do you eat the same things every day or mix it up?

EmilyEmpowered
EmilyEmpowered Posts: 650 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am the kind of person where it is easiest for me to see a day that works out perfect- fits my calories, carbs, fats, and proteins to the T- and eat that same thing for a week or two, or three, at a time. It is just easy to remember, prepare, and shop. I do mix up little things, but for example every weeknight while I am at work I have the same dinner: a bag of frozen brocolli, meat (some variation of two servings of chicken, hamburger, steak, fish), and cherry tomatoes, sometimes with some multigrain rice, and I mix up my toppings (light sour cream, hot sauce, shredded cheese, sweet chili sauce, whatever) This is a big meal because the way I eat, since I work long shifts is one large meal surrounded by 200-300 cal snacks.

Does anyone else do this, eat the same things over and over? I am asking because a friend of mine who is constantly "dieting" told me that I eat too much broccolli and I should mix it up more to get the vitamins from other veggies. I do try to eat other frozen veggies (being winter, I just grab the frozen since they are easier and cheaper than fresh) like green beans, carrots, stir fry mix, etc. But I just love broccolli and would rather eat it. I have been having some digestion issues in the past week, so now I am wondering if maybe eating the same thing for over two weeks straight might not be the best idea?

Thoughts?

(Sorry if this makes little to no sense, I am exhausted right now after a week of very long shifts... I am done with work in 21/2 hours for a muich needed 3 day weekend, yyeeeah me!)

ETA: today was my cheat day, so I ate more carbs and not as much protein as normal, if you look at yesterday you see what my normal day would look like
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Replies

  • Josephina57
    Josephina57 Posts: 170 Member
    I eat pretty much the same thing everyday for breakfast, lunch and snack. My dinners are different though. It is just easier to keep track and I like what I'm eating.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    I get in a rut sometimes, but I find myself getting bored and going off the rails if I don't change things up every so often.
  • PhotogirlTX
    PhotogirlTX Posts: 85 Member
    I usually have the same breakfast and lunch. Dinner is my time to mix things up a bit, but like you said, it is easier for me to plan, shop and prepare when everything is the same.
  • Pimpmonkey
    Pimpmonkey Posts: 566
    I just cook whatever the heck comes up, except today cause I forgot I'm now the only female on shift and can't leave so I had subway. I was planning to go to walmart and pick up some mushrooms and avocado and whatever other veggies caught my eye while I was there, but that's how it goes sometimes. Plus the more research I do the more my "normal" foods change as well.
  • WeatherGirl8
    WeatherGirl8 Posts: 91 Member
    I love variety, but eating the same food has its benefits. You just need to find a few really good recipes and stick to them. But I like to mess around with recipes too much to do that. :)
  • ldbuster0
    ldbuster0 Posts: 207
    Although eating the same food is easier to track, I just love the taste of different foods to much. Sometimes, I can eat the same food,but not to often. It is so boring. Besides I just scan my food into my cell phone. Also, I agree with you friend. I would mix it up so you can get different vitamins.
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    Same thing every day for most meals...for a week, or weeks, or sometimes even months...or at least from a short list of possible choices...until I get tired of it, and then I change to something else (that I'll eat for a longish period of time). It does make the tracking easier (and arguably makes the data a little more reliable).
  • Remo_Williams
    Remo_Williams Posts: 73
    Like the other posters - same things most days except for dinner. The weekend gets a little more mixed up as well.
  • Klem4
    Klem4 Posts: 399 Member
    Yup.. I eat pretty much the same things all the time. I'm not a great cook, and can't just come up with something different unless I have a recipe. lol. Sometimes I will find one I really want to try and make it, then eat it all that week. I do get tired of the same things sometimes though.
  • mikey1976
    mikey1976 Posts: 1,005 Member
    yes just the basic lean beef, pork, dairy and graind plus fruits and veg. its boring but i have been eating like this since i was 15. but i did get healthier
  • tageekly
    tageekly Posts: 3,755 Member
    Pretty much the same breakfast, lunches and snacks - with slight variability (fruits and veggies based on what's seasonal). Dinner has the most changes but still not much variety.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    I eat a lot of the same things, but not necessarily in the same combinations. Weekly, I cook a ton of protein. Steak, chicken, etc. Fish, too.

    I'll keep fresh fruit and veggies in the fridge too. One day I may do fresh broccoli and grilled chicken for lunch, the next.. it might be dinner. Either way, it's a lot of the same components. I get bored with too much repetition, but it's nice to have a relatively short list of what I'm putting into my gut.
  • a778c466
    a778c466 Posts: 141 Member
    I usually eat the same thing everyday for breakfast, lunch and snacks. My dinners differ sometimes depending on my schedule. It makes it easy for me and I don't ever get bored eating the same thing.
  • Mainebikerchick
    Mainebikerchick Posts: 1,573 Member
    I usually eat the same things for breakfast and lunch then mix it up with dinner and snacks...or until I get bored with something!
  • _SABOTEUR_
    _SABOTEUR_ Posts: 6,833 Member
    I'm on the new 5:2

    Meat 5 days a week. Fish 2 days a week.
  • PlantBasedGrace
    PlantBasedGrace Posts: 64 Member
    I like to recycle meals so I'm not eating the same thing every single day but I'm also not struggling to come up with tons of different recipes. Sometimes I'll have for lunch what I made for dinner the night before, etc. Breakfast though I can be fine with eating the same thing for a while.
  • slfordstthomas
    slfordstthomas Posts: 23 Member
    It's a little silly but have you tried thinking in different colors? Alot of vegetables have different vitamins and minerals depending on their color. Maybe you could go for purple veggies at dinner one night, and orange the next?

    *Please ignore the title of the link. It has good info despite the name. :)
    http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/fruits-vegetables.shtml
  • DonaGail
    DonaGail Posts: 190 Member
    It seems to me that I had the best results when I ate the same thing every day, and I really dont mind.
    My problem is not what I eat but that I feel very full, so if its the same healthy food, to me its safer.
  • JeneticTraining
    JeneticTraining Posts: 663 Member
    I prepare my lunch on Sunday. I only mix up dinner
  • XtyAnn17
    XtyAnn17 Posts: 632 Member
    I always eat the same things its easier on me and easier on the budget
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Same things
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,861 Member
    I find it easier to have a limited range of meals and then rotate through them for some variety.
  • EmilyEmpowered
    EmilyEmpowered Posts: 650 Member
    It's a little silly but have you tried thinking in different colors? Alot of vegetables have different vitamins and minerals depending on their color. Maybe you could go for purple veggies at dinner one night, and orange the next?

    *Please ignore the title of the link. It has good info despite the name. :)
    http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/fruits-vegetables.shtml

    Thanks for the link, that was the kind of thing that I was wondering... If I am missing out on benefits of mixing up my veggies more. Thanks again

    And thanks everyone, glad to know I am not the only one who sticks to what they know :)
  • anjay323
    anjay323 Posts: 5 Member
    Like alot of people here I basically eat the same breakfast and lunch M-F, slighty different on weekends. I do change up my dinners though. I take multi-vitamins just in case I'm lacking somewhere. Had a full metabolic panel test type thing at my doctor and she said I just need more calcium. I think if you feel healthy, then stick with what works for you. Haven't heard too much about scurvy type things for the main stream public ;)
  • xoTalim
    xoTalim Posts: 212 Member
    My breakfast usually consists of the same things and I just switch it up now and then. Fruit, yogurt, cereal, eggs, etc.

    Lunch is either usually a salad, or I might go out for sushi or something with my family.

    Dinner is almost always different. Whether we go out for dinner, or make something at home. It's never the same.|


    But I do know what you mean, it's so much easier to just eat the same thing every day. Sometimes I'll do that if we have a lot of leftovers. But if not, I'll find something else~
  • CharityGC
    CharityGC Posts: 499 Member
    Breakfasts and lunches are usually the same daily. I may mix up whatever veggie I have at lunch or what fruit I have for a snack but the main idea is the same. Dinners are never the same unless we have leftovers.
  • careena1
    careena1 Posts: 19 Member
    EATING THE SAME FOOD IS EASIER TO TRACK, BUT I TEND TO GET BORED AND SOMETIMES GET OFF TRACK IF I DON'T MIX IT UP A LITTLE.
  • PixieChick24
    PixieChick24 Posts: 36 Member
    I eat the same breakfast every single morning, rotate between a few different options for lunch and snacks, and then dinner I switch up frequently. I do find it much easier to track and I actually don't get bored. The reason I eat the same things are because I like them so much. :smile:
  • treagal
    treagal Posts: 264 Member
    try to eat the same...i eat way better if i have things planned. it's just easier
  • Pink_turnip
    Pink_turnip Posts: 280 Member
    I frequently make the same meals over and over again - for example, for dinner I quite often make sausage with vegetables and either potatoes or pasta - cause it's easy

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