Needing something new! Or old that's new

lilgreene193

Day 98 and I am getting worn out on veggies and my go-to meals (bad because I'm turning to the old, bad food ruining my calorie and nutrition counts!). What do you do when you need to rejuvenate your eating habit? I already like tons of different veggies (kale, Brussels sprouts, radishes, etc. there's hardly a veggie I haven't tried)

LKArgh

Try modifying favourite recipes to lower calorie versions. You will be surprised by the results in many cases.

Kathy_Noring

I love these products for dressing up vegetables:

Salad herb blend with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and black pepper: http://www.litehousefoods.com/content/salad-herb-blend

Ginger paste for stir-fries and sauteed vegetables: http://www.gourmetgarden.com/en/product/104/ginger-stir-paste

For sweet treats, I like a sprinkle of cinnamon and a dollop of Cool Whip on fruit like bananas or peaches to dress things up.

Good luck!

ki4eld

Recipe.com is your friend. And if you aren't using spices, start. With a decent spice selection, hubby and I never eat the same meal twice in a month unless we want.

lilgreene193

HappyCampr1:
I'm trying to improve the quality of the food I eat, not simply count calories. So while yes, I COULD integrate my "old food" into my daily life, the QUALITY of what I would be eating would be lacking (i.e. Pizza, fast food, unbalanced quantities of cheese and sugar to vegetables). I've also found that when I do eat these foods, I have a hard time drawing a line at where to stop. I had pizza so while I'm doing bad might as well have cake, etc. It's difficult for me to have a little and not end up having too much.

Pinnacle_IAO

lilgreene193 wrote: »

Day 98 and I am getting worn out on veggies and my go-to meals (bad because I'm turning to the old, bad food ruining my calorie and nutrition counts!). What do you do when you need to rejuvenate your eating habit? I already like tons of different veggies (kale, Brussels sprouts, radishes, etc. there's hardly a veggie I haven't tried)

Try this. Eat real, whole foods of every kind but stay clean.
I define that as lean meats, fresh fruits and veggies, nuts, whole eggs, 100% whole grained, home bakes breads and such, beans and raw, whole unpasteurized dairy.

And even this is merely a guide as I reach this ideal 70% of the time.
If we're in this long-term, life is also to be lived, and all foods are OK in moderation.
Good Luck

JoRocka

What's wrong with eating what you've been eating?

I cook once a week- and sometimes it's the same meal as last time. Frequently I just throw beans into a crock pot with literally whatever canned stuff I had in my pantry- this week it was tomato paste- tomato soup and pineapples with a boat load of spices- I got a kick *kitten* sweet and spicy dish served over rice.

I eat eggs the exact same way almost every night- and the prepped meal I cooked on Sunday is my lunch for the rest of the week. Easy peasy.

LKArgh

lilgreene193 wrote: »

HappyCampr1:
I'm trying to improve the quality of the food I eat, not simply count calories. So while yes, I COULD integrate my "old food" into my daily life, the QUALITY of what I would be eating would be lacking (i.e. Pizza, fast food, unbalanced quantities of cheese and sugar to vegetables). I've also found that when I do eat these foods, I have a hard time drawing a line at where to stop. I had pizza so while I'm doing bad might as well have cake, etc. It's difficult for me to have a little and not end up having too much.

Most recipes can be modified to become healthier or lower calorie. So, for example, if you enjoy burgers, instead of ordering, make your own: a home made grilled burger with lean meat and a side dish of vegetables, or oven baked fries, it can be a very reasonable choice when trying to count calories, and there is nothing "bad" about it. Or you can focus on basic tastes you love, and see what healthier or lower calorie recipes you can find with the same ingredients. For example, if you love the cheese in pizza but fear you are not eating enough vegetables, you can e.g. prepare eggplants with melted cheese on top. Not a substitute to pizza, but it might be something you enjoy and that helps you get some vegetables into your diet. Or if you love ice cream and are worried about calories, you might find you enjoy lower calorie versions, like fruit based sherbets, or low fat frozen yoghurt. And so on...