alternative to pasta / rice

Fatloss08

hey im trying to cut down on pasta / rice

im trying to lose weight etc , im 21 1/2 stone male and 6.2 tall

i currently eat in fairness pasta 4 days a week , although i know its good for u etc , its full of carbs etc

trying to find a diff alternative that isnt loaded in carbs

evening meals is my prob as rest of the day is ok

Al_Fernz

Just add extra portions of Veg and that should do the trick. For example - if your eating Spag Bol - take out the Spag and add a salad to the Bol instead. Another example might be Chicken with rice - take out the rice and add brocolli and spinach instead.

I've also head lettuce leaves mentioned as an alternative to bread and wraps.

Dragan

Sweet potato.

Fcuk yeah!

g'em

Dragan wrote: »

Sweet potato.

Roasted.

Fatloss08

dont eat much veg , cant stomach it

carrots thats it , and lettuce , tomatoes etc

i like spag bol and chicken + pasta with stir in sauce

Sleepy

Fatloss08 wrote: »

dont eat much veg , cant stomach it

Yes you can. You just have to give it a chance and not be a child about your eating tbh.

There are wholewheat pastas available which are better for you but if you're going to use them the key is portion control.

I use barley instead of rice.
You can by it in boil in the bag packet 4 for 65-79 cent in the Polish food section. That element of portion control might be good for you.

g'em

Fatloss08 wrote: »

dont eat much veg , cant stomach it

Unless you have an allergy to broccoli that's a silly thing to say!!

You have a fairly significant amount of weight to lose, increasing your veg intake and reducing your carb intake (a lot!) will go a long way towards helping you achieve it.

Vegetbales can be raosted, grilled, steamed, you can add seeds and nut flakees to them, they can be blended to make soups, hidden in sauces - get creative with it and there's endless ways to eat vegetables and enjoy them.

blah

Fatloss08 wrote: »

dont eat much veg , cant stomach it

Sleepy wrote: »

Yes you can.

Of course it's easy to spend your life eating meat with sauces, pasta and rice, and pizzas. But if you want to be fit and healthy, you need to replace all those calories with vegetables. Eat them for a few weeks and you'll grow to like them, I'm speaking form experience.

Saabdub

Have a look at Rick Stein's Mediteranean cookbook that came out last year. He has fantastic vegetable recipes. One for Apulian peas uses a little Italian ham, olive oil and onion for flavour. I've also added green beans. This can turn bland veggies into a real treat (yum:D). I cooked the Imam Biyaldi for my sister (the vegetarian) on Christmas day and she loved it.

Saabdub

littlefriend

Hi OP
If you post a typical days food [breakfast, lunch, dinner & snacks] and whatever exercise [if any] you are doing people will reply with suggestions.
I have lost quite a bit of weight and I don't feel remotely like I am hungry or depriving myself of anything. You don't just have to eat plates of vegetables and nothing else - if I thought that was what I had to do before I started I'd never have done it.
People on here are really helpful and know an awful lot about how to become and remain healthy. Also, don't feel shy - a lot of people on here were once in the same position as you are now, ie, overweight and needing a hand sorting it out.

ike

g'em wrote: »

Roasted.

Brilliant smilie

Dragan

ike wrote: »

Brilliant smilie

g'em is the Queen of smilies!

Tiriel

How about Couscous?!

littlefriend

Cork_girl wrote: »

How about Couscous?!

Loving it at the moment - I get a box in health food shop - lemon and corriander flavour. I mix in some prawns or chicken along with a few broken up almonds - gorgeous. It also takes [literally] 3 mins to prepare which is brilliant

Tiriel

littlefriend wrote: »

Loving it at the moment - I get a box in health food shop - lemon and corriander flavour. I mix in some prawns or chicken along with a few broken up almonds - gorgeous. It also takes [literally] 3 mins to prepare which is brilliant

Mmm ya that sounds good! I usually use it as a kind of 'risotto' dish - throw in lots of veg and then a little pesto to stir through it at the end. So quick and easy!

It's a relatively low glycemic index food - so it's just portion size that you need to look out for!!

teaholic

I addicted to pasta too among other things, and it began to show.... So joined weight watchers last week and im already down 2 and a half pounds.

It lets you eat what you like really, you just watch what you eat without it really being a diet.

The main thing really is to watch your portion sizes and stop eating when you are full and not bloated.

g'em

Moved to N & D

Numbercruncher

OP - I had a similar attitude to you re: veg, only ate potatoes and no other veg. Now I'm 2stone overweight and the only way around it is to eat veg.
Now I do the following : Add peppers & onions to everything, they are
quite tasty - give them a try. Currys, stirfrys, pasta dishes - they bulk it up. I put them into anything with a sauce to disguise them at first but then grew to love them!
Have some side salad: peppers, lettuce, onion etc
Make homemade soup - carrots, parsnip, onion, potato, stock & herbs (any veg really!). V low fat, filling & yum. I blend them as I find it easier to eat (its all in my head I know! )
Roasted Carrots & parsnips are my new thing - little bit of olive oil & I grate over some garlic & chilli. YUM.
While I haven't quite made it to chunks of brocolli or brussell sprouts (its the greenness!:o) but I'll never say never. I wouldn't believe anyone a year ago if they told me I'd be eating what I am. Give it a try.

Saabdub

Numbercruncher wrote: »

Roasted Carrots & parsnips are my new thing - .

Try roasting peppers as well they become very sweet:)

Saabdub

Khannie

Fatloss08 wrote: »

dont eat much veg , cant stomach it

carrots thats it , and lettuce , tomatoes etc

i like spag bol and chicken + pasta with stir in sauce

Then add more veg to these and reduce the amount of pasta. It's a good start.

It's amazing what you can stick veg on. If I'm cheating with a store bought pizza I'll generally throw some pineapple, brocolli, sweetcorn and onions on it to add some nutrition. Tastes lovely.

Chicken curry? Add brocolli, onions, some raisins, YUM.

And so on. I'm sure you get the idea.

ladyA

There are plenty of alternatives out there if you still feel like some carbs - which I don't think is bad thing. Try quinoa, bulgar, couscous, spelt pasta or brown basmati rice. Just keep the portions small and you'll be grand. 2 desert spoons is a good measurement to go by.

Mr Magnolia

Oven roasted cubes of butternut squash.

Bottle_of_Smoke

Basmati rice is a good replacement, nicer too imo

Nordwind

Not as healthy?

OPENROAD

teaholic wrote: »

I addicted to pasta too among other things, and it began to show.... So joined weight watchers last week and im already down 2 and a half pounds.

It lets you eat what you like really, you just watch what you eat without it really being a diet.

The main thing really is to watch your portion sizes and stop eating when you are full and not bloated.

Have to agree with you, I don't think you have to cut out things like pasta, it comes down to portion size, you can still loose weight and have your pasta, I found my portion sizes before were way too much,I have now significantly cut down on my portion size and it has worked, if you like pasta carry on I say.

How Strange

I went low carb after Christmas. I can't say the weight has fallen off me but to be fair I only need to lose about five pounds. The one major benefit of low carb for me (yawn, as I've said before) is no bloating.

OP, you're very overweight so if you really want to achieve weightloss and maintain it then you'll have to change your eating habits. Simple as. Stop being a baby by saying you can't eat vegetables. You just have to refine your palate.

I may or may not have half a small spud with some meat or fish for dinner and a huge plate of vegetables. The best way to eat vegetables if you don't really like them is to make a ratatouille or roast a load of different types in the oven. Parsnips, sweet potatoes and white turnips are all lovely and sweet when roasted so are a great substitute for spuds. Sprinkle a few chilly flakes and some herbs over them and you'll be licking the bowl.

LFCFan

The problem with White Pasta is that it gets broken down to sugar very quickly which then results in your body rushing your system with Insulin to deal with it. When the sugar is broken down, the insulin is then your enemy as it adds to your fat stores. Same goes for white rice (Basmati is the best option here) and white breads. Basically, anything that is heavily processed. If you're having trouble with eating vegetables, you could try drinking them instead. Get yourself a good juicer. I've cut out crappy foods (take aways, processed food etc) and am eating (and drinking) a lot more fruit and veg and I lost a stone in 2 weeks and feel a lot better for it.

Stef1979

LFCFan wrote: »

am eating (and drinking) a lot more fruit and veg and I lost a stone in 2 weeks and feel a lot better for it.

a stone??:eek: thats a huge amount in 2 weeks, can you give an example of what you would have daily...only ask coz Im curious if its something I could follow

LFCFan

Stef1979 wrote: »

a stone??:eek: thats a huge amount in 2 weeks, can you give an example of what you would have daily...only ask coz Im curious if its something I could follow

I was following The Juicemaster's 2 week kick start plan with some modifications. I reckon if I'd followed it to the letter I'd have lost another 6 or 7 pounds easily. Each day consisted of a smoothy for breakfast (apple, pineapple, cucumber, celery, lime and 1 avaocado). Lunch was usually something like Wholemeal Pitta with some sort of oily fish like sardines or mackeral (in sunflower oil and not sauce) and Rocket. Dinner was then a something like Sweet potato with veg and fish all baked in the oven with garlic and herbs. Or basmati rice with chicken and veg. Quit drinking for the 2 weeks too. Didn't get as much exercise as the book says (you're supposed to do 30 mins every morning and evening). I managed 1 morning, 1 evening and a couple of games of football. I've re-introduced some stuff since the 2 weeks (like wholemeal bread, curries (made from scratch) etc) and I'm still staying off the drink for a bit. Feel a lot better than before and keeping the weight off. Once I get into a better exercise regime, the weight should start to drop again.

And of course, I've been drinking at least 2 litres of water every day. This part is very important.

lizzyvera

A tin of chickpeas with the same pasta sauce you usually like is lovely! They're not too flavorsome on their own and have a carby squishy texture, without being too high in carbs, and the carbs that are there are slow releasing. A tin of chickpeas is MUCH more filling than 200kcal worth of pasta.

I use kidney beans the same way but that's not to everyone's taste. I think the reason people eat so much pasta is that it doesn't require any culinary skills or time, so substituting with a tin of beans makes it even lazier.