How do you learn to eat foods that you don't like but you know are good for you?
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I'll pile on more of the "Don't eat foods you don't like". However, it's always good to try new cooking techniques for something like veggies. Roasting makes almost anything taste good enough to eat (except kale, I won't eat that ever again
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Fish? Meh, I eat catfish sometimes, and take a fish oil supplements to fill the nutritional gap, since I don't care for any other fish either. Vegetarians don't eat fish, either, and they're truckin' along just fine without it. You'll be fine, too
Baby steps--if you're keen to try something new, find a recipe that sounds yummy and give something new a try once a week. Maybe you'll find a "brand new delicious and nutritious" thing you'd never thought you'd love (I found brussels sprouts love this way, go figure). If you don't like it, try something different next week.0 -
arditarose wrote: »
A lot of us around here believe that you shouldn't force yourself to eat things you don't like, at least not to lose weight (I lost weight eating all the things I love, just less of it).
Of course nutrition is important, but if there is something you're lacking there are often other ways to get the right nutrients into your diet by finding it in something you enjoy, rather than eating something you don't like. It would be great if you could eat some veggies of course. Like other posters suggested, try different ways of cooking, seasoning/etc.
Thank you I do appreciate your comments and support, for me as I am sure you understand It is very confusing trying to loose weight even for us guys. Do this, don't do that, eat this, you must do that.. etc.
So when I see comments like why on earth would you do X, not helpful to me granted that was not your post. Whats helpful to me is your last comment helping me understand you perspective. Thank you.0 -
arditarose wrote: »
A lot of us around here believe that you shouldn't force yourself to eat things you don't like, at least not to lose weight (I lost weight eating all the things I love, just less of it).
Of course nutrition is important, but if there is something you're lacking there are often other ways to get the right nutrients into your diet by finding it in something you enjoy, rather than eating something you don't like. It would be great if you could eat some veggies of course. Like other posters suggested, try different ways of cooking, seasoning/etc.
Pretty much.. Sorry, OP, I didn't mean to be short. There are tons of foods that are nutrient dense, so if you don't like fish, the you can eat other types of meat such as bison, chicken, turkey, beans, avocado, oils, fruits or as other suggested try to cook things differently.
Personally, my favorite website is www.mccormick.com.
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There is no one food you have to eat just because it's healthy. Just because fish is the best way to get certain nutrients doesn't mean it's the only way. You can find it in other foods, just not in as high of quantities. Also, just like vegetables, there are tons of species of fish. I mostly tolerate tuna and salmon, but I like tilapia and other white fish. Do your research on fish, as a lot of species are overfished and some contain high contents of mercury (which would not be good to add to your diet regularly) and get small quantities of some you haven't tried before. Try them prepared a few different ways. If you're still striking out, then don't eat it.
Coming from the south as well, I will tell you this: a lot of people don't know how to cook vegetables here. I find roasting them makes them pretty tasty. If you've got access to a grill, it's not just for meat. Try some vegetables on it! If all else fails there, start sneaking them into things you do like. Minced or pureed vegetables in sauces and soups make it harder to detect and you'll get your nutrients that way. Some people add vegetables in their smoothies.0 -
arditarose wrote: »
A lot of us around here believe that you shouldn't force yourself to eat things you don't like, at least not to lose weight (I lost weight eating all the things I love, just less of it).
Of course nutrition is important, but if there is something you're lacking there are often other ways to get the right nutrients into your diet by finding it in something you enjoy, rather than eating something you don't like. It would be great if you could eat some veggies of course. Like other posters suggested, try different ways of cooking, seasoning/etc.
Thank you I do appreciate your comments and support, for me as I am sure you understand It is very confusing trying to loose weight even for us guys. Do this, don't do that, eat this, you must do that.. etc.
So when I see comments like why on earth would you do X, not helpful to me granted that was not your post. Whats helpful to me is your last comment helping me understand you perspective. Thank you.
Yeah, of course. Once you do some more reading of the threads you'll see where we are coming from too. While you are asking about how to get more foods INTO your diet, people come and post about how to cut foods OUT (sugar, fat, etc). The truth is, for weight loss, it is all about calories in vs. calories out. You can eat all the same things, just less. And yes, certain food choices are wiser than others if they help you meet your macros/nutritional needs and keep you fuller. Once you meet this, you don't get extra credit-you can eat whatever you want as long as you are in a deficit.
That being said, veggies are great for you. I'm no cook so everyone else has better ideas.0 -
Dan, weight loss is about forming a deficit not about eating specific foods. The types of foods you eat can influence stuff like muscle retention (protien), satiety (fats and protein), and energy (carbs). But in ones diet, they don't have to have specific foods to get them to the point. Below are two good threads on the basics of calorie counting which can help with the weight loss. After you get the basics down, then you can continue to incorporate different foods into your diet.
Calorie Counting 101
A guide to get you started on your path to the sexypants0 -
Dan, weight loss is about forming a deficit not about eating specific foods. The types of foods you eat can influence stuff like muscle retention (protien), satiety (fats and protein), and energy (carbs). But in ones diet, they don't have to have specific foods to get them to the point. Below are two good threads on the basics of calorie counting which can help with the weight loss. After you get the basics down, then you can continue to incorporate different foods into your diet.
Calorie Counting 101
A guide to get you started on your path to the sexypants
Thank you, that helps. Gee I really got a thread going
I do appreciate everyones help, honest. Loosing weight is hard again I do appreciate it. 0 -
Something I forgot to mention: if you're not super adventurous in the cuisines you eat, start branching out. You may find the typical American preparations of foods not so great, but you put something you didn't like in a thai curry and it's delicious. With the internet and food blogs, it's so easy to expand your palate these days.0
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arditarose wrote: »
A lot of us around here believe that you shouldn't force yourself to eat things you don't like, at least not to lose weight (I lost weight eating all the things I love, just less of it).
Of course nutrition is important, but if there is something you're lacking there are often other ways to get the right nutrients into your diet by finding it in something you enjoy, rather than eating something you don't like. It would be great if you could eat some veggies of course. Like other posters suggested, try different ways of cooking, seasoning/etc.
Thank you I do appreciate your comments and support, for me as I am sure you understand It is very confusing trying to loose weight even for us guys. Do this, don't do that, eat this, you must do that.. etc.
So when I see comments like why on earth would you do X, not helpful to me granted that was not your post. Whats helpful to me is your last comment helping me understand you perspective. Thank you.
Dan, I don't eat things I don't like. Period. Life is too short as it is. I can find an alternative that I do like if I need something in particular in my diet. What I WILL do is try things that I had refused to try in the past. I have learned that I love sweet potatoes and Brussel sprouts. I didn't dislike white chicken, but I prefered dark. I have grown to like it more after learning better ways to cook it. Losing weight is not confusing, it's actually simple. It is most definitely NOT EASY. My pat answer is always, eat the foods you love in smaller portions with an eye towards balance. The more you learn, the more your diet will evolve. Don't try to completely overhaul your diet to begin with. Eat fewer calories than you burn and you WILL lose weight. You can figure the other stuff out later as you go, hope this helps, I tend to ramble.
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I have slowly started to eat tomatoes salmon and other usefuls foods by sip all pieces buried in flavourful things si didn't notice it too much and am slowly adjusting and learning to enjoy. I think it is good to train your palate to healthy things but go slow and flavourful, grilled vegetables like toasting brings out the sweetness. So bbq season is a great time to ramp up on adjusting to veggies. Good luck!0
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I don't like vegetables period. But I eat them because I need them.
Usually choke them down first and get the taste out by eating meat.0 -
piperdown44 wrote: »I don't like vegetables period. But I eat them because I need them.
Usually choke them down first and get the taste out by eating meat.
This kind of made me lol.0 -
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I won't eat food I don't like. I have tried to embrace cauliflower, roasted, riced, mashed...and forget about it. I can't choke it down.
Find vegetables you do like, maybe salad? Vegetable soup?
My diet has been to eliminate foods I love, like pancakes, biscuits, butter, pasta, bread...just stopping eating processed foods has helped me.
And, I don't really eat fish. Sardines once in awhile.
Eat what you like. Diet is not all about eating things you don't like.0 -
Lose weight by eating foods that you love. Skip the fish or not -- it is up to you.
I avoid fish when possible although I do eat it on a occasion when it is prepared properly like when I make salmon by cooking it in the frying pan with a little fresh dill and some cracked paper (no oil needed because salmon is a fatty fish.)
Here are some guidelines I live by: you can make up your own. And become comfortable learning new ways to cook things -- not all at once -- maybe one new thing a week.
Limit pasta, bread, pizza, rice, potatoes, cereal
Limit fruits
Eat meat, dairy, eggs, seafood, nuts, beans, lentils
Eat lots of veggies like yellow squash, zucchini, asparagus, brussels sprouts, eggplant, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, bell peppers, tomatoes, carrots, onions, romaine, swiss chard.
Also fat like butter, olive oil, other cooking oils.
We have a recipe section here with good vegetable ideas.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/categories/recipes
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Curry! Stir fry! Casseroles! Pies! Also, having things in combination can be helpful, eg I don't really like rocket or watercress, but mixed in a salad with pear, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, and a little bit of dressing makes all the difference. Regarding fish, if you can find a market or other place that knows about the fish they are selling you can ask them about the different seafood and how to best prepare it. I like Jamie Oliver's recipes as they are easy and tasty. I hope this helps.0
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You learn to eat foods by eating them. I read somewhere that it takes at least 10 samplings of something before you even really know what it tastes like, and since we seldom eat anything completely in isolation, the number usually becomes much bigger.
So, if you wan't to really give something a fair chance, you'll have to taste it again and again. If you eat something at least once a day for one month, you should have a pretty good base. Odds are that you will learn to like it, or at least to eat it without problems, since there really aren't anything that tastes bad in a physiological sense, except food that is spoiled or that provoke unpleasant physical reactions.0 -
Dan, weight loss is about forming a deficit not about eating specific foods. The types of foods you eat can influence stuff like muscle retention (protien), satiety (fats and protein), and energy (carbs). But in ones diet, they don't have to have specific foods to get them to the point. Below are two good threads on the basics of calorie counting which can help with the weight loss. After you get the basics down, then you can continue to incorporate different foods into your diet.
Calorie Counting 101
A guide to get you started on your path to the sexypants
Thank you, that helps. Gee I really got a thread going I do appreciate everyones help, honest. Loosing weight is hard again I do appreciate it.
Dan, those are good links.
On the subject of fish - there are a variety of flavors and types and while I love fish and love to cook - I also understand that those around me do not have the same palate.
Here is a suggestion - try to group fish flavors by groups.
bland/soft - white fish like cod, tilapia and pollack are often bland. If you cook these simply, frankly they won't have a lot of taste. Try these in stronger sauces, they can carry them well. Or, when fresh, these fish deal very well with simple butter pan saute and a little thyme. Sauted flaunder is a treat. To firm up a little - egg baste and flour and saute. Makes a nice breaded fish, a little firmer and drier.
Fish like turbot are a little tougher to acquire as a taste - properly prepared, they still might have a slimy/rubbery part that you need to fork aside. Don't order these as until you feel ready for that.
firmer fish - catfish/tuna/salmons - unique and, to a large extend, easier fishes to like. Firmer, easy to prepare in larger cuts and remain flaky in various preparations. Cajun, broiled, or blackened can set these closer to a meaty flavor. smoked.
etc... meaty, salt/strong figure out what works for you. Lots of other flavors come from the sea!
mahi, bonita and huachinango are fish I miss from my childhood.
Edit - I am also of the school that you don't need to eat x or y to be healthy BUT it is useful to have variety. Try things, your palate will evolve.
But you don't have to force yourself to eat x.0 -
I have 3 grown sons, and 2 aren't big vegetable eaters----so I have to sneak it in. I take 1 onion, 2 carrots, a couple stalks of celery, and a fistful of parsely. Clean them all, grate the carrots and throw it all into a food processor until fine. I put the mixture in ice cube trays and freeze. I then add a cube or two to alot of things I'm cooking---rice, pasta sauce, soups etc. The pieces are so fine that even my eagle-eyed son can't pick them out. Start small. Also, it's hard to believe you don't eat carrots. Raw, they are a great snack. I always have some cleaned and cut up in my frig. 0
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Tilapia is a mild fish that I will eat occasionally (not a big fan of fish) plus it's commonly available.
Had it for the first time in Costa Rica because frankly it's just about the only thing they serve over there (lol). It was delicious
I love potatoes, and steak. I just eat them in smaller portions (4oz Top Sirloin with 2-3 roasted baby potatoes and a heap of veggies, broc being my favorite).0
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