I think I might cry

Cc215

I decided tonight was Chinese takeaway night. I was hungry - so I ordered my favourite starter as well as main.

The starter was suddenly far too fatty to enjoy.

The main, way too salty!!

I know this is a good thing. I just want to believe that it is a good thing. Chinese food night was always my favourite night. I feel so let down (even though I know I should be doing a happy jig right now!), because this was treat night!

I know I sound stupid - actually make that insane! But food has been such a big part of my life for a very long time. And, I still love food. I'm just not sure where to go from here - suddenly my favourite foods aren't nice, but seeds and pulses and all the other stuff that I was avoiding by being here (I mean I should be able to eat what I want as long as I hit my goals - right? And eating seeds is like force feeding myself cardboard).

My taste buds are obviously changing. But I'm bit yet ready to live on rabbit food. Had anyone else
Felt like this? What foods did you find helped you at this point?

shabaity

Well you could always learn to make these things yourself that way you can control what is going into it.

Liftng4Lis

There is nothing wrong with Chinese food, Love it! (personally I need to watch sodium so I just drink extra water when I choose it). There is no "bad" food, you just need to monitor portions. Keep your choices within your caloric allotment and you're golden.

persistentsoul

Don't cry. If hate seeds then I would just not eat them. If really want to eat them then mix in to something to make them more palatable or sprinkle on a salad. I sometimes put seeds in my coffee grinder (without coffee) to make them in to a powder that I can easily mix in to something else.
I agree , cook things the way you like them to make your own versions of your old favourites or find new favourites. Alternatively you could eat smaller portions of the standard stuff you got from take out and maybe mix in some added plain steamed veg for example to dilute the fat and salt that now seems too much for you.

mom2_4gr8kids

I understand how you feel! I wanted something "bad" on my birthday, but not too bad. So I decided on Panda Express, teriyaki chicken bowl with white rice. I was salivating by the time we got home, smelling it was pure torture. Then I was so disappointed when it didn't taste as good as I remembered. We had learned to make something similar at home, and I prefer our version now. Much less salt, better portion control, and so much cheaper! We were so miserable after eating that dinner, I won't be going back.

I think it's a good thing! All of the fast food restaurants around us are going to miss our money, we've discovered homemade can be better than eating out. Now I just need to learn how to make a good pizza...

DianaMHicks

Hi, saw your post . . .did you log what you ate into MFP. . .did it fit within your eating plan? If it fit, then you don't need to worry or cry . . .I've lost over 75lbs by making what I eat fit into my eating plan. I eat hamburgers, krispy crème doughnuts, Chinese food, hoagies, bacon, everything I want to eat. I never diet, if it fits, its what I eat:)

debubbie

I can understand where you are coming from because some of my favorite foods from before I committed myself to this journey no longer seem to taste like I remember them to taste. Especially Dr. Pepper, I get one now and it tastes way too sweet and syrupy. It is upsetting that you are thinking about it as a treat and you have worked hard to work it into your calorie budget and then it tastes weird to you! I just try to find a new versions of my former comfort foods that are healthy and taste better to my taste buds. As for the seeds, I like to sprinkle a few on my salads everyday.

3laine75

I know how you feel. I usually have just a tiny bit of rice piled high with chicken curry in one of those wee Chinese bowls and fill the rest of my plate with a huge salad and maybe 4 or 5 chips.

When I felt like pigging out one night and had it the old way - rice and chips piled high and no sign of a veggie - I could not eat it, I just find it tasteless like that now.

wkay99

You might try asking them to hold the sauce or give it to you on the side like a salad. Some chinese restaurants will accomodate. I agree that once you start watching sodium etc things suddenly taste more salty etc. That's not a bad thing, just try experimenting with asking for different service options. It'll be harder on Chinese, but not impossible. Is a lot easier to fix it yourself, however.:happy:

layny

My downfall was always pastries, cakes, donuts etc but now I can't eat them because all I can taste now is the high levels of fats. On the plus side home made spicy food now tastes delicious. So maybe try adding a bit of zing to seeds, pulses, beans etc may help you?

HellaCarriefornia

The OP isn't worried about calorie count here. When you start eating healthier, you become more used to that and the favorite thing you used to enjoy now just taste salty and fatty and too sweet and generally gross. But, you remember enjoying them so much and you want to continue to enjoy them, but the taste just isn't the same.

OP, I can totally relate. A coke used to be the best thing ever - crisp and bubbly and refreshing. Now it's like drinking straight syrup. It is so disappointing! Especially when your brain and taste buds are expecting the satisfaction you used to get and it never comes. (I hate the after taste of diet, so that doesn't work for me.) I also planned to have Taco Bell one day (another one that was a favorite of mine) and I couldn't finish what I ordered. It all just tasted horrible.

But, try to find new favorites at your favorite places. For Chinese food, I now prefer things that aren't as heavily breaded like cashew chicken or mushroom chicken. I find myself ordering fish at restaurants I used to go crazy at and really enjoying it. While you're drawn to your usual old favorites, browse the menus and see if there is something else that you might want to try. Best of luck!

[ed: typo]

KTPott33

Well you could always learn to make these things yourself that way you can control what is going into it.

This is what I'd recommend as well! Not as much preservatives will go into your food, you can make it SO much healthier, and I personally think food tastes better when it's homemade! Its made with love!

gothchiq

Yep it's like that. Things you formerly thought were ok or even great, now taste like mashed butt! The solution is to get an Asian cookbook, or google the foods, figure out how to make the foods at home, and then do them in a lighter version. Cooking is a lot of fun, and lightening up favorite recipes is a big triumph. A good recipe site is skinnytaste.com and there is also Cooking Light.

Gangwolf

As you can see you're not alone...this happens to everyone who starts to get healthier eating habits. I used to enjoy the occasional bout of fast food but now I can't come within a light year of the stuff or I stay sick for three days. But I'd definitely go with trying to make your favorite "bad" foods in a healthier way -- you will definitely find that this works, although it will take some trial and error.

ajff

Yes.

Last week.

With Rolos. Man, I just wanted ONE of my kids' pieces of candy. Ewh. Why? Why when I've been craving something sweet does the only thing available have to be.... pedestrian and not fantastic?

phyllb

That is great news that your taste buds are changing presumably to healthy foods. Chinese take away is junk. Worse than macdinalds. So yes I understand why you are crying but envy you, hope I will get there one day

Artionis

I rejoiced when a Costco polish dog tasted greasy and disgusting. Your palate is no longer being overwhelmed by fat and salt. Now you can begin to savor farm- or sea-to-table fresh food, properly seasoned. It's the new yum.

alereck

When I first started calorie counting I went a while without eating anything "bad". I too felt the way you did, the whole thing changed once I started implementing cheat meals to my week. Now I do two a week but when cutting I did once a week and it kept me sane and my metabolism up.

Has it been really long since you had chinese or a good cheat meal? It worked for me, maybe if you try incorporating one once a week your taste buds will allow you to enjoy these types of food again like it did me. The first few times even my digestive system felt out of sync and I will be bloated for days.

Don't be afraid of the extra calories on cheat meals, when cutting I would lose an additonal pound or two the week after a good cheat meal. Good luck and well done with eating healthier.

doctorregenerated

The real issue here seems to be that food used to be a treat for you, but now it is something else. You can no longer turn to it in the same way to give you the feel-goods. At least not the same feel-goods.
Find something else to treat yourself with while you rediscover your relationship with food.

zyxst

No, OP. I've never had something I really wanted, but hadn't had in a long time, and found out it tastes like garbage (fatty, salty, etc.). My taste buds must still be dead from 18 years of smoking.

Francl27

I haven't experienced that yet, I don't think my taste buds have changed one bit, but you don't have to live on rabbit food. Heck, I almost never have rabbit food.

tmauck4472

I pulled into Burger King tonight to order a Whopper Jr. and drove around and right back out. It really didn't sound all that good. Came home had tuna salad with red apple and a slice of my amazing cheesecake and still have a few calories left to use. I may or may not use them but the fact is YES your taste buds do change. I agree to find a way to make it at home to your taste and not so much sodium. I love the egg drop soup, good protein also and not as much sodium. It is sad to you because it was something you always enjoyed, now you will something else to enjoy just as much...good luck

janine2355

I haven't experienced that yet, I don't think my taste buds have changed one bit, but you don't have to live on rabbit food. Heck, I almost never have rabbit food.

DITTO to what she said.

cwolfman13

don't be so dramatic...I eat very healthfully but not remotely like a rabbit. Healthful foods prepared properly are delicious...far more delicious than the slop they try to pawn off as Chinese food in most establishments. You can eat awesome and healthful food without eating like a rabbit...please...

CyberEd312

Yeah this will never happen to me... I don't put foods into categories of good vs. bad or healthy vs. not healthy... The only foods that I refuse to eat are those that I just flat out do not like... My taste buds still enjoy everything I like before when I weighed over 500 pounds the only difference is that now I know when enough is enough and I eat within my caloric intake... I refuse to eat seeds or rabbit food for the sake of someones made up list of things to eat and things to avoid... This is a lifestyle journey now and if I want something that I like then I will make it fit... Best of Luck though

gypsy_spirit

Yeah this will never happen to me... I don't put foods into categories of good vs. bad or healthy vs. not healthy... The only foods that I refuse to eat are those that I just flat out do not like... My taste buds still enjoy everything I like before when I weighed over 500 pounds the only difference is that now I know when enough is enough and I eat within my caloric intake... I refuse to eat seeds or rabbit food for the sake of someones made up list of things to eat and things to avoid... This is a lifestyle journey now and if I want something that I like then I will make it fit... Best of Luck though

I agree. I haven't given up anything. I have learned how to make it fit in my calories/macros for the day. Everything tastes the same. Thank goodness!

LAT1963

You know, its possible that the restaurant cooks just screwed up that night.

Learn to cook your own Chinese food, then you have control over the quality and can adjust the salt to your liking.

Kalikel

After you switch to healthier food and partake of boxed, frozen or restaurant meals, all you taste is SALT. Our entire continent is so salt-crazy that when people leave the salt out, we think, "Oh, this needs salt!" It's just how our taste buds are.

I couldn't believe how salty the Stouffer's Salisbury steak was when I had a nibble. Couldn't even eat it. The salt was too overpowering. I wish they'd make more stuff without the salt, but most people wouldn't buy it. Don't expect a change there, lol.

You are not alone. Other people have had that experience.

I never wanted to cry, lol, but it is disappointing to eat something you think you love and then find out you no longer like it because all you taste is salt.

On the bright side, a low sodium diet is good for you.

randomtai

Yeah this will never happen to me... I don't put foods into categories of good vs. bad or healthy vs. not healthy... The only foods that I refuse to eat are those that I just flat out do not like... My taste buds still enjoy everything I like before when I weighed over 500 pounds the only difference is that now I know when enough is enough and I eat within my caloric intake... I refuse to eat seeds or rabbit food for the sake of someones made up list of things to eat and things to avoid... This is a lifestyle journey now and if I want something that I like then I will make it fit... Best of Luck though

All of this!

jjscholar

Any sort of take out food can be a bit salty. At least that is the way it is in America.

RHachicho

First of all don't panic. I think you just shocked your system because you are still making the mistake of living on "Diet" food that and let's be honest with each other here .. you don't plan on sustaining.

Thing is yeah Chinese takeaway food is really fatty and salty depending on the quality of your local. And since you have been living on .. as you put it .. rabbit food yeah i can imagine that you found going straight to Chinese unpalatable.

You have to find more of a balance in your nutrition. You really REALLY don't have to live on seeds and pulses and cardboard and rabbit food to lose weight. And even if you do as soon as you stop and go back to your old ways you will just regain all the weight anyway. If so what are you suffering for?

You need to look at how you eat everyday and find tasty healthy foods to eat. Learn to cook and prepare your own food. And trust me food can TOTALLY be healthy and tasty at the same time.

A temporary ban on stuff like sweets or cakes can be good for some people to allow them to form healthy eating habits. But you have abandoned everything with an ounce of taste. This is a seriously bad attitude to food and needs to stop. For your own sake.