Mr. Silver says "Silver tried to kill me!!!"

[mtbdarby]

What is Scottish oatmeal? And am I reading that right - you made hot cereal and added yogurt and berries to the cooked cereal?

Silver, now that might work. I could try that one.

How does heated grapenuts fare on the healthy chart? I can eat that if I slice up some apple and add it after the cereal heats up.

[Bad JuJu]

I have an unusual way of eating oatmeal. I mix dry oatmeal (not instant oatmeal) into cottage cheese (fat free) and then mix in a little sugar free strawberry jam for flavor. I don't like hot oatmeal either.

I've done pretty much the same thing with plain lowfat yogurt instead of the cottage cheese. It's delicious, and not just for breakfast--a nice afternoon pick-me-up, too.

[Thorn]

Glad to hear there are other raw oatmeal affecianados out there. I mix up oatmeal (thick cut, extra chewy is best) with walnuts, cashews, raisens and some ground flax seed to eat with my yogurt in the morning. Solid, satisfying and is good for my cholesterol levels.

But I have been known to take flack from some--e.g., "That *might* be good if you cooked it up with milk and served it with brown sugar and cream"....sigh....just steps to take something that is low fat, healthy and satisfying and up the fat content and reduce the health level.

[Mr. Bloom]

OK, here's the rest of the story:

My commute is 120 miles one way...I live in two cities...

Home cooking? Not an option...I am willing, but have no time.

So, I need quick, easy, nutricious.

Silver and I discussed me simply stopping and buying fresh veggies on the way home each night. But, would that give me protein?

I love Kashi Bars, Oatmeal, dried fruits...but if a lot of time is required for prep...it's just not in the cards for me. I honestly detest veggies, but I'm willing to try adding more to my diet...probably steaming them in the rice cooker that no one wants me to use

So, what to do?? ??

[mtbdarby]

Mr. Silver, we are oddly similar (in a good way). For portable protein I like raw nuts - almonds, filberts, walnuts, cashews, etc. If you have an insulated cooler you could bring yogurt, cottage cheese, etc. Raw carrots are a staple for me. I can eat raw broccoli and cauliflower to. A little ff dip is good with that but hard to do whilst driving. My fav? Raw sugar snap peas!

For a special I-feel-like-a-kid treat: core an apple and fill it with a mixture of peanut butter and raisins. Yummy!

And you're just a hair taller than me but you have a cooler car.....

[five one]

I've done pretty much the same thing with plain lowfat yogurt instead of the cottage cheese. It's delicious, and not just for breakfast--a nice afternoon pick-me-up, too.

I have an unusual way of eating oatmeal. I mix dry oatmeal (not instant oatmeal) into cottage cheese (fat free) and then mix in a little sugar free strawberry jam for flavor. I don't like hot oatmeal either.

I do the same thing with vanilla soy milk (Silk is one only brand I like). Dried fruit, like cranberries or blueberries, 1/2 cup old fashioned oats, 1 packet of Splenda, cover with the soy milk and let soak in the fridge overnight. I take this to work and eat it at my desk with my cup of Morning Thunder tea. Yum . I never get tired of it and it really does get me through the morning.

[Thorn]

[[Warning: I am vegetarian and sometimes a bit rabid]]

Protein, schmo-tein! :-) Seriously, eating a balanced diet that contains nuts, whole grains, legumes, and veggies will provide the average couch potato with sufficent protein--even with no meat in the picture. Hey! I warned you :-)

Now, if you work out significantly, you may need more than just a balanced diet will give you. Since I have high cholesterol (yep, even without eating meat--I got really bad genes), upping our cheese intake wasn't a real option. Instead we've done things like adding TVP to our spaghetti sauce, tossing nuts into stir fries and cereals, and added blocks of tofu to some of our soups.

But, I don't think we felt ourselves low on protein until we were riding upwards of 100 miles/week and then only after rides of 50-60miles. Of course, this is only my opinion and I don't lay claim to be anything more than an amatuer when it comes to nutrition.

[Mr. Bloom]

Keep the ideas coming...I think I'm getting the message, but I grew up in Alabama, so I'm not real quick on the uptake...

So, what I'm hearing is:
- it's not the number of calories, it's the composition

- carb calories are bad

- protein and fiber calories are best

Am I starting to understand or am I still missing something?

I need to go read the label on Pepperidge Farm Milano Cookies...that MUST be good

[Offthegrid]

Grape Nuts are good (man, I miss them), but keep in mind that they have a lot of calories so you really need to watch your portions. Measure it every time.

I LOVE oatmeal, but now I can't eat it because it makes me sick. I have been trying to adjust to quinoa, but it is not the same texture.

I know what it's like to be on the go and dieting because I workout before work 2-3 days a week and 2 nights a week I go straight from work to another activity.

The key is planning. If you wait until you're hungry and driving home and you have nothing with you, then you're going to be far more tempted to grab some fast food. If you have prepacked and planning for this occassion, then you're set and it'll be easier to resist temptation. Try to have a super secret craving food with you, too. When you're starving and passing McDonald's, some baby carrots aren't going to do it. But peanuts or baked potato chips or a small portion of whatever food you love might.

[mtbdarby]

Keep the ideas coming...I think I'm getting the message, but I grew up in Alabama, so I'm not real quick on the uptake...

So, what I'm hearing is:
- it's not the number of calories, it's the composition

- carb calories are bad

- protein and fiber calories are best

Am I starting to understand or am I still missing something?

I need to go read the label on Pepperidge Farm Milano Cookies...that MUST be good

Mint Milano's don't have any calories if they're broken If you get a hankerin' for something sweet, and you can have one without eating them all, try a square of dark chocolate with at least 60% cocao in it.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

If you get a hankerin' for something sweet, and you can have one without eating them all, try a square of dark chocolate with at least 60% cocao in it.

This is totally true. Only one or two little squares of that stuff will satisfy your cravings. (by squares, I don't mean BARS!!)

[silver]

Let me clarify....Mr. doesn't commute every day. We have a condo there. He stay there during the week. And comes home on the weekends. This week he has been working from here mostly. He does that occasionally.

And now to you, Hubby! I don't agree with carbs are bad calories. You need carbs to exercise! The key is that you need balance. Always balance carbs with protein. And choose your carb calories well. Meaning, choose carbs that have some benefit (vitamins and nutrients) and a lower glycemic index

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycemic_index

For instance, I often snack on frozen blueberries and strawberries for their high antioxident value. Both blueberries and rice have carbs but the blueberries have more nutrient value.

Another thing is that, you know that I study the nutrient and calorie content of all the fast food p0laces that we go to to find out what's best. It would be good for you to do that too.

Mr, I think that you might really benefit from learning more about vegetarianism (did I spell that right).

[Bikingmomof3]

Mr. Silver please listen to Mrs. Silver. She is wise.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I just want to say one thing, and it's not a comment on anything anyone has said so far, just a general thought that I try to keep in mind myself-
I'm not sure it's realistic to expect a guy to suddenly start eating nuts and berries and carrot sticks and yogurt as main meals when he's spent a lifetime eating completely differently. Yes, we need to make CHANGES in what we eat and how much we eat. But if we had put on extra weight slowly over a period of several years due to bad eating choices, we can hope to make reasonable changes and thus tip the scales in the other direction, SLOWLY losing that weight we had slowly accumulated.
The idea is to make permanent changes to your eating style, not go on a "diet". The very word "diet" seems to carry a stigma with it of self-deprivation. In contrast, small changes are much easier to incorporate naturally and permanently into your lifestyle. If we find success with a few small healthy changes, then we are inspired to try more. This has worked fairly well for me. Diets are hard to stick to and can feel more like suffering. I'm sure most of us agree with this concept anyway.
Small choices add up over time: one less teaspoon of sugar in your coffee, less butter, less or different dressing, a salad on the side instead of french fries, yogurt with fresh fruit instead of ice cream and/or pie for dessert, a banana instead of a donut, a second helping of green beans with dinner instead of another piece of bread, a glass of water instead of a can of soda, a granola bar for a snack instead of that bag of chips, etc etc.

Keep up the good work and the enthusiasm, Mr Silver!


P.S. I love the title of this thread- I crack up every time I read it.

[KSH]

So, what I'm hearing is:
- it's not the number of calories, it's the composition

- carb calories are bad

- protein and fiber calories are best

Well, I would not agree with what you have said above.

I eat only by calories. Now, when I first started logging my calories, I analyzed the protein and fat, and figured out that what I eat is healthy, and I meet my requirements daily. I do not pay attention to carbs. I did try to eat lower carbs, and it just made me really dizzy and miserable all day long.

The truth of the matter is that if you aiming for low calories, healthy and filling food... you tend to get the rest of it balanced out. Now, if you eat 1600 calories a day in fast food, you probably are NOT getting a good balance of carbs/protein/fat.

The key here is that you eat food you enjoy and can eat daily. Like Lisa said... this can't be a "diet". This has to be a lifestyle... and new way of eating and looking at food.

I'm not going to tell you it will be easy. I have been eating "heathly" for about 10 years now, and it wasn't until a few months ago that it really clicked. Don't get me wrong.. I still love pizza, Mexican food, etc... I just eat it in moderation... and I enjoy eating the healthy food I eat daily. It's all about finding a balance... and really "bad for you food"... being seen as a treat... not a common occurance.

OK, take a hard look at what you are consuming... and ask yourself if you really LIKE eating it and does it FILL you UP?

If you don't like it or if it doesn't stick with you... toss it and try something else in it's place... that has the same amount of calories. You really have to enjoy what you are eating.

For example, you ate 300 calories of rice cakes. Did you love those rice cakes? Were they yummy? Did they stick with you? If not... ditch them. Go try other bars out there. I can just about bet that you will find something that is easier and healthier for the same amount or less calories.

PS- Mojo bars... YUMMY! I get a sweet treat daily with these (some have chocolate chips and peanut butter chips in them!)... and they are only 200 calories and 10 grams of protein.

made a huge mistake eating my 'breakfast' at about 5AM...made it nearly impossible to get to lunch without serious cravings and hunger. Then I waited too long and likely exceeded my target consumption because I was so hungry. Smaller, more frequent meals are what I need.

If you can switch to many small meals a day, you will be A LOT happier. I eat every 2 hours. I eat before I get hungry, so I don't feel deprived or like I need to "pig out" to make the hunger go away.

By looking at how many calories you want to consume a day, you can then space out your meals according to calories. Here is how I do around 1800-2000 calories a day (I don't nit-pick to the exact count anymore):
8:00 AM, 220 calories
10:00 AM, 320 calories
Workout from 11-12 ish
12:30 PM, 300-400 calories
2:30 PM, 200-350 calories
5:30 PM, 200 calories
May workout from 6-8 ish
8:00 PM, 300-450 calories