is it bad to always eat the same things?

i have a tendency to go on timees where i will eat the same things for breakfast and lunches for like 2-3 weeks. variety kind of scares me...
breakfast is either toast with pb , oatmeal with an apple and cinnaman, or cereal (like fibre one)
my lunches are generally , chicken breast with a frozen dinner (they are low sodim 330mg with 3 servings of veggies) and a yogurt, a salad with chicken or a soup with break and a salad.. (the soups are high sodium though .. even home made)
my snacks i try to get a glass of milk, a banana, prunes , oranges.. (whatever in on sale) or a slice of cheese .. sometimes nuts.

dinners always change, but usually brown rice with a meat or veggie , if i'm having a higher calorie dinner i cut out the rice..

but that is pretty much it. i feel comfortable eating foods that i know the calorie content by heart ..
«1

Replies

  • toddis
    toddis Posts: 941 Member
    As long as what you eat covers your vitamins and minerals. I've actually read that lack of variety helps people stay on track with eating.
  • akaMrsmojo
    akaMrsmojo Posts: 764 Member
    I do the same thing, I go in waves though. I will have beans and rice for lunch for a week and then something else the next week. I like to have the same things because I know the calories and if they make me hungry later.
  • cgarand
    cgarand Posts: 541 Member
    I don't think it's bad. But, it can get boring after a while. I have been looking at other people's food logs to see what they are eating so I can mix it up a little. Variety is the spice of life. :wink:
  • professorRAT
    professorRAT Posts: 690 Member
    For weight loss it isn't bad, it might even be helpful through improved consistency. For nutrition, it might be a bit problematic but probably not too serious. Maybe take a multivitamin? Or better yet, have your doctor order a micronutrient test (simple blood test) and supplement (or add specific foods containing the right nutrients) anywhere you are deficient.
  • Pookylou
    Pookylou Posts: 988 Member
    I do the same thing, I go in waves though. I will have beans and rice for lunch for a week and then something else the next week. I like to have the same things because I know the calories and if they make me hungry later.

    Yeah I am the same, I have porridge most mornings (though the toppings change occasionally), lunch is a sandwich/wrap and a yogurt. My evening meals do vary - but if I do batch cooking it can be the same thing for several days!
  • murphy612
    murphy612 Posts: 734 Member
    I do the same thing. It makes grocery shopping, meal planning and calorie counting easier. It takes a lot for me to get bored with something. I talked to my nutritionist about it and he didn't see a problem with it, it's just personal preference and what works to keep you on track. Some people can't stand eating the same thing everyday, but you just have to do what works for you. Of course what you're eating everyday should be healthy and well balanced :-)
  • JenniTheVeggie
    JenniTheVeggie Posts: 2,474 Member
    I actually do almost the same thing until I get tired/bored of it. As long as you are eating foods that provide adequate nutrition, I don't see any problem with it. :smile:
  • 714rah714
    714rah714 Posts: 759 Member
    We are creatures of habit
  • julesxo
    julesxo Posts: 422 Member
    i feel comfortable eating foods that i know the calorie content by heart ..

    Me too. I do the same. But I am also the most boring person when it comes to food so I don't mind eating the same stuff.
  • Bronx_Montgomery
    Bronx_Montgomery Posts: 2,287 Member
    Pffft. Its not a bad thing. I eat the same thing every damn day with the exception of Dinner. I may throw in a wild card to give my body a BIG F YOU just to scare it and keep it on its toes.
  • agggie550
    agggie550 Posts: 281 Member
    I think i ate almost the exact same thing for 6 months (it sucked but it was easy to plan organize and stick to) when i first started my weight loss adventure/journey/transformation (not sure what the kids are calling it these days). As long as you are giving your body the right fuel and not excessive amounts of anything you should be fine.
  • sarahcuddle
    sarahcuddle Posts: 349 Member
    Maybe change it up sometimes and have salmon or red meat instead of the chicken. You need to watch the iron levels and oily fish is also a good addition to your diet. Sounds like you eat pretty healthy overall though.
  • liya368
    liya368 Posts: 122 Member
    I do that too. While it can get a bit monotonous it does help me stay on track. I also like to see other diaries for variety but usually stick with my old stand-byes.
  • tleeiiiii
    tleeiiiii Posts: 44 Member
    Thanks guys , i do take some supplements, vit d3 and omega 3. I used to take a multi but at one point i was eating a spring mix salad every day and my vit a was through the roof (like 500%) and i read that it was bad for you so i stopped. Maybe i should start that again since i'm not having the salad as often anymore.

    It's nice to know i'm nkt alone! The girls at work always joke about it, i was starting to think i was a weirdo!
  • lorgrayson
    lorgrayson Posts: 54 Member
    I remember Dr. Oz once saying that eating the same breakfast and lunch can help some people stick to their weight loss goals. He actually had a suggestion of maybe choosing like 3 different breakfasts and 3 different lunches to not get bored.
  • Skrib69
    Skrib69 Posts: 687 Member
    If you were eating McDonalds, KFC, Burger King, Tacho Bell, Pizza Hut et al I would say it is a problem. But having looked at your diary, it looks like you are eating a reasonably well balanced diet and hitting your targets. If the shoe fits.... don't worry and carry on!!
  • atucker0821
    atucker0821 Posts: 106 Member
    i am so glad that i'm not the only one that was wondering this...i eat the same things almost all the time...not only because i know the nutritional values by heart but because i truly like them...

    i'm keeping good company =)
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    i have a tendency to go on timees where i will eat the same things for breakfast and lunches for like 2-3 weeks. variety kind of scares me...
    breakfast is either toast with pb , oatmeal with an apple and cinnaman, or cereal (like fibre one)
    my lunches are generally , chicken breast with a frozen dinner (they are low sodim 330mg with 3 servings of veggies) and a yogurt, a salad with chicken or a soup with break and a salad.. (the soups are high sodium though .. even home made)
    my snacks i try to get a glass of milk, a banana, prunes , oranges.. (whatever in on sale) or a slice of cheese .. sometimes nuts.

    dinners always change, but usually brown rice with a meat or veggie , if i'm having a higher calorie dinner i cut out the rice..

    but that is pretty much it. i feel comfortable eating foods that i know the calorie content by heart ..

    We tend to eat the same things as we are pretty simple eaters. I just use different seasonings (herbs and spices) to make things (especially meats) to taste a bit different.

    Breakfast is always eggs and bacon, sausage or ham steak (all fresh and naturally cured from a local farmer)

    Lunch: Leftovers from the night before or salad with a variety of vegetables and protein (fish, shrimp, beef, chicken, pork, etc), other fresh cut vegetables and a piece of fruit

    Supper: Meat and veggies

    Snacks and desserts are a variety of fruits that we get in our market crate or produce basket (from CSA or local Coop)
  • gorguslyjealous
    gorguslyjealous Posts: 80 Member
    I think sometimes eating the same thing is okay - like for example I'll go grocery shopping and get stuff for the week and try to get enough stuff for the same breakfast all week and the same lunch all week (because I'm just shopping for myself, if I buy much more it'll go to waste) - dinner is usually where I get the variety.

    From some things I've been told is that your body can get used to the food you're eating, for example... if you're doing the same work outs all the time your body gets used to it and it's not as effective. So although food, as long as you're eating all the right food in nutrients and getting what you need, I'm sure it's okay that you're eating the same things frequently, because it still sounds like you tend to switch it up a little bit.

    For me personally I just get bored after my week of eating the same things - although I usually have my same breakfast everyday (plain nonfat greek yogurt with fresh berries and sometimes old fashioned oatmeal along with it) because it's so healthy, and I feel like it starts my day off great! :D
  • HollyHobbitToes
    HollyHobbitToes Posts: 131 Member
    I generally eat the same thing fo breakfast for weeks at a time, only changing it for maybe one day our of like 21 lol I tend to try and buy something different each week but always have my go-to food and prepare it in different ways....like spinach is a staple in my diet and I use it in every way you can imagine...I am suprised I haven't found a way to put it in my oatmeal in the morning lol I eat it raw, cooked, juiced, as a garnish, chopped and put in meatballs and burgers, on pizza, etc....but I get bored very easily and aside from breakfast everything else has to change every couple days or I can get off track....but if you are not bored and getting all your nutrients you need from the food then I suppose it is not a "bad" thing....but I think our bodies kinda get used to the same thing day in day out and when you change it up once in awhile your body goes, "Hey! Something new! Let's kick up this fat burning a notch!" But if you are eating the same things and still losing weight consistently, I don't think it's going to have a negative effect on your body.