I find that if I dip my bagel in the cream cheese I don't use as much of it, saving me a few calories. I like the bagels either toasted or not, and I break it apart and dip the pieces in the cream cheese, instead of spreading the cream cheese all over the bagel. I use about 1/2 (or less!) the amount of cream cheese and I don't feel deprived of it at all. It also takes me a little longer to eat it that way, much helps me feel fuller.
I also cut my calories by a lot in the morning. 2 eggs and coffee every morning. Simple is best for me. Everyone has great advice on here. I would like to suggest low fat cheese sticks, yogurt, or a healthy protein bar as a grab and go food.
wheezy, what kaplods said: think about what you can add that will help keep you full for a low caloric cost.
I've started keeping easy things I can grab without any preparation to take for lunch or breakfast: laughing cow lite cheese wedges or a string cheese and a pre-portioned bag of kashi bagel chips, a baggy of baby carrots, a piece of hand fruit.
On the other hand, I think that if one of your meals is going to be higher carbs/higher calories, breakfast is the best choice. You have all day long to burn the fuel you consume at breakfast, unlike dinner, where many people tend to concentrate their calories. And if you're a little hungry at bed time, you can always go to sleep and forget about it, whereas if you're hungry in the middle of the day you're going to have plenty of opportunities to eat something that wasn't on your plan.
In general, if you're not already doing it, I'd suggest getting yourself on one of the free sites like myfitnesspal or spark people that easily let you look up foods--you can play around with various combinations and try to imagine meal plans that will fit the various requirements you have.
Ugh, I want Starbucks SO bad but unfortunately I live in the middle of no where that doesn't have a Starbucks not inside a Target. Frankly I don't have time for that, lol. @Freckles, THANK YOU! Dunkin Donuts is literally the only place I have on the way to pretty much anywhere, again, I live in the middle of no where. I also have been modifying high cal recipes with things like low fat dairy and completely omitting yummy things. It's just so hard to get my hubby to eat vegetables, but we're getting there! I appreciate everyone's response and I will be taking everyone's advice! I love how supportive and insightful everyone is
I use splenda. I'm not using skim milk for my coffee because if I cut out both it tastes terrible :\ may have to just get used to it I suppose. as for making my own bagels, I could but my toaster is god awful. I guess it's really an excuse and I could deal with that as well. thanks everyone for your suggestions.
Yeah, I understand about the coffee. For me, what I put in my coffee is not negotiable.
Ok so keep your coffee calories and you'll have to change up the bagel thing. Buy a better toaster if you have to (they're pretty cheap, I got mine for $10).
Whole foods. If you stop trying to look at food as needing to be convenient, it helps a LOT!
Scramble some eggs in the morning and eat them with a piece of fruit. It might take longer than DD but it still only takes 10 minutes. The protein and fat in the eggs will keep you full and the natural sugar in the fruit will give you energy. I have my coffee with full fat coconut milk. It's good for you. Our brains need fat to help us think... and our bodies need fat to burn fat!
Shop the perimeter of the grocery store. There's nothing in the middle that you need .
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