The FastDay Forum

I can't believe I'm admitting this, after all this time, but I don't think I've ever quite realised how many calories there are in pasta!

Last night I weighed out 100g of penne for a meal for two of us, and couldn't believe what a pathetic amount we got for our 355 calories. I even had to double check what it said on the packaging on my calorie counter app. I've eaten pasta nearly all my life and even lived in Italy for a year, but I was also a seasoned dieter when I was younger, so I've no idea how this has flown under my radar!!

This could be the thing that has been killing my weight loss progress, by eating way too big portions on feed days.

So I'm now turning over a new leaf. I'm not giving up pasta but I'm definitely going to weigh it out from now on.

[Debs]

I adore pasta and yes, it is pretty high. A bowl of 125g can look pretty paltry though can't it?!
Save it for those special days when you can have it with a nice glass of red!

[carorees]

I bulk it out with courgette "pasta"...tastes great!

Are you weighing before or after you cook though. 1 cup of uncooked pasta is usually abour 100g (fusilli twists and the like) and that is actually quite a large amount when cooked.

I made the same mistake as you for years and only caught on a few weeks ago. I like a small portion of it with fish for my fast day. Staying still well within my limit. On normal days I will not weigh it but I am now very aware of just how many calories they have.

For a fast day I would weigh out 70g uncooked which then becomes 155g cooked. Quite filling with a bit of fish like "Bake to Perfection Haddock Fillets with white wine, wholegrain mustard & spring onion sauce". This is a total of 417kcal and very filling.

I got into weighing pasta when doing weight watchers and used to allocate 60g dried pasta for a serving, which was enough but not a huge amount. Agree bulking out with veggies is a good idea, and wholemeal pasta should help it go further too (although it does taste a bit worthy).

I still weigh pasta now as I'm useless at doing it by eye - don't tend to eat it on non-fast days but would tend to use about 150g dried for me & hubby - he's very slim so I try and get him to eat more than me!

@jmousey - yes, I weighed 100g dry, but that was for two of us, but I could easily have eaten it all myself!

Thanks for the tips, carorees and alexandra ...

@greenmonster - yes I used to eat only wholemeal pasta (in my student days I was a bit 'hardcore' then) but my OH doesn't like it, sadly.

Oh well, onwards!

Not everyone likes them, but I LOVE zero noodles!

I used to eat pasta probably 4-5 times a week but can't remeber the last time I had it now, I actually PREFER zero noodles

I've just bought 24 packs from here http://zero-noodles.co.uk/product-category/buy/
although I've only bought in bulk like that because I live abroad & I know I'll use them all - you'd be better off trying 1 pack from Holland & Barret first

When I read recipes that have pasta in, they often state something in the region of 360g dried pasta between 4 people. This has genuinely always seemed exhorbitant to me!

I've only ever cooked 100g of dried pasta for two people - I know the calories aren't exactly low, but any less than that is a side dish, not a main course!!!

Me too! I was astonished at how many cals are in the carbs that I used to eat masses of: rice, bread and pasta. I thought I had a reasonable idea as to the relative calories of foods until I actually started measuring and weighing them.