Salad, salad, more salad

MissHoney26

Hello, I'm a college student, new to paleo eating. I haven't been consistent enough to see results, but I plan to do so over my summer break. However, I have some questions that would especially help me next semester...

I wanted an easy, budget-friendly and time-friendly way to maintain my diet, and the solution I came up with is salads, 1/3 meat 2/3 greens. I would cook all my meat on the weekend then stock the fridge with tupperwares of pre-made salads. I'll have some fruit and/or eggs for breakfast.

As someone who currently has the same daily diet [bagel and coffee for breakfast, a slice of pizza for lunch and dinner with soda, maybe some M&Ms for snack], I'm not worried about getting bored as long as I have a variety of meats and greens. I just don't like *vegetables*. I've been trying out different ways to cook/eat frozen veggies with chicken but after i force it down I end up eating anything and everything else. Salads are much easier for me to enjoy and feel satisfied from (and I rarely use dressing, so I don't worry about the hidden sugars).

My question is, would I be getting 'enough' nutrients from just greens? I also like tomatoes and bell peppers on my salad or in my eggs but I haven't found any vegetables beyond those that I enjoy eating. I probably should mention that my reason for going paleo is that I have a low thyroid, I mean I am also about 10 pounds overweight but I'm not worried about that, I just want to eat as healthy as I can without torturing myself because I'm on medication (probably for life) and want the best results. I should also add that I cook with EVOO and use it as my salad dressing along with lemon juice.

Compared to my current diet, anything will provide more nutrients, but I want to be sure that I have a full spectrum of nutrients. I hate broccoli unfortunately but I love spinach especially in salad form. I only eat chicken and beef but I hope to introduce myself to fish over time.

twinmom01

Have you tried preparing veggies in different ways...

I love to roast fresh veggies (cut them into same size pieces, toss with some olive oil and some salt and pepper and bake at 375 for about 20 minutes) - and man I wouldn't touch a brussel sprout before trying to roast it and love them now - same goes with broccili and cauliflower...

Greens are always good...but be careful as some greens have shorter life spans then others...I never get a big of mixed greens because inveitably one of the lettuces start to wilt and get slimy beofre the rest - I usually get baby spinach and another type of green (usually either romaine or arugula) and mix them together for salads.

What I have a tendancy to do is cook up a protien for dinner and make sure I cook enough for an extra serving...easy enough to add it to a salad for lunch the next day.

as far as snacks - nuts, my go to lately has been guacamole - I found some 100 calorie packs of Wholly Guacamole - easy to throw in my lunch bag along with either some baby carrots or cut up red pepper strips

IAmABetterMe

I have a thyroid issue also....I tend to be more of a gatherer than a hunter although I do a small amount of meat... more fish.

sapalee

Sounds like you've got a plan. The only problem I've run across with salads is they can run pretty low calorie depending on what you put on them. I'd just keep tracking your calories for a little while after the switch to make sure you're not dropping too low. I love hard boiled eggs and sunflower seeds as toppers. And yeah, keep experimenting with veggies, odds are your tastes will change.

GalaxyDuck

One of the things I noticed when I transitioned to eating clean and then eating paleo/primal is that my tastes changed dramatically. Things that I previously disliked when eating SAD (Squash & Turnips, I'm thinking of you!), I've grown to love now. Things I loved before (tostitos nachos) taste like crap to me now (seriously, all I taste is salt when I try them now). When you are eating real foods, you won't be eating such high levels of sodium/salt & sugar. Gradually your taste buds will change and you will probably start to really enjoy the taste of real food.

So my suggestion is to stick with your plan for a good month or more, and then start trying different veggies, ways to prepare them, etc. You may be pleasantly surprised with what you come to love! I used to hate the taste of parsnips and now they are my favorite part of roasted veggies and stews because they add a sweetness.