how do you know what your body likes to eat?

PLEASE DON'T PERSONALLY ATTACK ME...

I am having trouble understanding what to eat/not to eat.. I really don't understand high/low carb, high/low fat, macros, etc. I really just want to understand my food choices

sometimes I respond well to certain meals like eggs and bacon or coffee with heavy cream... salad with enough nuts on it, etc.
but a lot of things make me feel bad rather than energized I guess?

but how do you find MORE foods to eat as a picky eater? I can't afford to buy stuff to taste and throw it out when I don't like it?

what does it mean if sometimes you can eat a apple and feel good but if you eat it other times with other foods you feel bad?

it feels like trying to take the simplest approach is the most confusing!


any advice on how do you LISTEN to your body like the way I described?

Replies

  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    what does it mean if sometimes you can eat a apple and feel good but if you eat it other times with other foods you feel bad?

    Maybe the apple had nothing to do with how you felt? Feelings of energy are complex, and can be affected by sleep habits, mood / stress, exercise, and your overall diet (not just your last meal). Also, if you eat too much for a meal, that could reduce energy too.
  • NonnyMary
    NonnyMary Posts: 982 Member
    sometimes its just experimenting.

    like go to a buffet where they have a milliion choices, and see what you WANT to eat. write that down. then go to the grocery store and see what you like, write that down.

    then look at what you wrote down and see if you can find a trend.
  • MissHoney26
    MissHoney26 Posts: 43 Member

    I am not asking about me, I am asking about other people... "HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR BODY LIKES TO EAT?"

    that thread attracted negative people so I started a new thread on a new topic. but thanks for trying
  • MissHoney26
    MissHoney26 Posts: 43 Member
    sometimes its just experimenting.

    like go to a buffet where they have a milliion choices, and see what you WANT to eat. write that down. then go to the grocery store and see what you like, write that down.

    then look at what you wrote down and see if you can find a trend.

    this will lead me to eat cookies and cakes, lol! ^-^ When I go to buffets I usually eat a very small plate of whatever is familiar to me. and maybe a bite or 2 of things I "try". =)

    i'm curious to find a million choice buffet though.. i went to a golden corral once, it was horrid! like a college cafeteria
  • If you go by your taste buds alone you may end up eating only junk food. It's best to eat thing from all the food groups.
  • Ed98043
    Ed98043 Posts: 1,333 Member
    Try a Chinese buffet.

    I don't understand what you mean by foods making you "feel bad". Do you mean nauseous or sleepy or what? I find that food is just food most of the time. It doesn't make me feel anything but less hungry.
  • KyliAnne26
    KyliAnne26 Posts: 209 Member
    Based on your other post, it sounds like you have a gluten sensitivity. I would try to stay gluten free, if I were you. I'll try and break this down as best I can, but I agree with other folks that say you ought to see a nutritionist or a dietician. I understand that nutrition can be a difficult thing to figure out, but it's necessary if you're really serious about losing weight and getting healthy. Making excuse after excuse for poor eating habits doesn't hurt anyone except yourself.

    I feel better when I eat healthy and exercise. By feel better, I mean I don't feel lethargic or over-full after eating, but it keeps me satiated until the next time to eat. I am able to focus on tasks at hand without feeling 'fuzzy headed' or really hyper. Regular exercise (5 times per week) has boosted my energy levels immensely, and has also helped a lot with my stress and anxiety.

    I eat about 6 times a day (That's just my choice, you don't have to do that). I'm a student, so I'm on a budget - grocery shopping and learning to cook helps a lot. Not only financially, but helps you know exactly what is in your food and what isn't. When I eat a variety of the below foods, I feel good. I try to get around 1500 calories from the below items:

    Fruits: Apples, bananas, mangos, red grapes, grapefruit, avacado
    Vegetables: peas, asparagus, baby spinach (Salads!), okra, tomatoes (I realize this is really a fruit), kale, sweet potatoes, broccoli, carrots, bell peppers
    Meat: sushi (tuna, salmon, eel), egg whites. And these things, marinated, seasoned and either baked, grilled or in a stir-fry: chicken, deer, elk, beef, pork, turkey
    Grains: Whole grain bread, tortillas, and pasta. Whole grain pancakes, waffles. Blueberry Bran muffins.
    Dairy: I love and eat all kinds of cheese, but I choose to drink almond milk instead of dairy milk - it makes me feel better.
    Misc: chocolate protein shakes (2 scoops of Warrior Food protein powder + 1 scoop 'Green Zone' nutritional supplement + 1 cup Almond milk. Quest bars.

    I feel bad when I eat a lot of these things (note, the word 'a lot', I usually can and do enjoy these in moderation):
    fried food, soda, greasy pizza or burgers, sweets and ice cream. Alcohol. (I have quit drinking beer, because it makes me feel really, really bad. But I still enjoy wine and cocktails occasionally).

    Personally, I've noticed that if I keep my carbohydrates at 125 or below, I feel better. I have more energy and my focus is better. I've also noticed, that if I try to keep my protein above 100, I stay full much longer and am rarely hungry. I started tracking my fiber intake, which I try to keep above 25grams per day and that helps me stay full as well plus is good for your digestive system.

    I know that was a lot to read, but hopefully helpful.
  • I went to a bariatric (weight loss surgery) clinic and part of their "process" is a series of steps they want you to complete before they will consider you for surgery. Part of it is changing the way you eat and they have a list of steps and I think this one could help.....

    Look at food labels and try to eat foods that have a single digit for fat and sugar, which means less than 10g per serving.

    Another thing to keep an eye on is protein - WebMD says about 46 grams per day for a woman and 56 grams per day for a man, average (something like 10-35% of your calories for the day).

    I am somewhat of a picky eater myself, so I try to do things like buy single serve items or "shop" off someone's plate at a restaurant (fortunately my husband is used to what he refers to as the "flying fork" since his mother does it too!) so I can taste things I am not sure about. I have gotten to where I eat the same breakfast most days, by experimentation. Kashi Go Lean is the highest protein cereal I could find and it isn't too bad tasting (not particularly yum, but not bleh either) and I can eat strawberries/blueberries on any day that ends in "y" LOL. The only hard part was finding milk of some sort to go with it, because I am NOT a milk person. My grocery store sells 8 oz "drink box" type milk and almond milk, so I tried them all until something worked, which is 1% vanilla flavored milk. Not a "yum what a great breakfast!" but I'm not gagging it down either. (I don't really like most "breakfast" type foods anyway, so breakfast has always been a hard one for me.) One thing I learned along the way is it isn't going to kill me if I eat something that I'm not overly fond of (I'm not doing the gag it down thing of course) or if I eat a meal that was filling but not really "wow, what a great meal!" either. Obviously I've had a LOT of "wow, what a great meal!" moments in my life but too many of them obviously made me heavier than I want to be. I need to eat to survive, not eat to enjoy everything that I eat.

    As far as foods that make you "feel bad" you probably need to keep a very detailed diary - write down what else is going on in your life. Maybe it's not the food you ate, but something that happened around the time you ate it or you ate it because of something that happened. I am primary caretaker for my handicapped mother and sometimes it feels like she's TRYING to be the most annoying person in the universe.....which makes me want to eat cookies, cookies and more cookies.
  • anemoneprose
    anemoneprose Posts: 1,805 Member
    idk what other foods bother you, but i never eat just fruits on an empty stomach or late at night (too acidic, upsets my stomach). Same for veg (too fibrous). I have those more often in the middle of the day or early evening with other foods -- cottage cheese makes digesting fruit easier for me -- or else cooked a bit (helps soften cellulose, for veg).

    If you log, and then keep track of any odd reactions in your comments, you can see patterns for yourself.

    For me, the fruit/veg thing has been obvious, like the reactions are immediate or else predictable. (But, I have IBS, so. LIke, it's obvious.)

    Might also be worth logging periods of high energy. When I used to work out kind of reasonably hard, I noticed that a big red steak about 1.5-2 hours before gave me TONS of power (for e.g. lap swimming). The difference in power and endurance between a steak and e.g. having a peanut butter sandwich (meh energy) was obvious, as well.
  • MissHoney26
    MissHoney26 Posts: 43 Member
    Try a Chinese buffet.

    I don't understand what you mean by foods making you "feel bad". Do you mean nauseous or sleepy or what? I find that food is just food most of the time. It doesn't make me feel anything but less hungry.

    Feel bad like upsetting to the stomach, not necessarily indigestion but I feel nauseous-ish like when you eat too much of one thing in a sitting, or sometimes I feel slowed down and heavy.. But its never from eating too much so I assume its due to 'what' I'm eating
  • MissHoney26
    MissHoney26 Posts: 43 Member
    idk what other foods bother you, but i never eat just fruits on an empty stomach or late at night (too acidic, upsets my stomach). Same for veg (too fibrous). I have those more often in the middle of the day or early evening with other foods -- cottage cheese makes digesting fruit easier for me -- or else cooked a bit (helps soften cellulose, for veg).

    If you log, and then keep track of any odd reactions in your comments, you can see patterns for yourself.

    For me, the fruit/veg thing has been obvious, like the reactions are immediate or else predictable. (But, I have IBS, so. LIke, it's obvious.)

    Might also be worth logging periods of high energy. When I used to work out kind of reasonably hard, I noticed that a big red steak about 1.5-2 hours before gave me TONS of power (for e.g. lap swimming). The difference in power and endurance between a steak and e.g. having a peanut butter sandwich (meh energy) was obvious, as well.

    Thank you, this sounds like something I need to learn. I'm not much of a eater so I do tend to eat everything separately... Since I was little I was like this, I'd eat some rice and turn down everything else for dinner, or vice versa I may eat just the meat for dinner, and if I find room for it I have something else from dinner later. Even when I manage to get a plate together, I tend to eat each food and rotate my plate rather than just eat like a normal person.
    And tea, I tend to eat on a empty stomach - I don't feel hunger until my stomach growls!
  • MissHoney26
    MissHoney26 Posts: 43 Member
    I went to a bariatric (weight loss surgery) clinic and part of their "process" is a series of steps they want you to complete before they will consider you for surgery. Part of it is changing the way you eat and they have a list of steps and I think this one could help.....

    Look at food labels and try to eat foods that have a single digit for fat and sugar, which means less than 10g per serving.

    Another thing to keep an eye on is protein - WebMD says about 46 grams per day for a woman and 56 grams per day for a man, average (something like 10-35% of your calories for the day).

    I am somewhat of a picky eater myself, so I try to do things like buy single serve items or "shop" off someone's plate at a restaurant (fortunately my husband is used to what he refers to as the "flying fork" since his mother does it too!) so I can taste things I am not sure about. I have gotten to where I eat the same breakfast most days, by experimentation. Kashi Go Lean is the highest protein cereal I could find and it isn't too bad tasting (not particularly yum, but not bleh either) and I can eat strawberries/blueberries on any day that ends in "y" LOL. The only hard part was finding milk of some sort to go with it, because I am NOT a milk person. My grocery store sells 8 oz "drink box" type milk and almond milk, so I tried them all until something worked, which is 1% vanilla flavored milk. Not a "yum what a great breakfast!" but I'm not gagging it down either. (I don't really like most "breakfast" type foods anyway, so breakfast has always been a hard one for me.) One thing I learned along the way is it isn't going to kill me if I eat something that I'm not overly fond of (I'm not doing the gag it down thing of course) or if I eat a meal that was filling but not really "wow, what a great meal!" either. Obviously I've had a LOT of "wow, what a great meal!" moments in my life but too many of them obviously made me heavier than I want to be. I need to eat to survive, not eat to enjoy everything that I eat.

    As far as foods that make you "feel bad" you probably need to keep a very detailed diary - write down what else is going on in your life. Maybe it's not the food you ate, but something that happened around the time you ate it or you ate it because of something that happened. I am primary caretaker for my handicapped mother and sometimes it feels like she's TRYING to be the most annoying person in the universe.....which makes me want to eat cookies, cookies and more cookies.

    Thanks. I'm not sure how my mood affects my diet, I'm not very aware of my mood at all... I'm pretty monotonous
  • MissHoney26
    MissHoney26 Posts: 43 Member
    Based on your other post, it sounds like you have a gluten sensitivity. I would try to stay gluten free, if I were you. I'll try and break this down as best I can, but I agree with other folks that say you ought to see a nutritionist or a dietician. I understand that nutrition can be a difficult thing to figure out, but it's necessary if you're really serious about losing weight and getting healthy. Making excuse after excuse for poor eating habits doesn't hurt anyone except yourself.

    I feel better when I eat healthy and exercise. By feel better, I mean I don't feel lethargic or over-full after eating, but it keeps me satiated until the next time to eat. I am able to focus on tasks at hand without feeling 'fuzzy headed' or really hyper. Regular exercise (5 times per week) has boosted my energy levels immensely, and has also helped a lot with my stress and anxiety.

    I eat about 6 times a day (That's just my choice, you don't have to do that). I'm a student, so I'm on a budget - grocery shopping and learning to cook helps a lot. Not only financially, but helps you know exactly what is in your food and what isn't. When I eat a variety of the below foods, I feel good. I try to get around 1500 calories from the below items:

    Fruits: Apples, bananas, mangos, red grapes, grapefruit, avacado
    Vegetables: peas, asparagus, baby spinach (Salads!), okra, tomatoes (I realize this is really a fruit), kale, sweet potatoes, broccoli, carrots, bell peppers
    Meat: sushi (tuna, salmon, eel), egg whites. And these things, marinated, seasoned and either baked, grilled or in a stir-fry: chicken, deer, elk, beef, pork, turkey
    Grains: Whole grain bread, tortillas, and pasta. Whole grain pancakes, waffles. Blueberry Bran muffins.
    Dairy: I love and eat all kinds of cheese, but I choose to drink almond milk instead of dairy milk - it makes me feel better.
    Misc: chocolate protein shakes (2 scoops of Warrior Food protein powder + 1 scoop 'Green Zone' nutritional supplement + 1 cup Almond milk. Quest bars.

    I feel bad when I eat a lot of these things (note, the word 'a lot', I usually can and do enjoy these in moderation):
    fried food, soda, greasy pizza or burgers, sweets and ice cream. Alcohol. (I have quit drinking beer, because it makes me feel really, really bad. But I still enjoy wine and cocktails occasionally).

    Personally, I've noticed that if I keep my carbohydrates at 125 or below, I feel better. I have more energy and my focus is better. I've also noticed, that if I try to keep my protein above 100, I stay full much longer and am rarely hungry. I started tracking my fiber intake, which I try to keep above 25grams per day and that helps me stay full as well plus is good for your digestive system.

    I know that was a lot to read, but hopefully helpful.

    Thanks its a lot of good info. I'm a student too. Im finding it really hard to make time to eat during the day, even when I manage to bring something with me it usually ends up going bad in my bag. At best, I make time for a good small breakfast