I hate eating healthy....

missshyeviolett

I'm always curious about why people who don't like vegetables don't like vegetables. Have you tried every single vegetable on earth prepared or cooked in every possible way and still didn't like a single one? Or, is it more of a mental aversion to vegetables? I've never met a fruit or vegetable I didn't like (although I don't understand artichokes) so it's a little hard for me to understand someone not liking vegetables period, but my suggestion is for you to try new vegetables cooked in different ways. Maybe you hate steamed veggies but you'll like them in a curry or stir-fry or veggie burgers? Seriously, there are endless ways to prepare vegetables that I just don't see how you can possibly have tried them.

If you grow up in a non-veggie house, or you're like me and the only veggies you were ever served were canned peas or corn, then yes it's very difficult to acclimate to the way fresh veggies taste. It's taken me 10 years to somewhat enjoy the taste of broccoli/green beans/asparagus. I still can't touch peppers or cauliflower or brussel sprouts.

I'm extremely sensitive to bitter tastes, and most vegetables taste bitter to me. This is my major hurdle.

Shaavo89

I'm always curious about why people who don't like vegetables don't like vegetables. Have you tried every single vegetable on earth prepared or cooked in every possible way and still didn't like a single one? Or, is it more of a mental aversion to vegetables? I've never met a fruit or vegetable I didn't like (although I don't understand artichokes) so it's a little hard for me to understand someone not liking vegetables period, but my suggestion is for you to try new vegetables cooked in different ways. Maybe you hate steamed veggies but you'll like them in a curry or stir-fry or veggie burgers? Seriously, there are endless ways to prepare vegetables that I just don't see how you can possibly have tried them.

I've tried them a few different ways. Tomatoes and Carrots are the big ones! lol I can eat carrots in a roast though! But tomatoes.. I cant seem to choke them down. I love fruits all fruits really! I could eat those all day but I know I have to get to eating some vegetables! I'm going to look up some recipes I think to see if I cant find something that sounds good!

Crochetluvr

There's nothing wrong with smothering your salads in ranch

^^^^This. I don't worry so much about the fats or the extra calories...sometimes I have trouble meeting my calorie goal and salad dressing helps. Since I am more concerned about carbs, the dressings fit in just fine.

Meg_Shirley_86

I know it's not the advice anyone wants to hear, but in addition to experimenting with cooking, as others above have stated, you just have to eat them. I have heard that you might have to eat something 15 times, but you'll eventually start to like it. In my personal experience, I always joke that I may have had two or three vegetable servings in my entire childhood, and now I'm a vegan and I love my veggies.
I know forcing yourself to eat something you don't like sounds more like "Stockholm Syndrome" than "acquired taste", but it really does work. My mother had to kind of force herself to eat veggies, and now she craves things like sweet potatoes and spinach, instead of McDonald's Fish-fil-a's.
Remember that if you don't make time for wellness now, you will have to make time for sickness later. :flowerforyou:

ETA: I'm NOT telling you to go vegan just because I am!

Meg_Shirley_86

My husband hated vegetables... I started adding a couple cups of spinach to a fruit smoothie in the morning. After a few months he "discovered" that he like spinach. I think his body decided that it like what spinach was doing for it and his taste literally changed. This continues to happen. I sneak veggies into everything...and then serve them less and less disguised. The only thing he still doesn't like AT ALL is green beans. I can live with that. Plus the more active he becomes, the more healthy food his body craves. I have always liked veggies...
So maybe just chop them up really small and put them in other foods... your taste may change as your body learns the value of the food.

I think this is really good advice. The more good stuff you sneak in to your day, the less room there is for junk anyway

Shaavo89

I know it's not the advice anyone wants to hear, but in addition to experimenting with cooking, as others above have stated, you just have to eat them. I have heard that you might have to eat something 15 times, but you'll eventually start to like it. In my personal experience, I always joke that I may have had two or three vegetable servings in my entire childhood, and now I'm a vegan and I love my veggies.
I know forcing yourself to eat something you don't like sounds more like "Stockholm Syndrome" than "acquired taste", but it really does work. My mother had to kind of force herself to eat veggies, and now she craves things like sweet potatoes and spinach, instead of McDonald's Fish-fil-a's.
Remember that if you don't make time for wellness now, you will have to make time for sickness later. :flowerforyou:

ETA: I'm NOT telling you to go vegan just because I am!

You are right, I need to just eat them! I don't really like fast food, occasionally taco bell catches my eye haha but I really like seafood, would eat it for every meal if it didn't cost a fortune!

Shana82

Just have to add to the try different ways of cooking argument. I grew up with a mom who boiled all vegetables. (Irish-American, it was their family standard) Or they came frozen or from a can. The first time I had a brussel sprout that was roasted and not boiled I'm pretty sure there were flickering lights and birds singing! Roasting veggies totally changes the flavor. Some olive oil and some time in the pan and its like a whole new vegetable! I thought I hated green beans, as my only exposure had been canned. Par boil them a few minutes then saute them for like five in olive oil though and I will eat them like french fries.

Shaavo89

Maybe Beachiron can learn a little about manners from his toddler.

My thoughts exactly! Thank you!

BeachIron

Maybe Beachiron can learn a little about manners from his toddler.

My thoughts exactly! Thank you!

More lolz from the blank profile and blue avatar set.

Succeed or fail. It doesn't matter to me. It does matter to you. No one is going to hold your hand and tell you that you need to eat your veggies. And if that's what you need then you've already failed.

MG_Fit

My toddler eats salads and vegetables. Grow up.

He speaks the truth! Try new things, learn how to cook and prepare food.

caterpillardreams

I'm always curious about why people who don't like vegetables don't like vegetables. Have you tried every single vegetable on earth prepared or cooked in every possible way and still didn't like a single one? Or, is it more of a mental aversion to vegetables? I've never met a fruit or vegetable I didn't like (although I don't understand artichokes) so it's a little hard for me to understand someone not liking vegetables period, but my suggestion is for you to try new vegetables cooked in different ways. Maybe you hate steamed veggies but you'll like them in a curry or stir-fry or veggie burgers? Seriously, there are endless ways to prepare vegetables that I just don't see how you can possibly have tried them.

I've tried them a few different ways. Tomatoes and Carrots are the big ones! lol I can eat carrots in a roast though! But tomatoes.. I cant seem to choke them down. I love fruits all fruits really! I could eat those all day but I know I have to get to eating some vegetables! I'm going to look up some recipes I think to see if I cant find something that sounds good!

Do you like smoothies, you can make fruits smoothies with nonfat greek yogurt, sneak in some spinach.
I roast tomatoes but I would add them to pasta, if you like pasta you can add more then just tomatoes, red peppers, zucchini.
there are a lot of recipes here on MFP and if you go the library you can find some great books to get you started,
I never knew the options out there till I went and did research.

ncl1313

I'm always curious about why people who don't like vegetables don't like vegetables. Have you tried every single vegetable on earth prepared or cooked in every possible way and still didn't like a single one? Or, is it more of a mental aversion to vegetables? I've never met a fruit or vegetable I didn't like (although I don't understand artichokes) so it's a little hard for me to understand someone not liking vegetables period, but my suggestion is for you to try new vegetables cooked in different ways. Maybe you hate steamed veggies but you'll like them in a curry or stir-fry or veggie burgers? Seriously, there are endless ways to prepare vegetables that I just don't see how you can possibly have tried them.

I've tried them a few different ways. Tomatoes and Carrots are the big ones! lol I can eat carrots in a roast though! But tomatoes.. I cant seem to choke them down. I love fruits all fruits really! I could eat those all day but I know I have to get to eating some vegetables! I'm going to look up some recipes I think to see if I cant find something that sounds good!

I have texture issues with a lot of veggies, so I've had to experiment with different ways of preparing them to make them more palatable for me. Green beans and eggplant are still out, though.

If you can eat carrots in a roast, try roasting other stuff, as many have suggested. I used to hate broccoli. Someone suggested roasting it until it just starts to get crisp and brown and then tossing it with a little lemon juice and parmesan...yum!! For brussels sprouts, I fry up a slice or two of bacon, then cut off the stems, separate the leaves off and throw them in the bacon grease until they crisp up like little chips. Toss some sliced parsnips with olive oil, thyme, and honey to roast. Sweet potatoes are awesome with a little butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Toss peas or chopped spinach or shredded zucchini in with pasta dishes or mac and cheese. Cheese makes everything taste good!! Basically, don't be afraid to add a little fat to your veggies...it actually helps your body digest them. Just watch the calories, of course.

divacat80

if running hurts you should try an app like couch25k to allow you to train your body progressively. You might need to do some strength training to make your muscles stronger and prepare them properly for a run.

emilydiehl08

I am not a veggie fan either, but I've found ways to cook them that I like!

Last night I heated a little EVOO in a pan and added some yellow squash, onions, mushrooms and garlic. I cooked it on low heat for a while, till the squash was slightly soft but not mushy. Then I threw in some cherry tomatoes until they were softish. Added a little cracked pepper and called it a day. And it was yummmmmmy.

Sometimes I just throw a bunch of random veggies in foil and cook them on the grill too, or put them in my crockpot with some chicken and water and seasoning and let it cook all day.

And of course stir fry. I make mine spicy with cayanne pepper because then I won't eat an entire pan full (even though I probably could!)

Shaavo89

Maybe Beachiron can learn a little about manners from his toddler.

My thoughts exactly! Thank you!

More lolz from the blank profile and blue avatar set.

Succeed or fail. It doesn't matter to me. It does matter to you. No one is going to hold your hand and tell you that you need to eat your veggies. And if that's what you need then you've already failed.

Not a blue avatar anymore if it even makes a bit of difference!

shannashannabobana

But tomatoes.. I cant seem to choke them down

Then don’t eat them? You don’t have to like everything, just some things. Also, tomato is a fruit. Just eat some watermelon instead.

I have heard that you might have to eat something 15 times, but you'll eventually start to like it.

This is me and turnips. My grandfather used to have a garden and drop a bag of turnips on our porch every year and then we’d eat tons of them and I hated the bitter taste. And then, some years later after I hadn’t had them in a while, I realized I was actually craving them! Now I pick them up periodically. I especially like them mashed, with meatloaf. Yum.

I would say, take a vegetable and try it two or three ways before deciding you don't like, it because it will taste really different each way. (say cabbage: raw (in coleslaw), boiled with salt, roasted with oliveoil and salt and pepper. Sweet potato: baked, boiled and mashed. Onions: raw, sauteed. etc..etc..)

lcvaughn520

I used to think I didn't like a lot of veggies, but now I'm hard pressed to find one I don't like! I definitely agree with finding different ways to cook them (and I usually prefer roasted, like many others have said). I add some parmesan cheese on top of mine and that helps the taste

I also think you should try to find a nice light veggie dip - you can make better-for-you ranch dip/dressing by mixing some greek yogurt with ranch seasoning. This will help you like eating raw veggies (or at least choke them down?) Remember - you're still going to get the nutrients from the vegetables even if you put unhealthy stuff on them. Over time, you can work on lessening the amount of extras you need.

As for the running - I recommend couch to 5k. It's a good way to ease into running without overdoing it!

Sarahonly

I think the trick is to try LOTS of different kinds. There's so many out there other than your "typical" kinds- you might be surprised at what you like! Try going to an asian grocery and testing out something new that you can only find there!

Trying lots of seasonings and different cooking methods is good to.

Tomatoes- used to hate them. Then I realized that the grocery store I shopped at just didn't have overly good quality in tomatoes. You want the nice, red, meaty sort of ones.... screw the pale coloured stringy kind. Ick. So keep quality in mind as well.

As for salads, there's very few I enjoy, I'll admit that- but one of my faves is leafy spring mix greens with fresh mushrooms, sweet mini tomatoes, pecans and dried cranberries. That little bit of crunch and sweetness helps a lot. Oh, and a good dressing!

Meg_Shirley_86

Respectfully, Beachiron, it may be wise to consider that many people grow up low income, and when you do, you don't eat fresh veggies, probably not even frozen. Until I had a decent, grown-up income of my own in high school, I don't believe I'd ever tasted anything other than canned corn or canned green beans (as far as veggies go). I wanted to like veggies, and I was an athlete, so it was extra important to me. It takes an adjustment period. Your advice is spot on, but it is more likely to make someone feel inferior for asking advice than to actually help them. I agree with you, but a large part of the problem with obesity in our country stems from the cost of fresh food being so much more than canned/processed. Take a dollar to the supermarket and see how many calories you can get in junk food, then see how many you can get in the produce aisle. It's not impossible to be healthy on a tight budget by any means, but odds are stacked against some people.

LouSteven

Girl, I understand, I was the pickiest eater ever!! The important thing is to be willing to try new things, you won't love everything, but you'll at least get your taste buds adapted to it. I've been using 5k runner app for a brief time, really seems to be working. (And I couldn't run to the mailbox before.) Maybe you could try that!