Absolutely LOVE this meal! Not only is this meal ultra yummy but it follows my favorite motto: Eat better! Not less!
Here’s what I mean: Going on a diet or trying to eat healthier can seem overwhelming & restricting. I think it’s assumed that in order to lose weight or get healthier you have to eat teeny tiny portions, but that’s not the case. It comes back to needing to consume fewer calories, & nutrient dense foods tend to be low in calories but high in volume. So the more nutrient dense a food is then the larger portion you can probably consume of it without going over your calorie goal. While the less nutrient dense foods (sugar, fried foods, etc.) tend to be higher in calories, so it’s better to consume them in smaller portions.
On my plate I have an ENTIRE bag of mixed greens (I normally have a bag a day), why? Because they are packed with viatmins A(180%) & C(120%) and minerals calcium (12%) & iron (40%), and they have a good amount of fiber (4g). And while they are packed with nutrients, they are extremely low in calories, & entire bag of greens is normally 30-40 kcal! So why not just eat the whole bag! It makes my lunch bigger & makes me feel fuller for less calories.
I also have on my plate 139g of zucchini lentil pasta (half a bag of the cheddar sauce flavor from Birds Eye), this pasta comes out to 22g of carbs , while 139g of regular penne pasta comes out to about 47g of carbs. I’m able to enjoy double the amount of pasta by choosing an option made mostly from veggies & grains that are lower in calories. .
I thoroughly enjoy eating this way (most of the time) because the more food I get to consume, the more bites I get to take, & the longer it takes me to eat, I think plays a big role on staying fuller longer even though this meal is pretty low calorie. It can be relatively easy to really overdo it on calories when it comes to foods that are low in nutrients but small & quick to eat: candy, chips, etc. And while I believe in flexible dieting so I’ll enjoy those less nutrient dense foods, it will be in proper portions that keep my health & calories in check👌💪
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*Meal macros are also accounting for 20g Bolthouse Farms Creamy Roasted Garlic dressing & 4 oz chicken breast👌🙌😋