I was wondering, and this is for the whole thread.... could you maybe throw that "snack" in right when you get up? Something like a banana, or some nuts, so that you aren't starving?
It sounds like you are not having your breakfast until well after you get to work. With the reduced calories, it seems more important that calories be spread out so your body doesn't feel deprived.
I really have no idea, but I would love to hear some tips for this.
Nuts are higher in calories and fats, but I have found fewer things that make you feel full - it rarely even takes a full serving for me, usually only half
If I were to eat a bowl of cereal, it would make me all the more hungry, but of course everyone is different. Also, in prep for the Saturday event, I'd increase my workouts and not drop down quite so low on calories on days when it's hard. I think it's fine to go to 1200 on some days but if you're soooo hungry then you might really overeat on Saturday after feeling so deprived. I hope that changing out your tea helps.
lazylioness your menu sounds good! come be my personal chef? I have no idea how to eat more while keeping calories less. I need to read up on it more. first things first will be adding way more veggies.
Have you experimented with higher calories? I'm not an expert on how many people need, but, I know that most people end up dropping their caloric intake as they get closer to goal, and at 1200 currently, there's not much room to drop later on.
With that said, definitely add protein with breakfast. Oatmeal on its own will ALWAYS leave me hungry. Oatmeal + eggs, on the other hand, will leave me completely satisfied. Try one egg with 2 egg whites and a laughing cow cheese wedge with 1/2 cup broccoli (or other veggie) and you should be fairly close to your original breakfast calories.
Definitely add in veggies. I eat on average 4-6 cups a day and that keeps me very full. Also try adding beans in as well from time to time.
How many calories are in your bread? Could you try salad instead? Trade the calories from bread for additional veggies, protein, toppings, etc. and it will most likely leave you feeling more full. Or, switch to half a sandwich and a cup of soup.
I also agree on caffeine- besides it making me feel sick, it also makes me hungry!
How much sugar is in the yogurt you're eating? I've found that most yogurts are too sweet for me, which end up leaving me hungry. Instead, I mix plain fat free yogurt with a bit of splenda (sometimes vanilla) and fresh fruit. It tends to be the same or lower in calories, but leaves me feeling more satisfied. (plus, lightly sweetened plain yogurt over fresh, ripe strawberries is heaven!) And, no HFCS, which some studies are linking to an increase in hunger.
hey guys thanks for advice. But as stated earlier 1200 isn't my norm. I have a dinner to attend for my brother's birthday. Nothing healthy on the menu. Trying to "save up". My normal intake is 1500/1600. Just trying to get through this week (and Christmas when it comes!!) without gaining. Unfortunately, I am one of those people who can breath the same air as a brownie and gain 5 lbs.
I like the soup and sandwich idea! I tried that out Monday. but couldn't stop myself from eating the entire sandwich so.....lol. I will need to pack only a half of sandwich so I won't have an option.
I would love to spice up my breakfast/lunch. But I pack my breakfast/lunch and eat at work so....i'm not home to actually whip up anything else. Not to mention im trying to conserve money. So eating out, is a no no.
I'm trying so hard to control my calories so I won't overdue it for the holidays and I very well may be sabotaging myself. *sigh* the angst of dieting.
Sometimes I get INSANELY hungry too so I make a big pot of veggie soup and have a LOT of it (maybe 4c worth and call it my lunch or the majority of dinner). The water portion fills me up, the veggie portion makes that feeling stay. I highly recommend this. What I'll do is I'll eat enough to be full, then Ill have a cup or two over the next couple of days as snacks or as part of a meal. It roughly equals to 50 calories per cup.
In a large stock pot add:
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 head of green cabbage, diced
1-2 carrots diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 onion, diced
4-6 c. of whatever other low calorie veggies you have on hand, fresh or frozen (ie, stay away from potatoes, yams, corn, peas, edamame)
Cover with water or low-calorie stock
Season with salt/pepper/ sage/bay leaf/ thyme/ oregano/ whatever to your taste
Allow to come to a boil and then simmer for 20-30 mins.
and that's all there is to it. I sometimes call this my "cleaning the fridge soup" and I'll make it on the weekend out of whatever veggies I didn't finish off during the week
I just want to say, you guys are awesome and I'm so thankful I found this site. Without it, I don't think I would stayed on plan as long as I have. I've had many false starts, usually abandoning it within the first couple days. But with this site, I find new motivation to keep going day after day. I get so much great advice, and guidance, and just general support it's such a good good feelings.
For my 1200 today I got:
Breakfast: Feta cheese omelette
Snack: Gluten-free wholemeal roll, toasted, with honey
Lunch: Mince (ground beef casserole) in a wrap with crunchy raw veg.
Snack: 3 Finncrisp crispbreads and feta cheese
Dinner: Stir-fry soup (chinese veggies), satsuma orange
Treat: Coffee made with a whole cup of lactofree
I make my breakfast (scrambled eggs) in the microwave every day at work. If you use a regular bowl (instead of disposable) make sure to pam it or grease it a bit somehow first. Then, crack two eggs into the bowl, scramble well with a fork. Microwave on high thirty seconds, stir. Microwave on high again for thirty seconds, and stir again. The eggs might be a little uncooked when you pull them out of the microwave the second time, but cook themselves some more as you stir them. You can throw whatever you want in the egg mixture too- cheese, veggies, etc. This has been my dailly breakfast for the last three weeks and is nice and easy to make at work. (I start work at 6am and I am just not hungry that early!)
Sorry about the calorie confusion- somehow I thought 1200 was normal for you, not saving up. d'oh! I can certainly relate though... I gain weight thinking about brownies. Now if only I could lose weight by thinking about broccoli...
I just wanted to comment along the same lines as luckymommy: cold cereal never does anything except make me more hungry. Overall, it looks to me as if your plan is rather high in carbs--I think I would be famished all the time, too, if I were eating what you've been eating.
For me, personally, meat and cheese seem to be helpful in keeping the hunger at bay (the kind of hunger that doesn't respond to high-volume food such as vegetables or soup). I like nuts, but I find that servings either are too small to satisfy me or large enough that it isn't worth the calories.
lazylioness your menu sounds good! come be my personal chef? I have no idea how to eat more while keeping calories less. I need to read up on it more. first things first will be adding way more veggies.
HAHA thanks!
It has taken some time, and trial and error. But I love to eat. So I had to figure out how to eat more, and still have less. Mostly it helped when I started just eating a lot more veggies and beans. and lean meats. Lots of soup and more towards vegetarian stuff. My palate has changed, so it is easier.
I just want to say, you guys are awesome and I'm so thankful I found this site. Without it, I don't think I would stayed on plan as long as I have. I've had many false starts, usually abandoning it within the first couple days. But with this site, I find new motivation to keep going day after day. I get so much great advice, and guidance, and just general support it's such a good good feelings.
THANKS!!!!
I feel the exact same way ksmommy! I can share with the people here because we all are going through the same struggles and joys. If you had told me a year ago I would even mention my weight with someone I would have been mortified. I was so embarrassed about my weight when the nurse would weigh me at the doctors office. I have found a place where I can relate with other people and it makes me realize I am not so different. Thank you for starting this thread...it has really motivated me
Cereal is like cookies in a bowl to me (I think that's Meg's line by the way). One of the most UNsatiating foods on this planet.
If I were to have cereal, it would have to be Fiber One - the plain one.
Also, I find the Old Fashioned Oats waaaaay more filling then the Instant, for way less calories.
I also see very little bulk in your menu. Those 2 slices of bread, I'd switch them out for an ENORMOUS salad. My snacks are filling - cucumber, tomato and onion salad. FF yogurt with Fiber One in it, a huge bowl of soup, a huge bowl of my veggie stew concoction, a sliced apple sprinkled with cinnamon, a box of grape tomatoes, all under 100 calories and filling.
I'd add in soups and piles and piles of veggies.
Oh and cabbage, you can do so much with it for so few calories and its mucho filling.
Also enormous veggie egg white omlettes.
I eat a LOT of food for 1200 calories and am more than adequately full. Now if you're not, that's another story. But I think you could be with the *right* foods. And you did mention that you are trying to bank calories for Saturday.. I hope that doesn't backfire on you. That day of higher calorie eating and higher not good calories at that, could give you a very rough time next week with cravings, that coupled with the fact that you're hungry this week.
Last edited by rockinrobin; 12-01-2010 at 03:24 PM.
