Tasty filling foods without the huge calories

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GemmieNoWobbles
GemmieNoWobbles Posts: 398 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone
I am struggling to find food that I can eat during the day that keeps me full up but doesnt rack up the calories. Doing the food diary has made me realise that some foods just arent worth wasting calories on. For example, I am a cracker and biscuit fiend... I love them what can I say, but at the end of the day the amount of nutrients that you get from them is nil plus you end up using valuable calories on nothing and end up hungry.
So, my question is, what can I eat which will fill me up and allow me to not go over my meagre 1238 calories per day. At work I get HUGELY bored and I think I mostly comfort snack. This is my absolute downfall.
So, I know what I need to do but need ideas on how to keep the munchy monster at bay.
Gem

Replies

  • megganwinland
    megganwinland Posts: 37
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    A lot of green veggies have low calories and can be quite filling. I would stay away from processed foods like 'breakfast bars' (even i am guilty of eating them unfortunately) Also yogurt is another tasty filling snack.
  • Paddyrabbit
    Paddyrabbit Posts: 19
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    How about trying oats? Oat bars, even biscuits....or best of all porridge. Works for me. Slow-release energy, and full-tummy feeling.
  • music_lover_103
    music_lover_103 Posts: 118
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    i like to eat cottage cheese or all-bran cereal in the morning. plus, if i'm just eating because i'm bored, i try to eat veggies (carrots, celery, and cucumbers are my faves!)
  • GemmieNoWobbles
    GemmieNoWobbles Posts: 398 Member
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    Thanks. I will stock up on veggies, at least I can munch away on those!
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
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    Do you eat protein at breakfast? I find that when I do, it changes my whole day. I can go all the way until lunch without a snack.
  • ShellyMacchi
    ShellyMacchi Posts: 975 Member
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    feel free to check out my diary for ideas if you wish... it's public.. and if i used a 'recipe' for an item, the description of the contents are usually placed in the 'note' at end of each day
  • GemmieNoWobbles
    GemmieNoWobbles Posts: 398 Member
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    I am giving porridge a go in the mornings. Biscuits are a no-no - once I start I cant stop! :-D
  • R_is_for_Rachel
    R_is_for_Rachel Posts: 381 Member
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    I am giving porridge a go in the mornings. Biscuits are a no-no - once I start I cant stop! :-D

    that's a great start, porridge is brill (though i only eat it in the winter) and it keeps you filled up all morning!
    again, swap crackers,etc for say a slice of wholemeal toast or a small handful or nuts (not salted or roasted) and that will keep you going
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
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    egg whites are my secret weapon - low in calories and high in protein and I find them very filing
  • ThePinkSheep
    ThePinkSheep Posts: 24 Member
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    Try low-fat popcorn when you feel the need to have a munchy snack. Filling, crunchy and fiber.
  • M_lifts
    M_lifts Posts: 2,224 Member
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    vegetables and fruit are fab for making you full. i also like soup for lunch as its low calorie and fills me up for longer, try and pre-plan meals if you can. i also learnt that food like biscuits, cakes etc are yummy but not filling.
  • SeasideOasis
    SeasideOasis Posts: 1,057 Member
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    It took me some time to figure out good food combos. However, this is what I have found...

    Breakfast:
    Oatmeal with fresh cut fruit (took me a couple years or trial and error, but in the end I like it now)
    Homemade breakfast sandwich (Whole Wheat Thin Bagel, fried organic egg, one piece turkey bacon)

    Lunch:
    Spinach Salad w/mozzarella cheese (I use a cheese stick for portion control), cucumbers, grilled chicken, and turkey bacon
    Roasted chicken with brown rice (plain, but filling)

    Dinner:
    Lean meat paired with veggies (peppers, zucchini, snow peas, broccoli) with a small portion go starch like a brown rice or 1 serving of whole wheat pasta

    Snacks:
    Hard boiled egg whites
    Fresh Fruit (I usually do between 6-8 ounces a day)
    Raw Veggies

    After watching the documentary Food Matters, I have found they say 51% of your daily diet should consist of raw food. While Im not there yet, I have been making a much larger effort to try to get close to that amount. Veggies are also pretty low in calories. Eating smaller portions, yet frequently, has helped curb my hunger in more ways than I can even tell you. Plus, its been great for jump starting my metabolism.
  • hedleyrocks247
    hedleyrocks247 Posts: 185 Member
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    Oatmeal is AMAZING!! And filing and nutritious! I usually eat it twice a day! You could also check out Kashi products - cereals, granola bars etc, they are nutirtious and have NO ARTIFICIAL COLOURS, FLAVOURS, PRESERVATIVES OR SWEETENERS!! High in protien, good fiber and low fat! I often have cereal as a snack because sometimes you just need to crunch!! Raw veggies is great for the crunch as well, and will keep you full for a long time!! Another thing I do is buy those little cans of tuna - they have lemon pepper flavor, or teryaki or chipotle etc and I eat that on wheat thin crackers! Very filling and a great way to get protein!

    Isn't it crazy what you learn using this website!! When my hubby and I first started we tried to eat normally for the first week just to see what we'd been taking in etc, I think it took us two days to say HECK NO!!!! Suddenly our Tim Horton's coffee runs weren't as important anymore as well as a lot of other stuff we were eating!!! Much easier on our pocket book as well as our waistlines!! I'm just not willing to eat empty calories anymore!! MFP has been great for opening my eyes to that!!! Good luck!!
  • MirandaDeCrane
    MirandaDeCrane Posts: 78 Member
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    I have found that fruit smoothies fill me up for a really long time! I have frozen berries, frozen pineapple, frozen peaches, etc. I throw some in my blender with a packet or 2 of Truvia, add ice and a splash of OJ. I drank a large glass recently, and was too full for supper! LOL I also add a little Benefiber, and on days when I need it, a bit of FLax oil.

    I would just make sure not to add too much juice, yogurt, cream, etc or it turns pretty unhealthy LOL
  • eating4balance
    eating4balance Posts: 743 Member
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    Here are my go-to, low calorie snacks:
    - 1 package of low sodium tuna (80-90 calories)
    - Homemade popcorn in microwave (130 calories per serving=5 cups)
    - 1 can unsalted green beans (70 calories)
    - 1 serving or 18 grams whole natural almonds (100 calories)
    - I like to make a trail mix ahead of time using:
    - 3 cups fiber one cereal (360 calories)
    - 3 servings toasted almond slices (300 calories)
    - 3 apples cubed and roasted/dried (300 calories)
    - 1 cup oatmeal sprayed with pam and toasted (300 calories)
    (Makes 6 cups. 1/2 cup servings are 105 calories each)
    **** You may not like my trail mix combos, but you can experiment with your own, low calorie cereals and dried fruits as well
    - 1 large apple (100 calories)
    - serving of carrots (35 calories)
    - homemade chips with low carb tortillas (70 calories) with salsa
    - tilapia (100 calories for 4 oz)
    - 40 calorie hotdogs
    - 35 calorie bread slices

    Other ideas that I haven't personally tried, but others seem to enjoy: Beef jerky, edaname


    Check out hungry-girl.com for remakes oon high calorie classics. She also sends out daily newsletters that contain low calorie grocery store finds and fat food industry "shockers"

    I hope I helped!

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