anyone else dislike healthy foods?

Oompa_Loompa
Oompa_Loompa Posts: 1,099 Member
I'm getting really annoyed with myself. I need to force down healthy foods sometimes. I would rather eat chicken fingers and french fries everyday. I feel like when I eat healthier foods I'm never full. When I eat the foods that I enjoy(fried, greasy) I feel satisfied longer (not emotionally)
Im just getting really desparate. I want to be healthy and make better choices but I dont like anything so its hard. Does anyone else have this problem?
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Replies

  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,341 Member
    What do you consider to be "healthy foods"? I make awesome breaded chicken strips and homemade fries for low calories. Healthy doesn't have to mean salad and boring light foods, you just need to get a bit creative and make healthy foods that work for you.
  • TheNewDodge
    TheNewDodge Posts: 607 Member
    The only green vegetable I will eat is broccoli
  • iiiEllie
    iiiEllie Posts: 224 Member
    Exactly what Alatariel75 said.

    We make homemade chicken fingers and fries when we get the fast food craving, or homemade burgers with lean beef. You don't need to stick to the standard of 'healthy eating'

    emilybites.com - Check her stuff out. She makes some great portion sizes too. We've made a ton from her website and have yet to be disappointed.
  • cindybpitts
    cindybpitts Posts: 213 Member
    Im am exactly the same way..what healthy foods I do eat, Im getting tired of them. I try new stuff but I dont like it. Im trying hard to make this a life style change but the food is the hard part. I have always been picky..all my life.
  • willdob3
    willdob3 Posts: 640 Member
    I love healthy food. It is all I eat.

    I don't like cooking much & don't get bored with my food so my meals are simple. - But you can find tons of wonderful recipes to add lots of variety in a healthy way.
  • kaylindeschanel
    kaylindeschanel Posts: 105 Member
    if by healthy foods you mean vegetables and flax seeds, I can sense your pain. i don't think anyone grows up being in love with organic produce, but it's an acquired taste.

    I think there are a few ways that can help:
    1) season your vegetables to your liking. douse it in some delicious sauces (don't go too overboard on this one though) and make sure that the seasoning is just right.

    2) normally if you crave fast food/junk, it means you're looking to satisfy a salt craving. have nuts or dark chocolate for cravings. you don't have to deprive yourself of your fast food delicacies, but it's good to replace them with healthier alternatives.

    3) special K chips are good!

    4) you probably hate vegetables, but if you put them in with your favorite foods (like....tortilla wraps with lettuce/cucumbers/peppers along with your favorite grilled chicken and ranch) it makes consuming the healthier foods easier.

    start small, gradually make your way up into 100% organics and away from fast food.
    but if you quit anything cold turkey, you'll end up binging and doing more damage than anything.

    good luck to you!
  • simplynaturalfarm
    simplynaturalfarm Posts: 73 Member
    It is because your idea of healthy is off. :) If you are craving greasy food, try more greasy food - have yourself a high protein high fat snack and skip the carbs - chicken fingers made from chicken and parmesan cheese dipped in ranch is delicious. Nice greasy hamburger minus the bun with cheese, acavado and bacon is a killer. and maybe you would thrive on a low carb diet that has lots of good fat in it!
  • bronnyd
    bronnyd Posts: 278 Member
    I agree with other posters who have said that you can make healthier versions of your favourite foods. It actually feels like quite a victory knowing you can make something delicious that is actually doing wonderful things for your body!

    I also say: keep forcing it down. Believe me, your tastes will change. At least mine did and I've heard several others say the same. As I started to eat healthier and healthier, I noticed that the stuff I used to LOVE (fast food, chips, cupcakes, fried foods) have almost no appeal to me now. I really truly believe that once you start feeding your body what it really needs, your tastes will adapt to crave that nutrition you are supplying.
  • Dewymorning
    Dewymorning Posts: 762 Member
    Yeah, I want to know what you consider healthy food.

    It is ok to eat fatty food, but you got to chose what kind of fat it is wisely.

    I eat avocado and egg on whole-grain toast for breakfast and find it very satisfying.

    My dinner is a meat cooked with lots of different vegetables and spices or herbs for flavours, with rice, quinoa or potato, or occasionally pasta or noodles. Sometimes I might add yoghurt or sour cream, depending on what I am having and how many calories I have left.

    Lunch is usually left-overs or a tasty salad with a bit of meat or egg for protein.

    I do still have a weak spot for chocolate, but a lot of other 'unhealthy' foods, when I eat them I feel kind of sick afterwards.

    Also, fruit is delicious,
    Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

    Fruit and yoghurt is a tasty treat. :D
  • mbourke8
    mbourke8 Posts: 27
    Yep, healthy foods can be an acquired taste.
    Seasoning/herbs/vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice are a great way to increase taste
    Olive oil, avocado, greek yogurt are my go-to foods when I'm craving something substantial. Really, there's a lot of uses for avocado and I've found it to be the most satisfying food of all time.
    Cravings for unhealthy food subside when you don't eat them- it is proven that they cause addict-like reactions in your brain! Of course we all love to eat them... but we have to make the conscious decision to not do that to ourselves. I think about McD as = smoking.
    Everything in moderation.
  • its been going down ok with me so far over 2 months in... i like that i dont feel that good if i splurge on junk food its a good internal reminder that the body really craves healthy fresh whole foods... but we have been eating chicken for lunch and dinner every night for like almost he 2 months... and i LOVE chicken, but that is getting old ... i know i could eat beef and ham and stuff... i hate ham....lol and im not a huge beef fan... seafood we eat too. but i find with healthy food u have to plan out every little thing you eat which sucks. it takes me almost an hour just to make lunch most days its rediculous. making things healthy from home takes alot of time and thought.. sometimes i search the internet for hours looking for new ideas because ive made so many things im sick of them all.. ugh idk i could go on and on.
  • littlebudgie
    littlebudgie Posts: 279 Member
    Lots of good points in this thread, like how there are healthy foods that can still satisfy cravings. I just wanted to add that I think you can change your tastes, although it takes time. For instance, in high school my favourite thing the caf sold was panzerotti. About a year ago I started actively trying to eat healthier. A couple weeks ago I picked up pepperoni panzerotti... and I just couldn't finish it. It was the same type I used to love, but now it was frankly just plain gross.

    Meanwhile, in high school I disliked most vegetables. There are still some I can't stand because of texture or flavour (you cannot get me to touch an unpureed tomato for love or money), but now I actually enjoy things I used to avoid like eggplant, asparagus and sweet potatoes.

    Obviously it takes time and baby steps, but it is possible!
  • CoachReddy
    CoachReddy Posts: 3,949 Member
    FML
  • marlysgirl
    marlysgirl Posts: 16 Member
    I get lettuce wrapped fast food burgers. delish!
  • thelovelyLIZ
    thelovelyLIZ Posts: 1,227 Member
    After a while, healthy food become more appealing. Fast food is basically a last resort for me these days, and its just unappealing and makes me sick.

    In the mean time, try healthier versions of your favorite foods. Every unhealthy food has a healthier option. In stead of fried chicken and french fries, try baked chicken breaded with panko crumbs and roasted potatoes. There are a million ways satisfy yourself.
  • allshebe
    allshebe Posts: 423 Member
    Play with seasoning and sauce. The "same old chicken" tastes different if you spice it up with taco sauce or szechuan, coat it in parmesan breading or wrap it in bacon - all are possibilities and good for you. Try a pork chop for a change of pace or a can of tuna - all are easy to fix without too much advanced planning needed. One of my favorites is chicken breast covered with strips of red pepper and sometimes tomatoes baked in the oven - 5 minutes of prep and an unattended hour in the oven and you get both meat and veggies. Add a side of your favorite carb and it's a complete meal.
  • ive never liked veggies..:( sad to say.. i cnt lose any more weight and mayb thats y
  • newdaydawning79
    newdaydawning79 Posts: 1,503 Member
    FML

    LOL That's constructive.

    To the OP: I'm not sure honestly how someone can survive on chicken fingers and french fries alone. And I LOVE my greasy food trust me! I used to eat fast food almost every day. But you can make burgers, chicken, etc at home for a fraction of the cost! :) French fries in the oven taste fantastic and have 1/4 of the cals you'd get by stopping at the joint down the street.

    You don't like ANY vegetables at all? There are an amazing number to choose from, they can't be ALL bad to you!
  • harrybananas
    harrybananas Posts: 292 Member
    Not sure if anyone mentioned this but just eat what you want. However (yes there's always a however), keep it in moderation and as long as you're within your caloric intake.

    Craving a five guys burger? Eat it very slowly, try eating only half of it, and only a few pieces of fries. Now ask yourself how do you feel. Feeling like ****? Good, put it down or toss it out. There goes satisfying your junky food craving, and the more you do this in making you realize how bad you feel afterwards, that's when eating a little healthier becomes easier.

    If you have to force yourself to think about what to eat and what not to eat because it's good or bad for you, that's when this diet will never work. Dieting and losing weight in a caloric deficit can only be sustained if you keep it up, habitually. Not temporarily for a few pounds for this summer.
  • CoachReddy
    CoachReddy Posts: 3,949 Member
    take a cooking class, grab a cook book, whatever. healthy food is effing delicious. just most of us don't know how to cook so it's always the same bland, boring thing.

    branch out with your recipes, and try things you think you "don't like"

    because the reality is this - if you wanna be healthy, you have to eat veggies. end of story.
  • ragingmrs
    ragingmrs Posts: 34
    If most of the "healthy" food you are talking about are carbs, of course you are getting hungry sooner. My husband is ravenous and cranky if he doesn't have enough protein. I suggest making certain that you get carbs, proteins and fats in each meal and eat three times a day, plus a few small snacks. This gives you fast, medium and slow fuels for your body.
  • TJMiddaugh
    TJMiddaugh Posts: 67 Member
    I agree with other posters who have said that you can make healthier versions of your favourite foods. It actually feels like quite a victory knowing you can make something delicious that is actually doing wonderful things for your body!

    I also say: keep forcing it down. Believe me, your tastes will change. At least mine did and I've heard several others say the same. As I started to eat healthier and healthier, I noticed that the stuff I used to LOVE (fast food, chips, cupcakes, fried foods) have almost no appeal to me now. I really truly believe that once you start feeding your body what it really needs, your tastes will adapt to crave that nutrition you are supplying.


    this is so true. the further removed you get from all the junk the easier it is to not have heroine like cravings for it. they design that stuff to do that to you. they have been "enhancing" flavor with all sorts of taste bud and health killing stuff. once removed from all the bad fats, sodium's, cane sugars, and all the craziness that is fast/processed food your taste buds will come back to life again. kind of like when a smoker quits smoking and they regain their sense of smell and realize how nasty cigarettes actually smell and are for you (speaking from experience) i have the added benefit of having over 16 years of culinary experience, and health really starts in your kitchen. i used to eat the average american diet of garbage also. but i cant even drive by one of those fast food joints now without becoming semi ill from the smell, and thought.

    i hope maybe you can continue to stay strong, and do some research to help spice up your meals abit. theres so many easy healthy alternatives. and if time becomes a problem, what i do is pull out about 5-6 portions of whatever protein (beef, chicken, pork, etc..) from the freezer (once thawed) and season/sear it up on one side real nice, and flip them but dont cook them all the way through. then refrigerate them in their juices also, then cook up some brown rice, and a bunch of side veg to aldente (still semi firm) and also refrigerate them too. that way i can just throw it all in one pan w/lid on med high heat with a touch of liquid (white wine, red wine, water, chicken broth, whatever) and have my meal ready in minutes,. then you can add different sauces to it to change the flavors if you really need some extra variety. sweet and sour, terriyaki, bbq, honey mustards whatever your heart desires really, just portion it according to your allowance and by the suggested size to track easily. and the clean up is alot easier than cooking it all form scratch every time also. at least that way you are eliminating the bulk of the garbage, and replacing it with a healthy alternative. this saves me a bunch of time and i can still have a great meal (as long as it is not over cooked to begin with) that tastes freshly cooked for 2-3 days. and repeat.

    when i have my friends over for dinner i just whip them up what i was having in a matter of seconds and they have no idea that it was pre cooked so to speak. thats my idea of fast food!

    if its chicken day, just cut the thing open and stuff it with cheese, ham, or something. in a pan with a lid, or top it with some marinara and a sclice of provolone and some liquid by the time the thing is reheated and finished cooking the ingriedients should be warmed and ready also. then you have pre cooked chicken you could cut up (maybe cook 1-2 pieces thoroughly) for a salad topper or chunk it up for a sandwich. that way your not ingesting TONS of sodiums, preservatives, and other craziness, that comes in things like lunch meats, or pre cooked meats. the little bit of salt you might add to brighten up your meal is no where near the amount of sodium they put in those things to lengthen the shelf life

    i always check out the meat isle's at the super markets for daily specials. what ever is a steal of a buy i pick it up, bring it home. throw it on the cutting board and trim it up and cut it into portion sizes and freeze it. then im always stocked and im eating for a great price also. got a huge pork tenderloin for like 2.29 per lbs the other day down from like 4.69 (spent 12 bucks instead of 26+ and got like 16 cuts out of it). to good to pass up, trimmed it up and cut it into like 4 oz portions and they were literally like 50 cents per portion all said and done. thats cheap, and efficient, which allows me to spend a little extra on my organic veggies.

    if you try this make sure their is space between them in the zip locks when you freeze them so you can just pull out individual portions without having a big chunk all froze to itself. this might be lame but its just some suggestions. hope it helps

    its unreal how much better i feel these days, and how much better food actually tastes. i forgot how sweet a carrot is. love them for snacks sorry for post overload lol :)
  • SteelySunshine
    SteelySunshine Posts: 1,092 Member
    Eat more fiber rich foods. Then just try to eat junk, lots of it. I am just kidding, don't try this at home it would be painful. And that is why I eat more fiber it makes it nearly impossible to eat junk food. It's kind of like a miracle cuz I was a junk food junkie, not fast food didn't like that. But, I could eat a bag of chips or a box of crackers or almost any kind of junk food from the supermarket. Now, that stuff just doesn't appeal to me to much, but I might have 5 or 6 Triscuits on occasion, when I just need to curb my hunger a bit.
  • Oompa_Loompa
    Oompa_Loompa Posts: 1,099 Member
    thanks everyone! A big part of it is that my boyfriend is doing the advocare system and has changed his life style completley so to me buying frozen french fries and chicken nuggets and cooking them at home is a win(better than mcdon) but he is all about really only eating healthy and natural things so to him...that is not healthy. which then makes me feel ughhh about it.
  • I know how you feel...I am a chocaholic...it is actually getting easier because I am working and where I work they server breakfast, so I've noticed if I eat more protein in the mornings and drink more water, I am less likely to snack after dinner. I'm diabetic as well ...mind you not a very good diabetic, but everyday is a struggle to choose the right things for me. I have an 11 year old and a 7 year old, both need to loose a little bit o weight, but the warmer weather is almost here and they live outside in the summer time!
  • cindybpitts
    cindybpitts Posts: 213 Member
    its been going down ok with me so far over 2 months in... i like that i dont feel that good if i splurge on junk food its a good internal reminder that the body really craves healthy fresh whole foods... but we have been eating chicken for lunch and dinner every night for like almost he 2 months... and i LOVE chicken, but that is getting old ... i know i could eat beef and ham and stuff... i hate ham....lol and im not a huge beef fan... seafood we eat too. but i find with healthy food u have to plan out every little thing you eat which sucks. it takes me almost an hour just to make lunch most days its rediculous. making things healthy from home takes alot of time and thought.. sometimes i search the internet for hours looking for new ideas because ive made so many things im sick of them all.. ugh idk i could go on and on.
    Same with me!
  • 2FatToRun
    2FatToRun Posts: 810 Member
    You perception of healthy food is sadly mistaken. I would suggest you join the clean eating group and look at a few of their food diaries. Mine is open as well. The recipes group is also a great one. There are a ton of very healthy recipes and food combinations that dont consist of chewing non stop raw vegetables or salad every day. If you do not find a way to resolve this misconception you are setting yourself up for failure. I love to eat and would not be able to do this if all my meals were repetitive and never changed. It is very discouraging. Also it is not the end of the world to enjoy a fast food meal in moderation as long as you make the healthiest options for you. Fiber and protein are very filling and keep you full. Good luck!
  • BluePHX
    BluePHX Posts: 184 Member
    You just need to find better health foods. :) I CRAVE the healthy things I eat every day! I hate salad! But I LOVE healthy vegetables and delicious clean-food dishes. Join the clean eating group and see what they have to offer. I'll never go back to junk. Ever!
  • CoachReddy
    CoachReddy Posts: 3,949 Member
    thanks everyone! A big part of it is that my boyfriend is doing the advocare system and has changed his life style completley so to me buying frozen french fries and chicken nuggets and cooking them at home is a win(better than mcdon) but he is all about really only eating healthy and natural things so to him...that is not healthy. which then makes me feel ughhh about it.

    what about frozen chicken nuggets and french fries do you find healthy? interested in how you came to that decision.