Lost my appetite for healthy foods

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Replies

  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,400 Member
    ashleymcn01 wrote: »
    snowflake954 wrote: »
    I agree--make a homemade lean burger, with oven baked potato wedges. Menopause can give you cravings, so change up what you ate in the past to lose. It's hard enough without eating things you don't want. Might be time to branch out, your tastes have changed. As for sweets, portion them out. I found myself eating too much dark chocolate, so I mix up 10g of protein powder with a fourth of a glass of water, a little cinnamon, 5g of chia seeds, a few dried cranberries, and 20g of oatmeal. I put this in the frig in the morning and eat it for dessert after lunch and then make another for dinner. It satisfies a sweet craving and gives me some protein. I still eat chocolate, but have cut down.

    As we have all exchanged thoughts this morning, I do believe this is related to menopause. I just started my hormone therapy this week, so fingers crossed the lack of wanting to fix my normal recipes will diminish over time. Boy do I hope so! It's not that I just want sugary foods only, I just don't want to cook my normal stuff. My brain is full of menopause fogginess right now.

    I'm pretty much out of it--after 10 yrs. I still get hot flashes in the mornings, or evenings. They aren't as strong as before, so I've learned to live with it. I understand exactly. You just get through day to day. I would keep a wet washcloth near the bed to cool down when I got them at night. Some women have no symptoms, I had menopause from hell.
  • goal06082021
    goal06082021 Posts: 2,130 Member
    Ah, okay, sounds like hormones are once again mucking everything up, like they've been doing since you were probably ten or so. We cis ladies sure do get the *kitten* end of that stick, huh? Like, sure, testosterone is its own problem for cis men sometimes but ugh. I'm barely 30 so I don't have specific, actionable advice re: menopause, but there are a lot of awesome women around the boards that are fonts of wisdom about that.

    In the meantime, what if you went on a short diet break, and switched to maintenance calories for a week or so? Like made it your goal to maintain your current weight for a little while, instead of trying to lose?
  • ashleymcn01
    ashleymcn01 Posts: 108 Member
    goal06082021 wrote: »
    Ah, okay, sounds like hormones are once again mucking everything up, like they've been doing since you were probably ten or so. We cis ladies sure do get the *kitten* end of that stick, huh? Like, sure, testosterone is its own problem for cis men sometimes but ugh. I'm barely 30 so I don't have specific, actionable advice re: menopause, but there are a lot of awesome women around the boards that are fonts of wisdom about that.

    In the meantime, what if you went on a short diet break, and switched to maintenance calories for a week or so? Like made it your goal to maintain your current weight for a little while, instead of trying to lose?

    I've been maintaining for for about 4-5 years now, I'm happy with my weight as long as I don't let it get out of control. I did manage to fix myself a tuna wrap for lunch today. I think just talking it out on here has helped some. I'm experiencing these ridiculous changes and will most definitely scour the boards for advise from the wise ones!
  • RavenFox4
    RavenFox4 Posts: 9 Member
    I subscribed to one of those meal boxes that sent the ingredients to you to cook. Sort of got me excited to try new things and not have to make a shopping list.
  • littlegreenparrot1
    littlegreenparrot1 Posts: 694 Member
    What do you have on your oatmeal?
    I like to peel and chop an apple, the cook it with a little bit of cinnamon. Delicious on top of porridge with some nut butter. I put cocoa in it fairly regularly as well, some wintery mornings it is the only thing to have!

    My first thought when I read your post was possible symptom of depression, as that is one of the things I experience. I cannot make myself do it, and when really bad in the past have ended up eating mostly toast and biscuits for days because I couldn't summon the wherewithal for anything else.

    I try not to do that these days, but do simplify things. So if I'm feeling that way I might make a big pot of soup, or an omelette with a baked potato. Something quick with at least a bit of nutrition. Whilst not ideal it is is still significantly better than a packet of biscuits and I'm going to be kind to myself.
  • SwtHedgehog
    SwtHedgehog Posts: 173 Member
    Are you in the north? I love in WI and have found vegetables not tasty at all these days as they are old by the time we get them and are able to eat them. If that is the case, you could try adding frozen vegetables into your recipes.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,012 Member
    ashleymcn01 wrote: »
    wunderkindking wrote: »
    snowflake954 wrote: »
    It might be helpful if you tell us exactly what you are craving and eating. There might be other ways to cook what you like and cut the calorie content. I've seen many clever recipes on here. Someone might have other foods for you to try. Cravings are not bad per se--it's too much that gets you in trouble. I started here in 2013 and now eat totally differently. I want other things. I now want salads with half an orange cut up in it and just a little EVOO. I crave that. Shrug.

    also this.

    When I want chocolate (but am not having a "I want nothing but day), I throw a 40 calorie pack of reduced calorie swiss miss into my oatmeal. Savory/salty/chips? Ranch seasoning (5-10 calories, almost nothing) on my 100 calorie microwave popcorn.

    Those two products get most of my sweet/salty cravings out of the way.

    If I'm actually craving fat, though I'm probably just going with it. And I mean fat instead of 'highly palatable junk'. Which I clearly sometimes still go with.

    So the things I'm craving are definitely dessert type foods (cake, pies, cookies, brownies, etc.). I'm reaching my hand in the bag of lay's almost daily or grabbing a fun size Hershey bar. For my main meals I would prefer a homemade hamburger with potato wedges over a piece of chicken (but who wouldn't!). For dinners, I would make recipes like Latin chicken, meatloaf, lasagna, pork chops, salads, tuna, fajitas, enchiladas, chili, pastas, different types of vegetables for side dishes(broccoli, lima beans, green beans, green peas, etc.), you know, just normal foods but made lighter. And none of it sounds good any more. I am in a serious rut!

    I might just have to embrace the change in food temporarily, with the mindset that this to shall pass. :/ I think not only the change in appetite but my hormonal imbalances are to blame for the minor weight gain. Just need to get my head wrapped around it mentally.

    How is your fruit intake? A few years back (before I even pursued weight loss), I reduced my cravings for baked goods and whatnot by making it a point to get 3 servings of fruit every day, a strategy suggested by a registered dietitian. This doesn't help everyone, but I've seen others here say a similar approach helped them. It took a little willpower at first, but after a while the cravings for cookies, candy, etc., slowly withered. Later, some of the simpler grocery-store baked goods started being not even good, just too sweet and not flavorful enough. Eventually, I could reduce fruit intake, and keep that effect. I enjoy a good, rich dessert now and then, but I don't crave all of that poor-quality stuff at all, or enjoy it.

    I still have salty cravings, but since I no longer have high blood pressure, I just eat salty, calorie-appropriate things (sauerkraut, pickles, bean chips or crispy chickpeas/broad-beans that are tasty but have some nutrition, etc.) or just put some salt on my food. Again, that may not work for you, but it works for me.

    As far as menopause, it hit me quickly: Chemotherapy for breast cancer put me in menopause within a month, then I had to take ANTI-estrogen drugs for 7.5 years starting at that same time, which creates a sort of mega-menopause state.
    ashleymcn01 wrote: »
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    Shot in the dark: Are you sleeping okay? My appetite for sugar goes through the roof when I'm not getting enough sleep or poor quality sleep. All I want is candy and pastries.

    Please ignore if not relevant.

    Interesting question. I do take a quarter of a Trazadone along with Melatonin, but have been having hot flashes at night that wake me up. I feel like I'm baking at 500 degrees! So even though I sleep hard, I have been waking up numerous times to kick my leg from underneath the covers until I cool back down.

    Poor sleep quality from that can increase fatigue, which increases cravings.

    I found it helpful to get some of those gel packs (designed for icing injuries) that one can freeze, but they stay soft. I used to wrap a frozen one in a towel, and put it under my neck when I went to sleep. (One can also be put in a mini-cooler by the bed in case of needing a refresher.) Avoiding hot drinks or spicy foods before bedtime also helps some people. If you can turn on a fan at bedtime, that may help. Avoiding the wake-ups, or at least getting a longer block of sleep before they happen, can be helpful. (Better that if achievable, vs. waiting for a waking hot flash then fixing it and going back to sleep. Sleep duration is important.).

    Beyond the fatigue/sleep issue, you may also find that experimenting with your eating schedule may be helpful. My saying this is not about satiation or enjoying healthy foods per se, it's about seeing whether rearranging your fuel schedule can help level out your energy level in a way that reduces cravings.

    Even some changes in *what* you eat (macronutrient mix, specific foods) might make a difference. For example, it sounds like you're falling into the pattern of going for a quick energy boost (sweet treats) that usually is followed by a slump later. What if you tried spacing out some slower carbs (or a carb + protein slow combo) in small amounts multiple times a day? Would that help? (I'm not saying it would; I'm saying that those kinds of experiments might be helpful.)
    ashleymcn01 wrote: »
    "the good thing is, you don't need to eat 'healthy' to lose weight, you just need to eat in a calorie deficit. Short term, start with that? Also, have you cut carbs significantly? you don't need to cut carbs to lose weight."

    I wish I had cut carbs, but that is my sweet spot at the moment. I could eat oatmeal for breakfast and dinner and be content. Snack on crust-less blueberry pie and sea salt lays and I'm a happy camper. I know I'm not getting near the protein I should be.

    So eat oatmeal for breakfast and dinner, but put a good dollop of Greek yogurt or some protein powder or peanut butter powder in it, or make savory oatmeal with eggs and meat in it. Feed the carb craving some slow carbs, and sneak in some protein. I don't eat meat at all, get around 50% of calories from carbs, and still get 100g+ of protein daily in maintenance. If you like pancakes, make pancakes, but use one of the protein mixes like Kodiak. Top with lightly sweetened berries and Greek yogurt. Make some macaroni & cheese, but with red lentil pasta, some Greek yogurt, a reasonable amount of calorie efficient cheese (I find plain chevre or real parmesan quite calorie/protein/flavor efficient in reasonable portions). Eat some carbs, sneak in some protein. 😉

    As an aside: Part of the reason for fat and weight gain with aging is reduced muscle mass, which happens more quickly if (1) we don't get enough protein, and (2) we don't challenge our muscles to remind them we need them. (That last doesn't mean lifting gigantic weights, it just means routinely giving them a little useful challenge.) For us as women, improving those two things also contributes to bone health (hip fractures predict earlier mortality), and help us stay strong and independent longer, i.e., have a longer *high quality* life.

    You can make some progress on these things. Enter problem-solving mode. Try some experiments. See what helps you.

    Wishing you great success!
  • chocolate_owl
    chocolate_owl Posts: 1,695 Member
    My mom's menopause go-to was lightly salted nuts. You do need to weigh them out, but if you're craving salt + fat it's a snack that should knock that right out. Or top your salads with them, top your sauteed green beans with them, or make a rich and flavorful dish like lamb tagine where they're a garnish? You could also do some homemade trail mix and add some dark chocolate chunks to some mixed nuts, and it might cover all your bases in one go. You'll also get a bit of protein.

    Also along the fat line: we get really good at skimping on the cooking oils when we're losing, and it often stays a habit through maintenance, but maybe cooking your chicken in more olive oil or a chunk of butter would help you satisfy a craving and get your protein in?

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