Dear Shredheads - What Should I Eat? (sample quick meals)

@andiepants: I have a Dear Shredhead question! What should I be eating daily to maximize weight loss? Give me an example of daily intake!

Last time I talked a little about how much and what to eat, this time I'm going to give some quick and easy meals that I use all the time.  Each of these meals is roughly 300-400 calories, which which would allow 3 meals plus a couple of snacks for a 1,200 calorie day.  If a meal isn't filling enough, I recommend trying to add vegetables first, then fruit, then other items.  Remember that vegetables are the most filling for the least number of calories.

Obviously you'll want to modify these to something YOU want to eat, and you should also make sure you're eating a well-balanced diet.  You need to get enough fruits and vegetables, as well as dairy, protein, etc.  And don't forget the water!

Also, please confirm the actual calories of what you're eating.  Your food may have different calories than mine.  I also have to be honest - in Weight Watchers we don't count points for (most) vegetables.  If you're doing straight calorie counting you probably should and I have included them in the calorie counts below.

Breakfast 1: 330 calories

• 1/2 cup egg beaters
• 2 tbsp shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp baco bits
• Chopped vegetables (cook first)
• Low cal/high fiber english muffin
• 1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese OR 2 strips vegetarian bacon

You can make the eggs scrambled or as an omelette.

Breakfast 2: 335 calories

• Low cal/high fiber english muffin
• 2 tbsp Cream cheese
• Red onion
• Tomato slices
• 6 oz low fat yogurt

Top the english muffin with the cream cheese, sliced red onion, and tomato.  Salt and pepper are good too.  Enjoy with the yogurt on the side.

Breakfast 3: 320 calories

• 1/2 cup dry Oatmeal (not instant)
• 1 small apple, diced
• Splenda, cinnamon, nutmeg
• 1 cup ff milk

Cook the oatmeal following the directions on the package (use water, not milk).  Partway through, add splenda, cinnnamon, nutmeg, and diced apple to taste.  Enjoy with the cup of milk on the side, or put some on top after serving.

Lunch/Dinner 1: 302 calories

• 3 oz chicken, grilled and diced
• Lettuce and a few veggies
• 1/4 cup ff cottage cheese
• 2 tbsp fat free salad dressing
• 10 fat free croutons (the big ones)

Arrange the lettuce and veggies on the plate.  Mix the salad dressing (I use fat free blue cheese) and the cottage cheese and dress the lettuce.  Sprinkle the diced chicken on top, put on the croutons and enjoy.

Lunch/Dinner 2: 468 calories

• 2 pieces low calorie bread
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 2 tbsp reduced sugar jelly
• 1 stalk broccoli
• 1 cup ff milk

I can't possibly need to tell any parent how to make a PB&J, right?  Broccoli on the side, milk in a glass.  Voila.

Lunch/Dinner 3: 375 calories

• 2oz uncooked quinoa pasta
• 1/2 cup Sauce
• 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
• Broccoli

The quinoa pasta is awesome - it's better for you than regular pasta, and my kids actually eat it!  Cook it, put the sauce and parmesan on it, and serve with steamed broccoli.  You can add meat to the sauce if you want, but watch the added calories.

Lunch/Dinner 4: 315 calories

• 1 slice cheese pizza (from a 14" pizza)
• 1 cup steamed green beans
  OR
• Large salad with 2 tbsp fat free dressing

This one is hard - some pizzas you can have 2 slices, some will be more calories than I've assumed.

Lunch/Dinner 5: 300 calories

• 2 cups (the whole can) Progresso Light Italian Vegetable soup
• 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
• 5 fat free croutons (the big ones)
• Fruit (banana or large apple)

Heat the soup, top with parmesan cheese and croutons, and enjoy with the fruit on the side.  Adding chicken to the soup makes it more exciting, but of course it adds to the calories as well.  Cutting the soup to 1 cup will save you 60 calories, though, so that can help.

Snacks

• Raw veggies (varies)
• Banana (100 calories)
• Apple (50-100 calories, depends on size)
• Grapes (60 calories/cup)
• 94% fat free popcorn (entire bag, 225 calories)
• Yogurt (varies, 120+ calories)
• Skinny Cow vanilla ice cream sandwich (140 calories)
• Vitatops Chocolate Muffin Top (100 calories)

And those are some of my go-to meals and snacks.  Got any meal ideas for ME to try?

- Bill

Comments

[Erin]

I am a HUGE fan of the Skinny Cow "Skinny Dippes" (80 calories, 1 WW point) so I'd recommend those.

Another recent favorite is to put frozen blueberries on in my homemade yogurt parfait (1/2 light yogurt, homemade granola - Cranberry Almond granola from epicurious without the nuts, frozen berries). For some reason that addition makes it much better!

And I never thought I'd say this but baked teriyaki tofu is pretty good and that's been my protein of choice in my lunch time salads this week - that, some sesame dressing and a few wonton crisps and it's a tasty lunch. Don't be afraid of tofu!!!

For folks looking for some low-cal recipes a good source is "The Flexitarian Diet" by Dawn Jackson-Blatner (Chicago area nutritionist - I've been to some of her cooking courses). The book is set up with 300 cal breakfast, 400 cal lunch, 500 cal dinner and then some 150 cal snacks. It's not all vegetarian and if it is she usually has a 'meat' add in option for those who fear the soy bean. Her website has quite a few of the recipes so it's worth checking out. I've made some recipes for my husband and he's actually requested them again!

(Wow, didn't realize I had so much to add!)