Breakfast taking up too many calories!

j_talley8
j_talley8 Posts: 11
edited September 25 in Food and Nutrition
I am a southern girl that grew up thinking breakfast was the most important meal. This has been ingrained into my being and I cannot start the day, no matter how early, nor how late, without a filling breakfast. I am a milk conisuer and I brink about 16oz daily, I have switched down to 1% but I cannot make myself drink skim milk or the other imitations. This being said my breakfasts hog up most of my calories most the time being 500+ calories.

Anyone have any ideas on low calorie filling, warm, down home breakfast ideas?

PS, Oatmeal sucks!
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Replies

  • How about 2 pieces of whole wheat toast and two large eggs?Then add some fat free yogurt and a cup of 1% milk. That should add up to about 400 calories, depending on what brands you get etc.
  • formytwins
    formytwins Posts: 106
    I am the same way but I have gotten use to eating the way I am eatting. You can look at my journal if you'd like. I have the same thing almost every morning. I did not like oatmeal at first but I add 1 pack of sweet & low, cinnamon and raisins....I love it now!!!
  • drog2323
    drog2323 Posts: 1,343 Member
    have you tried Steel Cut Oatmeal? I like the texture and flavour alot more. Agave Syrup and cinnamon.

    Egg white/Beaters with mixed veggies (onions, peppers, mushrooms etc), whole wheat wrap, hot sauce, salsa. good stuff and filling.

    Lean Ham or Turkey bacon (although, watch the sodium).

    Amy's makes some good frozen breakfast wraps and burritos.
  • ejmcam
    ejmcam Posts: 533 Member
    How about an egg fritatta? You can load it with whatever veggies you like, through some reduced fat cheese in it and it can be very filling. I make a good one with onion, baby spinach and ricotta cheese. So easy and yummy. Its even good reheated the next day, so one usually gives me breakfast for a few days.
  • I will say you can eat the same breakfast but only eat half of what you will normally eat, of you were eating 500 plus calories then that will be cut in half to around 250 calories, its easier said than done...LOL, good luck!
  • Flyntiggr
    Flyntiggr Posts: 898 Member
    I make an egg and cheese english muffin for breakfast every day, and down it with 8 oz of OJ. Total calories is 345.
  • Rebeccasluckyduck
    Rebeccasluckyduck Posts: 168 Member
    I grew up with family breakfasts of all the yummy things we really shouldn't eat also. I don't have a great "warm, down home" breakfast idea, but I'll let you know what I do....and it isn't oatmeal. I'm not a fan either.

    One fried large egg on one piece of buttered toast. I make a fried egg sandwich out of it. More of a half sandwich, but you get the idea. It's only 198 calories.
  • kehowe83
    kehowe83 Posts: 79 Member
    egg beaters are awsome! So is shady brook farms hot italian turkey sausage!

    You can also use Fiber One pancake mix which is tasty with sugar free maple syrup. Lower calorie and more filling.

    Natures Own has 40 calorie bread; dip it in egg beaters, I can't believe it's not butter butter spray, splenda and cinnamon, skillit it with Pam and Voila! you have french toast!

    Laughing cow also has DELICIOUS 35 calorie cheese wedges that make omelets creamy and yummy
  • savlyon
    savlyon Posts: 474 Member
    I don't think that eating a big calorie breakfast is a bad thing--just make sure it is healthy. The good thing about eating a big breakfast is that you have the entire day to burn those calories! What are you eating for breakfast? You can compensate by having a salad for lunch and a smaller dinner. Don't forget to pay attention to the food pyramid. I've notice it is harder to eat vegetables for breakfast--so by adding those in at lunch and dinner it should balance out for the day.
  • DBiddle69
    DBiddle69 Posts: 682 Member
    Southern girl should like grits!! When I eat breakfast it is usually Quaker Instant Grits...big fan of the cheese variety packs...only 100 calories per pack!
  • katzav
    katzav Posts: 67
    most mornings i eat a fried egg white on an whole grain english muffin with 2 tablespoons taboule. (about 130 cals and a decent amount of protein)

    or i eat whole wheat cream of wheat made with vanilla almond milk. that's about 200 cals.

    not really down home, but maybe it will help!
  • ChelseaRW
    ChelseaRW Posts: 366 Member
    still is the most important ! But you can put those calories where you want...I tend to have a bigger dinner so I have to skim back at lunch and snacks. I like 2 scrambled eggs and some black beans wrapped up in a tortilla with some taco sauce...about 350 cals..plus your milk(and I am so with you on not drinking skim)! I just started eating the bigger breakfasts lately because its supposed to be better for weight loss. About the only way for me to have a good breakfast and a good dinner is to burn a good 400 calories in a workout!
  • thefreemans28
    thefreemans28 Posts: 267 Member
    I'm no expert, but I hear all the time that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. We are typically trained to think dinner should be our biggest meal, but I think that's totally wrong. So consuming a good hearty breakfast isn't a bad thing. You just need to consume the right types of foods! Oatmeal, in it's natural form (without the added sugar you get from the boxes of oatmeal) can be great for you! Try adding some fresh fruit to it. Pair it with a couple eggs and you'd be set!
  • onefasternurse
    onefasternurse Posts: 62 Member
    I'm interested in hearing other choices as well. Mine seem to all be centered around greek yogurt, fruit, and Kashi go lean crunch; averaging around 280 cal. I would love to hear some low carb, high protein, hot quick meals.
  • cardbucfan
    cardbucfan Posts: 10,571 Member
    I eat pretty much the same thing for breakfast everyday and I agree about oatmeal! I eat 1 piece of double fiber wheat bread with 1 T of almond butter, 1/2 cup of egg whites and either 2 pieces of turkey bacon, 4 pieces of Canadian Bacon or 2 pre-cooked turkey sausage patties. I drink my coffee with regular half and half and generally come in around 300-350 depending on the meat selection and I am full and satisfied. (I ate more today because I had a killer workout and needed the extra calories). I don't drink milk anymore and don't really miss it (and my skin looks MUCH better) but one glass of milk doesn't add that many calories if you can cut back on whatever else you are eating. Mine is high in sodium but that doesn't tend to be an issue for me and I need my breakfast meat.
  • I also love a good breakfast...when I absolutely NEED to have a real filling breakfast...I do french toast.

    2 pieces of Sara Lee 45 cal multi grain bread
    3 large eggs, little bit of milk, cinnamon and nutmeg and I make sure to use up all the mixture on both pieces of bread and they get pretty big
    I don't use butter but I use a sugar free super low in calories syrup and sugar free sweet tea.
    All for about 300 calories and usually I am still full at lunch time.
  • Phoenix_Rising
    Phoenix_Rising Posts: 11,417 Member
    I am a southern girl that grew up thinking breakfast was the most important meal. This has been ingrained into my being and I cannot start the day, no matter how early, nor how late, without a filling breakfast. I am a milk conisuer and I brink about 16oz daily, I have switched down to 1% but I cannot make myself drink skim milk or the other imitations. This being said my breakfasts hog up most of my calories most the time being 500+ calories.

    Anyone have any ideas on low calorie filling, warm, down home breakfast ideas?

    PS, Oatmeal sucks!

    Darling, from one Southern girl to another -- GRITS ROCK!!!

    Contrary to what you believe though, breakfast IS the most important meal and supposed to be the largest!!!

    "Eat like a king at breakfast, common folk at lunch, and a pauper at dinner." Read that once and it stuck with me.

    Do what you need to, however. You know your body best :smile:
  • Ral263
    Ral263 Posts: 318 Member
    My breakfasts are usually around 500 calories everyday-- I work out for an hour and a half every morning, so I NEED fuel in the AM. There is nothing wrong with a big breakfast-- in fact, for most people, it prevents them from eating more later on.

    Can you maybe cut calories out elsewhere? Also, maybe instead of drinking milk (I find that drinking my calories is not satisfying or filling at all) try eating plain nonfat greek yogurt-- loads more calcium and protein, and actually filling!
  • kristelpoole
    kristelpoole Posts: 440 Member
    I am big on breakfast too! It's my favorite thing to cook now and I've created lots of low-cal recipes to help me while keeping breakfast filling and hearty!

    1) Drink at least 8 - 16 oz of water when you wake up before eating anything. This helps you feel fuller and it's good for you anyway to help flush your system before you start your day!

    2) Hearty Pancakes - These are my *favorite* breakfast now! I use 1 cup of standard buttermilk pancake batter with 3/4 c water/skim milk split, add 1/2 cup of Pumpkin Flax Granola (from Whole Foods, but you could substitute any kind of granola), 1/3 c Craisins, 1/2 c walnuts, 1 pack Truvia, some Pumpkin pie spice. Mix it all together to create a thick, chunky, hearty batter. I spoon 1/4 cup of batter per pancake. To top pancakes, I take fat-free or reduced-fat sour cream and use 1/2 c with 1 pack Truvia and some lemon zest and mix it together. A small dallop per pancake is plenty.
    ---I only need two pancakes for breakfast and i stay full until lunch and it's only 250 calories!!

    3) Today I made a breakfast burrito using 1 egg, salsa, a little bit of black beans, a little bit of reduced fat sour cream, some cheddar cheese and a whole wheat tortilla. All told, it was under 300 calories and delish!

    4) Eat less for breakfast and have a mid-morning snack on hand. I usually snack on a handful of nuts and a banana or some carrots and hummus midway between breakfast and lunch to tide me over.

    Good luck and let me know if you need any more suggestions!!!
  • popsicle33
    popsicle33 Posts: 108 Member
    I like a good bagel w/ low fat cream cheese - it has some carbs to it, but bagels can be low-fat and high-fiber.

    My usual breakfast is 1 cup of Kelloggs Fiberplus Yogurt berry crunch - it's very filling because of the high-fiber content and only 170 calories (or something). I like some Yoplait Fat Free yogurt or a piece of cheese as a mid-morning snack.

    If you're on the go, I really like Starbucks' egg white and spinach-tomato wrap on whole grain. It has protein, lots of fiber and the egg whites are better for you. The spices and veggies are really tasty and Mediterranean-like.

    The important thing is that you balance your protein, fiber and vitamins out so you can keep the cylinders firing!
    Good luck!
  • nokittyno
    nokittyno Posts: 293 Member
    Haha, I feel you. I fail on the low calorie breakfasts. I try and try - but I like a kings mean with lots of variety food in the AM.

    My days like,

    Bagel
    Light Cream Cheese
    Mocha Drink
    Low Fat Yogurt Cup

    Or

    Energy Bar
    Apple
    Chocolate Milk/Coffee Drink

    Same thing, usually in threes.. I am trying to cut it down with even pre-planning but I really want to eat cereal but loves my bagels.. Oi.

    500+ cals, usually just about 600 or 550

    To be fair I never really have Lunch as obviously my BFasts keep me good, maybe a snack of cheese, nuts ot something at the 3/4pm, then supper about 6/7.

    I will someday break the pleatau of a large BFast but I need the energy for 1-2 hour workouts of pure cardio or Weight and Cardio.

    But I feel you.. Lol.
  • angebean
    angebean Posts: 195 Member
    Have you considered a breakfast shake with some protein in it to keep you full? Will cut your cals down to between 200-300 depending on what you put in it.
  • slapshotgolf
    slapshotgolf Posts: 163 Member
    I also believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and I've "inverted" my meal schedule to some degree. Use to have small brekkies with big dinners, but I found that by doing the opposite, while I am hungrier at night, I don't have a big meal sitting in my stomach when I sleep - so you may be ok with 500 cals. However, if you look to cut back to say 400, I'd suggest some protein to satiate you a little better, like a a couple of eggs, whole wheat english muffin and a couple slices of lean turkey would only be about 300 cals, leaving you some room for a glass of milk. Good luck, M.
  • 123456654321
    123456654321 Posts: 1,311 Member
    Well, I don't know if it's possible for you but switching from milk to water would cut out quite a bit of calories in itself.

    My breakfast this morning was:

    1 piece of cinnamon raisin toast with 1/3 tablespoon of almond butter

    2 chicken sausages

    1/3 cup of egg whites with some peppers and onions

    5 large strawberries

    for a total of 331 calories xD
  • JennsLosing
    JennsLosing Posts: 1,026
    i was raised the same way...ive cut my big breakfast days to sundays...i normally go over my calories by a couple hundred on sundays but im still losing *for now* and it makes me happy = )
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    One of my favorite breakfasts:

    Toasted wheat english muffin (140 calories)
    1 large egg (70 calories)
    1 wedge of Laughing Cow light (35 calories)

    So that is a 245 calorie egg and cheese sandwich. Sometimes I also add two links of chicken breakfast sausage (70 calories), which gives me a sausage egg and cheese sandwich for a total of 315 calories. Not too bad!
  • ejmcam
    ejmcam Posts: 533 Member
    Can you maybe cut calories out elsewhere? Also, maybe instead of drinking milk (I find that drinking my calories is not satisfying or filling at all) try eating plain nonfat greek yogurt-- loads more calcium and protein, and actually filling!
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    I'm a huge fan of the greek yogurt, I very often have a 6oz chobani with 2 tbsp of all natural peanut butter. Its super filling and loaded with protein!
  • dwellsouth
    dwellsouth Posts: 158 Member
    Wow! I like the way that sounds! Yummy!
  • Take a look at Hungry Girl's Breakfast recipes: http://www.hungry-girl.com/search?keyword=breakfast&newsletter_type=2
  • j_talley8
    j_talley8 Posts: 11
    Thank you all for the great ideas! Can't wait to try some. I do and will continue to eat grits I was just looking for some other options, I just cant give my milk up, its my greatest source of calcium and I love love it. But I can maybe drink it every other day and try some of your new recipes in between. I do the egg whites, and turkey bacon but its just not like real breakfast, ima try to fancy it up with salsa, beans and tortilla like some suggested. I guess its not a bad thing because im not going over in my calories but I do find myself cutting back on calories for lunch,supper, and snacks in order not to do so.

    Again thank you all!
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