Portion sizes and calorie dense foods

[Grogu]

During my first 8 or 9 months on tirzepatide, calorie counting wasn't something I did. But once my weight loss began to stall over the last 4 or 5 months, I started focusing much more on how much I eat and on cutting calories. Looking back at that stretch, a major realization for me is that my snacking used to revolve around calorie dense foods, and my portion sizes were way off.

The image below shows 1 oz of cashews at 160 calories. Before tirzepatide, I could sit in front of the TV and put away 5 times that without thinking — an 800 calorie snack. Cheese and crackers was another go-to at night. Roughly the same calorie load, I'd guess.

Yesterday at the store, I checked the label on the bread I used to use for grilled cheese sandwhichs. 170 per slice, then add butter and cheese, and that sandwhich was likely 1,000, and with tomato soup it was probably a 1,200 lunch.

Fat is definitely my weakness, not sweets. No wonder I was overweight .

I'm curious what things others have "given up" or drastically reduced the portion size of.

 

[CNCCurrency]

Pistachios are my pick — solid protein, plenty of nutrients.

 

[Grogu]

CNCCurrency said:

Pistachios are my pick — solid protein, plenty of nutrients.

Pistachios are a favorite of mine! I'd happily eat an amount equal to my own body weight

 

[tubby]

Have you come across the term "Volume Eating?" It's not something I personally gravitate toward, but I'm raising it since that's the label people who pursue something close to what you're outlining have taken on. The reason I bring it up is that folks in that space have already invested a huge amount of effort into figuring out which foods best fit the standards you've described. That could spare you time as you build your own tailored take on it, and it would put you ahead compared to running the entire analysis on your own.

Just so there's no confusion, I'm not knocking it — I actually think it's a solid approach. It simply isn't what I prefer for myself, that's all I'm getting at. Plenty of people do really well with it.

 

[woundcarping]

I’ve started paying closer attention to fat… sugar appeals to me, yet since it provides just 4 cal per gram, it’s simpler to control compared with tasty fat, which comes in at 9 cal per gram.

Before you even add the chips, this rotel sausage dip already hits 2500 calories—so portion control and planning really count!

 

[Grogu]

woundcarping said:

I’ve started paying closer attention to fat… sugar appeals to me, yet since it provides just 4 cal per gram, it’s simpler to control compared with tasty fat, which comes in at 9 cal per gram.

Before you even add the chips, this rotel sausage dip already hits 2500 calories—so portion control and planning really count!

View attachment 11223

When I'm watching TV at night, that dip is precisely the kind of snack I'd want. It looks delicous. Any day, I'd choose it instead of a piece of pastry.

 

[woundcarping]

One block of cream cheese, a can of Rotel tomatoes, and a pound of sausage — off you go!

 

[Grogu]

tubby said:

Have you come across the term "Volume Eating?" It's not something I personally gravitate toward, but I'm raising it since that's the label people who pursue something close to what you're outlining have taken on. The reason I bring it up is that folks in that space have already invested a huge amount of effort into figuring out which foods best fit the standards you've described. That could spare you time as you build your own tailored take on it, and it would put you ahead compared to running the entire analysis on your own.

Just so there's no confusion, I'm not knocking it — I actually think it's a solid approach. It simply isn't what I prefer for myself, that's all I'm getting at. Plenty of people do really well with it.

Appreciate the Volume Eating suggestion. That's a new one for me, so I'll check it out for sure.

My problem is that I still want to enjoy the foods I actually like, rather than forcing down a pile of things I can't stand, kale and quinoa being prime examples . What I'm doing at the moment is simply weighing out the foods I enjoy, so I get a clearer picture of how much a "normal" portion really is. Picked up some cheese today, and I plan to have just 1 or 2 Baby Bell cheese things plus a few crackers.

 

[trojanpeptide]

At this point, eating much at all is a struggle for me. Protein comes first. 2 eggs gives me 12g, and 1 slice of multigrain toast adds 5 g, so that's 18 g altogether. Otherwise I'll get 18g of protein from a tin of sardines (smoked, if you please). Midday meal? Possibly, though most likely I'm making myself have a protein shake, roughly 20-22g of protein. Today I bought some protein bars that have 20g of protein each. My coffee gets sugar and milk, so that's a small indulgence, and I also have juice over the course of the day. Evening meal? Probably a stir fry with chicken, beef, or fish.

Snacking? It might happen, but it'll probably be dark chocolate almonds or something along those lines.

Doritos and tortilla chips used to be part of my diet, but the calorie load is simply too high. My focus is on protein so I don't lose too much of myself. And yes, I do miss mashed potatoes drowning in gravy... I can manage that every so often, but these days the steak is what matters (to me).

 

[woundcarping]

trojanpeptide said:

At this point, eating much at all is a struggle for me. Protein comes first. 2 eggs gives me 12g, and 1 slice of multigrain toast adds 5 g, so that's 18 g altogether. Otherwise I'll get 18g of protein from a tin of sardines (smoked, if you please). Midday meal? Possibly, though most likely I'm making myself have a protein shake, roughly 20-22g of protein. Today I bought some protein bars that have 20g of protein each. My coffee gets sugar and milk, so that's a small indulgence, and I also have juice over the course of the day. Evening meal? Probably a stir fry with chicken, beef, or fish.

Snacking? It might happen, but it'll probably be dark chocolate almonds or something along those lines.

Doritos and tortilla chips used to be part of my diet, but the calorie load is simply too high. My focus is on protein so I don't lose too much of myself. And yes, I do miss mashed potatoes drowning in gravy... I can manage that every so often, but these days the steak is what matters (to me).

The directions on my protein shake call for 1 scoop mixed into 8oz of water, but that concentration is too much for me and could leave me feeling sick to my stomach. I began by using 1 scoop in 16oz, and lately I've worked up to 1.5 scoops per serving. It goes down fine with little trouble, and I get 50% more protein for the same amount of work. (35g)

 

[trojanpeptide]

woundcarping said:

trojanpeptide said:

At this point, eating much at all is a struggle for me. Protein comes first. 2 eggs gives me 12g, and 1 slice of multigrain toast adds 5 g, so that's 18 g altogether. Otherwise I'll get 18g of protein from a tin of sardines (smoked, if you please). Midday meal? Possibly, though most likely I'm making myself have a protein shake, roughly 20-22g of protein. Today I bought some protein bars that have 20g of protein each. My coffee gets sugar and milk, so that's a small indulgence, and I also have juice over the course of the day. Evening meal? Probably a stir fry with chicken, beef, or fish.

Snacking? It might happen, but it'll probably be dark chocolate almonds or something along those lines.

Doritos and tortilla chips used to be part of my diet, but the calorie load is simply too high. My focus is on protein so I don't lose too much of myself. And yes, I do miss mashed potatoes drowning in gravy... I can manage that every so often, but these days the steak is what matters (to me).

The directions on my protein shake call for 1 scoop mixed into 8oz of water, but that concentration is too much for me and could leave me feeling sick to my stomach. I began by using 1 scoop in 16oz, and lately I've worked up to 1.5 scoops per serving. It goes down fine with little trouble, and I get 50% more protein for the same amount of work. (35g)

Has coffee ever been your mix-in? Occasionally I'll combine the two along with a splash of milk. When I make it that way, no sugar goes in.

 

[neo6488]

Lately I've really gotten into peanuts that still have their shells. The extra step of cracking them open makes my snacking pace much slower, and I'm confident that I end up eating far fewer than if I could simply toss a handful straight into my mouth. The macronutrient profile isn't quite as favorable as certain other nuts, but it's still pretty reasonable.

 

[ThatNextGril]

Ugh, salty and crunchy stuff is my weakness. I'm in the group that couldn't care less about dessert, yet give me a spread of crackers, chips, pretzels, popcorn, toast, french fries (basically any potato form), and I'm in heaven. Since so many of those are empty calories, I have to be deliberate about portioning them out.

Before starting pep, I could polish off a 3 serving bag of chips within an hour of tv watching. These days, though, a standard portion leaves me content—sometimes 2 if I exercised that day—and then I stop.

That's exactly why I'll stay on tirz forever. I understand my own tendencies, and my own tendencies understand me.

 

[tubby]

Grogu said:

tubby said:

Have you come across the term "Volume Eating?" It's not something I personally gravitate toward, but I'm raising it since that's the label people who pursue something close to what you're outlining have taken on. The reason I bring it up is that folks in that space have already invested a huge amount of effort into figuring out which foods best fit the standards you've described. That could spare you time as you build your own tailored take on it, and it would put you ahead compared to running the entire analysis on your own.

Just so there's no confusion, I'm not knocking it — I actually think it's a solid approach. It simply isn't what I prefer for myself, that's all I'm getting at. Plenty of people do really well with it.

Appreciate the Volume Eating suggestion. That's a new one for me, so I'll check it out for sure.

My problem is that I still want to enjoy the foods I actually like, rather than forcing down a pile of things I can't stand, kale and quinoa being prime examples . What I'm doing at the moment is simply weighing out the foods I enjoy, so I get a clearer picture of how much a "normal" portion really is. Picked up some cheese today, and I plan to have just 1 or 2 Baby Bell cheese things plus a few crackers.

Perhaps I didn't put that across very clearly. Nobody in the Volume Eating crowd is making themselves choke down things they can't stand (kale, say), nor are they piling up quinoa — and as a grain, quinoa is going to pack more calories per bite than the fruit or veg you'd typically reach for.

What they're actually up to is identical to what you're doing: building a mental map of which foods carry more calories and which carry fewer. Sure, plenty of them will go further and eat things in a set sequence or in particular pairings, I'd bet. My point is narrower — of all the diet "groups" I've run into, they're likely the ones most fixated on picturing the calorie-to-volume ratio of this food versus that one.

 

[krsct]

Grogu said:

tubby said:

Have you come across the term "Volume Eating?" It's not something I personally gravitate toward, but I'm raising it since that's the label people who pursue something close to what you're outlining have taken on. The reason I bring it up is that folks in that space have already invested a huge amount of effort into figuring out which foods best fit the standards you've described. That could spare you time as you build your own tailored take on it, and it would put you ahead compared to running the entire analysis on your own.

Just so there's no confusion, I'm not knocking it — I actually think it's a solid approach. It simply isn't what I prefer for myself, that's all I'm getting at. Plenty of people do really well with it.

Appreciate the Volume Eating suggestion. That's a new one for me, so I'll check it out for sure.

My problem is that I still want to enjoy the foods I actually like, rather than forcing down a pile of things I can't stand, kale and quinoa being prime examples . What I'm doing at the moment is simply weighing out the foods I enjoy, so I get a clearer picture of how much a "normal" portion really is. Picked up some cheese today, and I plan to have just 1 or 2 Baby Bell cheese things plus a few crackers.

That's the strategy I used, and it worked for me. I kept eating whatever I felt like, only in much smaller amounts.

 

[woundcarping]

trojanpeptide said:

woundcarping said:

trojanpeptide said:

At this point, eating much at all is a struggle for me. Protein comes first. 2 eggs gives me 12g, and 1 slice of multigrain toast adds 5 g, so that's 18 g altogether. Otherwise I'll get 18g of protein from a tin of sardines (smoked, if you please). Midday meal? Possibly, though most likely I'm making myself have a protein shake, roughly 20-22g of protein. Today I bought some protein bars that have 20g of protein each. My coffee gets sugar and milk, so that's a small indulgence, and I also have juice over the course of the day. Evening meal? Probably a stir fry with chicken, beef, or fish.

Snacking? It might happen, but it'll probably be dark chocolate almonds or something along those lines.

Doritos and tortilla chips used to be part of my diet, but the calorie load is simply too high. My focus is on protein so I don't lose too much of myself. And yes, I do miss mashed potatoes drowning in gravy... I can manage that every so often, but these days the steak is what matters (to me).

The directions on my protein shake call for 1 scoop mixed into 8oz of water, but that concentration is too much for me and could leave me feeling sick to my stomach. I began by using 1 scoop in 16oz, and lately I've worked up to 1.5 scoops per serving. It goes down fine with little trouble, and I get 50% more protein for the same amount of work. (35g)

Has coffee ever been your mix-in? Occasionally I'll combine the two along with a splash of milk. When I make it that way, no sugar goes in.

That would be Rocky Road—coffee just doesn't sound like a good match for it in my head. Milk is something I've tried, though I skip it since those calories aren't necessary.

 

[lessthanhalf]

My weight loss strategy centered on protein-rich foods with low calorie density. The rule of thumb: if something has under 1.5 kcal per gram, it's fine, because reaching an excessive calorie total would require eating an impractical amount when density stays that low. A side effect is that such a diet winds up quite low in fat.

So the staples were things like very lean cuts of meat; dairy that is high in protein, low in fat and free of sugar, such as yoghurt or cheese (not the ordinary kind); plus vegetables and fruit. The single most effective food for shedding weight, in my experience, is soup that is high in protein and low in fat.

That way of eating is genuinely healthy, with very little processed food and plenty of micronutrients, and you can eat as much as you like, or nearly so. Even better, it's far easier to maintain over the long haul when you're on GLP's.

For me, cutting out every high calorie, highly rewarding food was essential. One reason is that rich food shifts what you enjoy, so lower calorie options feel less satisfying afterward. Another is that I had fairly clear signs of binge eating problems, and this approach somehow made that stop being a problem.

 

[ArgFdzPep]

CNCCurrency said:

Pistachios are my pick — solid protein, plenty of nutrients.

I know this might come across as strange, but give this a shot: Greek yogurt, pistachios, a bit of olive oil, and honey.

 

[Grogu]

ArgFdzPep said:

CNCCurrency said:

Pistachios are my pick — solid protein, plenty of nutrients.

I know this might come across as strange, but give this a shot: Greek yogurt, pistachios, a bit of olive oil, and honey.

That sounds delicious! Greek yogurt with walnuts and honey is a regular for me—I've just never added olive oil.

This week I'll give your version a shot! You only use a small amount of olive oil, correct?

 

[JuneBug1956]

Across 3 years and a 110 lb drop, what became clear to me is how much I enjoy protein, meat, chicken, fish, vegetables, and fat — steak most of all. Butter, olive oil, and fat don't intimidate me. Simple carbs are something I keep to a minimum, though sweet potato and baked squash (with butter) are still on my plate. "My Fitness Pal" was something I used religiously, and most days I land around 14-1500 calories. Weight lifting and walking happen 6 days a week (something I never used to do). Every so often I still open "My Fitness Pal" to keep myself in check. A year of maintenance has passed. Tirz, Sema, and Cagri are still part of my routine roughly every 8-9 days. Alcohol was something I quit before starting all this. Deprived is not a word I'd use for how I feel. (Ice cream does happen, but the craving for it is gone.) Dinner is often just an appetizer, or a shared meal.