Fussy Eaters - Please bear with us!!!
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nicole_andan
Posts: 127
So yesterday I asked a question about diet and I had some really brilliant answers that will allow me to incorporate food that will help reduce calories whilst still eating enough to feel full. I can't tell you how much I appreciated the positive responses but throughout the thread I became really aware that it sounds like I'm making excuses about food and it brought back lots of worries from when I was younger.
So brief history, I have ALWAYS been a fussy eater, not because I am being difficult because there is a certain taste / texture to certain foods that literally turn my stomach - these are not weird foods BTW egg whites, hot dog sausages, white fish etc. Also plain foods, what saved me food wise was discovering "ethnic foods" because they tend to be much more highly seasoned and therefore have a greater taste.
My record as a child was 2 hours with one mouthful of food stored in my cheeks (think hamster) because the idea of swallowing the food was just impossible to me!!!! I have friends from childhood who will tell stories about sitting in a restaurant or up at the table for 5 hours because none of the children were allowed to get down until we'd finished eating (please note that I would still not have finished the food within that 5 hours!)
My Mother will tell stories about not cooking for me, cooking 3 meals in a row for me, trying to force feed me - NOTHING WORKED!!!!
I am so much better now but there are still things that I CANNOT (note cannot not WILL NOT!) eat and I thought I would list some of them along with the reason I CANT eat them to see if anyone else is the same (another note, I have not listed things I don't like to eat I have listed things that I CANNOT bear to swallow!)
These include:
The egg white of hard boiled and fried eggs (They are slimey)
Fish (unless smoked) (it tastes like ammonia to me)
Fresh Tomatoes (slimey and smell funny)
Lentils / Pulses / Beans (they are furry)
Peanut butter (either furry or furry and lumpy dependent on it's consistency0
Lumpy Mashed potato (The texture)
Juice with pulp. (the texture)
Now I am sure many of you will say "man up" it's a usual response but as a child and adolescent when staying at people's homes or when my mum was going through her "she will eat it if it kills me (or her) stage" I have and will go hungry and not eat for DAYS and was regularly at the doctors surgery for being underweight due to not eating. Don't get me wrong I would literally have felt STARVING and would cry but I COULD NOT eat it!
Obviously being underweight is no longer an issue as I have discovered foods I like but as I am trying to find healthier ways to eat some of my "fussy eating" has come back into play.
Is it just me?
And to all you non-fussy eaters - we're honestly NOT trying to annoy you on purpose! A little understanding goes A LOOOOOOOONG way!!!!!!
xx
So brief history, I have ALWAYS been a fussy eater, not because I am being difficult because there is a certain taste / texture to certain foods that literally turn my stomach - these are not weird foods BTW egg whites, hot dog sausages, white fish etc. Also plain foods, what saved me food wise was discovering "ethnic foods" because they tend to be much more highly seasoned and therefore have a greater taste.
My record as a child was 2 hours with one mouthful of food stored in my cheeks (think hamster) because the idea of swallowing the food was just impossible to me!!!! I have friends from childhood who will tell stories about sitting in a restaurant or up at the table for 5 hours because none of the children were allowed to get down until we'd finished eating (please note that I would still not have finished the food within that 5 hours!)
My Mother will tell stories about not cooking for me, cooking 3 meals in a row for me, trying to force feed me - NOTHING WORKED!!!!
I am so much better now but there are still things that I CANNOT (note cannot not WILL NOT!) eat and I thought I would list some of them along with the reason I CANT eat them to see if anyone else is the same (another note, I have not listed things I don't like to eat I have listed things that I CANNOT bear to swallow!)
These include:
The egg white of hard boiled and fried eggs (They are slimey)
Fish (unless smoked) (it tastes like ammonia to me)
Fresh Tomatoes (slimey and smell funny)
Lentils / Pulses / Beans (they are furry)
Peanut butter (either furry or furry and lumpy dependent on it's consistency0
Lumpy Mashed potato (The texture)
Juice with pulp. (the texture)
Now I am sure many of you will say "man up" it's a usual response but as a child and adolescent when staying at people's homes or when my mum was going through her "she will eat it if it kills me (or her) stage" I have and will go hungry and not eat for DAYS and was regularly at the doctors surgery for being underweight due to not eating. Don't get me wrong I would literally have felt STARVING and would cry but I COULD NOT eat it!
Obviously being underweight is no longer an issue as I have discovered foods I like but as I am trying to find healthier ways to eat some of my "fussy eating" has come back into play.
Is it just me?
And to all you non-fussy eaters - we're honestly NOT trying to annoy you on purpose! A little understanding goes A LOOOOOOOONG way!!!!!!
xx
0
Replies
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You may want to look into Sensory Integration Disorder - I have it and am similar to you. It effects more than just your sense of taste, but its a big factor0
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I'm the same - extremely fussy. I also read it was some type of disorder.
Particularly I only eat bland or salty food. I wont touch fruit, veggies, seafood. The horrible thing is its actually really embarressing - I wish I could just eat like a normal person!
The fact that I'm so fussy doesnt help with losing weight because I end up eating under my calorie goal - there's not that much I actually eat. I packed on the weight over the last year or 2 and want to lose about 30lbs. I've currently lost 11lbs and come to a grinding halt!
What I'm now doing is starting to eat more so that I start losing again.
Good luck fellow fussy eater!0 -
You may want to look into Sensory Integration Disorder - I have it and am similar to you. It effects more than just your sense of taste, but its a big factor
I agree. My 13 year old son has had the same problem since birth. There are many foods he simply can't stand to eat. When he was younger he would sit at the table for hours refusing to eat. I would suggest discussing it with your doctor. Good luck.0 -
I've had a look through and I think that whilst I might have been considered those things when I was younger I don't think I could now and I'm not sure it's something you can grow out of?
The best way to describe my fussy eating habits to a non-fussy eater is to say this:
Think of the worst thing that you can think of to eat, maggots, worms, uncooked sea snails, bogies, cat litter (insert your idea of the worst food here!)... if someone asked you to eat it could you? No! Well that's how I feel about a lot of "normal foods"!!!
There are of course lots of food that I simply don't like to eat! I'm not keen on okra, the skin on chicken, raw veg, sprouts, celery but I would and could eat them if they were presented to me at a friends house for a meal for example or if that was the only thing I available to eat if I was hungry but I cannot say the same about the other foods I posted!
It's good to know I'm not alone!0 -
I'm a fussy eater too but I've gotten better with age
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Just eat less of the food you like and learn to deal with the hunger from not being able to eat as fillingly?0
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Just eat less of the food you like and learn to deal with the hunger from not being able to eat as fillingly?
That is not a positive answer, you're effectively saying "man up"! There must be lots of ways to eat fillingly that dont include my above "no-no foods", we fussy eaters just have to try a lot more alternatives. If someone was telling you that they were diabetic or coeliac then we would look to find options that encompass their issues without them being hungry.
Hungry does not a life style choice make!!! If it did then I would've continued to be hungry and skinny rather than finding fattening foods that kept me full but that I liked!!!!
Now I and other fussies just have to get creative!!!!!0 -
You don't need to eat any specific food to lose weight. You can eat whatever you like and still manage
Just because you are fussy doesn't mean you can't lose.
My boyfriend is this way also. He is very sensitive to 'textures' of foods so we either don't have those foods or try to cook them in another way. For example..eggs can be scrambled / basted / over easy etc and they should not be runny - or you can put eggs IN something else. But you don't have to eat eggs at all if you don't want to.
It's a complete farce that you HAVE to have certain foods in order to gain / lose weight.0 -
I am also a very fussy eater, and I have food allergies which makes it even harder to eat healthy! I have been trying things again like eggs, tomatoes ect to see if my taste for them has changed and no luck so far. I wish I would just like everything and not have any food allergies it would be so much easier!0
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What is it that you do like?0
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You don't need to eat any specific food to lose weight. You can eat whatever you like and still manage Just because you are fussy doesn't mean you can't lose.
My boyfriend is this way also. He is very sensitive to 'textures' of foods so we either don't have those foods or try to cook them in another way. For example..eggs can be scrambled / basted / over easy etc and they should not be runny - or you can put eggs IN something else. But you don't have to eat eggs at all if you don't want to.
It's a complete farce that you HAVE to have certain foods in order to gain / lose weight.
It's not so much to do with losing, more about getting full as a fussy eater. I can easily get full on cr*p food but obviously that doesnt fit with a healthy diet; so with 1 poster she can only eat very bland and cant eat some veggies, a lot of the foods I can't eat are foods that would really fill you up for less calories. This means that whilst a non-fussy can feel very full on low calories I often really struggle with hunger!
I just have to really strive to find food that is more filling but less calories.
But you are spot on about eggs and I like scrambled eggs because the texture is different. I was just trying to give examples that show that being fussy isn't always a choice or someone being difficult!!!!0 -
I'm a fussy eater too and no one ever understands. On top of it I have food allergies. Allow me to go into detail:
Allergies:
all fruits
all vegetables
almonds
pistachios
anaphylactic allergy to watermelon
mild lactose intolerance
Foods I can't stand:
string beans/chick peas/beans (hummus is alright because the texture is changed and the taste is overwhelmed)
peas
vegetables cooked to mush
all fish except for fishsticks which must be dipped in applesauce (they're highly processed and the texture is changed)
Foods that are sometimes hard to handle:
mashed potatos
porridge
very soft pasta
pudding
yogurt
jello
smoothies
pulpy juice
pumpkin pie
very soft rice (most of the time, but once in a blue moon I can handle it)
Dealing with pickiness can be difficult, but there are totally ways to work around it. Just make foods that you are alright with. Screw what anyone else thinks. What sorts of meal/snack ideas were you looking for?
ETA: I posted something a little similar a while back and I learned that protein is great for filling you up. Also, I made a stew the other day and 1 bowl filled me up for hours. Can you handle stew? Also, I hear that PB2 is a powder, so perhaps you could use that instead of regular peanut butter?0 -
Just eat less of the food you like and learn to deal with the hunger from not being able to eat as fillingly?
You are joking right? You know your body tells you are hungry for a reason and if you do not properly nourish it, it will take it not only from fat stored but muscle. This is fine if you are headed for the anorexic look on your journey. But I suggest if you want to feel full and not consume crap do a little research and find what best suits you. You should NEVER ignore your body when it it legit telling you to consume nourishment. I will grab an 8 oz green drink/nutriblast/smootie or whatever you want to call it. I have noticed however eating correctly and having your RDI set to what it should be and not just a caloric deficit I have already noticed I am no longer having 2 a day but 1. Thats in a weeks time of eating correctly and eating when I am hungry. But as always if you are in it to just lose weight and dont care about the long term I have noticed starvation methods are highly recommended and supported on this site. Just remember when you lose it, you will need to maintain. I for one refuse to starve myself for the rest of my life when their are other ways to do it in a healthy way that is good for you. But again look into getting a good blender to make these drinks you can put what you want in them or follow recipes, some are very sweet and a true treat
Good luck to you...there is always a way to find the nutrients through other healthy options! 0 -
What is it that you do like?
Oh I like lots of things, pretty much anything not mentioned!!! I like a lot of pies and stews, I like most veggies and fruit. A lot of my issue is texture so I can like food like potato in one way but not another so for example, scrambled eggs rather than hardboiled, smooth mashed potato without lumps is fine, roasted potatoes fine, boiled is a big no no!!!
I particularly like very hot and spicy food, chinese, African, Thai.
Like I said, it's just a case of trying to find alternatives and trying to explain fussiness to non-fussies and asking for a bit more tolerance!!!!!0 -
Doesn't sound like there is enough of the icky foods to keep you from eating healthy. I wouldn't sweat it. One of my sons has hated squash since the day he was born. He still will not eat them.0
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Just eat less of the food you like and learn to deal with the hunger from not being able to eat as fillingly?
You are joking right? You know your body tells you are hungry for a reason and if you do not properly nourish it, it will take it not only from fat stored but muscle. This is fine if you are headed for the anorexic look on your journey. But I suggest if you want to feel full and not consume crap do a little research and find what best suits you. You should NEVER ignore your body when it it legit telling you to consume nourishment. I will grab an 8 oz green drink/nutriblast/smootie or whatever you want to call it. I have noticed however eating correctly and having your RDI set to what it should be and not just a caloric deficit I have already noticed I am no longer having 2 a day but 1. Thats in a weeks time of eating correctly and eating when I am hungry. But as always if you are in it to just lose weight and dont care about the long term I have noticed starvation methods are highly recommended and supported on this site. Just remember when you lose it, you will need to maintain. I for one refuse to starve myself for the rest of my life when their are other ways to do it in a healthy way that is good for you. But again look into getting a good blender to make these drinks you can put what you want in them or follow recipes, some are very sweet and a true treat Good luck to you...there is always a way to find the nutrients through other healthy options!
MY HERO!!!!! (or heroine?!!!!!!)
I totally agree with everything you said!!!! I do want to lose weight but I want to do that in a sensible long term way that will have a positive effect on me and my family.
I have NO time for starvation or for the "suck it up attitude" on the site because it is simply not sustainable.0 -
The best way to describe my fussy eating habits to a non-fussy eater is to say this:
Think of the worst thing that you can think of to eat, maggots, worms, uncooked sea snails, bogies, cat litter (insert your idea of the worst food here!)... if someone asked you to eat it could you? No! Well that's how I feel about a lot of "normal foods"!!
Wow, I guess I must never be able to understand how you guys feel. If someone gave me something like that but told me it wasn't poisonous and wasn't going to kill me, and they eat it on a regular basis, I'd definitely try it. There's nothing I can think of that I wouldn't be able to swallow! (unless I couldn't physically chew it down into small enough bits, lol)
Good luck with finding help with your problems though. 0 -
I'm a fussy eater too and no one ever understands. On top of it I have food allergies. Allow me to go into detail:
Allergies:
all fruits
all vegetables
almonds
pistachios
anaphylactic allergy to watermelon
mild lactose intolerance
Foods I can't stand:
string beans/chick peas/beans (hummus is alright because the texture is changed and the taste is overwhelmed)
peas
vegetables cooked to mush
all fish except for fishsticks which must be dipped in applesauce (they're highly processed and the texture is changed)
Foods that are sometimes hard to handle:
mashed potatos
porridge
very soft pasta
pudding
yogurt
jello
smoothies
pulpy juice
pumpkin pie
very soft rice (most of the time, but once in a blue moon I can handle it)
Dealing with pickiness can be difficult, but there are totally ways to work around it. Just make foods that you are alright with. Screw what anyone else thinks. What sorts of meal/snack ideas were you looking for?
ETA: I posted something a little similar a while back and I learned that protein is great for filling you up. Also, I made a stew the other day and 1 bowl filled me up for hours. Can you handle stew? Also, I hear that PB2 is a powder, so perhaps you could use that instead of regular peanut butter?
Ohhhh your list of can't handle / hard to handle have a lot of similarity to some of mine and seem to be about mushy texture. I feel your pain.
As an additional annoyance to non-fussies and fussies alike I won't take supplements or powder, that is purely a personal preference, I like my food to be 'whole' so that I know what's in it. All my meals are home made. Again, that's just personal!!!
Stew is an AMAZING filler-upper and if you add pearl barley is also great. Can't beat a dumpling if you've got left over calories from the gym etc!!!!0 -
I'm a fussy eater too and no one ever understands. On top of it I have food allergies. Allow me to go into detail:
Allergies:
all fruits
all vegetables
almonds
pistachios
anaphylactic allergy to watermelon
mild lactose intolerance
Foods I can't stand:
string beans/chick peas/beans (hummus is alright because the texture is changed and the taste is overwhelmed)
peas
vegetables cooked to mush
all fish except for fishsticks which must be dipped in applesauce (they're highly processed and the texture is changed)
Foods that are sometimes hard to handle:
mashed potatos
porridge
very soft pasta
pudding
yogurt
jello
smoothies
pulpy juice
pumpkin pie
very soft rice (most of the time, but once in a blue moon I can handle it)
Dealing with pickiness can be difficult, but there are totally ways to work around it. Just make foods that you are alright with. Screw what anyone else thinks. What sorts of meal/snack ideas were you looking for?
ETA: I posted something a little similar a while back and I learned that protein is great for filling you up. Also, I made a stew the other day and 1 bowl filled me up for hours. Can you handle stew? Also, I hear that PB2 is a powder, so perhaps you could use that instead of regular peanut butter?
Ohhhh your list of can't handle / hard to handle have a lot of similarity to some of mine and seem to be about mushy texture. I feel your pain.
As an additional annoyance to non-fussies and fussies alike I won't take supplements or powder, that is purely a personal preference, I like my food to be 'whole' so that I know what's in it. All my meals are home made. Again, that's just personal!!!
Stew is an AMAZING filler-upper and if you add pearl barley is also great. Can't beat a dumpling if you've got left over calories from the gym etc!!!!
Definitely about the mushiness and texture. Blech!
I feel you on the 'whole' food thing. Lots of the people on here are up for powders though, so it was worth a try.
My stew is soooo good right now. It's calling to me. I just want to eat it for all of my meals and snacks right now. I need to make more dumplings though because I finished the last one last night.
So, you eat only homemade meals. Does that rule out beef jerky? Chicken is supposed to have the best protein to volume ratio found in nature, so that's a great filler-upper. I also find that beef is pretty good in any form (ground, steak, stewing cubes, whatever). Greek yogurt has lots of protein and is quite filling; I just bought some for the first time last week. Eggs in forms that work for you are good. Homemade smoothies can be a great healthy snack if the texture is alright for you (it's on my sometimes list). Do you like salsa? I don't normally like cottage cheese, but when I mix it with equal parts salsa it's fine and I can use it in chicken wraps. I might be able to come up with more for you if you want.
I'm in week 2-3 of learning what's both filling and healthy. I started paying more attention to my macros than my calories and I find that if I fill a 45/25/30 macro ratio, then my calories work out and I feel quite full during the day. (I do 45/25/30 because I wasn't making it to the protein requirements of the 40/30/30.)0
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