Specific questions - cutting calories.

[floridagal]

I'll take any suggestions, really -- I know to stay close to the food chain - meat, veggies and fruit and drink lots of water (and hopefully move more)

 but specifically my current questions are:

1. Is there a light beer that's drinkable?  I'm cutting out drinking during the week - but Friday is happy hour, whenever that hour may be. Of course, I can splurge and drink what I want (lifes too short and all that blah blah blah) ...but after one yummy one, I might be able to drink a light beer....but haven't found any i like.  Thoughts?

2. Help on the yogurt aisle?!  What's a healthy choice and tasty too?  I'd like to incorporate yogurt - but the options are dizzying and looking at the labels - they don't all look equally healthy.  I'm hoping this is a great cure for a sweet tooth besides fruit - which, while it's lovely being fruit season - I sometimes tire of it.

3. What do you eat when you want something salty and crunchy?  I'm guessing nuts are the obvious choice here - but is there anything else? 

Merci beaucoup

[siamesedream]

I'll take any suggestions, really -- I know to stay close to the food chain - meat, veggies and fruit and drink lots of water (and hopefully move more)

 but specifically my current questions are:

1. Is there a light beer that's drinkable?  I'm cutting out drinking during the week - but Friday is happy hour, whenever that hour may be. Of course, I can splurge and drink what I want (lifes too short and all that blah blah blah) ...but after one yummy one, I might be able to drink a light beer....but haven't found any i like.  Thoughts?

2. Help on the yogurt aisle?!  What's a healthy choice and tasty too?  I'd like to incorporate yogurt - but the options are dizzying and looking at the labels - they don't all look equally healthy.  I'm hoping this is a great cure for a sweet tooth besides fruit - which, while it's lovely being fruit season - I sometimes tire of it.

3. What do you eat when you want something salty and crunchy?  I'm guessing nuts are the obvious choice here - but is there anything else? 

Merci beaucoup

Pretzels are a pretty good option for salty and crunchy.

[fancypants]

We have a popcorn bowl thing that you pour kernels in and put in the microwave, and once the pcorn is popped we spray a little cooking spray and sprinkle salt.


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[merigayle]

1. for alcohol, liquor + diet soda is prob your lowest in calories. (like vodka + diet soda)
2. something with little to no added sugar. Greek yogurt is your best bet. Chobani, Fage, etc.
3. Air popped popcorn is probably your best bet. I like pistachios in the shell, because it is a lot of work and you cannot quickly overeat them

[redkitty]

If you want your yogurt to be healthy, then get plain yogurt (greek or otherwise) and puree fruit and mix it in. I make this for my kids.  It took me a while to get used to it,  but honestly it is pretty good. You can freeze purees and just warm them in the microwave.  Assuming you don't want to mkae your own...look for kids Chobani yogurt (greek) and Stonyfield. They tend to have less yogurt per serving than the adult yogurts. though full disclosure on this...I have not actually compared serving sizes to see if the difference is due to a smaller serving size or there is actually less sugar. 

There are no good light beers. If you like Guinness, drink that. I believe a pint is only 95 calories. Less than a lot of light beers. 

salty and crunchy? Yea, pretzels.  Nuts. 

[JBM]

Just buy plain Greek yogurt and fruit. Or get the Fage with fruit or honey.

I would just let myself drink 2 beers and not worry about the calories all that much.

[redkitty]

Just buy plain Greek yogurt and fruit. Or get the Fage with fruit or honey.

I would just let myself drink 2 beers and not worry about the calories all that much.

I like that Faye stuff with the "fruit" cup, but there is a ton of sugar there. Fruit purees probably have fewer calories and I guarantee more nutrients.  But honestly yogurt is mostly healthy so i wouldn't be fretting too much over it anyway.

[JBM]

I like Fage over the other Greek yogurts. Its tasty even plain.

[floridagal]

Thanks!  Very helpful....the yogurt section was very intimidating ...I'll try the Fage stuff -- bought 2 Yoplait Greek Whips - they are interesting, anyway.  I'm not a huge yogurt fan but I think I could be.  Need to realize I can probably eat as much as I'd like (within in reason,  of course) as long as it's meat/fruit/veggies.....the occasional yogurt or nuts.....and a couple beers on the weekend.  Haven't been doing a lot of exercise -- which is a problem in and of itself, but I have to pull the diet in if I'm not going to move!  Better to pull the diet in anyway..been eating a lot of bread and not-so-healthy snacks in a pinch.  Work vascillates between stress and boredom -- and that is where bad food has entered the equation.

[floridagal]

We have a popcorn bowl thing that you pour kernels in and put in the microwave, and once the pcorn is popped we spray a little cooking spray and sprinkle salt.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have one of those around here somewhere!

[floridagal]

1. for alcohol, liquor + diet soda is prob your lowest in calories. (like vodka + diet soda)
2. something with little to no added sugar. Greek yogurt is your best bet. Chobani, Fage, etc.
3. Air popped popcorn is probably your best bet. I like pistachios in the shell, because it is a lot of work and you cannot quickly overeat them

mmmmm pistachios!

[merigayle]

What about cottage cheese?

[Yogi]

I have one of those around here somewhere!

What I do is just put the kernels in a regular medium pot with a little olive oil, lid on, shake over medium heat til popped. Spray with a bit of spray oil so your seasonings will stick - I like garlic salt and dried rosemary.  Maybe a touch of shredded Parmesan.

[redkitty]

What I do is just put the kernels in a regular medium pot with a little olive oil, lid on, shake over medium heat til popped. Spray with a bit of spray oil so your seasonings will stick - I like garlic salt and dried rosemary.  Maybe a touch of shredded Parmesan.

Probably stupid question, but are these just regular kernels you would buy for an air popper?

[Magic Microbe]

Popcorn is my favorite salty snack.

[JBM]

Probably stupid question, but are these just regular kernels you would buy for an air popper?

Yes!

[floridagal]

Popcorn is my favorite salty snack.

Mine too! I like Yogi's idea...

[Magic Microbe]

I like a lot of light beers. What types of beers do you normally drink?

[floridagal]

I like a lot of light beers. What types of beers do you normally drink?

Right now I'm in a Stella phase.....does that help?

[Magic Microbe]

What about Heineken light or Corona light?

[Sir Real]

Pretzels are a pretty good option for salty and crunchy.

Pretzels have little or no nutrition and have a high glycemic load, so they are actually a terrible option.  Any kind of nuts are a much better choice.

[nadra24]

For a salty crunchy snack, I like Pirate's Booty. But I have to portion it out or I will eat the whole bag in one sitting.

[merigayle]

For a salty crunchy snack, I like Pirate's Booty. But I have to portion it out or I will eat the whole bag in one sitting.

have you had their Tings snack?

[redkitty]

For a salty crunchy snack, I like Pirate's Booty. But I have to portion it out or I will eat the whole bag in one sitting.

I just love the name. It cracks me up.

[nadra24]

have you had their Tings snack?

Yes but I like the texture of the Pirate's Booty better, it has random extra-crunchy bits in some pieces. Also the name, as redkitty pointed out.

[merigayle]

Yes but I like the texture of the Pirate's Booty better, it has random extra-crunchy bits in some pieces. Also the name, as redkitty pointed out.

[Ice Cream]

Pretzels have little or no nutrition and have a high glycemic load, so they are actually a terrible option.  Any kind of nuts are a much better choice.

I would rather have a handful of pretzels than a handful of nuts, if I am trying to eat fewer calories, which is the title of this thread.

[radial]

3. What do you eat when you want something salty and crunchy?  I'm guessing nuts are the obvious choice here - but is there anything else? 

Pork cracklings!  Not seriously, I just wanted to say that out loud

[Dagstag v 2.0]

Pork cracklings!  Not seriously, I just wanted to say that out loud

No joke, I eat chicharrones some times. There is a brand called "pork clouds". They are actually relatively low in calories, plus they have protein.  70 calories, 8 g protein per serving. They are also good to grind/crush and use to "bread" chicken before baking.

[merigayle]

oooh! Salty, crunchy healthy snack, seaweed!!! http://www.seasnax.com/  It is VERY addictive.

[Ice Cream]

oooh! Salty, crunchy healthy snack, seaweed!!! http://www.seasnax.com/  It is VERY addictive.

Oh, yes.  Trader Joe's has a real good kind.

[diablita]

yes, TJ's brand is really, really good.  DH was addicted to it for a while but then discovered it was causing him gastric distress (by process of elimination).  But he was eating a container a day for a while before that happens.

[radial]

No joke, I eat chicharrones some times. There is a brand called "pork clouds". They are actually relatively low in calories, plus they have protein.  70 calories, 8 g protein per serving. They are also good to grind/crush and use to "bread" chicken before baking.

I could kill a bag of those things right now. 

[Yogi]

Probably stupid question, but are these just regular kernels you would buy for an air popper?

Yikes I have not checked in here! Yep, just a regular bag of kernels for an air popper, not the  instant or microwave type.

[Rejaneration]

I like Oikos by Dannon.  Not really a fan of Fage.  For the salty something, I love the Nut thin crackers by Diamond.  Otherwise, I just do fritos or tortilla chips and put some in a small bowl.  Portion control works better for me than denial.

I would rather have one great beer than 2 or more light beers.  Now,, you could always go for a shandy, which would be 1/2 beer and 1/2 diet sprite...  Just a thought. 

[Chasing Amy]

I like Oikos by Dannon.  Not really a fan of Fage.  For the salty something, I love the Nut thin crackers by Diamond.  Otherwise, I just do fritos or tortilla chips and put some in a small bowl.  Portion control works better for me than denial.

I would rather have one great beer than 2 or more light beers.  Now,, you could always go for a shandy, which would be 1/2 beer and 1/2 diet sprite...  Just a thought. 

Regarding the bolded, me too. I also eat frequently (every few hours).

My mom had some Oikos yogurt in her fridge when I visited in July. Holy god, I had to spit out the first spoonful. I don't know what it was about the taste that I found so offensive, but I'm shuddering just thinking about it.

[ihop]

Regarding the bolded, me too. I also eat frequently (every few hours).

My mom had some Oikos yogurt in her fridge when I visited in July. Holy god, I had to spit out the first spoonful. I don't know what it was about the taste that I found so offensive, but I'm shuddering just thinking about it.

Was the Oikos flavored?  I like Oikos but can't stand the Yoplait Greek.  Blech.

[Chasing Amy]

Was the Oikos flavored?  I like Oikos but can't stand the Yoplait Greek.  Blech.

Vanilla. I usually just eat plain yogurt that I add fruit and granola too, but there was just some odd flavor to the Oikos.

[siamesedream]

I have a love for venti mocha frapps, thank god I have a good metabolism.

[Rejaneration]

I like the vanilla! I often add cereal to it though. ☺

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[Run Amok]

For salty I will eat an apple and a small handful of nuts.

Or veggies and herby or carmelized onion Greek yogurt dip. This feels snacky but is super filling

I am partial to fage or trader Joe's plain Greek yogurt. Chiobani or Tillamook or siggis for sweetened. A lot of the other Greek yogurts taste weird to me. Check the label because a lot of them are thickened with stabilizers and it doesn't increase the nutrition

[floridagal]

What about Heineken light or Corona light?

I am now a Heineken light fan. Thanks.