fill that belly (or make it think its full!)

Hi Y'all,

I am a newbie to calorie counting. I have always been a really healthy eater, but BIG portions; but now that I am older I find that the weight is sticking to my bones more than I’d like it to!

Because I was a big eater, I find that I am chronically hungry now that I am eating less and this results in less energy throughout the day.

I need help with finding foods that will fill me up, or at least make my belly think it’s full.  Can you calorie gurus help me with your suggestions and secrets?

Also: what about protein-type shakes, any recommendations? I used to take Vega (I prefer whole food mixes) but I am trying to find the perfect one for my new eating habits.

Thanks!

BEST things to make you feel full:

Whole Grains, esp. brown rice, sprouted grain bread (in the freezer section, usually), and oatmeal (not instant) and "alternative" grains like barley and quinoa.

BEANS!!!! Beans are incredibly filling and obviously, super healthy.

Fibrous veggies, like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, avocado, eggplant, artichokes, peas, corn.

Put all 3 together and you will easily stay within your caloric budget and you will be full!

ooohhh, lovely! Great food ideas, and exactly what I'm looking for.

Thanks Hilary!

I think protein shakes have their place, but if you are hungry for food you'll probably still be hungry for satisfaction if you don't doctor it up to fufill your craving. I use them after I work out if I need some calories & want an ice cream like shake. I use frozen banana, peanutbutter and cocoa powder.

You can still be a big eater & eat the "normal" foods you liked before, especially if you make them yourself.

I make pancakes & waffles constantly. 30 grams whole grain flour, 1 egg white, baking soda & powder, vinegar & milk (I use almond, but whatever). It's about 130 calories for 4 (waffles or pancakes). Fiber + protein FTW!

I also like burgers (veggie or lean meat) wrapped in lettuce. Then I can have 2 :)

Good luck! & don't go hungry! If you're not comfortable you're probably not going to "stick with it." If you want to cut calories but are super hungry, then cut them by a smaller amount & give yourself plenty of maintenance days. Exercise helps too.

tricking your belly into being full won't provide you with any more energy but will decrease your desire to eat. if you lack energy maybe your caloric intake is too low or your composition of the macronutrients is not quite right. make sure you're getting 50-60% carbs, 20-30% fat, and 15-20% protein. This will ensure that you have enough of each macronutrient which is essential for maximum absorption and satiety. pair a fat with carb, dairy with carb, protein with a little fat and carb. have snacks between meals...that are part of your calorie requirement. things that are ideal...yogurt with a bit of granola, veggies in a small pita or tortilla with a bit of salsa, half of a peanut butter sandwich with a drizzle of honey toasted [yum yum], 1/2 a banana on an english muffin with a couple teaspoons of cream cheese, nuts with air popped popcorn and lightly salted, just a few suggestions!! =]

I just wanted to add that this morning I had coffee with almond milk, a breakfast sandwich with cheese, tomato and avocado AND waffles and I'm clocking in at 374 calories. For me it's all about satisfaction and volume.

Wow freshbaked!  I'm impressed...that sounds like a fantastic/filling meal AND it doesn't break the bank :)

wow...FRESHBAKED...if you were to use a standard waffle iron instead...would you be able to get 2 waffles for the size of your pancakes or no?? just curious b/c now i'm in the mood for waffles!!

Along with eating foods that would fill you up, you also want to eat slowly and savor each bite.

Some foods that fill me up are:

Veggies: Broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, any kind of squash (but I especially like spaghetti squash), and beans.

Fruit: Bananas, apples, oranges, any kind of berries.

Meat: Chicken breast, fish fillets, and I'm sure there are others, but that's all I've ever eaten. (Eggs/Egg whites?)

Grains: Old fashioned rolled oats (A good-sized portion is 150 calories), brown rice, whole-wheat pitas, bread, and english muffins, air-popped popcorn, Wasa crispbreads.

Dairy: Yogurt (particularly greek yogurt), cheese sticks, and cottage cheese.

freshbakedpi- how exactly do you make your waffles/pancakes, i've been looking for a good recipe. how much of each ingredient?

I eat HUGE Portions too... but of healthy foods, I eat lean proteins like fish, grass-fed meats, chicken & turkey breast, eggs & egg whites as well as non-starchy vegetables & healthy fats! No bread or anything though, which could help with not over-doing it completely on calories. 

Original Post by chrissy1988:

wow...FRESHBAKED...if you were to use a standard waffle iron instead...would you be able to get 2 waffles for the size of your pancakes or no?? just curious b/c now i'm in the mood for waffles!!

I have a standard waffle iron!

Blend 30g whole grain flour (100 calories) 1-2 g salt 2g baking soda 1g baking powder & sweetener of your choice... (or not. I use Splenda)

Then beat in 1 egg white (33g = 16 calories) & enough water to make a thin waffle batter

Wait until your iron is hot, spray each slot with cooking spray (I guestimate 15 calories) & then stir in 1 Tbsp vinegar (5 calories)

The baking soda reacts with the vinegar immediately (think homemade volcano), so be ready to pour it.

Pour equal amounts onto the 4 slots & then shut it

I like my waffles thin & crispy (*drools*), but if you like your waffles bulky you probably do want to make 2-3 & leave out some water.

I use the same recipe for pancakes, I just use less water & 2 grams baking powder instead of 1. I pour them thin about palm sized; when you flip them over they gain the bulk. They make a stack of 3. Pancakes taste better in stacks :)

30g whole grain flour (that's about 1/4 cup) = 100 calories, so you could easily make a bulkier recipe (if you like the thick "Belgian" waffles or giant pancakes) for under 300 calories.

You can obviously change this up according to your tastes & preferences. I think the basic idea is the vinegar/baking soda reaction to replace the buttermilk. It *really* reacts, so if you want a thicker end product I'd experiment by addding a less amount of vinegar and an extra gram (= 2 pinches?) of baking powder.

thanks so much! im going to have to try it!

Thanks for the suggestions! I definitely want to be maintaining a healthy diet and not go and starve myself (I've actually heard that this has the reverse effect because your body goes into 'survival mode' and stores anything it can get). I think these are really great filling and nutricious foods :) Yummy!

Its tough, though, when your used to eating anything and everything and you suddenly have to be super aware of how these things affect your body.

I was really bad last night and had 4 beers at the pub (of course I drink Guinness which is like 210 cals!!) and then I got hungry and had 6" tuna sub (500 cals) and I felt really terrible about it this morning. But we all slip up sometimes, eh? I guess I will be doing an extra night at Bikram yoga this week!

Thanks for the help/support!!!