To ask for calorie deficit meal ideas

[whattheef]

I've worked out that in order to lose weight I need a calorie deficit of about 1600 per day. This doesn't feel like a lot for me and I need ideas that will help me stay full and not snacking. This is where I end up using most of my calories.

I'm thinking protein yogurt, weetabix or eggs for breakfast. Lunch perhaps a wrap or sandwich with fruit. And dinner will most likely be a lower calorie version of what I usually have - so spaghetti bolognaise but using leaner mince and skipping the garlic bread etc.

I will try really hard to track my calories accurately on my fitness pal too. I'm terrible for the odd biscuit and the odd bag of crisps and the odd handful of nuts here and there and this is where I always fail.

If you have a calorie deficit of similar then what do you eat? And are you hungry? Thank you in advance!

If that's your deficit how many calories are you going to be eating?

Are you saying you need to eat 1600 calories a day in order to lose weight? I'm confused by your post.

Fast diet 800 calories by Michael Moseley has decent low cal recipes. Obvs designed for very low cal diet but can add snacks, increase portions etc
https://amzn.eu/d/140S48B

Cut the carbs as much as possible. Even for a pasta meal I might use spiralised courgette or carrot instead. I'm not saying go full keto, that's a huge commitment, but reducing carb intake really does work.

Sorry I haven't worded it correctly at all. 1600 calories a day is what I'm aiming for.

I try to eat a lot of protein as it keeps me feeling full. Breakfast would normally be a protein yoghurt with 200g fruit, lunch normally chicken or fish with salad or veg and a homemade soup and dinner meat and two veg. I follow 1600 cals a day to maintain my weight. I was a bit hungry when I started but your body soon adjusts.

When I'm eating in a deficit I skip breakfast entirely. Cup of tea with milk to wake me ups Jacket potato with cheese for lunch. Omelette and salad for tea. These are just examples. No snacks, no puddings. Lots of water drunk. Occasional glass of wine as it's otherwise pretty depressing.

Lots of the hello fresh meals are about 800 calories so I would have that as my main meal and then allocate 300 for breakfast (bowl or porridge or yogurt with banana and berries or scrambled egg on toast) and 500 for lunch.

Without being that mumsnetter I find that if I reduce my carbs and add a "massive salad" to my meals it fills me up without adding calories. Lots of bulk with low calorie count has been key for me (and cutting out wine)

Agree with @OnlyFannys, veg for bulk and protein for feeling full. 1600 is a decent amount if you use it wisely- avoid or limit the empty cals of crisps, biscuits, sweet drinks etc and you'll have plenty to go at. Easier said than done mind!

I weighted everything religiously and was able to allow myself have 2 biscuits every evening and would have fruit and a small dollop of ice cream for dessert most days and stayed within 1500 calories. Up your protein levels to keep you full and every meal I replaced the rice/potato/pasta with a big salad. Check the bread for your sandwiches too - some are way more calorific for not much benefit.

Weigh everything, stick to 1300 cals a day. Meals I regularly have that are filling and provide my body with the energy it needs to exercise each day (1 do 20 mins run, 40 minds power walking, 20 mins kettlebell training each day) are things like omlette with lots of veggies, low fat yogurt with granola, berries, low fat cheeses. Measure your milk and give yourself a limit for brews. I allow myself 100ml a day, measure it in the morning and once it’s gone it’s onto herbal
tea or black coffee. With regards to snacks, you can still get your fix just with lower cal snacks - pombears are 65 cals a bag, Milkybar minis are around 60 cals. Good luck!

Also bagel thins and warburtons Danish bread are lower in cals!

Breakfast: some combination of protein shake, boiled eggs, Greek or protein yoghurt, smoothie of spinach, berries and protein powder. I aim for 30g of protein first thing

Black coffee, or use almond milk instead of cows

Lunch: salad of leafy veg, celery, cucumber, peppers + tuna or chicken, side of cottage cheese or Babybel.

Supper: soup; steamed fish and green veg; stir fry with zero noodles or rice; zero pasta with veg and lentil sauce; omelettes and salad.

Snacks: zero calorie drinks; protein bites; lentil chips; chicken bites; light Babybel; light Dairylea on celery

poached egg on toast for breakfast, measure your butter. 5-8g

lunch leftovers of the night before focussed around protein - so bolognese, chilli, salmon etc OR jacket potato with tuna and salad, weighed and measured

dinner obviously a healthy option as you’ve said.

No snacks unless desperate and try to stick to protein so some chicken breast, or apple with cheese, carrot and houmous. Only drink water / tea / coffee with no sugar.

Also consider eating within restricted times. My default is to have my first food ( I neither consider it breakfast or lunch) between about 12-2 and my f
dinner around 7.30. I don’t snack a lot but like the odd apple or other fruit around 5ish.

add in your 5+ fruit and veg and it’s fine. I do appreciate I’m lucky I don’t feel hungry in the morning but it’s worth considering. I definitely do have the ability to gain weight but this routine keeps me pretty stable. I’m around the same weight as when I was 20. I’m now late 50s.

I didn’t want to mention “massive salads” 😂.

Sorry, forgot to say bare naked noodles are good, I use them in stir fry. I also swap rice for broccoli and cauliflower rice if I’m making a curry, I swap pasta for courgetti or carrot spirals too. Once you get your head round calorie counting it’s fine and I find it easy but don’t guess weights as it’s far too easy to underestimate the weight of food.

Check the calories using a TDEE calculator. MFP is good for tracking but it doesn't give enough calories.

Please don't listen to comments that tell you to eat 1200/1300 cals a day. It isn't sustainable or good for your body.

Up your protein intake. I did intermittent fasting where I drank coffee and water in the morning, ate at lunch and evening meal. Upped my exercise and lost 4 stone.

On 1600 calories my day tends to go:
7:30 coffee
8:30am when I get to work coffee
10:30am plain porridge pot with a spoonful of natural sweetener
1pm lunch, omelette - 3 eggs, 30g cheese and any veggies we have spare in the fridge freezer, sometimes a couple of slices of ham
6:30pm dinner, often a Pinch of Nom recipe circa 600kcal with everything weighed out.
I often have enough then for a bit of chocolate or a couple of biscuits in the evening, the time when I want to snack most.
I don't eat my exercise calories.

Thank you all, some really helpful suggestions. I won't lie, as someone who likes eating A LOT and who struggles with snacking and binging on junk, doing this properly is going to be a major overhaul for me. It's quite overwhelming.

But I have to make some changes. I don't like the way I look and I don't want to spend all summer hiding under leggings and baggy tops. I also want to feel strong and like I'm actually taking care of my body. I've been here so many times and it never lasts but I've come to the conclusion that I can't keep doing the same things then complaining about it. I've always been greedy and I've always loved food. But I have to find ways of being healthier that are actually going to be sustainable for me long term.

My downfall is snacking too but I generally don't have much for main meals. When I diet and crave a biscuit or something sweet, I grab a couple of Maltesers to take the edge off.

Also recommend a couple of scoops of M&S 0% fat Greek yoghurt and half of one of those 90 cal brownies crumbled in.

Eggs, chicken sausages, slice of toast and loads of tinned tomatoes with all the black pepper

Tuna omelettes

Chicken tikka (with Greek yoghurt) and veg

Bean / veg chilli

Bolognese with broccoli

Ham and lentil soup

Protein yoghurt

1 cal spray oils

(This is my brain dump for the week)

I’m so glad you said this as I was worried for a minute then! Have you tried the Pinch of Nom books? They have some lovely recipes and lots of them reuse ingredients too. I’d agree with weighing things as others have said too, it’s amazing how easy it is to just eat because it’s there but then how little you miss reducing your portions.

Def fast 800. Depending on the meal plan that day I don't feel ravenous. A low cal day due me might look like this...
Breakfast: eggs X2 scrambled - 200cal
Lunch: mushroom soup 62cal
Dinner: a meal from book ranging from 350-600 cal e.g. chicken tikka, stew,

I'll drink tea water coffee during the day. I'm not a big snacker but even if I added in some nalt loaf, or a biscuit this is still low cal.

I tracked my calorie intake on a normal fortnight and my average intake is around 1500 exc alcohol. I'm a little heavier than I'd like to be but in normal BMI range. I think since turning 40 I need a lot less cals to maintain weight.