Breakfast Fruit Smoothies and Portions (Need Advice)

CrattleCrie · January 2016

Straight to the point,

I have always been a chubby kid and now that I have reached my 20's I feel as if I need to do something about it. I have never been a big breakfast person and sometimes I may even skip lunch and will just indulge at night.

I want to start eating correctly, and to tell you the truth I have no idea what you classify as a " proper healthy portioned meal".

I am currently saving money for the Bowflex Max Trainer which is perfect for my living situation, and the results are truly amazing from consumer reviews. First I want to start off my getting in the habit of eating healthy and properly before I go out and invest equipment that could easily turn into a nice piece of furniture!

Knowing that I'm not a breakfast person I think a shake that I can take with me will be the best bet for me. I have searched around and found some good recipes. Like I said I'm new into this and was curious about what time of protein would be best for shakes, I know Whey is the most popular but I can't for the life of me can't understand the $80 price tag on the container, compared to others for half the price. Obviously I am not looking to bulk up in weight, which is the complete opposite of what I want, so that's the real question.

Second part how to properly portion out my food, I have a tendency to make fried and fatty foods (what I grew up on) with large quantities. I look at 6 chicken fingers like "that's it". I feel like this is obviously not the right approach so I'm asking you what foods should I make the most, what food should I stay away from. I know I'm asking a lot, even if you can help me with one of these I would appreciate it.

kshama2001 · January 2016

Divide the calories you get per day by the number of meals you like per day and voila, number of calories per meal. Then make sure you have a good balance of carbs, fat, protein, and fiber.

kshama2001 · January 2016

$80 for how many servings? I pay $0.67 per serving for whey protein powder from grass fed cows, so I'm sure people are paying even less for that if the cows being grass fed is not important to them as it is to me.

Colorscheme · January 2016

I'm not a breakfast person either. I'd rather drink my calories in the morning, so I made a smoothie with frozen strawberries [1 cup, no sugar added], 5 oz greek yogurt, strawberry protein powder and almond milk. It's less than three hundred cals and keeps me full and energized for at least three hours.

My protein powder is from Amazon and cost $15 for twenty servings, which lasts about a month. You don't need expensive powder.

sstolii123 · January 2016

I drink my breakfast too! I personally steer clear of a lot of fruit in my smoothies due to their high carb/sugar content. My smoothie is a heaping handful of spinach or kale, a whole cucumber, 5 ribs of celery, 1/2 an apple, Isopure Zero Carb Protein, and Ultra Fiber DX. Throw that in a vitamix with as much water to suit your taste and bam! Great Breakfast drink.

kshama2001 · January 2016

This is the most filling meal per calories I have made to date.

Colorscheme · January 2016

sstolii123 wrote: »

I drink my breakfast too! I personally steer clear of a lot of fruit in my smoothies due to their high carb/sugar content. My smoothie is a heaping handful of spinach or kale, a whole cucumber, 5 ribs of celery, 1/2 an apple, Isopure Zero Carb Protein, and Ultra Fiber DX. Throw that in a vitamix with as much water to suit your taste and bam! Great Breakfast drink.

Berries aren't that high in carbs compared to bananas, apples, etc. That's why I use frozen whole strawberries that don't have sugar added to them.

purpledelight · January 2016

kshama2001 wrote: »

This is the most filling meal per calories I have made to date.

wow.. I need to try this!
that is my big complaint about smoothies... they are NOT filling for me... is it the chia? or the flax that adds the something for my chubby belly to do?

Colorscheme · January 2016

purpledelight wrote: »

kshama2001 wrote: »

This is the most filling meal per calories I have made to date.

wow.. I need to try this!
that is my big complaint about smoothies... they are NOT filling for me... is it the chia? or the flax that adds the something for my chubby belly to do?

How filling they are depends on what you're putting in them. I've found that adding greek yogurt makes my smoothies as thick as a milkshake and it's very filling for me.

Sued0nim · January 2016

If you don't like breakfast don't eat it

If you don't like smoothies don't eat them

Your calories are daily portion them the way that satisfies you...I save a few hundred for evening snacking

If you like chicken nuggets find a way to make them lower calorie...did you know Kellogg's cornflakes crushed make great "batter" ...chicken breast diced, dipped in seasoned flour, then beaten egg then cornflakes ..shove in oven 15 mins then turn over for five ...on 180 C

Weigh out ingredients you use, divide by number of nuggets and you have calorie count

Sued0nim · January 2016

Another version http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/04/healthy-baked-chicken-nuggets.html

sgarbacik · January 2016

I was always a big kid too, and now in my late 20s I'm still working on reaching a healthy weight - so I know how you feel. Ten weeks ago I re-focused on a healthy lifestyle and have lost over 15 lbs. I've learned that it's about small and consistent steps. I would suggest starting exercise now (if you haven't already), even if it's only 10-30 min a few days a week. It's amazing how much of an impact walking on my breaks at work makes a different.

What is difficult for me, is that I viewed exercise as admitting failure. The culture I grew up in didn't include regular exercise for health. Instead it seemed that only unfit people needed exercise. I'm realizing that's not at all the case. I schedule exercise as an appointment for myself and it's helped me stick to it. I highly suggest www.fitnessblender.com for good (free!) at-home workouts. I have bad knees so all the squats they do can be difficult but you can usually go at your own pace with them. They're really good for building endurance and strength.

Luckily I've always loved breakfast. I tend toward making frozen breakfast sandwiches and muffins ahead of time and freezing them so they're quick and easy to take to work. I recently read a book that teaches that we should eat like it matters, meaning you should love what you eat and it must be healthy. It opened my eyes to some of the healthy things I would try to eat, that I didn't really enjoy. So I tried other healthy foods to find ones I love (most recent discovery is persimmons, yum!). It inspired me to be mindful about what I was eating, and that if I didn't like it, I shouldn't eat it. The book is Eat Like it Matters by Marilyn McKenna if you're interested.

On to your question, the basic smoothie recipe I use is:
1/2 c Liquid (coconut water or almond milk)
1 medium banana (usually frozen)
1/2 c frozen fruit (any, I like blueberries a lot)
1 c greens (baby spinach, kale)
1/3 c protein (non-fat plain greek yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, silken tofu)
1 tbs add-in (chia seeds, flax seeds, peanut butter powder)

When I first started I used non-fat greek yogurt for protein, but I would buy it and it wouldn't get used if I didn't feel like smoothies that week because I'm not a big yogurt eater. I do eat 1/2 c of low-fat cottage cheese every morning for protein so I thought I'd try that in my smoothie, and surprisingly it worked. I've never had or tried silken tofu, but if it's something you think you'd like, go for it! I think the important thing is finding what you like and making sure it works for you. Sorry, I have no insight to the protein powder. I tried it once but it didn't stick for me.

I grew up in Michigan and similarly had large quantities of poor food choices. Learning the right portions is really about re-training your brain. MFP taught me how many calories I need and how many calories are in various foods. My #1 suggestion to you would be to buy a food scale. It's a pretty cheap way to ensure yourself accountability and success. I still portion out my cottage cheese every morning, although after a while it should come naturally as to how much one serving is. Long-term I shouldn't need it, but I still need it right now to hold myself accountable.

At first it is hard to keep yourself to only one portion (or however many you need for a meal), but after a while it gets easier. Even though I finish what I portioned for myself and don't feel full, I realized that I don't feel hungry either. It was an important realization for me that I didn't need to eat any more. It's a big transition from the former lifestyle of eating all I wanted to, but it made me feel in control of my food instead of food having control over me.

I port over my nutrition information to Fitbit which analyzes it by % calories per meal as well as % calorie intake as carbs, fat, and protein (I think this is a premium feature though). Fitbit suggests having 30% or fewer of your total calories at dinner when trying to lose weight (which is really hard when most of us have been taught that dinner is the biggest meal of the day). And the calorie composition to be as below:

Protein: 10-35%
Fat: 20-35%
Carbs: 45-65%

I know this is a lot of info, so I hope it's not overwhelming. Feel free to friend me and good luck!
Stephanie

CrattleCrie · January 2016

@realityfades Thanks for info, I like blue berries as well, but I found an awesome recipe that seemed more for my liking. I am kind of a wuss when it comes to certain foods, some stuff just makes me sick to my stomach.

Here is the link: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/160708/strawberry-banana-protein-smoothie/

Im not looking to get full off of the smoothie either, I usually don't eat breakfast so I'm not concerned about feeling full, like I read what someone else had said. I feel as if my metabolism needs a kick in the butt.

Sued0nim · January 2016

CrattleCrie wrote: »

@realityfades Thanks for info, I like blue berries as well, but I found an awesome recipe that seemed more for my liking. I am kind of a wuss when it comes to certain foods, some stuff just makes me sick to my stomach.

Here is the link: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/160708/strawberry-banana-protein-smoothie/

Im not looking to get full off of the smoothie either, I usually don't eat breakfast so I'm not concerned about feeling full, like I read what someone else had said. I feel as if my metabolism needs a kick in the butt.

It really doesn't you know

If you don't eat breakfast why waste calories on a smoothie?

Colorscheme · January 2016

rabbitjb wrote: »

CrattleCrie wrote: »

@realityfades Thanks for info, I like blue berries as well, but I found an awesome recipe that seemed more for my liking. I am kind of a wuss when it comes to certain foods, some stuff just makes me sick to my stomach.

Here is the link: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/160708/strawberry-banana-protein-smoothie/

Im not looking to get full off of the smoothie either, I usually don't eat breakfast so I'm not concerned about feeling full, like I read what someone else had said. I feel as if my metabolism needs a kick in the butt.

It really doesn't you know

If you don't eat breakfast why waste calories on a smoothie?

I can't answer for that poster but I can answer for myself: having a smoothie in the morning helps me feel energized for the day. So while it is calories, 1. I log it and it's well within my range, 2. It provides me energy in the morning after running and 3. For whatever reason I prefer to drink calories in the morning than eat. I've never really been a breakfast eater, not even when I was a teenager.

CrattleCrie · January 2016

@rabbitjb what do you mean if I don't eat breakfast don't waste your money on a smoothie? I don't eat breakfast because of stomach issues, and how it settles. I'm looking for a drink that gives me proper nutrients and protein where I should be getting from eating breakfast.

I don't spent money on breakfast to begin with 99% of the time my grocery shopping consists of meals for the week for dinner time, I don't get much for lunch. I weight 198lbs then went from 190 to 165 then went back up to weighing 210lbs. Going from 190 to 165 was puberty, and now I'm just slowly climbing into a hole, and I think because of my age and the way I eat is completely incorrect especially how I fast until 5-6pm every night.

If that adds some insight thank you.

CrattleCrie · January 2016

@sgarbacik Thanks for that! That meant a lot, thank you. I know about food scales, and frankly I have absolutely no idea how to use them, especially with those percentages you threw out there. Could you explain on what you mean

Sued0nim · January 2016

CrattleCrie wrote: »

@rabbitjb what do you mean if I don't eat breakfast don't waste your money on a smoothie? I don't eat breakfast because of stomach issues, and how it settles. I'm looking for a drink that gives me proper nutrients and protein where I should be getting from eating breakfast.

I don't spent money on breakfast to begin with 99% of the time my grocery shopping consists of meals for the week for dinner time, I don't get much for lunch. I weight 198lbs then went from 190 to 165 then went back up to weighing 210lbs. Going from 190 to 165 was puberty, and now I'm just slowly climbing into a hole, and I think because of my age and the way I eat is completely incorrect especially how I fast until 5-6pm every night.

If that adds some insight thank you.

I said why waste calories not why waste money

My implication was that if you don't like to eat breakfast you do not need to force yourself to eat it as it does not change your metabolism in any way if you eat or don't eat breakfast ...it is about calories across the week not calories within a specific time frame

If you want to start to eat breakfast for any reason other than a belief that it will impact on weight loss that's fair enough

If you like the thought of smoothies also fair enough

This is also personal choice not a rule

I know what it's like to weigh 210 ...I also know how it feels to find a change in lifestyle that means you can lose all the weight you want to and maintain...I wish you luck

Sued0nim · January 2016

If you are interested, these are good threads as starting points to read the OP

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1296011/calorie-counting-101

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1290491/how-and-why-to-use-a-digital-food-scale

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10191216/the-most-important-thing-you-can-do-to-lose-weight

jdhcm2006 · January 2016

I drink smoothies in the morning b/c it's filling, quick, and it helps me meet my macros, as well as get nutrients I'd normally be missing. I'm someone who loves breakfast, but during the work week, I don't have time to make one. A smoothie takes me 15 minutes from start to finish (I pre-measure everything the evening before).

140g (1 serving) of Market Pantry Antioxidant Blend frozen fruit
8oz of Minute Maid Just 15 Calories Lemonade
85g of spinach
1T of flaxseeds
10g of Eidopro Protein Powder
Plus a splash or two of water to get the more liquid consistency

That's 181 calories, and fills me up until it's time for my post breakfast snack. I don't use a whole scoop of protein powder b/c I can meet my protein macro without using a whole scoop, which saves me calories.

Also, be aware that flaxseeds need to be ground/milled in order for the body to get the nutrients from them. If they're whole seeds, the body can't do much with them. So, you can either buy them already milled or you can buy them whole and grind them yourself with a coffee grinder or food processor. I grind them myself, put them in a airtight, opaque canister, and then put them in the fridge to maintain freshness. If you buy them milled, keep it in the fridge or freezer to maintain freshness and keep it from oxidizing.

livingleanlivingclean · January 2016

If you're not generally a breakfast eater, don't fill the space with a smoothie. Imo they aren't that filling and a waste of calories. Eating breakfast isn't going to make your metabolism go faster!

In regards to your other meals, learn how to prep in ways that don't involve frying - that will save you a lot of calories! I oven bake a lot of my protein. You could crumb things, I just use herbs and spices to add flavour though (saves more calories).

Karivan54 · January 2016

I drink a smoothie for breakfast almost every day. Get the book Simple Green Smoothies by Jen Hansard and Jadah Sellner. There's a lot of nutritional information and 100 recipes. I don't use whey protein powder, I don't think it helps with weight loss. I bought a natural vegan protein powder at the natural food store with 20g protein.

For really super good nutrition advice, go to the web site, Eat This, Not That. They're also on Facebook. Just like the name, they tell you to eat this good food not that junk food. They have a section where you can look up your chain restaurant and they'll tell you the most healthy dish.

Good luck! I know you can do it! The more you educate yourself, the better you will do.

CrattleCrie · January 2016

rabbitjb wrote: »

CrattleCrie wrote: »

@rabbitjb what do you mean if I don't eat breakfast don't waste your money on a smoothie? I don't eat breakfast because of stomach issues, and how it settles. I'm looking for a drink that gives me proper nutrients and protein where I should be getting from eating breakfast.

I don't spent money on breakfast to begin with 99% of the time my grocery shopping consists of meals for the week for dinner time, I don't get much for lunch. I weight 198lbs then went from 190 to 165 then went back up to weighing 210lbs. Going from 190 to 165 was puberty, and now I'm just slowly climbing into a hole, and I think because of my age and the way I eat is completely incorrect especially how I fast until 5-6pm every night.

If that adds some insight thank you.

I said why waste calories not why waste money

My implication was that if you don't like to eat breakfast you do not need to force yourself to eat it as it does not change your metabolism in any way if you eat or don't eat breakfast ...it is about calories across the week not calories within a specific time frame

If you want to start to eat breakfast for any reason other than a belief that it will impact on weight loss that's fair enough

If you like the thought of smoothies also fair enough

This is also personal choice not a rule

I know what it's like to weigh 210 ...I also know how it feels to find a change in lifestyle that means you can lose all the weight you want to and maintain...I wish you luck

CrattleCrie · January 2016

@rabbitjb Sorry miss understood. I appreciate your information. I guess my diet is mainly just over eating and fried foods, I always thought that 3 meals a day was a good way to get your insides moving and actively digesting food at a pace unlike me where I'm not getting any type of protein or calories in the morning, I don't mind not eating breakfast doesn't bother me too much that's just what I always thought.

I guess I need to stop buying fried and Greasy food. Still I have no idea how to properly portion food yet, especially with some of the replies talking about percentages for fats etc.

How long did it take you to get use to eating and preparing healthy meals? What should a healthy meal consist of? Protein, vegetable and rice? I mean I grew up on potatoes and pan fried rice, which I'm not too certain that that alone is healthy.

CrattleCrie · January 2016

Karivan54 wrote: »

I drink a smoothie for breakfast almost every day. Get the book Simple Green Smoothies by Jen Hansard and Jadah Sellner. There's a lot of nutritional information and 100 recipes. I don't use whey protein powder, I don't think it helps with weight loss. I bought a natural vegan protein powder at the natural food store with 20g protein.

For really super good nutrition advice, go to the web site, Eat This, Not That. They're also on Facebook. Just like the name, they tell you to eat this good food not that junk food. They have a section where you can look up your chain restaurant and they'll tell you the most healthy dish.

Good luck! I know you can do it! The more you educate yourself, the better you will do.

@Karivan54 I appreciate the advice, and support. The hardest part for me is really keeping my heart set out on eating healthy, I appreciate the website ideas which sounds awesome. Did you find that drinking fruit and protein in the morning boost your mood, and boost your ability to lose weight?

CrattleCrie · January 2016

@livingleanlivingclean I always thought that eating 3 meals a day would boost your body insides to work more properly, I'm probably wrong. I use spices on my food as well, what do you use for a breaking? I usually buy bread crumbs (plain, Italian etc.) from the store and just use that, but I'm sure it is loaded with sodium and carbs (obviously)!

sstolii123 · January 2016

Drinking a smoothie in the morning is a great way to get the nutrition your body needs to start the day. @rabbitjb when you wake up in the morning your body is in fast mode since it has not eaten in around 8 hours. Drinking a smoothie actually stimulates your gut and digestive process unlike skipping breakfast in the morning. @Colorscheme Berries are high in carbs for someone who follows a low carb meal plan and so is yogurt. One thing I have found with smoothie recipes on the ole inter-webs is people pack too much "stuff" into them. Yogurt, Bananas, berries milk. When I look at the calories some are pushing 500 plus for one 8 oz serving.

Sued0nim · January 2016

Hey

I posted some recipes upthread - mooch around the skinnytaste site - see what you like the look of, try cooking that - nothing wrong with potatoes and rice - make it fit with your likes and your calorie amounts

You weigh 210, I assume roughly around 6' and in your 20s

if you're lightly exercising 3 times a week - your calories should be around 2300

I would recommend some progressive resistance

aim for protein at a minimum of 134g
fats at a minimum of 74g
carbs wherever you want

eat a wide range of brightly coloured vegetables, lean protein like chicken, fish, dairy etc

Sued0nim · January 2016

sstolii123 wrote: »

Drinking a smoothie in the morning is a great way to get the nutrition your body needs to start the day. @rabbitjb when you wake up in the morning your body is in fast mode since it has not eaten in around 8 hours. Drinking a smoothie actually stimulates your gut and digestive process unlike skipping breakfast in the morning. @Colorscheme Berries are high in carbs for someone who follows a low carb meal plan and so is yogurt. One thing I have found with smoothie recipes on the ole inter-webs is people pack too much "stuff" into them. Yogurt, Bananas, berries milk. When I look at the calories some are pushing 500 plus for one 8 oz serving.

No need to stimulate anything - doesn't help weight loss .. your digestion doesn't shut down whilst you eat

skipping breakfast is personal choice - some feel energised by eating breakfast others don't

there is no such thing as 'fast mode' in terms of the metabolism .. there is adaptive thermogenesis but this ain't it

kshama2001 · January 2016

purpledelight wrote: »

kshama2001 wrote: »

This is the most filling meal per calories I have made to date.

wow.. I need to try this!
that is my big complaint about smoothies... they are NOT filling for me... is it the chia? or the flax that adds the something for my chubby belly to do?

I'm sure it's the protein and fiber - that smoothie provides 40% of my daily fiber goal. If you wanted to do just chia or just flax, I'd recommend the chia, and work up to 1 tablespoon slowly if you're currently low in fiber.

By the way, chia needs to be soaked in a little liquid first. I start it right when I get up so it's ready when I'm ready to put the rest of the smoothie together. I like to do it for an hour but other places have said as little as 10 minutes. You can also soak it overnight in the frig. I'm currently using about 1/2 T of chia in about 1/4 c of water.

I don't like cold smoothies when it's cold out, and use warm tea for the liquid. I brew the tea and then drop frozen banana chucks into it - cooling the tea and warming the banana. Tea is also cheaper and less caloric than the almond or coconut milk often called for in smoothie recipes, and does not require refrigeration.

(To handle the problem of a whole banana being more than I want to use at one time, and a whole bunch of bananas being ripe at once, when they're ripe, I cut them up and freeze them.)

CrattleCrie · January 2016

@rabbitjb I'm about 5' 8" that's why I went down to 160 because that's my ideal weight, and then I rocketed up to 200 I'm guessing I weigh 214 could be less I weighed 200 when I last checked. Thanks for the site options

Breakfast Fruit Smoothies and Portions (Need Advice)

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