Top 5 Things That Keep Me Full

I've been on another level of constantly hungry the past couple of weeks, and if I didn't know myself I'd think I was pregnant or a 16 year old stoner. I've easily been eating 25% more a day than I normally do and it's driving me crazy, wondering if my body is trying to store up for the winter like a bear, or my metabolism suddenly had a spike increase out of nowhere. The bear theory is probably more likely.

350 more calories a day is a whole sixth meal - a large one - added on to my already 5 meals a day. On my small 5'2" frame, that can lead to extra unwanted fluffiness real quickly. Continuing to track my food in MyFitnessPal I tried upping my protein to 40%, which is high for me, to try & reduce my hunger. No such luck. On to things that help fill me up...

1. Egg Whites
Or rather, egg white scrambles that I make with mozzarella cheese and tomatoes. Egg whites have a lot of protein in them, but none of the fat, so I can eat a very large plate for only about 200 calories, fixings included.

2. Quest Bars
My favorite clean cheat snack. With 20 grams of protein and 17 grams of fiber with a great variety of yummy flavors, it's no wonder I buy these things by the box.

3. Soup (tomato or broth based)
This almost slipped my mind until tonight, when I yet again was staring into my fridge 15 minutes after I finished eating. I started making my own soup in the beginning of this year and really like it - it's chicken broth based with lots of veggies. I'll share the recipe later this week. Or, Trader Joe's Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup is delicious at only 100 calories per cup. I like to have two cups and sprinkle a little parmesean on top. Sometimes the consistency is a little thick for my preference, like tonight, so I just add water over the stove.

4. Pasta or Quinoa
One of the things that is way too easy for me to eat excessively, but I do measure it out in moderation. I usually consume about 1&1/2 servings, equivalent to about 300 calories, and it's a great inexpensive & versatile option. Sometimes people say it's preferred not to have carbs like these at night, but once or twice a week it makes for a really satisfying dinner. I make my own pasta sauce usually too, which is awesome.

 5. Chicken
The only meat I regularly purchase at a store. I used to not eat meat (or many animal foods) for quite awhile. I began eating more early 2013 as I introduced more protein in my diet, and I took the easy way out by adding in more animal foods, like chicken, Greek yogurt, and eggs. I usually consume about 5 ounces, which is equal to about 150 calories at a time.





I will definitely be making soup tomorrow night. The tomato soup was very satisfying this evening.

Have a great week!

~Samantha Marie