White Coat Underground

Thankfully, I’m not a week into this lifestyle change yet, because I’m getting good advice from experts. I know from my reading, that certain foods are better at inducing a durable sense of satiety, and I’ve been trying to incorporate these foods.

For example, my typical lunch of late has been a good salad with either a few ounces of grilled chicken breast or a hard boiled egg on it, and a nice portion of melon. This gives me a meal with a high volume of fruits and veggies, but still some fats and proteins. I think, and we’ll see what the experts say, that it is a bit too carbohydrate-poor, leaving me craving sweets.

This weekend I’ve been kinda bad, but in general, I’m eating a lot more fruits and vegetables than I had been. I have a bit of a problem. I love veggies, but I don’t love most fruits. For instance, I made the kiddo waffles this morning, and she usually has berries with them (it’s her weekend treat), but I wanted to avoid the simple carbs, so I’m making some real Irish oatmeal, a quarter-cup serving. It’s low volume, but I don’t like berries, so I’ll have to find something to bulk it out with. I wilted a handful of spinach, and scrambled one egg and one egg white, with a tsp of grated romano cheese. If I’m still hungry, I’ll get a slice of melon.

The biggest problem is time management. I’m a great cook, and I could whip up a delicious half a chicken breast and brussels sprouts in no time at all—if I had time to stop at the market on the way home and whip it up at 10 at night. I’m going to have to match this lifestyle change to the immaleable bits of my life.

But, Isis, I went shopping yesterday and left the granola bars behind.

Oh, and I did pick up some spinach and chick peas at the market which which to make a nice little “curry” which I hope to take for lunch and/or dinner tomorrow.

Comments

#1 chezjake
August 9, 2009

Best wishes on your quest.

In terms of something nutritious that also can give a sense of satiety, you might want to try one of my variants on hummus. I add extra virgin olive oil (but you might want to substitute some water for half the oil) to give a creamy texture — more like a thick dip than a spread. At this time of year, you can use slices of fresh zucchini or yellow summer squash or other crudités instead of chips.

Chez Jake’s Garlic Basil Hummus or Jalapeño Lime Hummus

This is a good non-dairy dip for either chips or crackers or for fresh raw vegetables. It is *quite* garlicky as given, so you could cut back on the garlic if you are not big on garlic.

Can be done all at once in a food processor, or separated into two parts to be done with a blender and a food chopper/meat grinder.

2 regular size cans (16 oz. net wt.) Garbanzo beans (Chick peas), drained and rinsed
1 medium onion, cut in chunks
6 large cloves garlic, peeled
leaves of 1 bunch fresh basil (approx. 2 cups basil leaves, loosely packed)(or 4 tbsp. dried basil, but fresh is much better), chopped fine
leaves of 1/2 bunch parsley, chopped fine (preferably flat-leaved Italian parsley)
2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
good pinch (approx. 1/8 teaspoon) of cayenne (ground hot red pepper)
1/4 cup lemon juice (bottled is OK so long as it’s fresh)
1/2 cup good olive oil

Either:

Place all ingredients except oil in food processor bowl and purée completely, scraping down side of bowl a couple times. Then add oil in a thin stream through processor spout while processor is running. Continue to purée until smooth and creamy.

Or:

Put beans and onion through grinder into large bowl, add basil and parsley.
In blender jar, make a vinaigrette dressing with the garlic, salt, pepper, cayenne, lemon juice, and oil.

Put bowl on mixer with paddle beater, start mixer on low-medium speed, and gradually add the dressing, scraping down sides of bowl, until mixture is smooth and thinner than oatmeal but a bit thicker than an ordinary dip. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary. Chill covered for at least a couple hours, but overnight is fine. It’ll keep nicely for several days.

Variation
Who says hummus has to have Mediterranean flavors? Try the above recipe, leaving out the basil and substituting 4 fresh, cored and seeded, coarsely chopped jalapeño peppers. Use lime juice instead of lemon, and add 1 tsp. ground coriander.
#2 Denice Walter
August 9, 2009

Re Time management: you need to have some reasonably filling things at home (maybe also office refridge) you can eat immediately-if you’re starving and/or time-pressed.Low-fat ricotta cheese,plain low-fat yoghurt,low fat cheese,whole grain flat bread/Wasa-type bread,maybe even some ((shudder)) frozen meals(fruits and vegetables are hopefully there already),almonds.I find that the protein/calcium/whole grain combo really helps.At night,sometimes even a serving of cereal(mini-shredded wheat, rice crispies)with low-fat milk. I’ve been rather successful in managing my weight for a long time and believe that deprivation can lead to over-indulgence( which is ok *once in a while*).As I’ve mentioned previously,being vain also helps- I’ve never had to lose more than 5-10 lbs.
#3 PalMD
August 9, 2009

@Chezjake

Im not sure I can do that one without some tahini
#4 Comrade PhysioProf
August 9, 2009

Strawberries are an excellent and filling food. An entire pound of strawberries only has ~150 kcal.
#5 BaldApe
August 9, 2009

Some things can be made in bulk and stored overnight or for several days in the fridge. For some healthy carbs, why not something like Tabouli?
#6 Isis the Scientist
August 9, 2009

My darling Pal, I do a lot of cooking ahead and a lot of carrying food around with me. Also, my chicken breast and brussel sprouts took 20 minutes. If you’d have cooked the chicken ahead of time and rewarmed it, you’re at 10 minutes.

Based on the discussion this is generating, we have a lot to talk about!
#7 chezjake
August 9, 2009

@ PAL — by all means, add tahini if you wish. Just be aware that the quantity of basil in the recipe I gave will probably overpower the sesame flavor. My recipe comes out tasting almost like a pesto, despite the lack of cheese and pignoli.
#8 Kim
August 9, 2009

Cooking ahead is a life saver, definitely. So is the crockpot if you have one. I don’t like doing all my cooking at once on the weekend (it works well for some people, I tend to get restless), but I usually try to have a few servings of one or two “go to” meals in the fridge or freezer.
#9 random postdoc
August 9, 2009

I do what Kim does and its the best tip anyone ever gave me… whenever I make something, I make too much, and then stick the extra portions in those individual tupperwares in the freezer… other than salad its pretty much all I ever have for lunch now. All the convenience of frozen meals with none of the preservatives and way more veggies, etc.
#10 D. C. Sessions
August 9, 2009

I think, and we’ll see what the experts say, that it is a bit too carbohydrate-poor, leaving me craving sweets.

You might want to double-check that. IIRC sweets cravings can also result from reduced protein intake.

As for the oatmeal, I just salt mine [1]. However, “fruits” doesn’t mean just orchard fruits and berries. Try tomatoes with that oatmeal. Nummy [2].

[1] have a chronic potassium deficiency and use 60% KCl so left to myself I’d salt everything.
[2] Then again, I’m neck-deep in tomatoes this summer too. Didn’t expect them to do all that well.
#11 aurora
August 9, 2009

I think you are right in saying any diet that restricts calorieswill make you lose weight. Time is also the biggest problem I have in eating well.
#12 Alex
August 10, 2009

“This weekend I’ve been kinda bad, but in general, I’m eating a lot more fruits and vegetables than I had been. I have a bit of a problem. I love veggies, but I don’t love most fruits.”
Do you know how much of a problem this from a nutritional point of view? Does it result in you lacking anything, or is it just a matter of adjusting what you cook?
I ask as I have pretty much the same issue, I like veggies, but fruits generally don’t interest me.
#13 Rita
August 10, 2009

Do weight-loss diets in obese people work?

None work well. On average, over the long term, obese humans do not lose much weight on voluntary low-calorie diets of any kind. (There are of course a few obese individuals who have “self discipline” and can lose weight and keep the weight off. Their “secret” is obscure.) There is, however, some evidence that low-carbohydrate diets “work” best at least for periods up to one year,22 but this has not been replicated in a two-year study.22a Notwithstanding thousands of weight-loss articles and books, there has been very little progress in this area outside of surgical intervention.
from:
http://www.csicop.org/si/2009-03/spector.html
#14 kalieris
August 10, 2009

Don’t know if this would help you, but I do my cooking and prepackaging of food on Sundays (which is also when I do my grocery shopping). I’ll make a week’s worth of whatever requires cooking (chicken breast, lentils, etc.) and freeze it, as well as breaking up the veggies and hummus and whatever else into single-serving containers. (Gladware is my bestest friend.) I just throw everything into a lunch bag every morning and I’m done. When I get home, it’s easier to reheat something I’ve already cooked and packaged than it is to cook it from scratch, and it keeps me from defaulting to takeout. I also get home around 9-10 pm more nights than not.
#15 kalieris
August 10, 2009

Also, is it really narcissistic self-involvement if you have managed to start several discussions with it that are helpful and interesting to other people?
#16 Leah
August 10, 2009

Hi there! I love irish oatmeal in the morning because it tastes great and just happens to be pretty good for you I like to put fresh fruit and brown sugar in mine and eat it with a big glass of milk. It’s really filling (great before a workout). check out this website, McCann’s Irish oatmeal is my favorite steel cut oat
http://facebook.dj/mccanns/
#17 D. C. Sessions
August 10, 2009

Do you know how much of a problem this from a nutritional point of view? Does it result in you lacking anything, or is it just a matter of adjusting what you cook?
I ask as I have pretty much the same issue, I like veggies, but fruits generally don’t interest me.

Barring roots and green leafys, most of the “vegetables” you like are fruits. Tomatoes, squash, peppers, eggplant, green beans, …

Orchard fruits are nice, but they’re not all that special. Vitamin C, for instance, is abundantly available from just about any plant — but potatoes and peppers are loaded with far more than orchard fruits.
#18 Tsu Dho Nimh
August 10, 2009

ChezJake … Excellent hummus recipe. Thanks.

PalMD: There are a bazillion things you can prepare 100% or partially and cook real fast.

You do need a freezer – a real one – but having already chopped onions, already cooked chicken (frozen with a bit of broth), already BBQ and sliced flank steak or salmon … really speeds up the dinner time.

Make extra whatever (hummus, baba ganoosh, pesto, marinara) and freeze in dinner-sized containers.

Have the Pal-ette help you in the kitchen on a weekend. Kids love to do that.

I can saute a skillet of onions, garlic, veggies, and protein in the time it takes to make the rice to dump it on.
#19 catgirl
August 10, 2009

My suggestion for a quick snack is to keep plain microwavable popcorn in your house at all times. Make sure you don’t get the kind with butter flavoring though. It’s really filling and has very low calorie density. It doesn’t have a ton of nutrients, but it’s really high in fiber and it’s very convenient to make. If it’s too bland, try adding whatever spices you like.
#20 Rita
August 10, 2009

More good news:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19662657
#21 Mary
August 10, 2009

I like to put an apple or unsweetened applesauce in my oatmeal with cinnamon – people comment that it smells like apple pie and it’s delicious. If you balance your meals (lunch and dinner) with 4 oz protein, 1 cup starch (rice or potato), 1 tablespoon fat (like olive oil), 1 cup cooked veggies, 1 cup of raw veggies, it will go a long way towards stabilizing your blood sugar and eliminating cravings.
#22 Rogue Epidemiologist
August 10, 2009

I’ll third what Kim and the Random Post-Doc said.

I cook a large batch of something ahead of time and pack it into Gladware bentos. Like Tsu Do Nimh, I also throw stuff into a wok, and put it over rice (brown rice, of course!). If I can stick to that for two weeks, I’ll drop weight. The barrier to weight loss here is going out to eat — weekends are the worst. I went on a binge on Saturday, and have been working it off since.
#23 becca
August 10, 2009

Strawberries are an excellent and filling food. An entire pound of strawberries only has ~150 kcal.

Having just consumed an entire pound of strawberries, I can attest to be the excellence and fillingness of them.

Some part of me nonetheless feels like this shouldn’t be considered healthy.
#24 daedalus2u
August 10, 2009

The idea that anything that tastes good has to be bad for you is a completely wrong and Puritanical idea. The only bad thing I know about strawberries (if you are not allergic) is that they can have a fair amount of oxalate (which is only problematic for certain individuals).
#25 D. C. Sessions
August 10, 2009

Having just consumed an entire pound of strawberries, I can attest to be the excellence and fillingness of them.

Some part of me nonetheless feels like this shouldn’t be considered healthy.

Large quantities of fresh fruit are nearly the perfect food: nutrition and exercise all in one. Where else can you get satiety, taste, nutrition, and runs?
#26 bsci
August 11, 2009

I’ve started to get a weekly fruit and vegetable box delivered to my door. This is a big timesaver and gets many more fruits and vegetables into my diet. Knowing another box will appear next week is a strong motivator for making sure I use as much as possible from the box each week. Also, despite being able to cook and enjoy a lot of different things, I tend to buy the same fruits and vegetables every time I go shopping. Even though my delivery allows me to opt out of stuff, it still greatly increases the variety of what I’m eating.

If such things exist in your area, I’d encourage looking into it. (While some supermarkets do home delivery, the key for me is the LACK of choice. I’d rarely select as many fruits and vegetables as delivered even though it is a reasonable amount per family member)
#27 Richard Eis
August 12, 2009

Large quantities of fresh fruit are nearly the perfect food

but fruit can contain a lot of sugar. Veggies are therefore the perfect food.