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Need some new lunch ideas



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I've been on a tamale kick lately - I can eat about 1/2 of one and that puts me at a comfortable level -- I like chicken the best. For a whole tamale it is 230 cals., 16 g carbs and 14 g Protein - so I don't think it's that bad for 1/2 of that and it keeps me full for about 6 hours.

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Hi Vegas Angel-

I like the tamale idea. Should I look in the freezer section or in the canned section? Is there a particular brand that you like? I've never bought tamales in a grocery store before.

Although I don't eat that much at any one time, it seems I'm hungry again in 2-3 hours. :angry: Nothing keeps me full for 6 hours. I wish I would feel comfortably full for multiple hours at a time. Sometimes when I eat too fast, I eat 1-2 more bites than I should and my stomach feels very uncomfortable. Even so, I will be hungry in about 3 hours.

Edited by Oregon Rose
typo

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I'm not sure if this is the best idea, but I love deli meat rollups for a quick lunch.

I use medium sliced (at a 2-3 at the deli counter), I spread flavored cream cheese, either garden vegetable or pineapple on the ham, or chicken breast slices, and roll them up.

3 slices of ham(depending on the brand, and fat ratio in the ham) is 11-14grams of Protein, and the cream cheese is 3 grams. You can use the light or reduced fat cream cheese. I don't know the calories.

I will also buy the flavored chicken strips, some avocados, and sour cream. It's like mini fajitas for one. Lots of Protein, good fat source from the avocados, and I like the Daisy Light sour cream.

I know this isn't something many will agree with, but I am eating anything and everything my body will tolerate because I lost so much so fast, and I'm still losing 1-2 pounds per week. So, I'll make some ground meat (93/7 meat/fat ratio) with taco or fajita seasoning, a little refried Beans, sour cream, some avocado (or mushed up with some worchestershire sauce and garlic powder for quick & cheap guacamole). I'll either eat the meat with the Condiments by themself, or I'll eat it with 4-5 white corn tortilla chips. I can't eat as much of the meat if I decide to have the chips, but I'm at the stage where I'm not depriving myself if once or twice a month I want a few salty chips. **ducks and runs because I know people are going to say that I'm sabotaging myself**

I also enjoy a small salad occasionally. I will typically order a side salad with a grilled chicken breast. I get a citrus balsamic vinegartette or a creamy house/italian dressing. I only eat the lettuce and chicken, and if I'm feeling frisky I'll eat a couple of croutons.

I buy a lot of those bags or box of various lettuces. I prefer to buy organic and our commissary on base has a great organic section for produce. The organic seem to last longer than the cheap bag brands. I sometimes add feta cheese and almonds to the salad for texture and some extra calories.

I also get the Weight Watchers Italian Calzone hot pocket things. I can only eat the inside of one of them, but they are yummy full of protein and reduced fat cheese. I don't necessarily like the breading so I throw it away.

If I think of anything else, I'll shoot you a message or find this thread again.

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I like to make salads. I put in all sorts of veggies and buy chicken breast already cooked on top. I also like to add dried cranberries and sunflower seeds on top.

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Oregon Rose - The tamales I get are fresh - you can usually find them in the deli section of the grocery store - where the salads, etc. are. I get mine from Widner Farms (home delivery that I got myself into and am waiting to get out of) they have GREAT chicken tamales. Also, ask around in your area and see if there are any mexican stores/restaurants that sell them -- they would probably be the best tasting. When we were visiting Ruthi in So. Cal. she took us to this small hole in the wall place where they made them by hand - and MAN-O-MAN were they good - and big - we split it 3 ways and I was full. Check you local phone book for some mexican stores. If they're too bland for you, try some red or green sauce or some salsa and a bit of sour cream

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grilled fish is good too. I like all sorts of white fish. I cook it in a little bit of olive oil or on the George Foreman grill.

Actually, anything you make for dinner is good for lunches because I always make too much and have leftovers.

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I put sun flower seeds on my salads so I don't see why you can't eat the kind you have to shell yourself.

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I've added almonds to salads as well without issue. There are some days I can eat peanuts and other days they don't seem to agree with me.

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If you have a "El Pollo Loco" in your area they have tamales right now. Made with the grilled chicken. It was a little spicy for me, but I managed to get about half of it down. I made patato skins for friends. I used ground turkey, mild salsa, cheeze, avacadosour cream and chopped red and green onions. (I like colorful food). I had two left over. wrapped one up for lunch and it re-heated great. Wendys has baked potatoes with chili. you will never finish it, but can be used for left overs easy enough.

Tiffy: you are not sabbotaging your self if you are still loosing 1-2 lbs a week. Plus you are working out. Do not listen to nay sayers. You are doing fine.

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I got some beef tamales from the freezer section at the store. 1/2 El Monterey Beef Tamale has 150 calories and only 4.5 g Protein. It tastes so much better than anything I have eaten for lunch to date. I will have to start looking around to see if I can improve on the Protein content.

Portland isn't exactly the Mexican food capital of the world. So if I find something better, it will take some hunting.

Actually, I think Tex-Mex is to die for. Whenever I travel to Texas that's all I want to eat. Next time I go to Texas I don't think I will be able to eat much though!

Keep the lunch ideas coming! :laugh:

Edited by Oregon Rose
grammar

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