Need help with 'cleaner' eating

knovello82 · April 2013

I have been sticking to 1200 calories or a little more during the week, while eating my exercise calories. It has not been difficult. During the weekend I am higher, but I am keeping up with logging on the weekends and I hope it will cause me to lower my calories on the weekend (& to quit the darn drinking).

The thing is, I am a creature of habbit & I am not a cook, so when I am at work during the day I usually stick to the same things-instant oatmeal for breakfast, grilled chicken wrap for lunch, fiber 1 bar for afternoon snack. I keep reading that the 'instant' & 'diet' stuff is not good, and I agree. The problem is-I don't know what the heck to replace it with. I have tried fresh fruit for breakfast before, but after eating it for a few minutes I'm like "bleh" & throw it out-only to be starving half an hour later. Can you guys help give me some ideas?

Dinner is easier, because my boyfriend is the cook & has been making healthy meals, like chicken & rice, pork chops, salads. It's what I'm eating at work I need help with.

Laurelthequeen · April 2013

You can make a big batch of REAL oatmeal, (I prefer steel cut oats, but old fashioned - NOT quick) and portion it out for each morning. Then all you have to do is heat it up and maybe add some milk, honey, peanut butter, chopped sauteed apples with cinnamon and nutmeg, or chopped strawberries. If you like it the same way each morning, you could even make your whole batch like that. Oatmeal is great with frozen blueberries too!

A grilled chicken wrap would be an easy thing to do clean-eating style. Depending on what you want on it, have your boyfriend grill up a bunch of chicken breast strips for you, then you can assemble on a whole wheat tortilla. Another twist on this is curried chicken salad(rotisserie chicken shredded with greek yogurt, lots of curry powder, chopped celery and halved grapes. Good on a tortilla type wrap, or in a lettuce leaf.

For snacks, try greek yogurt with flax, chia, or hemp seeds and maybe some sliced up fruit. You could also boil some eggs (put eggs in pot with cool water covering them by 1". Put on stove, turn heat to high. When they come to a boil, turn off heat, and set a timer for 10 minutes. When 10 min is up, pour out hot water, and stream in cool water til the eggs are cooled down - perfect, not overcooked yolks) and either devil them with some greek yogurt (or mayonnaise if it fits in your plan) or just with a little salt.

Laurelthequeen · April 2013

I also make crustless mini quiches by adding some chopped up ham, steamed broccoli (you could totally use frozen too if that's easier), and a little grated cheddar to a greased nonstick muffin tin, then pouring beaten eggs over and baking until firm in the center.

I just wrote a blog post about this yesterday actually.
http://homeindisarray.blogspot.com/2013/04/clean-eating-meal-planning.html

mariekwga · April 2013

Do you like milkshakes? If so, check out some of the Morning Smoothie recipes from the Wheat Belly diet and blogs. I think that is what has made the biggest difference for me. Instead of cereal each morning, I get out the blender (dishwasher-safe!) and I throw in 1 cup of Almond Milk, 1 banana, a handful of fresh or frozen strawberries, a half a handful of grapes or blueberries, and some ice. If you need it, throw in some whey or protein powder or flaxseed too, and blend it up into a morning frozen treat! It revs my metabolism, has less calories than a bowl of cereal, and keeps me feeling full till lunch time or later!

SnicciFit · April 2013

Ask him to make extra and then take leftovers to work.

iLoveMyAR15 · April 2013

Have your BF make an extra serving of food so you can take it with you to work the next day! That's what i do and i save money by not eating out every day

SnicciFit · April 2013

Try bleach! All the rage among clean eaters. I dip all my food in it!

Wow. That's constructive.

xiamjackie · April 2013

After making my own "real" oatmeal, I never eat the instant stuff anymore! Tastes gross to me. I looooove my rolled oats in the morning with really any toppings you can think of: blueberries, strawberries, PB, almond milk, etc.

newcs · April 2013

I agree that steel cut oats are great. I make them on Sunday - 5 servings - and portion them out into little 1cup wide mouth mason jars. I bought the plastic lids so I don't have to mess with the metal canning lids. Then I put brown sugar and raisins on top of each and grab one from the fridge each morning. I microwave for 60seconds, stir and eat. Other easy breakfasts are english muffins (I've started making my own - really easy) with jam or almond butter (add protein - like an egg - if you do jam). I also sometimes do egg muffins (I blend eggs with salt, pepper, spinach and then mix in carmelized onions or mushrooms, put in a muffin tin and bake) with a side of bacon.

For snacks, I do fresh fruit mostly. I do dried fruit sometimes. Nuts are really easy (I get bored with plain almonds but love the brown sugar cinnamon ones). For some reason I also really love frozen cashews and frozen pecans (not sure why I like them better than room temp). Air popped popcorn is an easy make ahead snack. I made homemade ham & swiss hot pockets recently and froze them. 60 seconds in the microwave and I've got a serious snack...they're a little small (170cals) for a lunch but paired with some veggies, that could work too.

Lunch for me is usually leftovers but sometimes I'll make a big batch of something and eat it throughout the week. I roast veggies a couple times a week (broccoli/cauliflower/brussels sprouts/asparagus with salt, pepper, olive oil) and add that to whatever protein I have (honey mustard chicken lately, sometimes tilapia).

My diary is open - feel free to check it out for ideas. I'm happy to share any recipe you see in there. I still eat some processed foods but I'm slowly transitioning to (hopefully) 100% homemade.

Tried this recipe last night and loved it:
1c quinoa + 2c chopped broccoli + 1 3/4c chicken broth in a large pot on medium until it boils
Lower heat and simmer 15-20min until quinoa has soaked up liquid
Add 1c shredded cheddar and mix until melted
Add salt and pepper to taste
I portioned this out into 8 one cup wide mouth mason jars and it's about 150cals each but a pretty filling snack or side dish.

mariekwga · April 2013

Lunch at work: A special treat for me is any of Amy's frozen meals. They cost less than any fast food meal and have fewer calories, less sodium, and are made from fresh organic vegetarian ingredients. Or I just take leftovers from the night before's healthy dinners. I often freeze individual portions of healthy dinners, they are handy to throw in my lunchbox and then heat in the microwave at work. No microwave at work? Don't freeze your leftovers, just refrigerate them. Keep in a cool lunchbox at work, and get them out 20 to 30 minutes before lunch and put in a warm window or on a warm computer to come up to room temperature. Or place a sealed container of leftovers in a big bowl, sink, or bag of hot water to warm the leftovers up for lunch.

whierd · April 2013

I rinse all of my produce when I bring it back from the store. The process involves rinsing to remove the surface bacteria, then soaking in a bucket of water with a cup of vinegar added. The vinegar helps to kill any mold spores that are present. Then after about 15 minutes, I remove from the bucket, rinse again, then let dry on a towel. This helpsnto rehydrate the produce and also keeps it cleaner and more fresh for a longer period.

However, at this point I normally will process the veggies. I cut them up into serving sizes and store in baggies or storage containers in the fridge for easy prep. A lot of people are against processed foods, but it works for me.

HTH!

SnicciFit · April 2013

I have been sticking to 1200 calories or a little more during the week, while eating my exercise calories. It has not been difficult. During the weekend I am higher, but I am keeping up with logging on the weekends and I hope it will cause me to lower my calories on the weekend (& to quit the darn drinking).

The thing is, I am a creature of habbit & I am not a cook, so when I am at work during the day I usually stick to the same things-instant oatmeal for breakfast, grilled chicken wrap for lunch, fiber 1 bar for afternoon snack. I keep reading that the 'instant' & 'diet' stuff is not good, and I agree. The problem is-I don't know what the heck to replace it with. I have tried fresh fruit for breakfast before, but after eating it for a few minutes I'm like "bleh" & throw it out-only to be starving half an hour later. Can you guys help give me some ideas?

Dinner is easier, because my boyfriend is the cook & has been making healthy meals, like chicken & rice, pork chops, salads. It's what I'm eating at work I need help with.

My concern is you're not eating enough, forget the clean eating bs, start eating more food, have a proper amount. Make sure you do things right. One step at a time.

Or you could eat more calories and still eat "clean" (the term "clean" as it refers to eating is a matter of opinion, so whatever it means to you)

ze_hombre · April 2013

Almonds have become my go-to snack. The rest of what you are eating sounds ok (although I personally stay away from carb-loaded foods, I find the insulin spike caused by things like oatmeal makes me hungrier through the day than high fat and protein foods).

JoanB5 · April 2013

I like the xtreme ole wheat low fat tortillas. They are much better tasting than the white and less saturated fat. You can fill them with all sorts of things. I love hummus (olive oil with red pepper is my favorite).

Soups, like turkey taco and veggie are filling, good, warm, and lowfat (depending on the weather).

An omelet made in the morning and warmed up would be good.

Or Greek yogurt with lowfat Kroger granola cereal.

Chicken or turkey or tuna are all good lowfat meats you can fix in a variety of ways. I liked Healthy Life breads, you can make sandwiches with far fewer cals from bread if that's your thing, their thin bagels and pita pocket are also good.

I ate a protein bar on heavy exercise days or a protein smoothie. Make sure you are buying high quality fruit, and fruit that keeps well. Bananas, once they start to get ripe can be frozen for fast smoothies, or just a quick treat from the freezer. Grapes keep well. I like a very crisp, sweet apple or none at all, so watch the variety and what's in season. Fugi, Gala, and Honeycrisp are three of my current favs.

SnicciFit · April 2013

You could make a big batch of chicken salad or tuna salad on the weekend and portion it out for the week.

mariekwga · April 2013

If you are short on time... buy pre-cleaned pre-chopped bags of fresh vegetables, lettuce and spinach, and pre-shredded cheese (buy organic and hormone-free and preservative-free versions if available). Throw a couple handfuls of the pre-chopped veggies and greens and a little of the cheese in a container, add your favorite salad dressing or hummus or nuts for a topping, and voila! Instant lunch salad. Five minutes tops is all it takes to prepare this kind of healthy take-along lunch.

kairisika · April 2013

Make your own instant oatmeal instead of the sugar-laden package.
There's nothing wrong with quick oats if you don't have time to make typical oatmeal, just all the other crap in the package.
so buy a bag of quick oats, and add whatever else you like to them. You can make up a big jar and take from it, or even individually portion it into bags for the week.
homemade instant oatmeal is my go-to for backpacking.
I like:
quick oats
quinoa flakes
ground flax
unsweetened coconut flakes
raisins
cinnamon and nutmeg
You can also add whole flax seeds, dried fruit, and such things if you like them.
When I make for backpacking, I also add powdered milk to the package, so I can just add boiling water, stir, and eat.
At home, you could just make it with milk or water as you prefer.
It's easy to add whatever you want to a big container and then use portions just like the crappy packages.

ginatia · April 2013

I get Ezekiel 4:9 english muffins (freezer section at Publix) and cook one egg (scramble it no milk) and two slices of block cheese for my breakfast...it is easy and tastes great! For lunch it is always a salad with either grilled chicken or tuna. Snacks can be apples, carrot chips with hummus, bananas, grapes or watermelon. For dinner I always go to either thegraciouspantry website or heandsheeatclean website for recipes.

jcartwright2008 · April 2013

I have been sticking to 1200 calories or a little more during the week, while eating my exercise calories. It has not been difficult. During the weekend I am higher, but I am keeping up with logging on the weekends and I hope it will cause me to lower my calories on the weekend (& to quit the darn drinking).

The thing is, I am a creature of habbit & I am not a cook, so when I am at work during the day I usually stick to the same things-instant oatmeal for breakfast, grilled chicken wrap for lunch, fiber 1 bar for afternoon snack. I keep reading that the 'instant' & 'diet' stuff is not good, and I agree. The problem is-I don't know what the heck to replace it with. I have tried fresh fruit for breakfast before, but after eating it for a few minutes I'm like "bleh" & throw it out-only to be starving half an hour later. Can you guys help give me some ideas?

Dinner is easier, because my boyfriend is the cook & has been making healthy meals, like chicken & rice, pork chops, salads. It's what I'm eating at work I need help with.

My concern is you're not eating enough, forget the clean eating bs, start eating more food, have a proper amount. Make sure you do things right. One step at a time.

Or you could eat more calories and still eat "clean" (the term "clean" as it refers to eating is a matter of opinion, so whatever it means to you)

Or you can just eat at your calorie goal and be more successful because you're not stressing about things that aren't important.

Maybe eating clean IS important to her. Probably why she asked in the first place. I eat pretty clean and it has made a huge difference in how I feel. That comment was not helpful and uncalled for.

SnicciFit · April 2013

I have been sticking to 1200 calories or a little more during the week, while eating my exercise calories. It has not been difficult. During the weekend I am higher, but I am keeping up with logging on the weekends and I hope it will cause me to lower my calories on the weekend (& to quit the darn drinking).

The thing is, I am a creature of habbit & I am not a cook, so when I am at work during the day I usually stick to the same things-instant oatmeal for breakfast, grilled chicken wrap for lunch, fiber 1 bar for afternoon snack. I keep reading that the 'instant' & 'diet' stuff is not good, and I agree. The problem is-I don't know what the heck to replace it with. I have tried fresh fruit for breakfast before, but after eating it for a few minutes I'm like "bleh" & throw it out-only to be starving half an hour later. Can you guys help give me some ideas?

Dinner is easier, because my boyfriend is the cook & has been making healthy meals, like chicken & rice, pork chops, salads. It's what I'm eating at work I need help with.

My concern is you're not eating enough, forget the clean eating bs, start eating more food, have a proper amount. Make sure you do things right. One step at a time.

Or you could eat more calories and still eat "clean" (the term "clean" as it refers to eating is a matter of opinion, so whatever it means to you)

Or you can just eat at your calorie goal and be more successful because you're not stressing about things that aren't important.

Maybe eating clean IS important to her. Probably why she asked in the first place. I eat pretty clean and it has made a huge difference in how I feel. That comment was not helpful and uncalled for.

I thought the part about eating more was possibly helpful, but suggestion someone "forget the clean eating bs" is just silly. If she wants to eat "clean" (whatever that means to her), what's the problem?

jcartwright2008 · April 2013

I should have cut that quote down. It was directed at the last couple of comments.

mmickeep · April 2013

"You can make a big batch of REAL oatmeal, (I prefer steel cut oats, but old fashioned - NOT quick) and portion it out for each morning. Then all you have to do is heat it up and maybe add some milk, honey, peanut butter, chopped sauteed apples with cinnamon and nutmeg, or chopped strawberries. If you like it the same way each morning, you could even make your whole batch like that. Oatmeal is great with frozen blueberries too! "

Does it stay well if you make it the night before , I want to make it ahead of time for my husband to take to work for breakfast.

NoleGirl0918 · April 2013

bump for later

neanderthin · April 2013

Couple of hard boiled eggs, tuna salad, peanut butter, cheese, these are all easy to prepare and are convenient.

FlaxMilk · April 2013

Reading her post, she doesn't sound overly focused on clean foods, and I don't think she is undereating (1200 + exercise calories.) She pretty much says she is doing ok but wants some ideas for work. She sounds like she is looking for some creativity or variety and doesn't want to have to rely on Fiber One bars to keep her going.

FlaxMilk · April 2013

OP, the simplest suggestion from me would be to pack up any leftovers to eat at work.

You can make oatmeal in a slow cooker. OhSheGlows.com has tons of oats recipes, many that require no cooking at all. Bring portions of nuts and seeds, or even bring a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter. Have a latte (one without added sugars except for treats.) Veggies and hummus. Throw some frozen veggies in a container, scoop some kind of fat on them (butter, sour cream, guacamole, salad dressing, etc) and pop in the microwave when you are ready to eat. Pop some popcorn to bring with you, just have some protein with it. Soup.

Even for those who don't like to cook, stirfries are pretty simple, are an easy way to fit in tons of veggies and protein, and hard to mess up. Don't be afraid of fat and protein when trying to eat more cleanly.

ChaseAlder · April 2013

Make a dozen hard-boiled eggs over the weekend and take them to work with you throughout the week. Sprinkle a little salt on them, instant snack! Delicious.

For breakfast, I like old-fashioned oats with a cup of frozen raspberries and a couple sweetener packets.

One of my favorite snacks is a mix of 3 parts almonds (unsalted), 2 parts raisins, and 2 parts dried cranberries. It's delicious and satisfying.

Try lots of different fruits and take those as snacks. I recently discovered I really like starfruit. I also really love kiwis, apples, oranges, and bananas.

If you're in the mood for something snacky, slice some plantains and bake them! My favorite thing to dip them in is a dip I make with avocado and lime juice. I just mash up one ripe avocado and add lime juice to taste. The plantain chips are perfect for it.