How do I eat healthy??
joneswife09
Posts: 207 Member
I am completely at a loss. I was never raised to eat healthy. Actually as a child my favorite food was mac and cheese and we had it every meal. I didn't like veggies and I didn't like very much meat. I ate mashed potatoes and mac and cheese. So healthy huh? Well I do eat more healthy now, but honestly I really don't know what healthy is. Is that bad to admit? I see some of the things people on here are eating and I think to myself ... "Am I honestly supposed to eat that and be satisfied?" I can't just eat a protein bar and call it lunch. I can't just eat a piece of toast and a few pieces of fruit and be full. It just doesn't work. I don't have too much trouble keeping my carbs under, but my fat is so hard for me. Another that is way hard for me is sodium. I try to watch it, but it seems like I never have very much left over for my supper. GRR...I really want to know what it feels like to eat healthy (I am eating more healthy that I used to by portioning), but I just don't know how. I do read labels. I understand how that works, but I guess I'm such a picky eater that this becomes so hard for me. My husband and I went to the store to look for some healthy things for me to take to work. Either it wasn't healthy or I was too picky to eat it. The healthy items look so good, but I just don't like them. I am at a loss of what to do. Since starting I have just kept eating most of the same things with a lot smaller portion, but I want to eat healthy too. Please offer any suggestions that you might have. I really want to do this the right way. I'm not looking for specific percentages or so much of this and so much of that because I know it depends on the person. I just want an idea of things that are really good fillers with low fat and low sodium. Thanks for any help! I really do appreciate it.
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By looking at your diary it seems that you eat a lot of carbs and not the good kind. Try switching to multi grain or whole wheat. Also you should try eating more fresh fruits and veggies, they are better for you and keep you full longer. Lean protein is also the way to go, chicken/turkey breast, fish and lean red meat once a week! Good Luck!0
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Protein (chicken, fish; tuna is my favorite lunch idea) and fiber (wheat bread, fruits, etc) are terrific fillers. I will typically have a fat-free yogurt and banana for breakfast at 9:00 a.m. and am rarely hungry by lunch (although I do eat lunch, sometimes a small one, because you have to keep your body fueled to keep burning the calories). Peanut butter with apples is a great, filling afternoon snack, and grilled chicken, turkey, fish or even red meat occasionally keeps me full from dinner without snacking before bed (hard habit for me to break!). Hope this helps! ♥0
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One thing that I like is Fiber One Muffins. They are pretty filling and they are much better for you than a regular muffin. This doesn't hold me over for the entire morning, but I eat one usually around 8-9 and drink coffee & try to drink a bunch of water. This will usually hold me over till about 11, when I have a light & fit fat free yogurt. Between thse two I"m good till lunch.
It's hard to break the habit of fattening food, I really think its addicting, but once you give your body time to adjust to healthy food that is higher in fiber, like more fruits & vegetables and whole grains, you will notice that you will feel better. Especially your digestion & regularity.
Don't try to make a drastic change all at once, becasue you won't stick to it. Start small with something like whole grain bagles with low fat cream cheese, or whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce instead of regular pasta with cream sauce. If you start to slowly incorporate it, it will give you time to adjust.0 -
I didn't like veggies and I didn't like very much meat.
I think we have a problem if you exlude plants and animals from your diet...
So do you like fish:
Talipia, salmon, cod, flounder, etc... Talapia is very healthy (IMHO), low in calories and very filling. I pan sear mine with just Salt and pepper (in PAM).
Beef: Rib eye trimmed sliced browned in pan (add one onion and one each of green, orange, red, yellow bell peppers (sliced). Eat like fajitas without the wraps.
Chicken breats: butterflied, seasoned and broiled in the oven both side 4 to 6 minutes.
Turkey breasts or ground turkey...
Veggies?? I loved many steamed veggies like: carrots, aspergaus (sp?), caluiflower, brocolli, green beans.
Also the beans: Black, kidney, butter, navy, pinto, etc...
But if you exclude all of this then I don't know...0 -
FWIW - when I started MFP I made a list of all the foods I like. I was surprised at the amount. I then sat down and made a list each night of what I would eat the next day. I focused on calories. I tried to track carbs, protein, etc but drove my self nuts. I focus on the calories and what I like and what I can eat the next day. i did not want incorporate a bunch of new foods I may/may not eat. Focusing on calories helped me to eat less and eat more healthy. Anyways FWIW. Stick with it and you will see results ..fast!0
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I hated eating healthy, and didn't like many fruits and veggies, but I started eating them slowly (with cheats). I would have broccoli with italian dressing, and slowly used less and less, until I started to like it plain. Same thing with asparagus - now I roast them with galic and olive oil (on 400 for about 10-12 mins) then add some lemon. Yum! I can't stand yogurt, but will try to eat it with fruit and flax seed so it's a parfait. I eat a 1/2 c strawberries and a 1/2 c blueberries with fat free reddi whip... Make small alterations until you start to like it, and then can even slowly cut out the cheats. You can't change everything all at once or it will be very hard, and you'll be miserable. Hope that helps...0
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I would suggest starting slow. Making a few changes a week and then adding more as you find ones you can live with. Since the love of "all things healthy" is not where you are at trying to change all at once may be too much for you. Make three goals a week and work towards them. At the end of the week look back and see if those things are changes you can live with. If they are keep them as new habits and make new goals. If they are not, re-evaluate, do you want to try the same goals again and see if it gets better? or do you want to try again with something new. Changing a lifestyle is hard work, don't give up!0
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If you really want to make a change, go to www.myfoodlovers.com. Being on this site is great to track your food, water and exercise however if you don't have a "food plan" and it doesn't sound like you do, it would be much easier for you to get help. Food Lovers is an awesome program that I've been on since October and I've lost 69 lbs. There is no frozen food, no meetings. In fact, they have a fantastic website with a community that is extremely knowledgeable and supportive. The program teaches you how to eat Mac & Cheese, burgers, pizza, etc. but in a more healthy way. There are lots of recipes and a new way of cooking, weighing, measuring that you would love. We basically eat everything we used to eat with some tweaks. There is absolutely no need to eat a luna bar for lunch, as a matter of fact, I have one of those for a snack once a day that's it. I still eat popcorn but it's either Orville Redenbacher's 100 calorie bags or Trader Joe's white cheddar popcorn. It's a lifestyle change but it doesn't have to be a death sentence. If you check out the website and have questions, email me. I'd be more than willing to answer your questions and help you out. You can also check out my food diary which is open to the public. I'm boosting today so my numbers are a bit off but this will help trick my body and get the scale moving.0
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I have the same problem, I was raised the exact same way mostly meat and potatoes, fast food, whatever my mom could cook the fastest. I have just been trying new things discovering what things I can tolerate what I cant, trying to switch to whole grains, using ground turkey or chicken, I have pretty much cut out red meat using what they call good fats like olive oil, Ive started cooking with more spices besides salt and pepper, baking instead of frying just little things like that Ive still have alot to learn but I love some of the recipes people put on this website and if you drink alot of water like everyone says eventually you get use to the smaller portions
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I didn't like veggies and I didn't like very much meat.
I think we have a problem if you exlude plants and animals from your diet...
So do you like fish:
Talipia, salmon, cod, flounder, etc... Talapia is very healthy (IMHO), low in calories and very filling. I pan sear mine with just Salt and pepper (in PAM).
Beef: Rib eye trimmed sliced browned in pan (add one onion and one each of green, orange, red, yellow bell peppers (sliced). Eat like fajitas without the wraps.
Chicken breats: butterflied, seasoned and broiled in the oven both side 4 to 6 minutes.
Turkey breasts or ground turkey...
Veggies?? I loved many steamed veggies like: carrots, aspergaus (sp?), caluiflower, brocolli, green beans.
Also the beans: Black, kidney, butter, navy, pinto, etc...
But if you exclude all of this then I don't know...
I know it sounds crazy, but I don't like fish. My husband and I went on the Daniel's Fast for the 21 day period a while back. This whole fish thing doesn't work for me. The only type of red meat I will eat is a hamburger. I don't like steaks at all. Lean or not. I love cauliflower, but as far as veggies thats about it. I do love salads too. I don't like cooked veggies at all. I also don't like beans. Also while on that fast we tried veggie burgers made out of our own beans. I couldn't even eat it. I hate beans! Yuck! Why am I like this? I really hate it. I do. I cried one night to my husband because I was so upset that I don't like any foods. It really got to me. I want to eat healthy yet I don't like healthy food. :sad:0 -
Thank you all for your suggestions. They really do help. I'm not trying to make excuses for my eating. I just really don't know how to eat right. As a 22 year old, thats a little hard to admit. Would Tuna and wheat crackers be an okay lunch? Any suggestions? I was going for a subway sandwich, but its just not looking quite as healthy as I used to think it was.0
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On the veggies - I eat what I like. I don't like many cooked veggies, but like them raw. However, I like them raw with dip. I have found I will eat most raw veggies with vinegar and it is great. I love salad - with dressing and I'm very particular about my dressings. Seems I'm a vinegar fan. I have just switched to getting lighter dressing - viniagarettes are my fave. I actually like salad with just lemon juice on it.
I can't help ya with the meat - I love meat. I just try to eat better for me things with it.
I would try the website someone mentioned about making the things you love, just healthier. I think I'm going to look into it too.
If you like the breakfast bars and stuff, you can find a recipe to make your own using whole wheat flour and oats and fresh fruits or whatever. Things like that will help out with the sodium.
Do you like fruits? I know they are higher in sugar than veggies, but they are still better than some alternatives.
Good luck, look around online to find some creative alternatives. You've got some good advice here too.0 -
mashed caluiflower is really really good. It looks and tastes like mashed potatoes.
about a year ago or so....
one night for dinner my son saw me steaming caluiflower while I was making dinner. when I was done making dinner and had it on the plate, he had been eating the mashed caluiflower then asked hey mom can I have some of the caluiflower you made with dinner please.
I told him he has it. He said no I have a tuna steak and mashed potatoes so can I please have some caluiflower with this.
I then told him that what he thought was mashed potatoes was the caluiflower, he was totally shocked and loved it.0 -
I too was raised on meat, potatoes, pasta...stuff like that...SO I can feel where you are coming from. BUT, when I moved out, I started eating an array of things I never thought I would like. If I didn't like it the first time, I would try to experiment with it in other ways...I am now not just a corn eater. I eat broccoli,cauliflower,fresh green beans,asparugus..heck I even eat spinach....Its all how you cook it or what you dip it in. I see in your food diary that you eat those fruit cups..Maybe buy some fresh fruit and make a nice fruit salad for a snack instead...For breakfast I usually stick with 4 different meals. 1.) Oatmeal with a cup of 1% milk. 2.) Cinnamon Raisin Toast with a cup of milk 3.) 2 scrambled egg whites with 1 slice of toast with milk 4.) Peanutbutter toast with 1 banana sliced on it with my coffee..Oh and I drink a cup of coffee every morning. Now for lunch, I usually never stray from it. I usually eat a nice salad with tomatoes and the Spicy Tuna in the pouch. If you don't like canned tuna I suggest trying the ones in the pouches..the herb and garlic is good too. After I get done with my salad I eat a yogurt or a piece of fruit. For supper, I eat whatever I cook for my husband and daugther, BUT i downsized my plate so my portions are more of what they are supposed to me. Remember, you can eat anything BUT in moderation. And keep experimenting with the fruits and vegs...and try more than 1 kind of fit. Catfish is my fav. Not too fishy...and Shrimp is great too....One of my favorite things to do with asparagus is to steamit...put a little butter on it than sprinkle it with some parmesan..YUM!.....0
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First of all you are taking steps and that is awesome! Give yourself a pat on the back for that. You are taking the initiative to educate yourself and change! AWESOME! Secondly, take small steps and change one thing a week. It will take time to get use to eating differently. You can't be a health nut over night! Eat what you like and what is in season. You can use loads of seasonings without adding sodium or calories. I love to put garlic powder and onion powder on everything. If you don't like certain veggies raw try them slow roasted or BBQ (Think roasted bell peppers). Instead of white potatoes use sweet potatoes. Or Gold potatoes and 1/2 it with mashed cauliflowers and mashed carrots. Use non-fat plain yogurt in place of mayo, sour cream, and butter. Omit cheese, you honestly won't notice it's gone. Make sure all your grains are 100 whole wheat NOT enriched or bleached. Read read read labels. Look for things like high fructose corn syrup, modified corn starch, or corn syrup; if it's in it don't buy it! You can still eat yummy foods that you love, just make them healthy. For instance, my kids love fish sticks. Last night I made fish sticks and a mixed salad for dinner with a delic sesame sauce all very low in cal and fat. (If you want recipe I'll post )You are doing great keep up the great work! :flowerforyou: 0
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What items from each food group do you enjoy eating most or are willing to try? (Grains, Lean Proteins, Dairy, Fruits, Veggies, Oils&Sugars)0
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A good place to start would be the "Cook This, Not That" book. I started by refusing to deep fry anything. I switched all of our pasta to whole wheat. I keep only extra-virgin olive oil and canola oil. I use Miracle Whip, or Dijon mustard instead of regular mayo on sandwiches, I "hide" vegetables in just about everything. I started with Healthnut bread, now I make my own bread. Stop buying soda pop. Read lables, try to avoid hydrogenated anything, high-fructose corn syrup and colors with numbers. I personally try to avoid artifical sweetners too, but that's a personal choice. I keep a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips to help with the sweet tooth. I usually will have 1-2 Tablespoons when I have a craving. Log EVERYTHING, otherwise it sneaks up on you.0
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What items from each food group do you enjoy eating most or are willing to try? (Grains, Lean Proteins, Dairy, Fruits, Veggies, Oils&Sugars)
I eat Kashi Go Lean Cereal many mornings. I can do grains. I really don't like meat. The only type of meat that I really go for is boneless chicken breast. I love love love cheese. I eat string cheese maybe even a little too much. I like fruit - pineapple, grapes, bananas, oranges, apples, mangoes, etc. I like cauliflower, corn, potatoes, celery and that's about it. I can stand to eat green beans if I have to. I don't really do much dessert. I don't mind dessert, but it doesn't take much for me to look past it. We use mainly olive oil if we are cooking a meal. We are getting away from frying and doing more baking, broiling, and toasting.0 -
You have done great to take the first step and that is acknowledging that you want/need to make improvements. I agree with everyone on here by starting with just little things. Cut down your portion sizes, Im not saying halve them overnight, but cut down slowly, and you may not even notice you are doing so. Get yourself a smaller plate, it fools your mind into thinking you still have a full size portion
Paul McKenna says to try and eat without distractions, i.e. not while watching the telly, reading or on tinternet, which is what I am doing at the moment I tried this and it does work, your mind is listening to what your stomach is telling you, not what is on the telly.
If you cook a lot, get yourself a low fat cookbook which has healthy versions of all your favourite recipes in. Someone on here posted a recipe for healthier macaroni cheese the other day. I dont call myself a great meat eater, but I do like chilli and spag bol, so I try and make healthier versions by rinsing the mince in boiling water once its cooked to rinse the fat off.
With vegetables its all a matter of experimenting with dressings, seasonings and the way they are cooked. Im not a great veggie eater but I love roasted veggies which have already been mentioned, cooked with a little olive oil and whichever spices I fancy that day, I sometimes eat them with cuscus as a meal, mmm yummie. I dont like spinach cooked but I love it raw, I eat it as a salad item with chopped peppers, celary, spring onions, with some low fat salad dressing and a protein of my choice, usually cottage cheese or some cooked ham.
People on here are wonderful for giving advice and tips on what to eat and how to cook and prepare stuff. I apologise if I have repeated something that someone has already mentioned, I only skimmed through the posts quickly. Ask as many questions as you want, people are glad to help.
And remember, you are doing really well, small steps and you will get there.
Best wishes0 -
How do I eat Healthy. Good question yet the answer is so conflicted with overwhelming information, it drives people crazy.
The short answer is this.. Eating healthy means eating clean. Eating clean means not eating foods that are prepackaged, fast food, high in saturated fat, full of sugar and filled with engineered preservatives.
So then what do you eat?!?!?!
That's the overwhelming part. Not so much, but the foods that are good for you can cost a little extra out of your pocket. And all though a sweet potatoe is good for you. What the hell are you gonna have with it to make it fun to eat and delicious?
So that's where you have to take it upon yourself to do a little research. I think learning and understanding the fundamentals of Nutrition is the equivlent to handing someone a fishing pole instead of a fish dinner. WIth that understanding, knowing how to eat healthy becomes a whole lot simpler.
I suggest looking at the diets of fitness experts and bodybuilders. They have some of the cleanest diets on the face of the planet. I'm not saying to eat like a bodybuilder, I'm simply saying that you take a look at the foods they eat.
Also.. Mashed potatoes.. nothing wrong with a serving of mashed potatoes. But there is definitely something wrong with 5 servings of mashed potatoes. Eating healthy is also about portion control and Calorie counting.
Honestly, it does take some time to learn how to eat healthy so dont get frustrated.
Good luck0 -
You got yourself the makings of a lovely fruit salad with your choice of fruits there, fling on a low fat topping of your choice and you have a great desert or breakfast.
How do you cook your chicken? I like mine done in my george foreman, keeps it moist but crispy on the outside, you can even stick some veggies in the george, they come out like roasted ones, peppers, onions, mushrooms, anything else.
Keep us informed how you are getting on, we are always here to help.0 -
Lean proteins and unprocessed foods will help you keep your carbs and sodium down. The table salt you may add is nothing compared to what you'd find in processed food. Plus, the more lean protein you eat the more satiated you will feel (satisfied). Proteins include eggs, fish, beans, milk, yogurt, as well as chicken, beef, pork and cheese. If possible, stay away from meat that you purchase frozen because most of these are packed in some kind of sodium. I think that processed foods contain more calories than foods in their more natural state....and sodium, and preservatives....even if they are easier to log. I stopped eating cereal in the morning because it seemed that I could lower my morning calorie load while boosting my protein intake. Hard boiled eggs seem to hold be for a long time and are only 60 or 70 calories each. It helps a lot to cook at home. I peeked at your diary and saw that you ate at Red Lobster. Red Lobster is a great choice is you skip the bread and pastas. Pretty much any protein there is a, relatively, good choice!0
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You got yourself the makings of a lovely fruit salad with your choice of fruits there, fling on a low fat topping of your choice and you have a great desert or breakfast.
How do you cook your chicken? I like mine done in my george foreman, keeps it moist but crispy on the outside, you can even stick some veggies in the george, they come out like roasted ones, peppers, onions, mushrooms, anything else.
Keep us informed how you are getting on, we are always here to help.
We have a little toaster oven thing...haha. I don't even know what it's called. My husband is the cook. We put the chicken in there. We never fry our chicken. We cut it up into bite size pieces and eat it with different seasonings making sure not to add salt to it, but when I put it in my food diary it always seems to have a ton of salt even when we don't add it in. Is that normal?0 -
I make a really healthy mac and cheese and an awesome low fat mashed potato.
Have some fun with taking the foods you like to eat and changing them up a bit to make them more figure and heart friendly.
Use the food tracker here and keep an eye on your totals at the bottom.
If you are a little heavy on the carbs for the day, have some protein for dinner.
I personally am consistently over on my protein and under on my carbs.
When I take the time to level them out, I have a sure thing loss the next day.
I have really gotten into the food network and have come accross some great recipe sites here like recipezaar, spark people, all recipes, and maybe someone will post some others.0 -
We have a little toaster oven thing...haha. I don't even know what it's called. My husband is the cook. We put the chicken in there. We never fry our chicken. We cut it up into bite size pieces and eat it with different seasonings making sure not to add salt to it, but when I put it in my food diary it always seems to have a ton of salt even when we don't add it in. Is that normal?
You need to be careful what type of chicken you're buying. Almost all frozen chicken is infused with salt water, it makes the pieces look larger and it keeps longer that way. Fresh chicken isn't quite as bad for that, but it still sometimes happens.
I buy the superstore brand boneless/skinless frozen chicken, it has almost no salt added to it. I live in Canada, though.0 -
Kashi Go Lean cereal + non fat milk + banana
Whole wheat english muffin, egg whites, and 1oz slice of cheddar cheese
Whole wheat english muffin or toast, hard boiled eggs, and a side of pineapple
Whole wheat bagel, low fat cream cheese, or peanut butter and a side of fruit
PB&J with a glass of milk
Oatmeal
Celery, peanut butter and raisins
Cheese stick, grapes and/or half small apple, with or without 5 crackers
Baby carrots and/or celery (prepare these in baggies ahead of time so you can grab and go)
Apple with peanut butter
Mango with splash of lime and little salt possibly chile powder? (same for cucumbers, jicama, watermelon, melon, oranges, etc)
Yogurt + fruit + wheat toast
Baby spinach salad with sliced strawberries, raw walnuts, and raspberry vinaigrette (some add feta or dried cranberries instead of strawberries)
Tilapia fillets(rinse well) add lime, adobo goya the one with red cap, and grill it (i swear it tastes like chicken), serve it with a pico de gallo and oven baked corn tostadas like Sanissimo
Greek chicken, potatoes and steamed veggies
Endless possibilities with chicken. Potatoes and corn are very starchy. So if you cook them try not to eat rice, bread or pasta with it.
I grill chicken in large batches at the beginning of the week and use it for sandwiches, salads, wraps, tacos and quesadillas.
This is kind of random and all over the place but it has some of the foods you like, and Im suggesting some you may like.0 -
Chavez Curse! That was wonderful. I loved the ideas. Sounds great. Very helpful. Thank you for taking the time to respond to my question. Seriously Thanks!0
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My food diary is public so feel free to look it over, as in general I believe I eat healthy. Healthy for me is eating "the perimeter of the grocery store" if that helps. Vegetables, fruits, fish, chicken, yogurt, cheese, hummus, nuts. This does NOT mean that I don't eat things from the aisles, but those are just so limited and if I do eat pasta or bread, it is ONLY whole wheat. I steam most of my vegetables or eat them raw, can't get much simpler either way. Lemon juice, oregano, parmesan cheese, and other such items can really add more taste to the ones you may need to develop a taste for. Portion control is vital no matter what you eat. I have lost 36 pounds since January 4th so feel very successful with what I am doing. Key for me was giving up white flour and white sugar foods. Would be glad to chat if you ever want to send me a message. Good luck with your efforts to eating healthier!!!!0
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I was in the exact same boat as you...I just learned to cook within the past 18 months (I'm 39), and before that my idea of healthy was a Lean Cuisine frozen meal.
One thing I can tell you is that if you can wean yourself off the fatty, sweet and salty food, there's a VERY good chance that your taste buds will adjust and you will start to enjoy the flavors of foods that you can't stand (or can't taste) right now. I'm still a really picky eater (sensitive stomach) but I'm eating a much improved, well-rounded diet now and if I can do it, you definitely can.
Everyone has had great suggestions..definitely start off by switching from white to wheat grains and pasta. You'll get better nutrition (more vitamins, protein and fiber) and less sugar, so a big reward for a small change.
Fruit! I'd love to say I eat steamed veggies all the day long, but really I eat fruit and raw snack veggies...sugar peas, especially. mmm. They're at Costco!
If you like burgers try swapping ground beef out for ground chicken, pork or tuna. Google around for tons of great burger recipes. Instead of a whole white bun, use half a whole wheat bun. Instant improvement 0 -
I have recently come to the conclusion that lemon is the seasoning of the gods.0
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