Filling food

I'm struggling with staying under my goal of 1200 calories, especially that I'm exercising now, I get super hungry.
I know I'm supposed to go for salads and fruits but these food don't seem to be filling for me.
I was wondering if you can recommend low calorie foods that are filling?
«1

Replies

  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    You want to look for foods higher in protein, fat, and fiber. These help us stay fuller and more satisfied. And be sure you're eating back at least a portion of your exercise calories. At 1200 calories, I wouldn't be surprised if your body is telling you to eat more for a reason.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    I'm struggling with staying under my goal of 1200 calories, especially that I'm exercising now, I get super hungry.
    I know I'm supposed to go for salads and fruits but these food don't seem to be filling for me.
    I was wondering if you can recommend low calorie foods that are filling?

    You are not supposed to go for salads and fruits you are supposed to go for a balance that satisfies you while allowing you to hit (not be under) your calorie goal.

    I will bite my tongue on my usual rant about how 1200 calories is far to low and save that for another time but if you insist on that low of a target then you want to at least make sure you get your needed protein and fat and then fill out the rest with either more protein and fat or carbs.

    Filling foods would be foods that are high in fiber or high in protein. Fruit is not a filling food, fruit is sugar. Salad is not particularly filling either as it also is just sugar and some fiber (and barely any calories).

    Your goal shouldn't be to eat as little as you can force yourself to eat, your goal should be to eat under your maintenance level in a way that is comfortable for you.
  • fittyinthemaking
    fittyinthemaking Posts: 126 Member
    i find that i am less hungry through the day when i have a large breakfast ie; baked beans, sausage, egg, slice of toast, mushrooms. 1200 seems pretty low though, you could try upping to 1250 and you'll probably still get the same results
  • gsallit
    gsallit Posts: 51 Member
    I have been eating my exercise calories back which is stalling my weight loss, so I cant increase my calorie intake any more. I will try eating more protein and less carbs, I did not want to go that route but it looks like I am going to have to.
    Thank you all!
  • Mykaelous
    Mykaelous Posts: 231 Member
    There are a lot of frozen meals that cost a buck and have a calorie content between 2-350 calories and are of a decent proportion. at 300 calories a pop you could eat 4 a day, that's one extra one you can eat when you're randomly hungry. Normally I eat 2 of these frozen meals and use the 5-600 calories to make myself something fresh with lots of vegetables. Vegetables in general are great for weighloss as they are low in calories, high in vitamins, filling, and help you poop.
  • Fruits and veggies are great but don't forget your grains, fiber, and protien.
    Berries, pears, aplles
    beans all kinds of them, yummy
    brown rice
    soups are great for weight loss
    whole grain breads and crackers
    oatmeal, add cinnamon and diced apples to it
    tuna is great in a white bean and tuna salad. Find a recipe that you like on the web.
    hard boiled eggs
    quinoa, tons of recipes on the web
  • amberj32
    amberj32 Posts: 663 Member
    Are you sure your calorie goal per day is 1200? Your ticker says you have 125 lbs to lose. When I started I had 111 lbs to lose, and I ate over 1700 calories a day and I've lost 30 lbs. Just recently I reevaluated my calorie goal and it's changed to 1680 calories a day and I'm still losing.

    Invest in a scale and measure all your food. It looks like you are using measuring cups. Take your measurements. You could be losing inches.
  • cheripugh1
    cheripugh1 Posts: 357 Member
    There are a lot of frozen meals that cost a buck and have a calorie content between 2-350 calories and are of a decent proportion. at 300 calories a pop you could eat 4 a day, that's one extra one you can eat when you're randomly hungry. Normally I eat 2 of these frozen meals and use the 5-600 calories to make myself something fresh with lots of vegetables. Vegetables in general are great for weighloss as they are low in calories, high in vitamins, filling, and help you poop.

    these meals do work but are very high in sodium, all pre-made meals are... but they'd help you to get going. I eat veggies in my salads personally I find them filling... Do not eat back ALL you exercise calories, you could be wrong on the burn amounts. I do not eat back any of mine but that's my personal choice. I think you might do better to increase you calories to the next level and see if that helps without eating back all your burn amts. other than that I eat protein, it is filling.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    why are you trying to stay under your goal? just target your goal

    with 125 pounds to lose you can more than likely eat 50% more and still lose weight
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    Are you sure your calorie goal per day is 1200? Your ticker says you have 125 lbs to lose. When I started I had 111 lbs to lose, and I ate over 1700 calories a day and I've lost 30 lbs. Just recently I reevaluated my calorie goal and it's changed to 1680 calories a day and I'm still losing.

    Invest in a scale and measure all your food. It looks like you are using measuring cups. Take your measurements. You could be losing inches.

    I read her ticker like "from 167 ->125" that's like 40 pounds to lose...
  • gsallit
    gsallit Posts: 51 Member
    Yes, I have to lose about 45 lbs, so to lose 2 lbs/week I have to create a deficit of 1000 calories per day, 500 from exercise and 500 from diet, and since my I burn 1700 calories/day my calorie intake got set to be 1200.
  • TheNewMe99
    TheNewMe99 Posts: 24
    I agree. I will do the rant for him. 1200 calories seems very low. Have protein at every meal with about 20g of carb. 14g for snack and see if that helps. :)
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
    What do you have your activity level set to in MFP?

    Is there a chance you could reduce your weekly weight loss goal to 1.5lbs. in order to have more calories to eat?
  • gsallit
    gsallit Posts: 51 Member
    I joined 3 years ago, used the site for couple of weeks and for personal reasons I quite at that time, I just got motivated by
    couple of success stories of people used this site and were benefited by it. .
  • gsallit
    gsallit Posts: 51 Member
    nevermind. Just saw the OP has been on the site for 3 years.


    smh and I'm out...
  • gsallit
    gsallit Posts: 51 Member
    I joined 3 years ago, used the site for couple of weeks and for personal reasons I quite at that time, I just got motivated by
    couple of success stories of people used this site and were benefited by it. .
    I am so glad the majority of people on this site are kind hearted and willing to help and not to many have your attitude
  • graceyykim
    graceyykim Posts: 17
    Any kind of brothy soups are always filling and generally low in calories.
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,300 Member
    Yes, I have to lose about 45 lbs, so to lose 2 lbs/week I have to create a deficit of 1000 calories per day, 500 from exercise and 500 from diet, and since my I burn 1700 calories/day my calorie intake got set to be 1200.

    At only 45lbs to lose, 2lb per week is too high of a goal. You should lower that to 1lb per week. You would be more satisfied, happier, and much healthier.
  • Mykaelous
    Mykaelous Posts: 231 Member
    http://i.imgur.com/BbsXgfp.jpg

    This bad boy filled me up beyond my limit. It has 27 grams of protein and 405 calories or 325 calories without the Sriracha and Teriyaki sauce(I normally don't add teriyaki sauce but I wanted to change things up and I had some spare calories). It's fairly simple to make, grilled up 3 oz of salmon marinated in soy sauce on the grill, steamed 150g of rice and 170g(6 oz) of mix vegetables. The salmon can be replaced with 3 oz of chicken thighs for ease of cooking. Took me a while to finish it because I was full halfway through, but I forced myself to finish it because I had a pretty hardcore training day today.
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    Fruits
    Veggies
    Beans
    Lentils
    Tuna
    Chicken
    Eggs
    Cheese sticks
    100 calorie nut packs

    Stay away from simple carbs as much as possible as they tend to make people more hungry after eating.

    I also think you are eating too few calories for the amount of weight you have to lose. Try increasing caloric intake to 1500.
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
    if you're exercising, chances are you need more calories. i'm doing 1200 calories per day, too - NET calories, which means you're supposed to eat some of your exercise calories back. when i get hungry between meals, i tend to for protein. i may eat a fage 0% yogurt, as it's packed with protein but low in calories. or i have half a scoop of protein powder in half a cup of vanilla soy milk, sweetened with stevia.

    my meals all include about 20 grams of complex carbs each, which keeps one fuller, so i eat things like a small baked potato, barley with veggies or a small serving of hash browns with egg beaters and bell peppers. or a bowl of unsweetened rice cereal and milk.
  • Tanie98
    Tanie98 Posts: 675 Member
    I'm struggling with staying under my goal of 1200 calories, especially that I'm exercising now, I get super hungry.
    I know I'm supposed to go for salads and fruits but these food don't seem to be filling for me.
    I was wondering if you can recommend low calorie foods that are filling?

    Protein shake after your work out and eat you need carbs in your diet for energy. Also make sure you are eating your calories back to fuel your work out
  • hollholmes22
    hollholmes22 Posts: 2 Member
    Fruits and veggies are great but don't forget your grains, fiber, and protien.
    Berries, pears, aplles
    beans all kinds of them, yummy
    brown rice
    soups are great for weight loss
    whole grain breads and crackers
    oatmeal, add cinnamon and diced apples to it
    tuna is great in a white bean and tuna salad. Find a recipe that you like on the web.
    hard boiled eggs
    quinoa, tons of recipes on the web

    These are all great idea! I agree that you have to eat back some of your exercise calories. I was not eating back any and I wasn't losing any weight. Once I started to eat some back, I have been losing about a pound a week, which is both a safe/doable goal and my personal goal.Make sure you measure and weigh everything. This has been key to my success so far. Also, I love what others have said about food. You want to eat a balanced diet... not just salads. Have a salad if you want and add some protein and/or quinoa. It will fill you up and give you good nutrients.
  • gsallit
    gsallit Posts: 51 Member
    What do you have your activity level set to in MFP?

    Is there a chance you could reduce your weekly weight loss goal to 1.5lbs. in order to have more calories to eat?


    I have it as sedentary, I will try to do that with adding more protein and see if that works. Thank you
  • gsallit
    gsallit Posts: 51 Member
    Thank you all for all your wonderful suggestions! You were great help!
    I appreciate it !!!
  • Tanie98
    Tanie98 Posts: 675 Member
    Yes, I have to lose about 45 lbs, so to lose 2 lbs/week I have to create a deficit of 1000 calories per day, 500 from exercise and 500 from diet, and since my I burn 1700 calories/day my calorie intake got set to be 1200.

    At only 45lbs to lose, 2lb per week is too high of a goal. You should lower that to 1lb per week. You would be more satisfied, happier, and much healthier.

    strong this.slow and gradual weight loss wins everytime
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    Yes, I have to lose about 45 lbs, so to lose 2 lbs/week I have to create a deficit of 1000 calories per day, 500 from exercise and 500 from diet, and since my I burn 1700 calories/day my calorie intake got set to be 1200.
    2 lbs. per week is for those who are 100+ lbs. overweight. Set your goal to 1 lb. per week.

    Your MFP goal will have your 500-calorie deficit already built in. So if your goal is (for example) 1,700 calories and you do 500 calories' worth of exercise, then you eat 2,200 calories.

    Please, read the Sexypants post: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-Sexypants
  • gsallit
    gsallit Posts: 51 Member
    http://i.imgur.com/BbsXgfp.jpg

    This bad boy filled me up beyond my limit. It has 27 grams of protein and 405 calories or 325 calories without the Sriracha and Teriyaki sauce(I normally don't add teriyaki sauce but I wanted to change things up and I had some spare calories). It's fairly simple to make, grilled up 3 oz of salmon marinated in soy sauce on the grill, steamed 150g of rice and 170g(6 oz) of mix vegetables. The salmon can be replaced with 3 oz of chicken thighs for ease of cooking. Took me a while to finish it because I was full halfway through, but I forced myself to finish it because I had a pretty hardcore training day today.


    That looks yummy, and super healthy. 405 calories? I will definitely be making this tomorrow!!!
    Thank you !!!
  • aedreana
    aedreana Posts: 979 Member
    Something containing fat! A tiny 150-calorie bag of chips is way more filling than a plate of weeds. And Pringles chips are uniform in size so it is easy to count them out one-by-one to get an exact calorie tally.
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
    What do you have your activity level set to in MFP?

    Is there a chance you could reduce your weekly weight loss goal to 1.5lbs. in order to have more calories to eat?


    I have it as sedentary, I will try to do that with adding more protein and see if that works. Thank you

    Sedentary is for people who don't exercise at all. Most people are at least "Lightly Active". Even if you have a desk job like me, you still clean the house, cook, walk in malls, walk around stores, and around the office so you are still getting in some exercise. Try setting your profile to that setting with a reduced weekly weight loss rate of 1 or 1.5 lbs. a week. You will still lose weight and have more calories to eat.