hello

I wanted to have/make pizza but I'm not sure what to do, should I order out and eat a couple pieces? I would count the calories, but would it make a huge difference in my diet? Or should I make a healthy home style pizza somehow?

What do you think I should do?

OR should I just ignore this craving? Thanks

get a flatout wrap, turkey pepperoni, a jar of pizza sauce, fat free mozzerella cheese, black and green olives, bell peppers, onions..anything you want!

you can have pizza! Try a flat out!

Thanks owlsteazombies- I usually use whole wheat pitas, but I am going to try the flatout wraps. I like the looks of the light Italian herb

Mom buys these thin-crusted frozen pizzas by the brand Palermo. She buys a fajita kind and a chicken caesar kind, and 2 slices of each pizza (4 slices total) only comes out to 483 calories. I like them cause I can eat half a pizza and not feel guilty about it. XD

They definately hit that pizza spot! It will never taste the same..but a swap is a swap

Thanks everyone, I decided to wait.

Deciding to wait is fine too, but wait for what? Til the craving gets so strong you feel deprived and binge on a pizza?

The basic staples of that pizza flavor are tomatos, basil, garlic, oregano... you can add that to anything! I make TONS of pizza-esque recipes using those items plus any combination of chicken, ground turkey, turkey pepperoni, parmesan cheese, mozarella cheese, and bases like shiritake fettucini noodles, wraps, tortillas even eggs to make really delicious meals!

This is a piece of pizza I made at home using a tortilla and my toppings;



And this one even has cream cheese on it for a white sauce of sorts;



You can really satisfy that craving with a tiny bit of creativity. Why not give it a try?

Joss, those look great!

We had pizza the other night at my house. We make our own a lot now because everyone in my family is trying to eat healthier. EVERYONE in my immediate family has lost weight—I'm so proud of them!

Trader Joe's has some really good pizza dough if you don't feel like making your own. I like the whole wheat one they have, but they actually have quite a few good flavors if you don't care for whole wheat.

After that it's pretty easy to get some sauce, cheese, etc. whatever toppings you want really (veggies anyone??) and then you know EXACTLY what went into making the pizza, how many calories, all that stuff.

That look so good! Where do I order my pizza at? Lol

I agree with Joss, not usually the best idea to ignore cravings. Pizza is really not the worst thing you can eat, I mean the regular baked you get at a pizza shop, not the pan pizza from a certain pizza named restaurant.

there are some great ideas for swaps and such here, as far as frozen pizzas I take a little time to read the labels to make a choice, I think making your own is always better, no matter what type of food it is, you know what's going into it.

when we go out for pizza we usually order half plain, or get veggie toppings instead of meats, if you're craving a certain type from a certain place, I say work it into your plan go out and get a slice and get it out of your system, if not, experiment with the tortillas, flatouts, etc. and find what you like/love and enjoy!

Try goat cheese and roasted eggplant sometime. Delicious.

I use whole-wheat pitas, too - I like the 'crumb' they have when they get crispy in the oven. And part-skim moz or fresh local moz. (As an aside, I so cannot stand fat-free cheese of any kind. It tastes like soap? to me. )

I've also found a number of appetizer spreads that work really well as pizza toppings in lieu of spaghetti sauce, come in smaller packages (so I am less concerned about waste!) and are low in calories - often in the Greek food / Italian foods /specialty foods sections. Just read the label. A roasted eggplant meze spread is 20 calories per 2 tbl serving. I've also found a roasted red pepper / feta spread that is close to the same at World Market. Both make great substitutes for tomato sauce. Salsa + some reduced fat cheddar and some veggies can also be a great Mexican pizza.

I usually top mine with a torn-up slice of Sargento's thin-sliced provolone and some shredded moz, or torn up pieces of fresh, local moz and whatever veggies I have around. My favorites are: broccoli, eggplant, garlic, spinach and pepper.

Those pizzas do look great. I've also made some using both the flat-outs and the low carb, whole wheat tortillas. Both turn out very good. I also try to use the lowest sugar tomato sauce I can find. Somebody pointed me towards Muir brand organic sauce which was the lowest in sugar I could find. I usually top it with the Sargento reduced fat Italian blend of cheeses, and sprinkle with garlic powder, basil, oregano and a little Parmesan cheese. (However, after seeing Joss' pizza, I might have to get some fresh basil to try!)

I usually make pizza at home. I use whole wheat dought, sauce, cheese and tons of peppers and onions (veggies) and a regular one too. But, last week I had a craving for Papa Ginos pizza the day of an evening holiday party. So, I ordered the pizza. Worked the points (im on Weight Watchers) into my day. I felt so satisfied that when I went to the party, all the goodies were not even tempting! And, when I weighed in the following week, I was down 2 lbs!

So, dont deny yourself. If its a once in awhile treat and you are craving it, its not going to sabotage your weight loss but it could prevent a bindge!

I almost think the pizza you can make at home is better than the greasy stuff you order, plus it's easier to count the calories more accurately

I LOVE LOVE LOVE home made flat bread or tortillia pizzas.The other meal I love that can satisfy the Pizza craving sounds kind of weird at first but is under 400 calories, has lots of protein is super tasty. I scramble some egg beaters ( you can use regular eggs but it ups the calories a little) and add two String cheeses all pulled apart into little pieces mixed with 8 pieces of hornel turkey pepporoni also pulled apart into little pieces. When they are done I top with 1/4 cup tomato sauce and a little parmesean cheese. SOOO yummy and can really hit the pizza spot.