Lowered calorie goal and need help staying full

I like a coleslaw (raw not with mayo) salad with shredded chicken mixed in. Get your flavor from the chicken. You can also add spices to get it to be more flavorful. Low calorie and you feel like you're eating a lot. Raw coleslaw is close to 20 calories for 2 cups.

You could also mix in a boiled egg.

You can get a low calorie high fiber tortilla (90 calories) and add lettuse and cucumber, things like that. Add one slice of thin sliced ham and one slice of cheese. Maybe two or three banana peppers for flavor. And you have a fairly filling wrap.

http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

OP, go to this link and enter your stats. It will tell you how many calories to eat to still lose weight. Taking what stats you gave (weight, age) I plugged them in, I guessed your height to be 5'6, and it still said to eat over 1700 calories. This link also includes exercise into the calorie amount, so you don't log exercise calories if you decide to follow this plan.

Ok, I'm with the "eat more calories" club, but you have to come that conclusion on your own. I found with trial and error that 1600 was a great goal for me, because I couldn't get any treats in with a lower goal. I weigh less than you and I'm losing 1 - 2lbs a week.

Answering your question on what to eat, if you really do have no time to eat lunch other than in the car, you need to start thinking of snacky foods. E.g. chopped veggies (carrots, celery etc). One idea is egg muffins. They are basically an omelette made in a muffin tin :happy:. I have them for breakfast and using a silicone muffin tray I just add some ham, onion and cheese and beat 4 eggs with a little milk. Bake in the oven for 20 mins and they can last a few days.

If you really want to do low calorie, you have to get very strict and remove things like bread which aren't filling enough for the number of calories.

Since you are asking how to stay full... here is what I have found works for me.

Protein and some fat have been a great combo - plus lots of water and fiber.

Breakfast - I like eggs, toast with pb, turkey sausage, protein bars (Think Thin or Quest), oatmeal made with almond milk and berries is also yummy
Lunch - I am all about salads - tons of filling veggies, a good portion of protein (4-6 ounces), a little fat (either from the meat or from olive oil in my dressing) or if I am not feeling a salad, I go for a protein (usually leftover dinner) and a double portion of veggies.
Dinner - whatever I am making for the family - usually a protein, veggies, and a starch.

I would try to eat lunch when you return to work if that is at all possible rather than in the car. But if in the car is your only option - what about a smoothie with lots of fruits and veggies and some protein? Then have a substantial snack in the afternoon?

My apologies, but 1200 is just too hard to maintain with adequate nutrition. I would quit on 1200. If you did not want people to comment on it, I would suggest not posting the 1200 thing. It is a sore subject with everyone. Everyone I know who insisted on limiting themselves to 1200 quit. We all have the same goal, to be successful.

I agree with the oatmeal.

Just because you quit on 1200, doesn't mean that everyone who tries it will quit. There are numerous people on here who did quite well on 1200 and didn't starve, quit, gain all their weight back, lose their hair and nails and muscles, etc.

Like she said, she didn't ask opinions about her cal limit, just wanted some suggestions for staying full on lowered calorie levels.

OP- like others have said, lowering your carbs is your best bet when cutting out calories. Proteins and healthy fats will help you stay fuller, along with lots of non starch veggies. Buy the bagged salads and keep them handy. Add some chicken, turkey, or whatever meat you like, plus cheese, avocados, seeds, nuts, etc. Measure out your toppings so you don't overdo it, and use some low cal dressing, or low carb oil and vinegar, but be sure you measure it. I found Maple Valley Farms Balsamic Vinaigrette is very good, and only 5 cals per serving. They also have a sugar free Raspberry Vinaigrette that is great too.

The veggies really help you feel fuller and if you like to chew your food, it takes care of those urges. Keep a bag of raw carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, etc handy.

If you have Diabetes in your family, there is a good chance that you are insulin resistant, so lowering starchy carbs is good advice. This doesn't mean cutting out ALL your carbs, just get most of them from fruits and veggies (Non starchy). Cut down on bread, pasta, potatoes, etc.

Omelets are great breakfast or lunch food. You can add mushrooms and any other veggies you like to them to bulk up the volume. You can even just scramble it together if omelets are too difficult and time consuming. You can even throw the eggs into a low carb tortilla (Mission carb balance brand) for an on the go breakfast if you are running late. And even make 2 at a time and keep one for lunch later to pop in the microwave. Get creative. My fave is Ham, cheese, mushrooms, garlic, onions, and spinach, with avocados and a little salsa added after it is done. You can even precook the veggies ahead of time and keep in the fridge for a quick scramble in the mornings.
I usually use Egg Beaters and fat free cheese to get the protein up and calories down, then adding the avocados gets my healthy fats back in, without a lot more calories. For under 300 cals you can have a skillet full of food that keeps you full for hours.

Okay, I am not going to read all that. I NEVER said I did quit. I know myself well enough to know I would. All my friends who did the 1200 and everyone I have known on 1200 quit. I hate eggs.

You DO NOT HAVE TO DO 1200 to lose. It is just not necessary. I lose on 1540 and my BMR is 1480. I am not into that skinny fat look. Maybe it is just me. I like to be healthy.

I find that most days I'm in the 1200-1400 range easily and not running hungry.

A sample day -
Breakfast: approx. 350cal
2 eggs, cooked in a little spray olive oil and black pepper
coffee with 2% milk and sugar in the raw
Dannon Light & Fit 80 cal greek yogurt - vanilla
100g blueberries

Lunch: approx. 325cal
Gluten free spinach flavor tortilla wrap
.4 oz blue cheese crumbles
2 oz boar's head turkey lunch meat
60 grams avocado (about half of one)
2 cups spinach
diced red onion


Dinner: approx 500cal
8oz tuna steak (not the nasty crap in cans. 2 full cuts of fresh ahi), seasoned with garlic, sea salt, chili powder and herbs
2oz explore asia gluten free mung bean pasta, cooked in water
1 cups brocolli florets, steamed
1 tsp olive oil for cooking fish

Each of those meals is extremely filling for me, so I don't really snack. But I do drink a ton of water, sparkling water with mint, vitamin waterzero, and the occasional sugar free redbull during the day (because addiction. mmm) But that's still coming in under 1200. If I work out at all, I can add in a glass or two of red wine Or, you know, a normal snack like some air popped popcorn, carrots and hummus, berries, pickles, etc.

I get a ton of protein, I'm fairly low-carb (we're a celiac household, so we keep the house pretty much GF which helps cut back overall on processed carbs), most of the fats I eat are yummyhealthygood fats, and all of that stuff tastes really freaking good. I also take a full handful of vitamins each day just to keep me topped up

I get tired of the idea that low-calorie has to mean starving and only eating crappy tasting food

Get rid of the jimmy dean. Try adding hard boiled egg and low fat yogurt with about an 1/8 c. of All-Bran buds. Cut the carbs as much as possible as I find wear off fast and leave you hungry. Up the protein. It keeps me filling full much longer than carbs.