Healthy eating kinda sucks....
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I'Need2Exerc1se wrote: »There are so many vegetables with different tastes and textures, and so many cooking methods, that I always have a hard time believing that anyone could really not like any of them.
OP, what vegetables have you tried and how were they prepared? Do you typically eat them alone or in some type of prepared dish (casserole, soup, stew, pizza, lasanga, omelet, etc.)?
Lets see.....Cooked, I'm ok with peas, carrots and corn. Not fond of lima beans, but I'll eat them with enough salt. When I do a salad, I prefer raw spinach as part of the base. I despise green beans, mushrooms and broccoli. Most other veggies fall into the 'meh' category for me. If it's in something, I tend to eat around it to get to the meat, though I don't put a lot of effort into that unless it's one of the ones I despise. I don't like adding veggies to a recipe unless the recipe itself calls for that. It not only changes the flavor, but also the texture, which is another big reason why I don't like most veggies.
I wasn't really suggesting adding vegetables to recipes that don't call for them, rather if you liked dishes that contained vegetables. For example, tomato sauce is major component in traditional lasanga and is a very nutritious vegetable. Soups, stews, chili and pizza are just ways of preparing food and usually/often contain vegetables.
Vegetables are part of many delcious dishes. How do you make Asian, Mexican or Italian dishes without vegetables, instance?
But my real question was about how many vegetables you have tried. I guess a better question might have been, what do you like to eat. What are a few of your favorite meals?0 -
You don't need to eat anything you don't like. If you don't want to snack on fruit and vegetables, you don't have to. You can eat bread and chips, but they're really calorie dense, so you can't eat much of them (or you have to exercise a lot to "burn" them). Also, eating carbs creates a craving for more carbs. If you stopped eating bread/crackers/etc, it would be hard for a few days and then you'd barely miss it most of the time. Veggies as snacks have the advantage that they control hunger for very few calories.
Air popped popcorn (or microwave popcorn) is salty and you can eat a lot for few calories. Homemade soup/stew is also a great way to add veggies into a yummy/salty/brothy/meaty mix.
There are three issues to "healthy" eating:
1) controlling your calories (to lose the last 10 lbs). You can eat whatever you want to achieve this goal
2) getting enough nutrients. You need calcium, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, protein, minerals. You can do this through food or supplements.
3) avoiding excessive amounts of unhealthy things. Not everyone agrees on what those are. I personally prefer to avoid transfats and heavy metals (e.g. mercury, arsenic). Others think salt, sugar, saturated fats, carbs, artificial sweeteners, pesticides, food dyes, etc are "unhealthy". We each have to pick our own priorities, I think.
You need to find something you're happy with, or you won't sustain it.
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Who said you HAD to eat fruits and veggies as snacks? Just get some when you can/want to, eat your salty stuff, eat at a deficit. The end. I'm a BIG salt person too. Chips and salsa, pickles, sushi, buffalo sauce on grilled chicken, cajun fish, etc. None of these things keep me from my goal. Honestly being a salt craver is probably better than being a sweet food craver.
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No, it's more....hmm, how to put it. Whenever I see people asking for low calorie ideas for food and snacks, the majority of people respond with stuff like carrot sticks, fruit, yogurt, granola and the like. As if those kinds of foods will satisfy snack cravings. And they probably do for some, but those are not snacks to me. What I eat of those is more stuff I eat with a meal and I eat because I need to, not because I'm hungry or I want them. Does that make sense?
Ooooh yep, that makes sense. Veggies as a snack to me means I'm eating veggies because I'm so hungry I feel like I could puke so I need to tide myself over until I can get to real food (Mmm meat!). You might be thinking snack as a tasty treat that is more happiness than hunger satisfaction, in which case veggies might not cut it for you.
There are tricks though sometimes. Like cutting up cucumbers and dipping them in salsa like chips. That's a bit better than plain cucumbers or a whole bag of nachos. But in the end... some times you just have to have a few actual nachos!0 -
I didn't think I liked healthy foods either, but after experimenting for a few years I actually prefer them.
I hide veggies in chicken soup, I eat salads with veggies I like on them (and hide raw kale and spinach underneath romaine lettuce), I experimented with making delicious smoothies and add veggies to them. I prefer cashew butter to peanut butter, it's very salty you might like it.
Variety is key...if you're eating chicken breast and broccoli every day you will hate eating healthy. Pinterest has some great recipes.
But when it comes down to it, losing the last 10 pounds is all about cutting the calories, so maybe give yourself 8 weeks of misery to do it, and in the meantime hopefully you'll learn to enjoy some of it.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
But my real question was about how many vegetables you have tried. I guess a better question might have been, what do you like to eat. What are a few of your favorite meals?
How many vegetables have I tried? Um, go down the frozen section of the grocery store and I've tried just about all of them at one time or another. My dad would plant a garden every year when I was growing up, and he always planted several things so I grew up eating them fresh, too. Still despise green beans!
Favorite meals......well, we're doing Chicken Adobo tonight, the recipe from Cooks Illustrated. I love steak, I make a killer meatloaf, love my husband's pot roast....not fond of Mexican or Tex-Mex because it's too spicy. Not a fan of Indian spices, not the heat, just the taste of them. Like some Asian foods, but again, have to make sure it's not spicy.0 -
I am betting that texture is big for you, too. I think you will need to experiment more widely to understand what you like. There's some crispy peas at Costco, salty, with a neat texture.
http://harvestsnaps.com/0 -
JeffseekingV wrote: »
blend the damn things. it works0 -
I am betting that texture is big for you, too. I think you will need to experiment more widely to understand what you like. There's some crispy peas at Costco, salty, with a neat texture.
http://harvestsnaps.com/
You know, I've seen those before and wondered if they're any good. Next time I go to the store, I'll get a small bag and see. Better to find out if I do or don't like them before getting them at Costco! XD0 -
I don't care for most veggies - but it's a texture thing for me. I can't do cooked anything pretty much. I gag. So I just do fresh carrots, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes with dinner and sometimes as a snack.
You're not alone, I just don't really sweat it though.0 -
if your goal is fat loss then you can eat whatever you want just make sure that you hit a calorie deficit..
If your goal is more body composition overall health, then macro/micro adherence will become more important..0 -
I completely feel your pain. I've always been sorta a picky eater and it makes eating healthy really difficult at times. There's only a few veggies I like, I'm really not into fruit, I have to force yogurt down. I've been trying to sub turkey in place of beef but most times don't like it.0
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
But my real question was about how many vegetables you have tried. I guess a better question might have been, what do you like to eat. What are a few of your favorite meals?
How many vegetables have I tried? Um, go down the frozen section of the grocery store and I've tried just about all of them at one time or another. My dad would plant a garden every year when I was growing up, and he always planted several things so I grew up eating them fresh, too. Still despise green beans!
Favorite meals......well, we're doing Chicken Adobo tonight, the recipe from Cooks Illustrated. I love steak, I make a killer meatloaf, love my husband's pot roast....not fond of Mexican or Tex-Mex because it's too spicy. Not a fan of Indian spices, not the heat, just the taste of them. Like some Asian foods, but again, have to make sure it's not spicy.
Things like meat loaf, steak and pot roast are usually entrees, not a full meal. What do you typically eat as side dishes?0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
But my real question was about how many vegetables you have tried. I guess a better question might have been, what do you like to eat. What are a few of your favorite meals?
How many vegetables have I tried? Um, go down the frozen section of the grocery store and I've tried just about all of them at one time or another. My dad would plant a garden every year when I was growing up, and he always planted several things so I grew up eating them fresh, too. Still despise green beans!
Favorite meals......well, we're doing Chicken Adobo tonight, the recipe from Cooks Illustrated. I love steak, I make a killer meatloaf, love my husband's pot roast....not fond of Mexican or Tex-Mex because it's too spicy. Not a fan of Indian spices, not the heat, just the taste of them. Like some Asian foods, but again, have to make sure it's not spicy.
I find a lot of frozen veggies gross unless they are in a dish that is pretty good at hiding textures and flavors. I pretty much can only do frozen green beans, and even then I prefer fresh if I can. And definitely not canned. I love fresh veggies that I roast: potatoes, brussel sprouts, broccoli, mushrooms, onion, etc. Definitely give it a try.
As for pasta sauce, I find you can hide a lot of veggies in there and not notice: frozen or fresh spinach, pumpkin puree, mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, etc. If it's a texture thing, you can blend the sauce to help with chunks. Focus on dishes that have more vegetables incorporated into them that you actually enjoy. Then find snacks that work with your calorie goal that you actually like.0 -
Saphira291 wrote: »I completely feel your pain. I've always been sorta a picky eater and it makes eating healthy really difficult at times. There's only a few veggies I like, I'm really not into fruit, I have to force yogurt down. I've been trying to sub turkey in place of beef but most times don't like it.
Yeah, I like turkey, but it's just not the same as beef!Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Things like meat loaf, steak and pot roast are usually entrees, not a full meal. What do you typically eat as side dishes?
Peas, carrots and corn are the top contenders. They have the steam fresh singles of peas, so that's what I do a lot of. We don't do a lot of salads in the house because my husband has issues with them, and I can't go through them fast enough on my own. Besides, I do salads for lunch on work days, so I'd prefer not to have a second one at night.0 -
Maybe you should be experimenting with cooking tasty foods. you can eat the food you like but less of it. You only need to eat fewer calories so why focus on the food you don't like? think positively and use the math to your favor. I hate liver. there is nothing you could say to me to make me eat it. lol.0
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One 'harvestsnap' type thing I like are 'snap pea crisps'. They make a wasabi ranch one that I LOVE. Like, with hearts floating out of my head, love... I like them better than harvest snaps.
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No...eating healthfully kicks *kitten*...but then again, I'm a rockin' cook too.
Also, judging by your post, your definition of "healthy" is probably very narrow.0 -
No, it's more....hmm, how to put it. Whenever I see people asking for low calorie ideas for food and snacks, the majority of people respond with stuff like carrot sticks, fruit, yogurt, granola and the like. As if those kinds of foods will satisfy snack cravings. And they probably do for some, but those are not snacks to me. What I eat of those is more stuff I eat with a meal and I eat because I need to, not because I'm hungry or I want them. Does that make sense?
Ooooh yep, that makes sense. Veggies as a snack to me means I'm eating veggies because I'm so hungry I feel like I could puke so I need to tide myself over until I can get to real food (Mmm meat!). You might be thinking snack as a tasty treat that is more happiness than hunger satisfaction, in which case veggies might not cut it for you.
There are tricks though sometimes. Like cutting up cucumbers and dipping them in salsa like chips. That's a bit better than plain cucumbers or a whole bag of nachos. But in the end... some times you just have to have a few actual nachos!
+1
OP, there's a difference between craving something because you're hungry, and craving something because you just are wanting a certain eating experience.
The first can be reasonably satisfied with just about any food that is reasonably satiating. The second won't be satisfied except by foods that give you the experience you want. Or by killing your appetite entirely, like some people do by brushing their teeth or sucking on a menthol drop. Personally, I find it's best to feed those cravings a bit of what they want. Otherwise, I try to take care of it by eating something else, then either go back and eat what I wanted anyway or am miserable for the rest of the day.
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Oh, and about the salt - lots of people have this problem. If you very gradually cut down, you should be able to work your way down to 'normal' levels of salt without thinking things are bland. If you want to do that, of course. I would - I understand people who do find that fruits and veggies, etc start tasting better (more vibrant) as they lower the amount of salt they're accustomed to, and I would think that would be a good thing.0 -
I hear you about the liver! I also got dead-sick of salads this fall. I changed it up by switching to winter vegetables. Cooking low-salt means paying attention to fresh, the natural flavour of vegetables. An acquired taste for sure.0
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I used to be in this boat too. I've found that since I've cut out refined sugars and heavily processed foods, my taste buds seemed to have recalibrated and veggies taste good to me. Last night I ate butternut squash and I was like, "good lord, this is delicious!!" and I never would have had that thought about squash when my diet included processed, sugary stuff. Not sure if this applies to you, but something to consider.
Melon
Feel free to add me as a friend.0 -
I am betting that texture is big for you, too. I think you will need to experiment more widely to understand what you like. There's some crispy peas at Costco, salty, with a neat texture.
http://harvestsnaps.com/
You know, I've seen those before and wondered if they're any good. Next time I go to the store, I'll get a small bag and see. Better to find out if I do or don't like them before getting them at Costco! XD
Or, for not a whole lot more calories, have some real potato chips! Those things are still 110 calories for 1 ounce and would probably be a sad substitute. Or, you could have a 5 oz potato, chopped and misted with a cooking oil then roasted. Or, you could make microwave potato chips. Or, you could take two or three thin corn tortillas, mist them with oil, cut them in to wedges, then bake. When they come out, squeeze a little fresh lime on them and sprinkle some kosher salt on them. You can eat them plain or with salsa and have a good crunch chip snack for the same number of calories. Most of those options will probably take you some experimentation to see what actually makes a good end product, but it can happen.
This might sound strange, but you could also try cutting down on your salt intake. I eat a ton of salt, too, but I've gradually cut down, simply because I used to have a tendency to oversalt my food and my family would complain that it was too salty. Now that I eat less salt, I've found that most foods taste better. I've also learned that if you are steaming vegetables, super salt the water and they take in some of the salt while they are steaming. They taste much better this way than steaming them with plain water and adding salt. The salt actually seems to get inside the vegetable that way. Doing that is what first got me to eat broccoli.0 -
As I age, I've learned that I need to eat what my body needs more than just what I want. That sentiment alone is often enough motivation to make me want to eat well. But there are a handful of things that I severely dislike as well: carrots and celery, broccoli, cauliflower. You're right: I don't know many people who would say those sorts of things fill them up or that they crave them. I try to sneak in fruits and veggies throughout my entire day and rarely eat them plain, just as they are. For example, my breakfast this morning was a smoothie consisting of banana, apple, sweet potato, kale, almond milk, and whey protein powder. I would eat a few of those things on their own, but probably not something like kale. I will also argue that once I'd been on the wagon for a while and eating well, exercising fairly often, drinking enough water, and getting enough rest- I simply FELT better. And eating fast food or junk after I'd been doing so well for so long could actually upset my tummy a bit. I think you just have to get to that point where it's second nature, you know? Good luck 0
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If you dont like veg then dont eat them, just miss out on the nutritional benefits. your choice. as suggested pop a pill.
If you like salt then have it, but if you eat in excess, then you run the risk it will catch up with you in later life with higher blood pressure, and increased risk of heart disease and a stroke. Plenty of other herbs and spices that you cna use in cooking that dont have those risks.0 -
Oh, and about the salt - lots of people have this problem. If you very gradually cut down, you should be able to work your way down to 'normal' levels of salt without thinking things are bland. If you want to do that, of course. I would - I understand people who do find that fruits and veggies, etc start tasting better (more vibrant) as they lower the amount of salt they're accustomed to, and I would think that would be a good thing.
It's actually not that I think things are bland. HSpoon is a good cook and I don't add salt to things he's cooked. I crave the salt for itself, not because I want to make things taste better.
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No, it's more....hmm, how to put it. Whenever I see people asking for low calorie ideas for food and snacks, the majority of people respond with stuff like carrot sticks, fruit, yogurt, granola and the like. As if those kinds of foods will satisfy snack cravings. And they probably do for some, but those are not snacks to me. What I eat of those is more stuff I eat with a meal and I eat because I need to, not because I'm hungry or I want them. Does that make sense?
Ooooh yep, that makes sense. Veggies as a snack to me means I'm eating veggies because I'm so hungry I feel like I could puke so I need to tide myself over until I can get to real food (Mmm meat!). You might be thinking snack as a tasty treat that is more happiness than hunger satisfaction, in which case veggies might not cut it for you.
There are tricks though sometimes. Like cutting up cucumbers and dipping them in salsa like chips. That's a bit better than plain cucumbers or a whole bag of nachos. But in the end... some times you just have to have a few actual nachos!
+1
OP, there's a difference between craving something because you're hungry, and craving something because you just are wanting a certain eating experience.
The first can be reasonably satisfied with just about any food that is reasonably satiating. The second won't be satisfied except by foods that give you the experience you want. Or by killing your appetite entirely, like some people do by brushing their teeth or sucking on a menthol drop. Personally, I find it's best to feed those cravings a bit of what they want. Otherwise, I try to take care of it by eating something else, then either go back and eat what I wanted anyway or am miserable for the rest of the day.
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Oh, and about the salt - lots of people have this problem. If you very gradually cut down, you should be able to work your way down to 'normal' levels of salt without thinking things are bland. If you want to do that, of course. I would - I understand people who do find that fruits and veggies, etc start tasting better (more vibrant) as they lower the amount of salt they're accustomed to, and I would think that would be a good thing.
This x100. From what you've posted, OP, it's not so much that you don't like certain things, it's more that you've desensitized your taste buds after eating so much sodium. Try cutting down gradually. After a while you will notice a huge difference.
And, it's okay to dislike certain textures and have a limited range of things you actually like, but give the sodium reduction a try. You may be pleasantly surprised.0 -
OP, I understand you.
I really, really like chips and bread and butter and cookies and cheese and more chips and fried food and (again) cookies, muffins,croissants, pie, and doughnuts.
I do not get the same thrill from eating "healthy" foods.
But I eat them anyway. I do like healthy foods, but they don't really compare in terms of yumminess most of the time.0 -
Oh, and about the salt - lots of people have this problem. If you very gradually cut down, you should be able to work your way down to 'normal' levels of salt without thinking things are bland. If you want to do that, of course. I would - I understand people who do find that fruits and veggies, etc start tasting better (more vibrant) as they lower the amount of salt they're accustomed to, and I would think that would be a good thing.
This x100. From what you've posted, OP, it's not so much that you don't like certain things, it's more that you've desensitized your taste buds after eating so much sodium. Try cutting down gradually. After a while you will notice a huge difference.
And, it's okay to dislike certain textures and have a limited range of things you actually like, but give the sodium reduction a try. You may be pleasantly surprised.
I actually have over the years. I've stopped adding salt to main dishes, and I try not to salt veggies anymore. I still do a little bit if it's canned, but most of the time, no I don't need it for flavor. I started doing that several years ago (coincidentally, the same time I moved in with my husband when we were still dating, who likes to cook!), and I can go just about anywhere and don't automatically grab the salt for my meals anymore. About the only thing that still gets it is ketchup for my fries. I don't even use salt on my salads much anymore, if at all. But I still crave it. I still go into the kitchen and make popcorn just so I can have salt and not actually eat it. Over 5 years of reducing my salt intake with food has not lessened it any at all.0 -
Back to add that I do enjoy air-popped popcorn with lots of salt. That is healthy and crunchy and salty. So, I eat a lot of it.
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