarely eat the same thing twice. All dinners are about 75% - 100% from scratch. Lots of vegetables though.

Snacks vary: I'll have chips and guacamole, chocolate, popcorn... etc.

surreygirl23

Don't any of you guys eat real food?

Egg whites, low-fat this, low-fat that, spray oil. Yuk.

I'm amazed you even reach 1200 calories.

I eat whole eggs, full fat milk, full fat natural greek yoghurt, olives, olive oil, coconut oil, salmon fillets, walnuts, tuna, avocados, parmesan cheese shavings, 70% to 80% dark organic chocolate....

But I eat only oats and rice (no wheat), and loads and loads of lovely fresh vegetables and salads. I don't have any trouble keeping to 1200 calories and I'd like to think I do it without the need to resort to 'messed about with' food.

cook6609

I typically eat real foods. Yes, I do use lower calorie toppings such as mayo, dressings, etc. However, there are days when I would eat a whole egg (today I had 2 whole large eggs with potatoes for breakfast.... yum!!!)... I eat meat (mostly lean- chicken, tune, etc)... heck, I even had girl scout cookies last night... The reason I choose some lower calorie items is due to the fact that I want to leave the calories so that I can eat more protein. Since my last post, I have moved away from the "diet meals", and have learned how to make my own. I'm learning as I travel this road towards health. I have found that I love frozen yogurt . I have only been doing this since the end of December. I have lost 50+ pounds. My eating habits are no where what they used to be. I am still learning. That is what this journey is all about for me: Learning how to be healthy!!!

NinjaFatBunny

I"m originally from East Texas, and LOVE my Mexican food !Being on a lower calorie diet makes it hard to indulge , so I've come up with a low calorie taco.. Take 2 corn tortillas around 40 calories each, spray each side with zero cal cooking spray and cook on high in a non-stick skillet until a little crispy ( less than a minute per side) fill with chicken breast, homemade salsa, or whatever low calorie topping you like ...

I also like to make cabbage soup, it's around 36 calories per cup (though i eat a 3 cup serving )
4 cans chicken low sodium chicken stock, 1 small bag of peeled baby carrots, 1 bunch of celery, 1 lb white button mushrooms, large head of cabbage, 1/2 an onion , 2 chicken flavored bullion cubes, and 1 can of tomato sauce. Cook for 1-2 hrs and enjoy !!

NinjaFatBunny

I"m originally from East Texas, and LOVE my Mexican food !Being on a lower calorie diet makes it hard to indulge , so I've com up with a low calorie taco.. Take 2 corn tortillas around 40 calories each, spray each side with zero cal cooking spray and cook on high in a non-stick skillet until a little crispy ( less than a minute per side) fill with chicken breast, homemade salsa, or whatever low calorie topping you like ...

I also like to make cabbage soup, it's around 36 calories per cup (though i eat a 3 cup serving )
4 cans chicken low sodium chicken stock, 1 small bag of peeled baby carrots, 1 bunch of celery, 1 lb white button mushrooms, large head of cabbage, 1/2 an onion , 2 chicken flavored bullion cubes, and 1 can of tomato sauce. Cook for 1-2 hrs and enjoy !!


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