Foodies, please help

[Flaxbee]

I really need to help my beloved get back down to a 34" waist, and I need a some really good suggestions for filling and tasty, but low-calorie, salads and soups and fish-and-veggie based meals.

The only protein can be fish (including shrimp) or tofu. Otherwise, tons of veggies, and some fruit. I need help getting variety (so we don't have tuna salads forever and a day) and tastiness into the meals.

No bread or pasta. Sometimes, maybe, some brown rice. Very few nuts.

I can eat damn near anything, and don't have trouble eating in moderation, which is why I need help with recipes - I can make the pasta, or the quesadilla, etc., and not gain weight. I have little experience cooking low-cal, and he can't do this on his own. He can't eat cereals, breads, etc. because once started, he can't stop. I can't bring bread, sugar, etc., into the house.

Any suggestions? :shrug: :hi: Thanks.

[Lucinda]

1. I'm sure someone else may pop in with specific info, but in the meantime

South Beach Diet recipes may work well for you. Here is a group of seafood recipes:

http://www.southbeachrecipes.com/diet-recipes/category/phase-1/main-dishes/seafood

And if you'd like a good way to track meals and nutrition, calories etc you might want to look at www.fitday.com

[Flaxbee]

2. thank you, Lucinda!

I've not researched diets much and try to avoid fads, but any place to get some good ideas is very helpful!

the calorie counter is great, too - I appreciate it.

[Lucinda]

3. IMO South Beach is one of the more balanced low carb ~ high protein programs

You don't have to follow their program, but a lot of the recipes will be tailor made for what you have in mind. There are MANY websites with recipes out there now offering free SB recipes.

Also, if you know the breakdowns of how much protein, carbs, etc you want the meals to be, you can plug that in at fitday and it measures your meals and charts all that. Its a really great site. They have free software you can download, or you can just do it all online.

[Warpy]

5. South Beach and Sugar Busters are the only two

really well balanced low carb diets out there.

Just be aware that they're deficiency diets and that eventually he is going to crack and down a loaf of bread.

[Flaxbee]

7. yeah, I know. We've decided we'll go out

once or twice a week for a favorite deli sandwich or something so he doesn't go insane with craving. But most of the days will be low-carb. We both LOVE good brie and french bread, but he's really determined to lose 20 lbs or so by summer; we'll be starting regular walks just as soon as it gets above freezing here!

[Warpy]

4. Always start every meal with a clear soup

with veggies, maybe a few cellophane noodles, fish, tofu, whatever.

That soup will fill him up. The cellophane noodles are made with mung bean and shouldn't be a problem.

As for flavoring the every day tofu and fish, discover Veri Veri Teriyaki.



I'm assuming he's not off legumes, so discover bean paté and hummus with veggie dippers.

Just don't forget the clear soup starter. That's the best diet aid I know.

[Flaxbee]

8. he loves miso, so that should be easy enough

we're pretty rural but I'd like to make a trip to a big Asian food superstore in the next few weeks (about 2.5 hours away in Atlanta) and pick up a bunch of seaweed, miso, and look for the teriyaki you pictured.

:hi: and thanks again, Warpy!

[troubleinwinter]

10. I just hate it when a restaurant has the "soup or salad" thing before dinner.

If I eat that, I can't eat dinner! Even if I eat just a bit of soup.

Remember the old "Roman Meal Bread" diet? Eat a slice an hour before dinner? Also that diet chocolate square thingie? The trick is not in the specific food. After 15-20 minutes of having food, the body finally realizes that it has eaten and isn't so hungry.

(hors d'houvres relate to booze)

I do think you are right. A nice soup before dinner will make one not feel deprived, but can eat a smaller dinner.

Supposedly, one can eat and eat for 20 minutes before the body even realizes it. So a soup to begin is a good idea, to clue the body/stomach that it is no longer hungering.

Doesn't work for all people. But it sure happens with me. I just dread those "soup or salad" comments from the server, and when I sit down hungry, I want them. I usually tell the server to bring me neither, as they fill me up. I can eat a big fat dinner (within the 20 or so minutes) if I don't have the snack soup/salad 15 minutes before.

[elleng]

11. I eat slowly to enable body to KNOW its not hungry!

.

[Warpy]

13. I always get the salad (dressing on the side, thanks)

and let it sit there until the entree comes.

If they want me to eat the salad and skip the entree, that's fine. However, if I'm paying for the entree, I'm going to eat the bugger and that means eating the salad with, not before.

[grasswire]

6. may I suggest something?

If he hasn't had a medical appointment recently with some routine blood work, please see that he does do that very soon. If there's a chance that he's pre-diabetic or has a metabolic disorder, you both need to know that.

[Flaxbee]

9. thanks, grasswire

we'll be doing that at some point, too, but this is just a cycle with him, and I haven't been very helpful. He's slimmer in the summer when we walk a lot, but it's been so damn cold lately we haven't made the effort to walk, and work has been really hectic, and he's a stress eater. His metabolism is cranking right along, but whereas I can have a scoop of ice cream and put it back in the fridge, he'll eat the whole pint in one sitting. I can have one roll for breakfast, he'll eat 3 or more. Stress, and the fact that we don't live where it's easy to walk (no sidewalks, very rural - we have to drive to a walking trail), have had him piling on weight. He put on a fair amount over the holidays when I had a baking frenzy.

When I'm not here - visiting family or whatever, he pitches my food in the trash and loses weight easily. I need to just restrain myself and not bring in pita bread, donuts, stuff that tempts him into the house and help him out more.

I just get frustrated when I want a slice of bread and can't have it! :cry: But his health is more important to me than a treat of cheese and bread and my selfish food cravings, so I'm just going to have to suck it up.

[The empressof all]

12. Look for Shiritaki noodles near the tofu

They are made be a company called "House" An entire bag is 40 calories. I have eaten low carb for several years and there are products out there that make this way of life much easier and enjoyable.

If your local grocer doesn't carry the House Shiritaki you can get a similar product on line

http://www.miraclenoodle.com/

Please understand that these aren't your "normal" pasta noodles. They are slippery and a little rubbery and require different handeling. They are however very filling and are terrific in soup.

I have severe difficulties with carbs---especially the wheat products so having a pasta alternative has been a great find for me.