Vegetarians

Hi! Fellow vegetarian here. I find it easiest to kind of begin with the lower cal stuff. So, for instance, I'll decide on veggies I want to have or what kinds of flavours I want. Then, I work from there, making sure to add protein, carbs, and then paying extra attention to what my other meals from that day may be lacking/have too much of.

For example, a go-to for me is chickpea curry. So if I know I want something with curry, I might decide on cauliflower, broccoli, bean sprouts, etc on the veggie front. Then, I know I enjoy making curry with full fat coconut milk, so I'll add that in. I know the chickpeas will keep me nice and full. And sometimes I'll add 1/2 cup of brown rice. It's all about planning ahead, measuring, and accounting for calories. So, the curry might be higher cal, but I know through experience that if I have that for lunch I'm usually not hungry again until dinner. To me, that's worth some extra cals. It might mean having a smaller snack/meal otherwise in the day, but if you're smart about your calories, that can work!!

I hope that made sense!!

As for breakfasts, I'm BIG into the easy, grab-and-go stuff. If you're into oatmeal, that's a great one! Other things that have worked for me are protein pancakes (lots of recipes on here for those!!), make-ahead banana oat "cookies," and protein shakes. If you're looking for more of a sit down kind of thing, eggs are a great option, because you get some decent protein for the calories.

I think you kind of just need to find meals you enjoy and then play around with them until they fit your needs/goals. A lot of that, in my opinion, happens through trial and error. You eventually find little ways to make meals satisfying but with less calories. For me, often that means adding more vegetables, making sure that higher calorie items are 'worth it' (ie not packed with sugar/other things that won't sustain me). The biggest culprits in my diet are carbs and protein. As long as I ensure to portion control those things, and balance that will feeling full, it's usually pretty doable!

Feel free to friend me, for veggie support!

A medium baked sweet potato with a tablespoon of drizzled almond butter makes a great breakfast. Lots of nutrients fiber and healthy fat. It will keep you full and isnt high in calories.