High-volume eater - are there any others?

kazminchu
kazminchu Posts: 250 Member
Hi all,

I've decided to join the community after 18 months of dieting. I started at 245lbs, I'm now down to 156lbs, but I really want to make the magic "100".

My problem is I really, really enjoy eating lots. I've tried cutting down, and I do eat far less than I used to, but I simply can't eat the amounts I see a lot of people eat. Does anyone else like to eat higher volumes of lower-calorie foods? If so, add me so I can see what you're eating, give me some ideas for huge meals I can have that aren't stirfry!

Looking forward to hopefully finding like-minded people on here. :)
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Replies

  • jkrunner80
    jkrunner80 Posts: 80 Member
    Wow, congrats on your progress! While I can't speak specifically to your question, I'd love ideas as well.
  • JohnBarth
    JohnBarth Posts: 672 Member
    A couple of meals we like to eat with a larger volume are our versions stir fry and pasta.

    For the stir fry, you can do a lot of veggies and fit most calorie plans. We'll add some sauce and typically shrimp or chicken. Instead of rice, we sautee a bit of cabbage. It's a huge plate of food for about 500 calories.

    For "pasta", I start with a jar of pasta sauce and doctor it up with peppers/onions/chicken/chicken meatballs... really whatever. Instead of spaghetti or noodles of some sort, we like to use sauteed zucchini. Again, a huge plate of food for about 500 calories.

    Good luck!
  • kazminchu
    kazminchu Posts: 250 Member
    Thanks JK, I'm hoping to get some good tips from others that eat like I do!
    John Barth - that pasta idea sounds great! I eat a lot of stirfry at the moment, normally with chicken, but sometimes I fancy something different without compromising on having plenty of it!
  • jkwolly
    jkwolly Posts: 3,049 Member
    Is the "magic" 100 an attainable goal? Just curious, as lots of people get a certain number stuck in their head and then just run rampant till they reach it.

    I used to love eating lots, but found that eating more protein made me fuller longer. Plus eating 300G of broccoli doesn't appeal to me.
  • RossMcallister94
    RossMcallister94 Posts: 18 Member
    edited March 2015
    Maybe you should try LeanGains 16/8 Intermittent Fasting method? Beacause you push your daily intakes further into the day. this would allow you to have bigger meals to catch up.
  • AlisonH729
    AlisonH729 Posts: 558 Member
    Co-sign on zucchini noodles. I usually add in a serving of regular spaghetti because the zoodles alone don't really hit the 'spot'.

    I like soup for this reason, too. Packed with vegetable & beans and/or lean protein and a handful of pasta if you want, and you can really eat quite a bit for not a lot of calories.
  • xbluehorusx
    xbluehorusx Posts: 57 Member
    Check out www.inspiralized.com! I usually have lots of veggie noodles and a big piece of meat or a bowl of soup, medium sized salad, and a bunch of protein.
  • kazminchu
    kazminchu Posts: 250 Member
    Jkwolly - I hope so, I'm 11lbs away, and still have lots of flab. I think if I really pushed myself, I could get down to 130lbs from my current 156, but I like having the freedom to eat that bit more. I'm not supposed to be slender, I never have been.

    I've recently started having peanut butter and have noticed that it does keep me fuller longer than my previous rice cakes did. The only problem is finding proteins that aren't really high in calories!

    RossMcallister - I'll look it up, but fasting sounds scary to me!

    Alison - How do you make zucchini noodles? Does it require a fancy gadget? I've seen vegetable spiralisers, are these the tool for the job. Also soup is great, I have it for lunch every day.

    Bluehorus - I'll have a look, thanks! How do you make your veggie noodles?
  • macrotracko
    macrotracko Posts: 25 Member
    OH you mean 100 pounds lost. It sounded like 100 pounds was your goal weight.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    The magic 100 as in 100 from 245 or 100 as in final weight.
    There was a recent Horizon 3 part special on dieting mad I found out im in the category know as the feaster, which is you need to eat a high volume diet. I cna avoid eating, but when I do I need it to be a large plateful, because less wouldnt satisfy me. Its something to do with the stomach not producing some enzyme that says stop you are full.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02ddsd9
  • postpartumprogress
    postpartumprogress Posts: 20 Member
    I agree with intermittent fasting. I love it, myself and can't wait to get back into it once my body settles from having a baby and lactating.
  • AlisonH729
    AlisonH729 Posts: 558 Member
    We have an inexpensive spiralizer, similar to the Veggetti. There are more expensive tabletop versions out there that presumably handle harder vegetables like sweet potatoes, beets, etc that mine wouldn't. And I may upgrade...

    But there are other ways to make them. Julienne peelers, if you have a mandolin that has a very small julienne setting that would probably work. Maybe score it and use a regular vegetable peeler?
  • maroonmango211
    maroonmango211 Posts: 908 Member
    I am definitely a high volume eater, especially around "that" time of the month or when I'm stressed I find the feeling FULL aspect being a huge help emotionally and to avoid any binging. Like others have suggested I add a TON of veggies to most meals either diced, chopped, shredded depending on the texture I'm going for.

    Eggs/egg whites scrambled with a ton of spinach, kale, onion, celery, green pepper and broccoli slaw (pretty much julian broccoli stems, carrots and some cabbage) with some lean ham or cheese thrown in for flavour with a few drops of hot sauce is my go to fast easy meal, and I feel stuffed after, usually runs around 400 calories all together.

    For snacks, popcorn is definitely a go to, air popped and then seasoned with whatever I feel in the mood for, sometimes butter/oil if my cals allow. Oatmeal with cut up fruit or berries in it is great too when its cold out. Other than that veggies to nibble on like cucumber slices, carrot sticks, celery sticks etc if I feel like I want to "mindlessly" eat.
  • jkwolly
    jkwolly Posts: 3,049 Member
    OH you mean 100 pounds lost. It sounded like 100 pounds was your goal weight.
    Yes, read this wrong! Whoopsie
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
    edited March 2015
    Oh, I'm definitely a volume eater. My go-to "big" meals when I need volume:

    Egg scrambles (whole egg or whites--usually I just do 2 whole egss) w/ cups and cups of sauteed veggies (spinach, mushrooms, bell peppers/capsicums, onions, etc.), season with garlic and a pinch of salt/pepper, maybe a little cheese and hot sauce--A dinner plate full of awesome around 300-400 calories

    Steam bags of frozen veggie mixes--I eat them by the bagful--some of the lightly sauced ones are still under 200 calories for the entire bag--add 1/2 a baked potato for another 100-150 calories, some protein of choice (Greek yogurt as "sour cream", a piece of meat or whatever)---again a 400-500 calorie heaping plate of satisfaction.

    I'm too lazy to "spiralize" veggies, but yeah, I've done pasta night where I give myself 1/2 a portion of pasta, 2-3 cups of broccoli, zucchini, etc. tossed with my sauce--Just as satisfying (and BIGGER portion for less calories than I could get with just pasta).



    TL;DR VEGGIES are your bestest, awesomest friends. Get creative with seasoning/saucing them--a tablespoon of prepared sauce or marinade, roasted garlic, ethnic spice blends, a bit of cheese or oil, etc. makes it interesting and flavorful--and BIG!
  • kazminchu
    kazminchu Posts: 250 Member
    Sorry people, my first post is a bit ambiguous, I meant 100lbs lost not a target weight of 100lbs.

    Looks like I need to get myself a spiraliser then! Shockingly, I don't even have a mandolin.
    I have recently discovered the joy of enormous omelettes with loads of veg in, so I'll keep at them. And I need to be less scared of flavouring veg and eating it on its own.
  • TnTWalter
    TnTWalter Posts: 345 Member
    I like to make gigantic salads in big bowls...i cut it all up good with the salad dressing on so it mixes really well. Lots of veggies that you like and 2 eggs or 1 egg and some chicken. Sometimes I do salsa instead of dressing. I also sometimes steam a whole bag of cauliflower then put it in food processer and add a tsp of ghee [cultured butter] and eat the whole thing. It doesn't taste like mashed potatoes as some claim but mashed cauliflower. Broccoli is super filling. Steam it and put parmesan on it. Congrats on the weight loss. I'm sure you'll make it to the 100 mark.
  • amgj18
    amgj18 Posts: 1 Member
    Yes i have same problem, i have this love hate relationship with food. Especially carbs, & greasy foods! It's frustrating because i then feel so guilty & lethargic. But then keep going right back to it thinning it will make me feel better
  • LeslieB042812
    LeslieB042812 Posts: 1,799 Member
    I second getting the frozen veggies steamers in the sauce and eating the whole thing. I especially like the "healthy weight" one from green giant and then I put it over a pile of lettuce and use it as my dressing, very satisfying! Albacore tuna packs (while not very tasty) pack a ton of protein for only about 80 calories. I'll put that on a big pile of lettuce with seasoning if I want to save my calories for a dinner out later in the day--big pile of food with enough protein to keep you going, only 100 calories or so.

    I also love soup for volume, but I make my own because it's more filling for the calories. Two of my favorite recipes:
    Take a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes and throw it in the blender with spices and seasonings (and sometimes a little olive oil, low fat cream cheese, or Bolthouse farms blue cheese dressing for creaminess) and i blend spinach in too, for the leafy greens. It makes a delicious meal, like a restaurant tomato basil soup, but without the crazy calories. I eat the whole thing and it ends up being about 150-200 calories. For extra protein, you can add veggie meat substitute or poach an egg in it (super yummy) and you'll still be less than 300 calories.
    I also make my own version of ramen. I use a pack of ramen, but instead of using water and the seasoning packet (those make me sick), I use half broth (swanson's has a thai broth that's especially delicious) and half water and then i'll just use a little of the seasoning packet and put my own herbs and spices in. I sometimes also mix in whatever veggies i have on hand. The key to the volume, though, is to double the amount of liquid that the packet calls for and then just let it cook/sit for much longer so the noodles soak up more of the liquid. This soup is higher calorie (around 400), but it's such a huge bowl that I find I often can't finish it.

    Finally, giant salads are also a volume go to. Enjoy! :smile:
  • kgmcgee
    kgmcgee Posts: 34 Member
    I also want a high volume of food. I hate being hungry. My go to is "taco" salad. I go to the salad bar and load up on romaine, spinach and veggies then throw in a tablespoon or so of black olives and a tablespoon of shredded cheeddar. Then I add some grilled chicken seasoned with cumin and chili powder and top the whole thing with homemade salsa. This way I can eat bunch and not have to worry about the calories from the salad dressing. Soooo tasty!
  • High volume eating... hmmmm
    I never even thought of that as an option. I just figured if you're trying to lose, small portions is the goal.... And yaddayaddyadda...
    But I "binge" at least once a week. Eating everything I struggle not to eat all week long. I just figured I had bad will. But I've always been able to out eat everyone I've ever met. Idk...
  • etaylor704
    etaylor704 Posts: 31 Member
    I need some tips from u lol. I still haven't hit that 100lb mark. I guess I'm a volume eater too, I just like to go in on meals lol
  • kazminchu
    kazminchu Posts: 250 Member
    Thanks for the recipes people, some of these sound amazing! I like the idea of something I can do quickly for lunch or a a side with dinner (my other half doesn't like low-can meals and I'm too lazy to make two separate meals).
  • Ideabaker
    Ideabaker Posts: 514 Member
    edited April 2015
    I'm totally a high volume eater, too.

    I second the poster who promoted veggies. Veggies are your nutritional, high-volume friend! I try to squeeze at least one veggie into every meal... even breakfast! They bulk up the meal and (most) don't add significant calories.

    I also like to bulk up my "regular volume" foods with veggies to make a much larger quantity of serving; for instance, I'll steam and crush up (coarsely, with a fork) cauliflower, then use it as a "bed" under some brown rice before then adding my protein , and whatever sauces or seasonings I want (along with other veggies too!). Or I'll spiralize some zucchini, zap it in the microwave for a couple of minutes (so it is still firm but cooked) and mix it in with my small portion of pasta under my turkey/veggie pasta sauce sprinkled lightly with parmesan. I steam thinly sliced cabbage and mix it with a bit of brown rice and use it as a "pasta replacement" under sauces as well; always sprinkled with some grated cheese so it still tastes lux.

    Like others, I'll make massive salads for one with some sliced up protein on top (chicken breast, etc.) along with various other fresh veggies, tinned beets, or a few beans on top, using lemon juice, a tiny drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar as a dressing.

    Can you get spaghetti squash where you are? I'll eat half the baked squash as a single portion, topped with lots of tomato sauce and more veggies, again with grated parmesan (which doesn't have lots of calories but adds lots of flavour) and hot chili flakes. I do put a lean protein like chicken or very lean ground sirloin to bump up the protein (which keeps me fuller for longer).

    My wholegrain lunch wraps are filled with a small amount of protein, then sliced cucumbers, shredded carrot, heaps of mesculin mix salad greens and a little lowfat cheese Sometimes I have a broth based soup or a pureed vegetable (carrot/ginger, or pumpkin spice) soup on the side.

    I buy the light wholegrain bread so that I get two slices for the calories of one ordinary slice. I use the light cream cheese in place of butter or mayo on the bread. I use light plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream so I can heap on more.

    I snack on lots of popcorn, and am looking forward to making my own kale chips (which I hear are easy to make and taste great). I often pair my high volume snacks with a chunk of Babybel lite cheese (low cal/ good protein) to keep myself full for longer.

    I make a "trail mix" with All Bran Buds (high fiber; so they fill me up), a few pistachio nuts and 10-15 m&m's-- all eaten with a full pint or two of water... a sweet treat that keeps me full for a while and bumps up the day's fiber macros.

    Looking forward to hearing the ideas of others. For someone who loves to eat, high volumes of lower cal foods that fit your macros is a great way to lose weight without feeling deprived.

    Edited for detail.
  • kazminchu
    kazminchu Posts: 250 Member
    Wow, that's an impressive amount of ideas there! Sadly I've not seen spaghetti squash in the UK, which upsets me as it sounds awesome! I'm planning on getting a spiralizer as I've seen several people recommend them!
    Is your diary open? Do you mind if I add you as a friend to stalk you for ideas?
  • onelentilatatime
    onelentilatatime Posts: 208 Member
    I eat industrial quantities of broccoli - it has more protein than you think. Good in salads as well as hot. And lots of soup. And protein rich foods - chicken, eggs, beans, lentils. Do you like volume or just feeling full? I like both / either. I also save large meal for late evening - something to look forward to.
  • Zinka61
    Zinka61 Posts: 563 Member
    I drain and rinse a can of butter beans, and put it in a microwave-safe bowl. Top it with 2+ cups of frozen spinach, 2-3 T. of nutritional yeast, a little salt and pepper, and microwave it until hot. Stir it up before eating--It will hold you for hours and is loaded with protein, iron, calcium, potassium, and all the rest. My favorite go-to meal. Other beans and greens work well, but this is my favorite combination. I use a Vegetti to make zucchini pasta mixed with grated carrot and chopped green onions. For extra protein and nutrients, you can add some tofu cubes. Heat with a little marinara sauce, and you get a huge meal. Those are my two absolute favorites.
  • bud_1
    bud_1 Posts: 9 Member
    i can't stay away from sweets
  • kgmcgee
    kgmcgee Posts: 34 Member
    Ideabaker wrote: »

    I make a "trail mix" with All Bran Buds (high fiber; so they fill me up), a few pistachio nuts and 10-15 m&m's-- all eaten with a full pint or two of water... a sweet treat that keeps me full for a while and bumps up the day's fiber macros.
    This is a great idea! I'm going to try it with almonds and dark chocolate M&Ms.