NMMR: I am always HUNGRY! Review my "Food Budget"

[Deleted]

Since you guys are good at reviewing actual Money Budgets, I am curious about your feedback on this topic as well. 

I live my life, it seems, in a constant state of hunger.  I eat a lot throughout the day (or so it seems), but I'm also pretty active.  I work out every day at least once (on the weekends, for example, I might go to power yoga in the morning and run / walk / hike / bike in the afternoon).

What items should I add into my diet to give me more energy?

Here is a VERY typical day for me:

Breakfast:
- 2 hard boiled eggs
- Protein Smoothie (1 scoop protein, banana, mixed berries, milk)
- Balance Bar / Clif Bar type item

Lunch:
- Apple w/Nutella (DELISH)
- Lean Cuisine (this is probably a lower value nutritious item, need good replacement ideas here, but I usually only have 10-20 mins for lunch)
- Chobani

PM Snack:
- This is usually pretty random, like another power bar, or oatmeal, or cheese - whatever's on hand

Dinner:
- Veggie Meal, usually with 1c rice as well
- Banana or some other fruit

By the time I get to bed I am already STARVING again.  And I spend a lot of time in between meals pretty hungry.  Help me. 

[mmmomof2]

I think you're relying too much on processed foods (nutella, lean cuisine, protein/balance bars). I would replace nutella with almond butter. I don't know what chobani is - does that have the sugary fruit blend? Maybe do plain greek yogurt (low or full fat) and real fruit.

Also, you may need more fat in your diet. Avacado, almonds, olive oils, etc. More green veggies. What are examples of your veggie meals?

[emilyinchile]

Lean Cuisines are mini, from what I remember (haven't had one in years). Breakfast looks good, but with a small lunch and then a dinner that's lower on protein, I'm not surprised you get progressively hungrier throughout the day. I would replace the Lean Cuisine with a substantial homemade sandwich or leftovers from dinner and potentially add another side item depending on what the main item is each day. I'd also make sure you have protein at dinner.

Are you worried about calories? Slash are you getting enough for your activity level? You might just need more food rather than different foods.

[midwest07]

Except for your breakfast, where it appears you are possibly overloading on the protein, you eat very little protein throughout the day. At lunch, you just have the Lean Cuisine, which if it's a veggie one won't have a lot of protein. At dinner, you don't really appear to be getting any protein. I can definitely see how you are getting hungry.

I would cut back on the protein in the morning and add in some fiber - maybe add some whole wheat toast or oatmeal in lieu of the Clif bar. I eat shredded wheat every weekday morning, and that actually holds me over better than having eggs or something high protein.

Then at lunch, add in more protein - maybe here is where you eat a hard boiled egg or some low fat cheese. As for better options than a Lean Cuisine, I too struggled with this for a long time because I didn't think I had enough time to make anything. What I do is bring enough stuff at the beginning of the week to get me through lunches everyday and keep in the fridge - carrots, hummus, cottage cheese, hard boiled eggs, apples, low fat cheese, Wasa crackers, etc. It doesn't take long to pile some of this on a plate and snack on it while I continue to work at my desk. Benefit is you also have items you can use for those afternoon snacks at work.

Then again for dinner, I think you need some protein - quinoa, beans, dairy, etc.

Given the amount you exercise, I also don't think you are eating enough throughout the day. Add a morning snack. Have a snack after dinner, such as more fruit or some popcorn (this always fills me up at night when I am searching for snacks). Another thing that holds me over when I am hungry is to drink hot tea.

[Deleted]

I would recommend tracking what you eat using "Lose It". It tracks carbs, proteins, and fats.

It may give you some insight.

I have found that increasing fats and eating more of my calories at lunch is usually helpful to me.

[Deleted]

You guys, thank you. This is awesome advice. I just bought some quinoa based on a reco from a colleague, so midwest07 I will add that right away.

@little, you are too funny, we are MM twinsies, love it.

mmmomof2, we do a lot of grilled veggies for dinner, with huge salads. I am also using the recipes from my "Vegetarian Recipes for Lazy Cooks" thread, which has been bouncing around here for the past few weeks.

emilyinchile, yes Lean Cuisines are tiny and they suck. Losing proposition.

Keep em coming because this is killer advice. More fiber is a great, great add.

[Deleted]

Also, quinoa has protein?! I had no idea.

[halfpint]

Ditto more protein, less sugar. I can't tell if you're veg or not? If so, feel free to ignore any meat suggestions, but there are lots of other choices.

Snack ideas -
shake/smoothie with healthy protein powder scoop (Shaklee makes a good one)
almonds
string cheese
hard boiled egg
anything with nut butter
cold cut/cheese wraps
black bean dip with tortillas
Primal Strips (like vegan jerky)
hummus and veggies/whole grain crackers
Greek yogurt with either dried fruit or a spoonful of organic fruit preserves

I like to mix in dried fruit for a sweet treat, it keeps me from going for too much chocolate, etc.

I'd replace your Lean Cuisine with either leftovers or another type of frozen meal - Amy's Organics and some of the other options you see in that section are often more "real" food. I used to do Kashi, but have heard some fishy things about their use of GMO soy. An Amy's meal makes me feel FULL, and lots of veg options! TJ's also has some good frozen meal options if you have one nearby.

Drink plenty of water, too - I know I feel hungrier if I'm dehydrated. If I'm conscious about drinking throughout the day, I'm much less likely to reach for more food.

[catbus]

Here is a VERY typical day for me:

Breakfast:
- 2 hard boiled eggs
- Protein Smoothie (1 scoop protein, banana, mixed berries, milk)
- Balance Bar / Clif Bar type item
Sub a complex carb for that bar. Plain instant oatmeal or a slice or two of whole-wheat high-fiber toast. You could also try adding some nut butter or a tbsp. of coconut oil to your smoothie to make it more filling. Breakfast is important; good that you eat it, but you may need more fuel to keep you going. 


Maybe add a mid-morning snack, like a string cheese or some unsalted nuts. 

Lunch:
- Apple w/Nutella (DELISH)
- Lean Cuisine (this is probably a lower value nutritious item, need good replacement ideas here, but I usually only have 10-20 mins for lunch) Ditch the Lean Cuisine for a more "whole food" frozen meal. Evol makes a tasty and filling grilled steak bowl. Amy's has some great options. Kashi's can be good, but the portions can still be a little skimpy (though usually more filling than LC). All go on sale in my area for ~$3 each. I totally get the value of a frozen meal when time's tight. 
- Chobani

PM Snack:
- This is usually pretty random, like another power bar, or oatmeal, or cheese - whatever's on hand All fine choices. Hummus is also a great option. 

Dinner:
- Veggie Meal, usually with 1c rice as well Brown rice? If not, use brown rice. More filling than white. Or try a grain with protein, like quinoa (I have ethical reservations about quinoa, but damn I love it and it's filling). 
- Banana or some other fruit Ditch the banana, because it may be making you more hungry this late at night. Maybe try berries on plain Greek yogurt? If you have a TJ's nearby, they sell a plain frozen yogurt. One of my favorite summer desserts is that topped with a ton of fresh berries. 

[emilyinchile]

Quinoa has lots of protein! It's a super grain. And before someone says it, there was some bad press about how the yuppie-fication of quinoa was making it inaccessible to Bolivians and Peruvians who traditionally eat it, but that was refuted in an article I saw, so I think we can still eat it without guilt.

I ditto the advice to track and see where you're maybe missing nutrients.

[Deleted]

Jun 21, 2013 11:50:35 GMT -5 emilyinchile said:

Quinoa has lots of protein! It's a super grain. And before someone says it, there was some bad press about how the yuppie-fication of quinoa was making it inaccessible to Bolivians and Peruvians who traditionally eat it, but that was refuted in an article I saw, so I think we can still eat it without guilt.

I ditto the advice to track and see where you're maybe missing nutrients.

I just bought it for the first time this morning and had a bitch of a time finding it in my pretty crappy regular grocery store.

To answer your question from above, I am definitely open to eating more calories as well.

And to other posters, we are largely veggie but splurge on meat every now and again.

MM is awesome!  You guys are changing my life.

[shortstax]

Jun 21, 2013 11:49:17 GMT -5 catbus said:

Ditch the banana, because it may be making you more hungry this late at night.

How would it make you more hungry? I'm intrigued

[Deleted]

Jun 21, 2013 12:01:05 GMT -5 @mavjen said:

I'd cut out / decrease the processed foods and sugary foods. I'd also veggie juice and add chia seeds to them. Lots of quinoa. Drink at least 3 liters of water daily. Snack on plain nuts, not those bars.

I just found nutella and now I have to give it up

[catbus]

Jun 21, 2013 12:02:55 GMT -5 shortstax said:

Jun 21, 2013 11:49:17 GMT -5 catbus said:

Ditch the banana, because it may be making you more hungry this late at night.

How would it make you more hungry? I'm intrigued

They just have a high glycemic index compared to some other fruits. They're not going to make you fat like carrots or anything ( ), but they can cause a blood-sugar spike, especially when ripe, which then can result in a crash and hunger. They're certainly not a bad choice, but given that shoegal is feeling hungry later in the evening, I think swapping in something with a lower GI and some protein will help her.

[Brit]

I would be starving too!

Your breakfast sounds amazing, but I think you could make an improvement to help it stick with you longer. Instead of doing a smoothie + a 'bar', try overnight oats with all of your smoothie ingredients (basically dump all of the smoothie stuff + 1/2 cup oats into a bowl the night before). I think it will be more fulfilling for more hours that way and allow you to skip the 'bar'.

Your lunch would leave me starving for the rest of the day. Have you ever considered making salads in a jar? There are a lot of them that you can make with that quinoa that you just bought and there are tons of other vegetarian options. I think this website has a pretty good list of them: backtoherroots.com/2013/04/09/salad-in-a-jar-101/ You can typically make a mason jar salad up to 1 week ahead of time as long as you make it with really fresh ingredients. I think these would be filling and satisfying compared to a lean cuisine.

This may be particular to me, but eating apples really tends to give me a blood sugar spike and crash, ultimately they seem to make me feel more hungry an hour later than I was before eating the apple. Have you tried any other fruits mid-day?

Are you tending to choose whole grains and brown rice? If not, that will help you feel more full.

ETA: One more thing. Try swapping the Chobani for cottage cheese. Many people find that cottage cheese sticks with them longer than even Greek yogurt does.

[shortstax]

Jun 21, 2013 12:07:23 GMT -5 catbus said:

Jun 21, 2013 12:02:55 GMT -5 shortstax said:

How would it make you more hungry? I'm intrigued

They just have a high glycemic index compared to some other fruits. They're not going to make you fat like carrots or anything ( ), but they can cause a blood-sugar spike, especially when ripe, which then can result in a crash and hunger. They're certainly not a bad choice, but given that shoegal is feeling hungry later in the evening, I think swapping in something with a lower GI and some protein will help her.

And thanks for the explanation. I need to read up more on how food works in our bodies.

[Deleted]

I like to bring an easy lentil based salad to work for weekday lunches. You can eat it cold, which saves you time waiting for the LC to cook. I've found a batch can last the entire week. For instance, I might mix up cooked lentils (put garlic, bay leaves, and thyme in the cooking water), diced carrots, celery, and red onion, then dress with olive oil and lemon juice. A cup of this with an apple and hard boiled egg makes a filling, easy lunch.

Nuts are my go-to snack. Just two tablespoons can leave me really satisfied. I had good luck tracking my meals in My Fitness Pal to ensure I was eating enough protein and fiber throughout the day.

[Deleted]

Quinoa is amazing for nutrition.

32 Ways to Eat Quinoa and Succeed in Life

Buzzfeed always delivers!

[BAMFMrsB]

Jun 21, 2013 11:46:33 GMT -5 @shoegal said:

Also, quinoa has protein?! I had no idea.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa#Nutritional_value

[dexteroni]

Ditto the others - less sugar, fewer processed foods, more protein, and probably more (good) fats. Try carrot sticks and guacamole as a snack. Or slices of avocado on a sandwich or in a salad at lunch. Switch to full fat dairy at least some of the time. Or dip a whole grain bread into olive oil and herbs with dinner; that will give you fat and fiber.

I've had a lot more luck using fruit more in place of sweets rather than as part of a meal. Maybe move your apple with nutella to after dinner, as dessert rather than part of a meal. Or instead of a banana, try a small bowl of berries. They're super nutritious, and psychologically, I feel like I've had more to eat when I eat 25 (or however many) berries than when I eat a banana in like 6 or 8 bites.

For breakfast, I would ditch Chobani or any fruit-added yogurt. I've never found one that wasn't what I would consider to be very high in sugar. Instead, have plain yogurt with granola. You'll have to watch the sugar content in granola too, but at least there will be some protein and fat to help keep you fuller. You can make your own granola in big batches, so you can control exactly what goes into it.

Definitely ditch the Lean Cuisines. Whole Foods has quite a few frozen dinner options that are better nutritionally. Someone above listed some of the brands - Amy's, Evol, but there are others. Trader Joe's also has some under their own brand. Or you can cook something and take it for lunch all week, or freeze a few different meals and rotate them as you feel like it.

[dexteroni]

Jun 21, 2013 12:19:01 GMT -5 shortstax said:

Jun 21, 2013 12:07:23 GMT -5 catbus said:

They just have a high glycemic index compared to some other fruits. They're not going to make you fat like carrots or anything ( ), but they can cause a blood-sugar spike, especially when ripe, which then can result in a crash and hunger. They're certainly not a bad choice, but given that shoegal is feeling hungry later in the evening, I think swapping in something with a lower GI and some protein will help her.

And thanks for the explanation. I need to read up more on how food works in our bodies.

lol at making you fat like carrots.

I used to eat a banana at my desk every morning and would be ravenous by 11 am. Then I read about the glycemic index and was like "ohhhhh ok." I think reading up on the glycemic index will be a big help for you. And there are databases online where you can look up the glycemic index of specific foods. 

[dexteroni]

Jun 21, 2013 12:25:06 GMT -5 @mavjen said:

Also a bean salad for dinner is very filling.

:Y:

This Fiesta Bean Salad is fabulous. We've been eating it in large quantities since I discovered it last month. It's good as a relish on tacos or taco salad, wrapped in lettuce leaves, or just eaten out of a bowl.

[phunluvin82]

Jun 21, 2013 12:25:06 GMT -5 @mavjen said:

Also a bean salad for dinner is very filling.

Or lunch!  Bean salad is my go-to for lunches lately b/c I can make a batch on Sunday night and it keeps well. I sometimes throw some spinach or other dark greens in my lunch bag too and then mix them together...something like this would probably work well with the mason jar salad idea that brit posted too.

I use this recipe, but I cut the sugar, oil, and vinegar in half and make sure to buy low or no sodium added beans: allrecipes.com/Recipe/Mexican-Bean-Salad/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Thumb&e11=mexican%20bean%20salad&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page

[kitty]

Jun 21, 2013 12:05:00 GMT -5 @shoegal said:

Jun 21, 2013 12:01:05 GMT -5 @mavjen said:

I'd cut out / decrease the processed foods and sugary foods. I'd also veggie juice and add chia seeds to them. Lots of quinoa. Drink at least 3 liters of water daily. Snack on plain nuts, not those bars.

I just found nutella and now I have to give it up

You could switch to Justin's Chocolate Hazelnut Butter.  It has 7g of sugar per 2tbsp serving instead of 21g in the same amount of Nutella.

[barefootcontessa]

Jun 21, 2013 12:25:06 GMT -5 @mavjen said:

Also a bean salad for dinner is very filling.

Great suggestion.  It is especially MM if you cook your own beans, plus you avoid the potential of exposure to BPAs.  I am going to start having my DH take this for lunch.  

[catbus]

Jun 21, 2013 15:27:50 GMT -5 @mx said:

Are you guys eating veg for health reasons or financial reasons?

You forgot the options of ethical reasons and religion. Most of the vegetarians I've known chose the diet out of personal ethics, some due to health reasons, and a couple religious. I actually don't think I've known anyone who was vegetarian primarily due to the financial aspect. 

[catbus]

Jun 21, 2013 16:37:43 GMT -5 @mx said:

Jun 21, 2013 16:30:51 GMT -5 catbus said:

You forgot the options of ethical reasons and religion. Most of the vegetarians I've known chose the diet out of personal ethics, some due to health reasons, and a couple religious. I actually don't think I've known anyone who was vegetarian primarily due to the financial aspect. 

Lol I know that people are vegetarians for those reasons

The OP is not a vegetarian but has inferred in the past that they are trying to eat primarily meatless for budget reasons. That's why I'm questioning some of the meat substitutes she seems to be eating--they aren't necessarily less expensive.

Gotcha. Sorry; as someone who was veg for ethical reasons (no, I didn't push anyone else to be veg!), I'm used to people assuming it's a health/weight loss choice. LOL.

[AAM2012]

Jun 21, 2013 11:24:08 GMT -5 mmmomof2 said:

I think you're relying too much on processed foods (nutella, lean cuisine, protein/balance bars). I would replace nutella with almond butter. I don't know what chobani is - does that have the sugary fruit blend? Maybe do plain greek yogurt (low or full fat) and real fruit.

Also, you may need more fat in your diet. Avacado, almonds, olive oils, etc. More green veggies. What are examples of your veggie meals?

I agree with this. Too much sugar and processed foods.

I make a large batch of quinoa and grilled veggies on Sundays to bring for my lunch and keeps me full until dinner.

[Deleted]

@mx, we did it for a little of both $$ and we love animlas and felt sad about eathing so much meat. Plus, meat is a pain to clean up after and smellier to cook, so there's that. Though I still love a good steak every now and then

I think you guys have some great ideas. The damn lean cuisines are a big problem, so would love to cut those out.

Its funny, I never thought I ate a lot of processed foods, but you are all making me rethink that, so thank you! My goal is to eliminate those damn lean cuisines and start spreading the protein out as first steps, and then adjust further from there with less sugar and more veg.

I love this forum, you are all so wise.

[Deleted]

LMAO that you consider this eating "a lot."

It sounds like a horrific bland diet to me.