PASTA!!! Don't know what to do!!! HELP!!!

2

Replies

  • _Jessica_
    _Jessica_ Posts: 216 Member
    Shirataki Noodles are low carb and NO CALORIE noodles... google them. I saw them on Dr. oz. He used them in spaghetti... try them they may be your life save!
  • KatieCuth
    KatieCuth Posts: 569 Member
    Thanks. I love bread as well. And LOVE cheese. It's been a big challenge. :)

    portion size... its a life style not a jail term...
  • Jill_newimprovedversion
    Jill_newimprovedversion Posts: 988 Member
    Okay so i know this isnt close to real pasta at all but have you tried spagehetti squash? I just tried it the other night and my husband even liked it! it comes out kinda al dente. Now we just ate it alone with pasta sauce and meatballs but im sure you could mix it in with a bit of real pasta and it would be amazing plus you could eat more :D its like 80 cal. per cup i think.

    Mmmmmmmmmmmm, 1/2 my garden is spaghetti squash this year. LOVE it........
  • ambie35
    ambie35 Posts: 853 Member
    I always try to cooke up very little pasta and load up the veggies in the dish. Remember pasta doubles in size when you cook it so 1/2 cup ends up being a full cup,and is more then enough pasta.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Pasta is a problem for me too, because I love it so much and can't stop at just one serving. So, I only eat it occasionally and I've switched to Barilla Plus pasta. But I'm sure not going through life never eating it.
  • Emilou9
    Emilou9 Posts: 44
    I too am a pasta lover, but am not eating it as much as I used to. I agree with the posters that it is important to let yourself eat some occasionally it as long as it is in moderation. I use both ronzoni smart taste and barilla plus and both are soo delicious and much more nutritious than regular white pasta. I also eat Shirataki noodles all the time. They have a slightly chewier texture, but are so great if you are craving pasta and feel guilty because you didn't have time to workout that day. The angel hair are my favorite but the regular spaghetti are great too. And the best part is you can eat one bag (which is a lot) for only 40 calories! Hungry Girl has a ton of recipes for using them.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,321 Member
    I ate pasta regularly during my weight loss. I have eaten less lately, but that is more a matter of not really wanting pasta. If you look at the weight of the serving and not the cups you will find catelli has a larger serving size than the generics, at least it does in my experience. Just reduce the portion size a bit and eat a bunch of veggies with it.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    I would try making single servings to get used to the portion size. Measure out 2 oz, cook, and enjoy. You can add all kinds of good things to it.

    If you must cook for more than one person, then measure out 2 oz dry for each person, cook it all, strain, then dump it all in one container and weigh it. Divide the total by the number of servings and you get the amount of calories per cooked serving. Then weigh out those portions. 1 serving is 200 calories.

    We eat pasta probably 2 times per week. I often make a pasta primavera and put in so many veggies, chicken and other stuff that 1 serving of pasta spreads out over 2 meals.

    When eating pasta with a meat sauce or meat balls, instead of seeing the big pasta bowl as the total meal, I add broccoli or salad.
  • rhapsody527
    rhapsody527 Posts: 60
    I say have it! If you deny yourself something you love for too long, you are going to end up binging on it when the craving gets too bad. Just watch the portion size. When I want to bulk my pasta up a little more, I use a veggie peeler to shave long, thin strips of zucchini, yellow squash, and carrot into it. It looks like spaghetti, and you can eat a bigger serving if there is a ton of veggies in it!
  • bcase3
    bcase3 Posts: 2
    If I do any pasta -i have swiched to Quinoa which is a grain and has lots of protein or rice noodles which have the texture just like psata...it doesn not have all of the white flour etc. in it...you get can get either one in penne or maccaroni etc...but I think they are better for you!
  • StevLL
    StevLL Posts: 921 Member
    I agree with a lot of the posters. Don't deny yourself, or it won't work. True success comes from a lifestyle change not a short term diet. We love pasta, but had to go gluten free, so it was not an option anymore, but then we found gluten free pastas and the best one is Heartland pasta at wal-mart. It tastes just like regular pasta cooks up like it and is only 2oo cals per serving. (beats the $5lb ones at healthfood stores) also Quinoa pastas while more expensive are low in cals and high in fiber which is a great combo. Cheese is great in moderation and we eat less of it, but reward ourselves by buying some of the specialty cheeses to enjoy as a treat. You can do this it becomes easier and more natural as time goes by. My wife and I laughed the other day I was packing my lunch and snacks and as I was picking things I was adding up the cals and fiber as I put it together so I'm actually choosing my foods much more carefully these days. My wife is a great cheerleader (hootsmamma) so friend us if you need support.
    As for eating your excercise calories back. Since I started doing that my weightloss has been steady. I only eat about half of them, but it made a difference. Good luck, this place rocks as do all the folks here it makes it so much easier with support.
  • ampjorgensen
    ampjorgensen Posts: 86 Member
    Have you tried Wildwood Tofu pasta? I haven't haha but I am too looking for a substitute. I love pasta and will eat the whole wheat but feel so guilty about eating hamburger and pasta sauce on it or even alfredo sauce. I guess a whole bag of this pasta is like 50 calories (not that you'd want a whole bag of noodles) anways with a little alfredo sauce some crab meat and veggies this could easily be around a 200 calorie or less meal
  • jbucci1186
    jbucci1186 Posts: 440 Member
    For at least three months of this past year, I would eat my version of "chicken alfredo" literally every night for dinner and I never experienced any problems. I think as long as you're exercising consistently, you'll be fine.

    I would use:
    1 serving of Ragu Light Parmasen Alfredo Sauce (60cal)
    1 serving of Store brand whole grain/wheat rotini (180cal)
    1 serving ofTyson Grilled and Ready Chicken Breast (110cal)
    1 serving of Broccoli and Carrots (65cal total)
    I also added garlic powder and other spices

    It was seriously one of my favorite things to eat until I finally got sick of it! (I guess that's what eating it every single day will do)
  • runlorirun
    runlorirun Posts: 389
    I cook up a spaghetti squash and have 1/2 cup of that with 1/2 cup of pasta, but then I really like squash.
  • pandafoo
    pandafoo Posts: 367 Member
    yum, pasta!!!!.... i agree with many posters about the importance of weighing out a portion size. even w/ just the sauce, 2 oz will easily fill up a medium-size bowl - once you add veggies and a healthy protein, you could make it last 2-3 meals. :)

    also, there aren't really any "bad foods." moderation and portion size are key. even a healthy food, if you eat more of it than your body needs, will be converted into fat. just try to consume very little sugars and refined carbs -- they will stall weight loss the most. whole grain pastas are great - it does take getting used to the chewier texture but it's far better than white pasta and will fill you up for longer.
  • a_stronger_steph
    a_stronger_steph Posts: 434 Member
    The Catelli Healthy Harvest penne serving size is 3/4 cups or 85g, which works out to 3 oz (oz is a silly unit of measurement, I think, but let's roll with it!), for a little over 300 calories.

    The other brand that people have been recommending is a 2 oz serving for about 200 calories. If you reduce the Catelli serving size to 2oz, you'll see that it works out to 200 calories also. And I agree that it is a much better portion.

    So you can eat your pasta without breaking the bank. I usually have a 65g serving (a little more than 2 oz), and get a low-ish calorie sauce, or make my own, then load the pasta up with lots and lots of veggies (mushrooms, green and orange peppers, zucchini, broccoli, to name a few), and sometimes some protein (chicken or shrimp). Then I can have a whole bowl of pasta it fills me up, and isn't too too high on calories. Sometimes I even budget in some reduced-fat mozzarella or parmesan to sprinkle on top (the best part of pasta, in my opinion, is putting cheese on it, hehe).

    So... eat your pasta! Just not too much of it! ;) And you'll be just fine.
  • cmisty2001
    cmisty2001 Posts: 59
    You've gotten some great advice:

    1. Plan for it.
    2. Watch your brand
    3. Think about what you're going to top it with and brands can make a difference here as well - I like to top mine with lots of steamed veggies
    4. Watch the portions and have a filling salad with it

    I'm actually having chicken pesto pasta tonight with pine nuts (pine nuts are a challenge, but I love them) and am working toward total calories of 1200 for the day. So far tracking toward a successful day.
  • Wow41543
    Wow41543 Posts: 5
    I say eat it. I have been doing this a little over a month and have lost 15 pounds so far. If you deny yourself you won't stick with it. I find that when I eat more calories in one meal I tend to be less hungry for the rest of the day & then just adjust the other meals. I can usually stay within my limits and still eat what I want
  • JaneeMix
    JaneeMix Posts: 1
    Don't worry about it! I truly believe that you can eat anything you want as long as it's in moderation. And when it comes to pasta, weigh it and only eat until you're no longer hungry. Think of it as being 80% full. That way you walk away feeling satisfied--not stuffed and guilty.
  • adalton6
    adalton6 Posts: 204 Member
    Pasta is one of my favorite things and I ate it a lot. :)

    Since beginning my journey to loose weight, which is 25 days today, I have not ate pasta even once. The calories and carbs on the label scare me completely.
    I recently purchased Catelli Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Penne in place of regular pasta. Even this is a sacrifice because I know it won't taste the same. And the calories, fat and carbs are almost the same, but the Healthy Harvest has more fiber. That's the only difference so I don't so much get that either.
    Since buying the Healthy Harvest, I haven't been able to bring myself to eat it.
    I was thinking of making a chicken and penne stir fry for dinner, which sounds so yummy, but terrifies me. I would be getting a load of protein and some good fiber, but that doesn't seem worth it to me. The meal would easily come to 500 calories.
    I don't want to be in a position where I can't have a snack later because I have used up all my calories. I could exercise, but it is no guarantee that I will get the time to. I have already exercised today but I do not feel good about eating back my exercise calories.

    I need help. Am I right not to eat pasta? I have heard many times that pasta is good for you. But I don't understand how a food, with that much carbs and calories, can be good for me.

    Here is the nutritional info:

    SERVING: 3/4 cup
    Calories: 310
    Fat: 1.5g (it's great on fat!)
    Carbs: 62g
    Fiber: 8g
    Protein: 12g

    Thanks so much in advance for your comments and suggestions. :)

    I think you should learn how to incorporate it into your diet even if it is only a couplke times a week or a month. When I was on weight watchers they would always tell a story of a chick that lost 100 llbs and loved peanut butter but did not eat it at all when she lost her weight. After maintaining her weight she started eating her peanut butter back but ate too much. They say she gained back all her weight from her peanut butter which i do not believe but it is a great story. I think you should eat it but only make enough servings for everyone so there is only one serving per person. So there is none left over to over indulge. I love the wheat pasta it is good. Let us know how it goes!! Good luck!
  • mom23nuts
    mom23nuts Posts: 636 Member
    I don't really eat it cuz I want the carbs for something else, but if you want it have it but know what a serving is and stop there
    Don't over cook it because it breaks down the starches too much and then your body doesn't have to work as hard to process it.

    I was told that the whole wheat and the regular is not much different in how quickly it enters your blood stream, but the whole wheat has some fiber to benefit you.

    Maybe do jazzed up crushed tomatoes instead of jared sauce with the sugars in there too and you can save a bit all over.
  • 1aprilaries
    1aprilaries Posts: 92 Member
    have you tryed ronzoni smart taste pastas??? They have several different styles of pasta and are lower calorie and I cant taste any difference at all!!!!
    I love Ronzoni. That's all i have in the cabinet now.
  • Papillon22
    Papillon22 Posts: 1,160 Member
    When I know I'll have pasta for dinner, I work out more so I can have a second serving without going over my calories, and voila!

    I also have a big salad before, and a ton of veggies with the pasta.
  • graysmom2005
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
    I ate pasta at least once a week before I got pregnant and still lost 53 pounds, along with chocolate and plenty of other "bad" things. I personally can't cut anything out because if I do that then this become a diet instead of a lifestyle.

    A serving of pasta every once in a while is not going to hurt your weight loss. And you can always work out a little longer that day to off set the calories and carbs.

    AGREED!!:happy:
  • SueHerm
    SueHerm Posts: 25 Member
    A nice thing about pasta is that even "white" pasta, if cooked al dente, does not have a crazy-high glycemic index score. So if you eat it with a bit of fat or protein it won't spike your blood sugar. I think you are better off planning for the calories, then do portion control by weighing before cooking, and eat it, than by denying yourself. For many of us deprivation leads to overindulgence later.

    Remember, carbs are not the enemy. The longest-lived populations on earth eat a carb-heavy diet (that't not to say carbs are the reason, just that they aren't evil).
  • bonini88
    bonini88 Posts: 8
    I personally love pasta as well. My mom gifted me a pasta measure, and its true what another MFP friend said, once it cooks it looks and fills you up :wink: a lot. I personally use the Barilla Plus pastas, they taste great, even better than whole wheat or regular pasta. and maybe instead of chicken you can use turkey they taste almost the same except turkey has less fat. :flowerforyou:
  • liezelcha
    liezelcha Posts: 150 Member
    Pasta is one of my favorite things and I ate it a lot. :)

    Since beginning my journey to loose weight, which is 25 days today, I have not ate pasta even once. The calories and carbs on the label scare me completely.
    I recently purchased Catelli Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Penne in place of regular pasta. Even this is a sacrifice because I know it won't taste the same. And the calories, fat and carbs are almost the same, but the Healthy Harvest has more fiber. That's the only difference so I don't so much get that either.
    Since buying the Healthy Harvest, I haven't been able to bring myself to eat it.
    I was thinking of making a chicken and penne stir fry for dinner, which sounds so yummy, but terrifies me. I would be getting a load of protein and some good fiber, but that doesn't seem worth it to me. The meal would easily come to 500 calories.
    I don't want to be in a position where I can't have a snack later because I have used up all my calories. I could exercise, but it is no guarantee that I will get the time to. I have already exercised today but I do not feel good about eating back my exercise calories.

    I need help. Am I right not to eat pasta? I have heard many times that pasta is good for you. But I don't understand how a food, with that much carbs and calories, can be good for me.

    Here is the nutritional info:

    SERVING: 3/4 cup
    Calories: 310
    Fat: 1.5g (it's great on fat!)
    Carbs: 62g
    Fiber: 8g
    Protein: 12g

    Thanks so much in advance for your comments and suggestions. :)
  • liezelcha
    liezelcha Posts: 150 Member
    I saw an ad for Wacky Mac pasta? They said something about it being made from vegetables? I haven't had a chance to look for it in stores to read the nutritional info on it.

    Has anyone seen this or used it?
  • katie_on_a_mission
    katie_on_a_mission Posts: 112
    Next time try Ronzoni Healthy Harvest whole wheat, extra-wide, noodle-style pasta. 180 calories for every 2 oz.! (Personally, I need 4 oz. to feel full). You could dress it with 1 tsp. olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, and garlic. Tasty and low in calories!
  • tinamwilson
    tinamwilson Posts: 32
    If I eat any pasta ever it's whole grain...however...for me pasta is a "trigger" carb. I can't get enough so I have no filter. I recently found Konjac Noodles otherwise known as Shirataki Noodles. These are made from the Konjac root which is in the yam family. There are no carbs, no fat, no sugar and no calories...unbelievable! I had some of these tonight with teriyaki baked chicken breast and they were cut thin like angel hair pasta. You can get them on line cut 6 different ways from rice which is a great substitute for sushi rice to cut the carbs...all the way to fettucini & penne. Even have them in pearl size for soups ot stews. They are even better for you if you have diabetic or any type of blood sugar issues. One thing to keep in mind - they don't smell real great coming out of the package so rinse, rinse & rinse again then rince once more to be sure. Definately a guilty pleasure without the guilt ot carbs. They don't taste exactly like pasta because they are not made from flour but a real great substitute that adopts any seasoning or sauce flavor you add to it-much like tofu does.
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