food intake on resting days

Options
Ever since I have been diligent about working out regularly I find myself a lot hungrier. The frustrating part is I tend to want to eat just as much (if not more) on my resting days. I work out Monday through Friday and rest Saturday and Sunday. I realize ideally my routine break would be in the middle of the week or more spread out, but because of work and my child that is not doable. So instead on my weekends where I am either not working or have shorter shifts I am at home and usually wanting to eat. And these are the days I am not at the gym.
So I need some help.
1. Recommendations for filling but low caloric foods.
2. How do YOU stave off boredom eating?
3. Any at home quick for exercises that you like to help me get in some calorie burning without a trip to the gym?
Thanks!

Replies

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Options
    Walking, with your child can burn a load of calories ...I get the same for totting up 10,000 steps (5 miles) over the day as I do for a 45 minute workout ...I use a fitbit to keep me active every day ...I workout 3 x a week at the gym (one of those with a PT)

    Filling, low cal foods ...lean protein, 0% Greek yogurt...I make huge pots of Mediterranean vegetable stews that I eat with rice and cheese for 300 calories, and risottos over mixed leaf calories for about 350 ...my fridge has cottage cheese, avocados, tupperwares of grated cheese and cartons of egg whites as they are easy to grab and make an under 200 calorie on toast snack ..already you have to find what you love and have it to hand

    Mooch through skinnytaste.com...there's some great recipes ..it like chicken cacciatore and the salmon fish cakes at the moment
  • Kittens08
    Kittens08 Posts: 51 Member
    Options
    I hate rest days for that reason! I do egg whites and air popped pop corn.
  • mrslauren80
    Options
    Egg whites are a staple in my house, though I have to avoid dairy as much as possible. Rice is a good idea as is popcorn.
    I live in a tundra. So I'm excited for spring and summer. Trips to the park and walks to the river will help. As if right now indoor exercises are a must.
  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
    Options
    Are you eating the same calories every day or eating more on workout days because you eat back calories you burn? If the latter is true, then don't do that. Average your calories burned per week and spread them out over the 7 days. This helps keep things consistent as far as appetite is concerned.

    My best advice to avoid boredom eating is to keep busy. Find projects to do or other things to occupy your time. The minute you start doing nothing but brooding around about food is the minute it become difficult to not eat.
  • ashleycde
    ashleycde Posts: 622 Member
    edited February 2015
    Options
    # 1

    Smoked salmon is filling, fatty, and not very high in calories. I just enjoyed a piece of French bread with cream cheese and a good amount of smoked salmon for under 200 cal. Same goes for sashimi if you like sushi, or I'm assuming baked salmon (though I myself never liked cooked salmon, oddly enough, because I love it both raw and smoked). Avocados fit that bill as well if you're not into salmon/fatty fish.

    Granola is very filling, but watch your portioning. Avoid using cups and weigh it out if you can.

    Fruit. Apples in particularly are very filling. You can eat a lot of strawberries for very few calories. Figure out what fruits you love and snack on those. Same goes for raw veggies.

    I cut and bake russet potatoes into french fries, lightly tossed in rapeseed oil, and I find those very satisfying. Not too high in cal either. Potatoes are your friends, I'm not sure why people are so apt to avoid them.

    # 2

    Fruits and veggies are good for boredom eating if it's something you can't avoid. Pre-portioning snacks is also a good idea so that you only have as much as you want to eat on you, instead of a large bag/container of what ever the snack may be. Try to only eat when you're hungry, and keep busy if you find yourself wanting to eat just to eat, but the earlier tips will help if it's something you can't seem to get around.

    # 3

    I do most of my working out at home. FitnessBlender, Blogilates, Youtube... I was easily able to find Insanity via Torrent*... Google You Are Your Own Gym, or Convict Conditioning, or even 'bodyweight workouts,' or 'bodyweight routines' to find browse through a variety of routines until you find a few you may enjoy. Nia Shank sometimes has some on her blog, Lift Like a Girl. She also sells a bodyweight workout package that's a PDF with video links in addition to her weight lifting package.

    *Edit: Be aware of laws in your country surrounding torrent downloading. In Canada it is legal to download content for personal consumption as long as you do not share that content (freely or otherwise), but I am not sure of the laws in other countries, so I don't want to advocate any unlawful activity here.
  • jodes023
    jodes023 Posts: 283 Member
    Options
    Good info for me Ashley...thanks!!
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    Options
    You might want to consider the tdee method if you have not. Basically instead of logging your workouts and eating the calories burned you would estimate your burns for the week and split it amongst all the days so you eat the same amount every day. You have to be good about not skipping workouts to have success withthis plan! Google scoobys workshop for more info or pm me.

    As for staying fuller, salad with protein usually fills me up for fewer calories, i love baked salmon or tuna and chickpeas on salads.
  • mrslauren80
    Options
    This is all very helpful! I will look into YouTube videos for home and may try out the tdee method as I am good about being at the gym 5 days a week. My house is stocked gluten free, mostly dairy free and refined sugar free. I have plenty of goodness it's just a matter of prepping and keeping on hand something as good as the sinful things like sweet potato cookies. Will power is not my strong suit. Pre-prepping food has helped. It may have to go as far as writing the day on zip locks or Tupperwear to remind myself about portion control.
  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
    Options
    vismal wrote: »
    Are you eating the same calories every day or eating more on workout days because you eat back calories you burn? If the latter is true, then don't do that. Average your calories burned per week and spread them out over the 7 days. This helps keep things consistent as far as appetite is concerned.

    This. Or....if you aren't eating your exercise calories back then do it. Your body needs fuel! If you are only eating a portion of them back then eat more back.

    Since I started upping my workouts to 2+ hrs (800-1k calorie burn) I have had to start eating almost all my calories back. My rest days I was considering chewing my own arm off. Now that I eat more back I have no issues going from 2300ish on workout days to 1500 on rest days.