pizza!

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Urban_Princess
Urban_Princess Posts: 219 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So I've been having some insane cravings for pizza lately and have avoided it completely (until last night when I just needed to sink my teeth into one). I ended up getting a personal size Veggie Mediterranean (from Panago) with no mozzarella or feta cheese on it. Toppings included onions, kalamata olives, tomatoes and spinach.

Do you think this is okay to eat? I really (and I stress really) want to eat pizza (I'm trying to cut down on fat and calories by removing meats and cheese) and I am totally content with each a multigrain crust with just sauce and a few veggies on it.

Any advice for alternatives or substitutes? I think I'm craving the dough more than anything
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Replies

  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    It sounds healthy enough. If it fit into your calorie and nutrition goals, then it's fine for weight loss too. I eat pizza pretty regularly. Pizza can be a balanced meal if it's prepared correctly.

    But even if you want a pizza that isn't quite so healthy or calorie friendly, that's okay once in a while. Just eat a little lighter on the meals or days around it.
  • justal313
    justal313 Posts: 1,375 Member
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    If you have to say "I can't" rather than "I don't" when thinking about any kind of food, you haven't made sustainable changes and any results will vanish when you are no longer able to say "I can't"

    If you want pizza, have some, just don't have the whole pizza and fit it into your day by either tweaking the rest of your food for the day, increasing your activity or both...

    I've lost a ton of weight without taking anything off my menu, I just don't put as much of it on my plate...
  • Urban_Princess
    Urban_Princess Posts: 219 Member
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    Thanks, bcattoes and justal313. I can definitely fit it in my daily counts without tweaking much. I have made huge nutritional changes to a point where I don't crave a lot of the cr@p I used to eat nor do i have the appetite for it. My kryptonite is just pizza.

    justal313, when you said "you have to say "I can't" rather than "I don't" when thinking about any kind of food, you haven't made sustainable changes and any results will vanish when you are no longer able to say "I can't"", do you mean that I have to come to a point where I just do not want it anymore rather than trying to avoid it as much I am right now? I think that's what you're getting at? I totally agree with you if that's what you meant. I understand what you mean by portion control, however, I took off all the junk and fast food from my menu and substituted it with greens, salads, and a well balanced meal (something that never existed prior to this). I guess I'm trying to avoid being one of those people who have a 1200 cal/day allowance and they eat just a chocolate bar for lunch.
  • uptomoonandback
    uptomoonandback Posts: 35 Member
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    Maybe I look at things the wrong way, but I eat pizza all the time (it's in my top 10 items), I just eat one piece for lunch or something like that (not saying I only eat 1 when I hit up Cici's :smile: ). I say as long as I'm in my calorie goal I am good.
  • justal313
    justal313 Posts: 1,375 Member
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    Specifically I was differentiating between changing your dietary habits and going on a diet. If you go on a diet to get healthy then as soon as you stop eating paleo, or cutting out carbs, or whatever else you eliminate to get healthy, you'll go back to where you were if it was a sacrifice you stop making instead of a change you've made.

    Other than eating less, the only thing I've "cut out" is putting potato chips in my tunafish sandwiches. I realized it was strictly a texture thing and I wasn't tasting the potato chips. They are a LOT of calories to not taste. For texture I've added extra onions and crispier lettuce and if I want chips, then I'll have a small amount and enjoy them by eating them with my hands off a plate or out of the bag.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
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    Wow, pizza with no cheese? Well, it wouldn't be okay for me! Seriously, what's the point of eating pizza then? If it's the dough you crave, then just go all in with a plate of biscuits and gravy.

    ETA: If it's pizza you want, get a Digiorno thin crust pepperoni pizza. It's about 340 calories for 1/4 of the pizza. If you're like me and eat half of the pizza, that's still less than 700 calories for dinner. It's delicious, filling, and not so heavy that I can't go run 3 miles afterwards. Yes, I do this about 3 times a week.
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
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    The only thing I see wrong with the pizza is a lack of cheese. Add some back in and you've got a complete meal - protein, fat, carbs and veggies. There is no need to eliminate cheese, just eat an appropriate amount that can fit in your calorie allowance.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Eat all the pizza! Just make sure it's a good one, don't waste your calories on crappy pizza like I did last week. If you crave pizza, have something you'll like, even if it's 100 more calories. I would definitely have cheese on it.
  • mrsmarit
    mrsmarit Posts: 229 Member
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    I actually make my own pizzas at home. Either with a tortilla as my crust or I just purchased from flat out breads that look a flatbread pizza crust.


    Then you can add what you want and eat the whole thing. Usually with pizza the crust is the most calorie dense part and by using a tortilla or the flatout I don't have to worry as much.
  • Rawfoodsho
    Rawfoodsho Posts: 181
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    Ughh I love pizza and will eat like 5 pieces or more.
  • Magdaloonie
    Magdaloonie Posts: 146 Member
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    Cutting out pizza would not be sustainable for me. And there's always cheese! My husband and I make our own and I have calculated 3 different crusts, 3 sauces and a bunch if different topping combinations. None of it is so high that it can't be fit in, even the Greek with 3 cheeses and kalamatas and sometimes chicken or bacon. My only concessions are not eating half the pizza for one meal and slightly less cheese. As another poster said, if I'm going to eat pizza, it's going to be good pizza!
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    seriously, that sounds really delicious. i love pizza, and can't take it out of my diet. but instead of eating a whole pie, i'll get a couple of slices or an individual pizza with veggies and chicken on it.
  • navyrigger46
    navyrigger46 Posts: 1,301 Member
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    Do you think this is okay to eat? I really (and I stress really) want to eat pizza (I'm trying to cut down on fat and calories by removing meats and cheese) and I am totally content with each a multigrain crust with just sauce and a few veggies on it.

    Any advice for alternatives or substitutes? I think I'm craving the dough more than anything

    Well, you're still alive so I presume it was okay. How did it taste, that's the important part.

    Next time, I'd substitute a real pizza, which includes cheese, but that's me.

    Seriously people, food is not evil, just eat it in moderation.

    Rigger
  • jalisaruss
    jalisaruss Posts: 16
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    Ugh you're not alone, today my boyfriend ate some cold old pizza and even that smelled just so amazing hah! I look at these cravings as a test of will power and passing them just makes you that much more determined and serious about your weight loss. good luck and stay strong :)
  • keem88
    keem88 Posts: 1,689 Member
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    if it fits in your goals then it is no problem to have. i prefer a nice hearty nine grain crust but nothing wrong with traditional either. but no cheese!! what's the point of pizza then! :laugh:
  • SeriousBen
    SeriousBen Posts: 41 Member
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    I make low calories and (fairly low) sodium pizzas by using whole wheat pita bread instead of regular dough, light mozzarella cheese, turkey pepperoni, onions and green pepper. You could also add mushrooms if you like them (I don't). It's very tasty and pretty close to the real thing!
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
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    If you have to say "I can't" rather than "I don't" when thinking about any kind of food, you haven't made sustainable changes and any results will vanish when you are no longer able to say "I can't"

    If you want pizza, have some, just don't have the whole pizza and fit it into your day by either tweaking the rest of your food for the day, increasing your activity or both...

    I've lost a ton of weight without taking anything off my menu, I just don't put as much of it on my plate...

    QFT this is the only way to be sustainable on any diet.... Make it fit, Enjoy it, and live your life.... best of Luck
  • ThePlight
    ThePlight Posts: 3,593 Member
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    Maybe I look at things the wrong way, but I eat pizza all the time (it's in my top 10 items), I just eat one piece for lunch or something like that (not saying I only eat 1 when I hit up Cici's :smile: ). I say as long as I'm in my calorie goal I am good.
    Exactly what I do, this way I avoid binge eating.
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,377 Member
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    Eat the pizza. This is a really good guide for filling out your diary and fitting in treats. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/925464-fitting-it-in-giggity
  • Pollywog39
    Pollywog39 Posts: 1,730 Member
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    Pizza contains all of the basic food groups - protein, veggies, grains. EAT THE PIZZA......stop stressing, fit it into your day, and enjoy every bite!

    http://www.cpkfrozen.com/pizza

    There are many lower calorie versions out there........my faves are the California Kitchen frozen ones. Thin crust, nummy toppings, and you can get a bunch of different varieties.... ......the Sicilian Thin crust has cheese, meat, deliciousness......and you can eat a THIRD of the pizza for 360 calories, 17 g's of protein, and it's GOOD. (a little high in salt, if you're watching that.)

    So many pizza options, so little time :bigsmile: :bigsmile:

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