Little experiment I did on myself

ElJefeChief
ElJefeChief Posts: 650 Member
edited July 2016 in Health and Weight Loss
So I've been in a maintainence-ish state for the past several months or so, hanging out around the 23-24 BMI range (losing and regaining the same five pounds, lol).

In this phase I've been in - my typical go-to breakfast has been either bacon and eggs with fruit, or, more typically, low-carb, high-fiber, high-protein waffles or pancakes (usually made from carbalose flour, sometimes combined with wheat germ or oat flour), drizzled with low-carb or no-calorie syrups. The combo of the protein plus the fiber (and a decent dose of fat) has been typically pretty beneficial for keeping me satisfied. Typically my breakfast clocks in around 500-750 calories (I usually have around 3000 calories to play with in my day).

Anyways, I started re-discovering donuts. Yes, I know, all great falls from grace start with that. Got it.

Two glazed buttermilk bars, which are my to-die-for food, they clock in around 840 calories. In terms of calories, this is actually not that far off from my pancake brekkie as described above.

The interesting thing I've found is that those two donuts, while incredibly delicious, are *not* particularly satisfying. Like, not at all. In fact, on the days I've had the donuts, I find it's a struggle to stay within my calorie allotment for the day, and I rarely end the day with the cushion I like (I usually like to head into dinnertime with at least 1800 calories to spare).

I guess what they say is true about protein, fiber, and fat versus carbs..... anyone have similar experiences that can share?


Replies

  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    umm yeah, the more carbs i have the more i crave.
  • mamadon
    mamadon Posts: 1,422 Member
    I agree. When it comes to losing and maintaining, it is all about the calorie count of course. But.....I do find that a higher protein breakfast def keeps me fuller a lot longer. I'm starving in a few hours if I don't have my protein.
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,512 Member
    Yep. This is why I am no longer tempted by bagel day at work. A single bagel with a little cream cheese comes up to 400+ calories and leaves me hungry an hour later. Delicious, but not worth it when I only get around 1800 a day.
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    My experience is similar.

    We often have corporate donuts on Friday mornings. I don't often have them, but once in a while I partake. I'm almost always disappointed and hungry afterwards. My go-to Greek yogurt is much more satisfying for half the calories.

    Not like I don't love donuts, mind you, but they are definitely a rare treat these days.
  • Mapalicious
    Mapalicious Posts: 412 Member
    Yup.

    I've also found that if I start the day with something sugary I crave sugary the rest of the day. Save my sugars until after 3-4pm if not later.
  • girl_inflames
    girl_inflames Posts: 374 Member
    Indeed...when I have a sugary breakfast I'm ravenous throughout the day! Also, if I don't have a good amount of protein I'm lethargic and terribly hungry. Cravings all day! I'm a little jealous of your calorie allowance, I must say. It's over twice mine! :cry:
  • ElJefeChief
    ElJefeChief Posts: 650 Member
    girl_inflames wrote: »
    Indeed...when I have a sugary breakfast I'm ravenous throughout the day! Also, if I don't have a good amount of protein I'm lethargic and terribly hungry. Cravings all day! I'm a little jealous of your calorie allowance, I must say. It's over twice mine! :cry:

    My calorie allowance comes from compulsive exercise and also being six-foot-two. Comes in handy. :wink:
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    I'll be the first to say nope, not for me.
  • displaced1
    displaced1 Posts: 73 Member
    Same here, plus it makes me super tired after eating high carb empty breakfasts. My biggest deterrent is wanting to stay awake after eating, not passing out. BTW, your calorie range seems significant too. A range from maybe 500 regular breakfast (low end) to 850 for donuts is more than half a pound a week difference in calories if you don't change other parts of your diet. Nothing to sneeze at :)
  • chey365
    chey365 Posts: 11 Member
    I really have to watch my breakfast and make sure it's mostly protein and fat. My typical breakfast is avocado, eggs, bacon or sausage. The other day I had a bacon, egg, cheese biscuit (same calories). The entire day was bad. I craved carbs all day after that. I know EXACTLY what you mean. :(
  • texasleahgirl
    texasleahgirl Posts: 96 Member
    For me, it's not about whether I consumed sugar or carbs, it's whether the sugar and carbs were accompanied by fiber or not. I can eat 200 calories of whole oat groats with honey and not be hungry until 1:00 p.m. But when I eat 200 calories of toast with jam I'll be hungry around 10 am.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    Huh. I eat 700-800 kcal of roughly 5/65/30 (c/f/p) at 4 am, and I am rarely hungry before 5 pm.
  • KetoneKaren
    KetoneKaren Posts: 6,412 Member
    @Gallowmere1984 Now I'm curious...once you eat at 5pm are you done eating until 4 am the next morning? That would be kinda like doing 2 intermittent fasts every 24 hours.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    KetoneKaren wrote: »
    @Gallowmere1984 Now I'm curious...once you eat at 5pm are you done eating until 4 am the next morning? That would be kinda like doing 2 intermittent fasts every 24 hours.

    That's kinda how my day runs. I don't eat at work. I leave for work around 5 am, and usually don't get home until 4 pm, or sometimes as late as 8 or 9 pm.
  • KetoneKaren
    KetoneKaren Posts: 6,412 Member
    @Gallowmere1984 Kind of a tough schedule. You don't have a protein shake or anything mid-day?
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    KetoneKaren wrote: »
    @Gallowmere1984 Kind of a tough schedule. You don't have a protein shake or anything mid-day?

    Nope. All I consume during work is Coke Zero now (used to be Monster Ultra, but screw that expensive noise). I split my calories as evenly as realistically possible most days (mornings 600-800, evenings 900-1100, at 1700 kcal/day).
  • KetoneKaren
    KetoneKaren Posts: 6,412 Member
    @Gallowmere1984 That's really great. I wonder if I would do better on my long days (only occasionally 14 hours) if I just ate a bigger breakfast. I get so busy at work I sometimes feel a bit shaky by the time I realize how many hours it's been since I've eaten and inhale a protein shake real quick. But I'm only getting about 300 calories (scrambled eggs & veggies) at breakfast.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    It's entirely possible. I mostly do things because they work with my wonky lifestyle and preferences, not for any supposed benefit. I found that eating too little early in the day, resulted in me wanting to eat way more than I should. It also required me bringing food to work, and if I brought all with me to work that I should have consumed before the end of the day, they'd be gone before I'd been at work for two hours.

    The "eat 6 small meals" crap did nothing but make me want to eat 12, without clipping the portions. Heh.
  • KetoneKaren
    KetoneKaren Posts: 6,412 Member
    Hah! me too on the 6 small meals...
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Yeah, I can't start my day with donuts or pancakes or French toast unless it's in addition to my regular high protein breakfast. That altogether would be a huge calorie bomb so I don't indulge in them often. I don't feel good after eating them--lethargic, hazy, etc. Just blah.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    Donuts, yea, those won't fill me up. I'd need a bunch of them and without the protein it wouldn't last long. If I'm gonna eat a only donut at breakfast it would only be right before the gym or a bike ride. It would work fine for me in that instance.

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