When your “diet” gets boring how do you spice it up?

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VictorSmashes
VictorSmashes Posts: 173 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hiya. I’ve been trying to lose weight for years and years and years now. Most recently I had resolved this last time to be my “once and for all” lifestyle change, and then I got bored of it. I had lost nearly 50 lbs last year and this year I gained roughly 60 back! I get bored easily and when progress is so slow sometimes it looks to be working backwards.
My lifestyle change was eating more salads and going to the gym. I’ve since stopped. Any tips on changing things up without giving up?
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Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    i don't get bored of it... that's why its a lifestyle not a diet.

    i fit 'treats' (calorie dense, less nutritious goodies like chocolate and cake etc) into my weekly goal, i do exercise i enjoy, i don't beat myself up if i skip a workout (though that's rare when i am training), i cook food that is yummy and fits my calories and macros.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,072 Member
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    I eat all the things I enjoy in moderation, if nothing is totally off-limits then you can't get bored.
  • Mithridites
    Mithridites Posts: 595 Member
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    Hot sauce. Scotch bonnet is my fave!
  • VictorSmashes
    VictorSmashes Posts: 173 Member
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    TavistockToad wrote: »
    i don't get bored of it... that's why its a lifestyle not a diet.

    i fit 'treats' (calorie dense, less nutritious goodies like chocolate and cake etc) into my weekly goal, i do exercise i enjoy, i don't beat myself up if i skip a workout (though that's rare when i am training), i cook food that is yummy and fits my calories and macros.

    I get the sentiment really, but how did you find something that worked for you? A diet is a diet only if you stop, and you only stop because it doesn’t work for you. I had resolved it to be a lifestyle change but found out it didn’t work for me, and therefore it was a diet.

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    LullabyLu2016 wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    i don't get bored of it... that's why its a lifestyle not a diet.

    i fit 'treats' (calorie dense, less nutritious goodies like chocolate and cake etc) into my weekly goal, i do exercise i enjoy, i don't beat myself up if i skip a workout (though that's rare when i am training), i cook food that is yummy and fits my calories and macros.

    I get the sentiment really, but how did you find something that worked for you? A diet is a diet only if you stop, and you only stop because it doesn’t work for you. I had resolved it to be a lifestyle change but found out it didn’t work for me, and therefore it was a diet.

    trial and error really... and by realising that, as you say, doing something that doesn't work for you, doesn't work for you.

    the other thing is, the time will pass whether you are losing weight, gaining weight or maintaining... you may as well spend that time learning what to eat that works for you.

    i have a range of different pals on here - those that eat super clean, low carb, IF, and those that have no concern for macros or nutrition and just eat in a deficit.

    personally i aim for plenty of fruit and veg (most days), a decent amount of protein and fairly high fat (usually 35% of my cals) because it keeps me going. i love a cookie or bar of chocolate or a doughnut, but don't eat them often as they do nothing for satiety so generally are not 'worth' the calories for me.

    weigh and log your food, aim for a reasonable deficit (whatever this is for you depending on how much weight you have to lose) and play around with what food you enjoy that fits the calories...
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,180 Member
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    LullabyLu2016 wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    i don't get bored of it... that's why its a lifestyle not a diet.

    i fit 'treats' (calorie dense, less nutritious goodies like chocolate and cake etc) into my weekly goal, i do exercise i enjoy, i don't beat myself up if i skip a workout (though that's rare when i am training), i cook food that is yummy and fits my calories and macros.

    I get the sentiment really, but how did you find something that worked for you? A diet is a diet only if you stop, and you only stop because it doesn’t work for you. I had resolved it to be a lifestyle change but found out it didn’t work for me, and therefore it was a diet.

    I have a different view on the "lifestyle" and "diet" thing. However, I'll set that aside for now.

    When I joined MFP, I decided that I would stick to my calorie limit, I would eat whatever I wanted, and I would not waste any of my calories on anything I didn't like. That was my "diet".

    As far as exercise goes, I love being active, so I just kept on being active (walking, hiking, cycling, etc.) and the more weight I lost, the more I could be active.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    What exactly is boring you about your diet? Find that out and you'll know how to change it. Is it eating the same foods every day? Is it the repetitiveness of the process day in day out? How did you live before dieting and what would you consider "not boring"? Is there a way to do just that with slight modifications?
  • makkimakki2018
    makkimakki2018 Posts: 414 Member
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    I add more salsa, siracha, or prepare it differently...
  • thisPGHlife
    thisPGHlife Posts: 440 Member
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    People have offered really awesome advice. This is really about loving your life and eating in line with the life you want to have. Don't eliminate things all together. Try new recipes. Try a totally different cuisine. Look up some Ethiopian recipes that sounds good and give them a try.

    Also, I've noticed that sometimes I get bored when I'm being a little too strict or when I am just tired of the routine of eating better. That's when I usually will eat at maintenance calories while still continuing to work it so I can eat a free higher calorie items that don't normally make it into my daily or weekly routine. Two days ago I had a day where I was not feeling it. I had a solid bank of calories with maintenance so I ate lo mein and watched Netflix. Sometimes you just need a mini vacation. Take a mental break and then back in the house once you feel rejuvenated. Even if your break is two months, if you're eating maintenance, you should stay right around the same weight. You won't have lost your hard work but you'll have maintained your mental health.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    When I started here, I had never really “dieted” before, certainly not counting calories. I quickly realized that if I cut out foods I enjoy, I would not stick with it. So rather than cutting out foods, I focused on what I could add. More protein, more vegetables, more whole grains, more exercise, more sleep. I found that by adding things to build a healthier lifestyle, and logging accurately, I had just enough room for all the foods I really enjoy in moderation. I never gave up things like pizza, ice cream or wine. The only thing I cut was my calorie level.

    Also, if you don’t like, or get bored of eating salads and going to the gym, you don’t have to do either. You can eat any combination of foods to lose weight and there are lots of nutrient dense alternatives to salad. Exercise isn’t required to lose weight, but I do think it’s a good thing to implement if you can find something that you really enjoy. Walking, hiking, swimming, a recreational sport?

    When you’ve gotten discouraged about your new lifestyle, are you logging? Do you pre log to see how foods can fit into your day or week? I find that to be incredibly helpful when I’m just not sure what to eat - put it in the diary and see what it looks like. Would I be low on protein? Have I been hungry on days in the past when I ate those foods? Am I craving something that I want to try to find room for?
  • motivatedmartha
    motivatedmartha Posts: 1,108 Member
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    I try lots of different foods - trawl through recipes. Because I don't see it as a 'diet' I find it just as interesting and varied as it was before I joined mfp. It is easy to get into a food rut whether you're trying to lose weight or not. I find it is important to be adventurous and try new things. I don't eat limited foods, I include all foods that I enjoy, but maybe prepared differently. If I find a recipe that's too calorie laden for my taste (I now really dislike anything with too much cream or cheese) I just tweak the recipe.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Eat all the foods. Lifestyle eating does not mean all the salads. I had a bumper crop of lettuce greens from my community garden one year and after three months of healthy, crisp, lovely salads, I just...couldn't...do...it...any....more.

    I had a good long think about it and pegged the problem as boredom. I solved the problem by running a seven day project to eat a different vegetable every day that I hadn't eaten before, googling recipes as I went. It worked.

    I now include all the root vegetables and various cooking techniques so that it's not always "salads".

    I'd say the answer is a regular re-evaluation of your progress and goals, adjusting as necessary.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Oh, yeah! I do the same thing with my fitness goals. If I sense boredom stalking me, I change my routine.

    I did Zumba for months and loved it, but had to give it up because it was interfering with my other fitness goals. I graduated from 20 minutes treadmill to outdoor walking to signing up for charity walks, to running. I did an eight week Learn to Run program put on by the Running Room, struck out on my own, got up to 10 K runs, then slowed back down to 5 K's. Broke my ankle. Fumed until I was cleared for exercise again. Now I'm biking.
  • amgreenwell
    amgreenwell Posts: 1,268 Member
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    I eat everything. I don't eliminate any food groups or try to do extreme stuff. I just eat less of whatever it is I'm eating. I stay within my macros and I log all my food for the day in the morning.
    I'm sorry to hear that you've yo-yoed back and forth. It can be hard when we don't see the results we want right away. It sounds like you know what you need to do...but may have a motivation issue.
    My only advice is to spice up your eating and never eat the same thing twice in one week. Have plenty of stuff on hand so that when you need a snack, whether at work or home you can grab something healthy and less caloric.
    I've found that eating a variety and keeping it simple have helped me. I've had two babies in two years and I've gone from my most in-shape and healthy body to something I didn't even recognize. Now I'm back to close to goal weight. It's all in keeping your mind in the right place and knowing you are doing it for you. Just keep it up!
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
    edited August 2018
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    Thinking of it as small lifestyle changes and not a diet. I know you mentioned you get that already. Figure out what is boring about the way you were eating and what you were doing, and changing those things. Realizing you don't need to eat salads every day or go the gym. Just incorporate more vegetables into the meals you already eat for example. Find an activity that you enjoy.
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,088 Member
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    I tend to find replacements for certain higher calorie dense foods. I still eat the real versions, just aaalllooottt less often.
  • debrakgoogins
    debrakgoogins Posts: 2,033 Member
    edited August 2018
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    Every once in a while, I try a completely new food. I go to the farmer's market and find something I've never tried. I Google a recipe, then go for it. I try to find one more thing to make homemade that I can add to my wheelhouse. I try new fitness classes or different exercises. Turns out I like Jiu Jitsu and boxing, who knew?
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    LullabyLu2016 wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    i don't get bored of it... that's why its a lifestyle not a diet.

    i fit 'treats' (calorie dense, less nutritious goodies like chocolate and cake etc) into my weekly goal, i do exercise i enjoy, i don't beat myself up if i skip a workout (though that's rare when i am training), i cook food that is yummy and fits my calories and macros.

    I get the sentiment really, but how did you find something that worked for you? A diet is a diet only if you stop, and you only stop because it doesn’t work for you. I had resolved it to be a lifestyle change but found out it didn’t work for me, and therefore it was a diet.

    My "lifestyle change" didn't include drastic changes to what I ate. It involved changing serving size and frequency of some foods. It involved eating mindfully and relearning bad habits around stress and emotional eating. It involved increasing my activity level substantially. It involved making sure I increased my protein and fiber as they were very low in my previous life. But it did not include eating foods I didn't like or not eating foods I do like. I have a small bowl of icecream 3 or 4 times a week. I have a couple of slices of pizza per week. I have a strawberry Toaster Strudel with my breakfast on Sunday. I have fast food once or twice a week.

    I found my "diet" by logging accurately and consistently, and making notes on how the day went - when I was hungry, when I almost forgot to eat, when I was sluggish, etc. Over time I saw patterns of foods that worked for me and foods that didn't. It takes some work, but now that I've got it, I'm golden :smile:
  • VictorSmashes
    VictorSmashes Posts: 173 Member
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    I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who gave advice/tips. :3

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