Salad is keeping me fat!!

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purplepollypops
purplepollypops Posts: 323 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So I've tested my theory on eating salad. Had none this week and still lost 2lb! So in conclusion, salad keeps me fat! lol I will still be eating it now and again but I won't be including it in every meal like I was before. I still eat plenty of other fruit and veg so I won't be missing out on my 5 a day. I've discovered that having calorie controlled ready meals for lunch have kept me fuller than a salad does and then I'm less likely to snack in the afternoon which has been my downfall in the past.
Has this happened to anyone else?

Replies

  • Jules_gr8
    Jules_gr8 Posts: 1 Member
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    You haven't said what's in your salad's but I would like you need more protein so you say fuller for longer. Avoid too much fruit as it's too sugary but lots of veg in your salad with tuna or chicken would be good.
    What are the calorie controlled ready meals you are eating?
  • SquishyVicki
    SquishyVicki Posts: 280 Member
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    In my experience it has nothing to do with the inclusion of salad or not in meals; it is to do with the calorie content. The good thing about salad foods (as well as fresh veg) is that you can fill up on large amounts of it with a smaller amount of calories than some other food choices. If you are able to keep within your calorie limit each day without eating salad then that's fab. You just need to ensure you get plenty of your 5 a day from other sources...

    Good luck on your continued loss! :smile: Vx
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    I guess that depends what's IN the salad, if you add lots of veggies, a couple of protein sources (nuts, bean, avocado,eggs, meats) and a little healthy oils, then a salad can be just as filling as any other meal. But load the salad with iceberg lettuce and cucumbers, and pour high fat dressings on it, then yeah, you'll be receiving a low calorie, low nutrient, quick burning meal that's only going to hurt you in the long run. I eat a salad for lunch almost every day. But not because I'm "dieting" (I've been maintaining for about 3 years now), BUT my salad includes 6 different types of veggie, usually has chick peas and/or kidney beans in it, and usually some sunflower seeds sprinkled on it, either an egg or some broiled chicken breast, some mozzarella cheese, and an extra virgin olive oil based dressing on it (carefully measured), and it keeps me full for the requisite 2 hours until my mid afternoon snack (generally a dairy product and a veggie).
  • purplepollypops
    purplepollypops Posts: 323 Member
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    Typically my salad includes lettuce, cucumber, tomato, radish, onion, sweetcorn, beetroot and carrot. I will usually have this with some chicken for lunch and then on the side with my main meal and no dressing.
  • purplepollypops
    purplepollypops Posts: 323 Member
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    You haven't said what's in your salad's but I would like you need more protein so you say fuller for longer. Avoid too much fruit as it's too sugary but lots of veg in your salad with tuna or chicken would be good.
    What are the calorie controlled ready meals you are eating?

    I have been eating Morrisons or Tesco branded low fat/low calorie meals. Usually something like chicken with potatoes and veg or beef hotpot with mash etc. Most of them are around 300-350 cals and I have been having them at lunch time, sometimes I'll have one for dinner in the evening too if I can't be bothered to cook anything.
  • oBirdieo
    oBirdieo Posts: 148
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    Typically my salad includes lettuce, cucumber, tomato, radish, onion, sweetcorn, beetroot and carrot. I will usually have this with some chicken for lunch and then on the side with my main meal and no dressing.

    That's exactly the kind of food you should be eating. Fresh vegetables and lean protein don't make people fat when consumed in appropriate quantities.
  • glypta
    glypta Posts: 440 Member
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    I'd maybe add more protein to the salad. You'll be fuller and it's WAY better than ready meals which tend to be full of processed crap.
  • katron1974
    katron1974 Posts: 5
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    well i eat salad 4 my tea pretty much everyday. lettuce cucumber n celery, then i'll put somethin low fat with it. i have a fat free yogurt or a sugar free jelly n im sorted. do u exercise a lot? salad doesnt keep people fat unless u cover it in high fat dressin. wen i started my diet i was 350lbs. now im 254lbs. those microwave meals r full of rubbish i wouldnt touch em with a bargepole lol x x
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    Well I had a friend with food allergies, so it is quite possible you have an allergy to leaf lettuce. This could make you bloat.

    Do what you need to do, listen to your body.
  • fionarama
    fionarama Posts: 788 Member
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    depends on what you call a salad and it must have some protein and carb as well! What dressing do you use, there is a great spray on Balsamic Dressing you can buy, only 1 calorie per spray I think the oily dressings even if its healthy oils can really up the calorie content.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    I'd be more inclined to think that the pre-processed meals are screwing you up over the salad. I'll bet you, if you cut out the meal, and just add a little more calorie dense food to the salad (maybe a dressing and some nuts) and don't eat the pre-made dinner with it, the same thing would happen. Pre-packaged meals add a lot of "non-food" stuffs in their meals, things meant to enhance flavor, extend shelf life, enhance color, and in many cases just to add bulk to the meal. These things can hinder and even screw up a meal plan, and since they aren't nutritionally relevant, usually they're left off the nutrition facts, you usually only see them in the ingredients lists.

    Give that a try for 2 weeks, I'll be you it does the same thing for you (but far healthier than cutting out the salad).
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    I'm sorry but you can't be serious surely?

    If you say you are hungry after your salad lunch and you are snacking on other things (that possibly aren't as healthy) then I really can't see how you can blame the salad for being overweight.
  • purplepollypops
    purplepollypops Posts: 323 Member
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    Hang on everyone! I haven't said that I'm not going to eat salad ever again! I'm just saying that I have discovered that it doesn't fill me up enough at lunchtime no matter how much of it I eat so that makes me hungrier in the afternoon whereas a 300 calorie ready meal does fill me up enough so I don't need to snack before dinner. I will continue to eat salad but I haven't had any for a whole week and I still managed to lose 2lb. All I'm saying is that that's what has happened to me personally and I was just interested to see if anyone else had discovered the same!
    I know salad is good for you and the title of this post contains exclamation marks so I'm not really blaming salad for keeping me fat, just trying to keep it light hearted. I didn't mean to offend all you salad lovers! I actually do love salad, it just doesn't fill me up enough :smile:
  • purplepollypops
    purplepollypops Posts: 323 Member
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    Well I had a friend with food allergies, so it is quite possible you have an allergy to leaf lettuce. This could make you bloat.

    Do what you need to do, listen to your body.

    Thanks :smile:
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    oh well that makes heaps more sense :)

    At the end of the day calories are calories. If you have a low cal salad lunch (say 150cals) and then you get hungry by 3pm and have another 250cals then, there really is minimal difference to just having 400cals at lunch time (depending on macronutrients also and for overall health micronutrients)

    Do what works for you. I have ridiculously large lunches and LOVE it :smile:

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