Lunch ideas anyone?

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laugustine
laugustine Posts: 7
in Food and Nutrition
HI all,

I feel like I am eating too many calories for lunch am still hungry by 4 PM. Feel free to check out my food diary. Lately I have been having a healthy choice, string cheese, and a granola bar. I think the healthy choices are what's not filling me up. And I definitely can't last if that's all I eat for lunch. What do you guys eat to stay full until dinner? Any suggestions? I want something easy that I can just grab before leaving for work.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

Replies

  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    Your issue is not your lunch, it is the times you choose to eat. Try saving your granola bar for an afternoon snack at 3-3:30. It is better to eat 5-6 times a day rather than 3 big meals. Save some of your breakfast for a mid-morning snack then you wont be as hungry at lunch, then save some of your lunch for a mid-afternoon snack.

    I tend to eat at 6:30, 8:30, 10:30, 1:00, 3:30, 5:30, 8:00.
  • bluiz13
    bluiz13 Posts: 3,550 Member
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    i agree with him....i eat breakfast and sometimes i get in a morning snack around 1030-11 depending on how busy i am..then i eat lunch around 12-1230 and have a snack around 230-330 and dinner is usually btwn 630-830....i dont have a night time snack usually but if i do it is around 9-930 once my kids are in bed and we are watching tv...but i find im not hungry since we eat dinner later than most....
  • cnash81
    cnash81 Posts: 30
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    I second what Eric says. I eat 5 times a day and never wind up feeling horribly hungry in between.
  • alucard75
    alucard75 Posts: 207 Member
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    Try a high fiberwrap: What I'm having is about 100 calories less then you and it fills me pretty good. Also to doind a low cal snack in between meals.

    Lettuce - Iceburg - General, 0.5 cup 5
    Tomato - Raw, Red, 4 slices 44
    La Tortilla Factory - Smart & Delicious Low Carb High Fiber Whole Wheat Tortilla, 1 Tortilla 80
    Oscar Meyer - Deli Fresh Honey Ham, 7.8 slices 51g 65
    Cottage cheese - Lowfat, 2% milkfat, 0.5 cup (not packed) 102

    Check my diary if you like :)
  • sophieshaped
    sophieshaped Posts: 228 Member
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    As well as having your snacks as lunch (cheese string and granola etc), looks like you're eating quite a lot of white pasta? Try having something that releases the energy more slowly. Say veggie soup and a slice of granary bread.

    Also your sugar is really high – you're probably peaking and crashing all day! I bet if you reduced that, spread your snacks out, and ate more low-GI carbs you'd be more satisfied :o)
  • orange_avocado
    orange_avocado Posts: 232
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    Eating multiple small meals during the day is good advice, but sometimes it's not practical or comfortable. I eat breakfast and lunch, and rarely ever snack but I'm usually fine until dinner. My advice is do not skip breakfast even if it seems like "extra" calories. Eat something with protein and fiber, like toast with peanut butter, oatmeal, or even just a Carnation instant breakfast. For lunch I usually just bring in leftovers from dinner and a piece of fruit. My calories distributions tend to be:
    Breakfast: 200 - 300
    Lunch: 400 - 500
    Dinner: 300 - 400
    Healthy Choice, while fine when you need a meal-on-the-go, aren't as filling as food you make yourself. They're laden with preservatives and cut out healthy fats and protein to get their calorie counts low. That could be part of why you feel so hungry.
    Good luck!
  • jdsouthernbelle
    jdsouthernbelle Posts: 274
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    I agree with Eric as well. I tend to eat 5 times a day as well....breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack & dinner. Add that with 10-12 cups of water & I never feel like I am "starving"

    Hope this helps!
  • gnrshelton
    gnrshelton Posts: 358 Member
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    I know its not easy to eat several times a day when your busy. I couldn't keep up with eating more than three times a day. Personally i think a granola bar isn't good for a lunch but if your looking for something quick to grab I eat Pure protein bars for breakfast and they are filling. They are more protein which is good to boost metabolism. You should really eat protein at each meal.
  • reebop67
    reebop67 Posts: 6
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    I agree with the others. You need to eat more often. I've found that the Planter's Go-paks are wonderful. You can choose which nuts you like the most and they're already measured out. You get good protein to carry you through as well as healthy oils that our bodies need to keep working properly. Every personal trainer will tell you to eat 6 times a day. Otherwise, your metabolism slows and you'll stop losing weight. My lunch usually consists of 3oz of cut up chicken (you can make it yourself, or buy it ready-made; the store-bought will put you over your sodium intake, though) in 2-3 cups of Romaine lettuce with either yellow/red/orange bell peppers, 1 tbsp of chopped pecans, 1 tsp of grated parmesan and 2 tbsp of balsamic vinagerette dressing. Calorie intake is low, fiber and nutrition is high and it tastes great. You can make it the night before, put it in a plastic container and tape a fork to the top. You probably want to put the dressing in a small, separate container so that the lettuce doesn't wilt. Bring a snack for mid-afternoon, and you'll do fine until dinner. Hope that helps! (oh, and eating this way for just a week, I've already lost 4.5 pounds)
  • superwmn
    superwmn Posts: 936
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    I SOOOOOOOOOOO can not make it from breakfast to lunch (and then from lunch to dinner), so I eat every few hours. Here's what a typical day looks like:

    7:30am: ham, cheese and eggwhites on a sandwich thin
    11am: turkey, veg and hommos roll-ups (veg is either sprouts, bell peppers or cucumbers)
    1pm: Lox and cream cheese on an English Muffin
    3pm: Soup

    I guess TECHNICALLY everything that happens from 11-3 could be considered lunch. I just fare better on the hunger/blood-sugar front if I spread it out.

    Charmagne
  • edorice
    edorice Posts: 4,519 Member
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    At ten o'clock I usually eat a Pria Bar (mint chocolate) @ 110 calories. Luna Bars are good, but higher in calories at 180.

    Good lunch to have is a Healthy Choice entree, their honey ginger chicken is great.
  • ErinMarie25
    ErinMarie25 Posts: 733 Member
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    Well first off, I eat around the same times every single day. I have lunch at 12:30-1 and I will have a snack 2-3 hours afterward. It keeps me full until dinner. I will have a sandwich with turkey, ham, lettuce, tomato, sometimes pepperoni sliced. Or I will make a turkey wrap. You can make a batch of chicken in one and save the rest and eat chicken for lunch with rice, or make a chicken wrap. Those are very filling.

    I eat between 5-5:30, 8, 10, between 12-1, 3-4, and 6. If I am hungry after dinner, going to bed, I will have a serving of sugar free jello. Keeps me satisfied until I fall asleep.
  • Bigpelly8
    Bigpelly8 Posts: 504 Member
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    I typically do :
    8am breakfast cereal and a banana
    11 am snack fruit and grain bar
    2pm lunch salad or sandwich with yogurt
    5pm snack string cheese
    typically have to eat a later dinner around 8

    Drink water all day long and I swear I have to remind myself to eat cause I do not get hungry anymore!
  • SaraTN
    SaraTN Posts: 536 Member
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    I agree with what everyone else is saying about the frequency of meals but I also recommend cutting the Lean Cuisines and preparing your own food. It will be more flavorful, nutritious, and satisfying and probably less expensive in the long run. Try making a stew or hearty soup in a crockpot on the weekends and then prepackage it to take to work with you. You can freeze any excess. During busy times I will take a day and prepare two or three different kinds to freeze. I also grill up some flank steak and roast a chicken and package that up with some veggies, salad stuff, or get some individually portioned veggies to take with you.
  • turbojanem
    turbojanem Posts: 285
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    raw veggies like red peppers, cucumbers and baby carrots are easy to take with you, are GREAT for you, and filling. avoid the dips and sauces and enjoy the fresh crunch. you can eat all three of these daily for meals or snacks. you will be healthier and fuller.

    i personally have several meals/snacks throughout the day. after tracking for a couple months now, i know the balance of eating lean and when i have extra calories. if i don't plan ahead, i always end up over my calories.

    my favorite meal of my day is my daily Shakeology. only 140 calories and LOTS of goodies for my body. and it's chocolate too! :smile: YUMMY!

    add me as a friend and you will see my food and exercise daily! cheering you on!

    have a GREAT Thursday!
    Jane
  • DeniseGdz
    DeniseGdz Posts: 592 Member
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    If your an on the go girl, like me, I dont' ahve time to sit and snack. I need soemthing to go so I always carry a Soy bar or curb that snack feelign with a snack...Planters 1.5 oz NUT*rition "heart healthy mix" + a water.

    Does the trick until your next meal.

    Definitely have to agree with everyone. Eat several times a day and nothing past 7pm AT the latest!!

    Good luck!

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