Optimum food to get you through the day, stay healthy and not gain weight.

[FourFortyFour]

I always thought porridge was a good breakfast but now I am not so sure.

Why not? I have porridge every day. It's filling, low-calorie (well, depending on what you add to it), and low-GI.

I actually agree with you. I'm sure its nutritionally good but I don't tend to lose weight on it. I find a yoghurt and fruit based breakfast better for weight loss.
At the moment I'm having one weetabix with fat free yoghurt and a chopped banana and find it very filling.
Yoghurt and fresh fruit for snacks too.

I was reading the thread entitled How does she stay so slim and am a little , I am ill so head is like cotton wool while feeling like I have been hit all over with a steam roller.

When I have porridge I make it with skimmed milk most of the time and don't add anything to it.

I need to lose 2 stone and have had a bad couple of weeks so my eating has just been bleurgh some of the time. I have lost a stone since November but need to lose more.

Thank you. What nuts and seeds, etc could you recommend?

Linseeds, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, unsalted peanuts etc are all good. Need to be eaten in moderation though as they're full of fat, but good fat. A small handful is about right.

I have natural yoghurt and fruit for breakfast with a small sprinkling of granola and that fills me up all morning.

Oh, I love granola. I buy it for my son but it is so expensive in some shops so don't have it myself.

Make your own granola, much cheaper and more delicious.

Take about 250g oats then add your favorite nuts and seeds. I tend to go for hazlenuts (buy whole as cheaper whack with rolling pin to break up), almonds (ditto), sunflower seeds, sometimes desiccated coconut. Add a couple of handfuls of each, just keep adding stuff until it looks like the right balance. Then mix 3tbsps of veg oil and 3tbsps of maple syrup, add s couple of spoons brown sugar too if you not gunning for weight loss, mix liquids in with dry mix then spread out on large oven tray. Put in oven at 170C for about 40 mins, mix around regularly and check if needs any longer to go evenly toasted

Flipping lovely and I have this every morning with fat free yoghurt and is very filling.

I do need to lose weight but I could make that for my son. Thanks.

FourFortyFour, I lost most of my baby weight by eating oats every morning. A glass of juice around 8am. Then at 10, I have two scoops mixed with water and topped with low fat milk. This would keep me going until 13h00. A chicken/tuna salad and, if very hungry, 1 slice of toast for lunch. Yoghurt or handful of nuts after 2 hours. Supper = 1 portion protein, 1 portion carbs and lots of veggies.

I find that it helps to have good healthy snacks like a piece or fruit or nuts or yoghurt. If I go for too long without eating, I eat more when I finally sit down to it.

I saw that thread and while low carb works for some, it's not for everyone. I prefer a balanced diet with good portion control.

The pig to twig worked in that I have lost a stone and no longer have food/eating issues but it wasn't sustainable long term as I want to eat what DH eats, and therefore only cook twice a night instead of three times, and he doesn't always want what I was having.

Today has been mad with a 7.30 dash to asda, school run, doctor then hospital with dd then my volunteering. I didn't get anything to eat until 12.15 and then had a bowl of porridge. I can't actually remember if I have had anything since but I am not hungry at the moment.

ive taken to a couple of tablespoons of oatbran mixed into a yogurt is good, fills me up, lots of fibre. looks weird but actually tastes good.

I have also been having oatbran and yoghurt with breakfast. Very filing and solves constipation prob I've had on low carb diets.

Once I go back to carbs will have porridge with oat bran mixed in for breakfast.

GREAT IDEAS, THANK YOU.

I used to have alpen mixed with fat-free natural yog for brekkie - yum!

You can also stir in tins of fruit too - blackberries/blackcurrents in own juice was my fave.

It was like eating one of those Pret breakfast pots!

I can't have alpen in the house but I will look for some oatbran.