Your 'free food' list

[nothingmoreatthemo]

I've been following a 1200 calorie a day diet but been getting bored and hungry! A friend suggested it was because I count every single thing from a lettuce leaf to a cherry tomato. She said I should be able to have a 'free food' list of things I can snack on when I feel nibbly. Do you think this is correct? If I remember correctly, this is pretty much how Weight Watchers used to work.

If so, my 'free food' list so far is:

Lettuce
Tomatoes
Cucumber
Fat free cottage cheese
Sugar free jelly
Mushrooms
Other raw veg
Fruit (in moderation)

Is there anything else I can add? If this is true then I think it'll be a lifesaver for me!

The point here is that one large orange, bunch of grapes or banana can be nearly 90 calories, it's not "free" when it's 1/12 of your daily goal over the top of that goal.

It all has calories in it but your cottage cheese, jelly and fruit could be quite calorific.
I use My Fitness Pal and I’ve created a “salad” recipe which is 90 calories. It’s just lettuce, toms, cucumber, spring onions.
Everything else in your list I’d weigh and put into my fitness pal.

There are some great recipes on Instagram/tiktok that will satisfy your appetite.
Can you give us an idea of a days meals?

Coffee

That sounds like how slimming world works, lots of free food. I'd try that if you're bored and hungry as there's always something to eat and the weight (in my experience) drops off ,I'm 2 stone down since just before Xmas. I think if you calorie count though you have to track everything like you're doing, surely that's the whole point?