Boring food... Need some change... Help

Options
I need help. I'm doing OK losing weight but here is my problem... I'm bord of the food. I see people eating yummy looking foods and recipes but I'm scared to do it and gain weight... I'm not good at coming up with recipes. I eat boaring stuff.. Boiled eggs, protein shakes, grilled chicken and veggies, salad... Etc... How do you guys lose and get away with eating fruit, waffles, yogurt, rice.... Etc.... I'm so scared of carbs.... HELP

Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Options
    You're only going to gain weight if you consume more calories than you're burning. How many calories are you eating now? You can eat fruit, waffles, yogurt, rice, whatever, within that calorie level.

    You might see a temporary increase in water weight gain when you increase your carbohydrate consumption (if you are currently low carbohydrate), but staying in a calorie deficit should even things out.

    Carbohydrates are nothing to fear.
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    edited March 2016
    Options
    Easy idea:
    Go to a nice whole foods type store.
    See what they have to offer.
    I bought spinach spaghetti, tried a new grain (farro), and some organic edamame.
    You figure out how to cook them later... Not everything in life can be planned.
    * I think Aldi now sells grains like farro, barley, bulgur.

  • WholeFoods4Lyfe
    WholeFoods4Lyfe Posts: 1,518 Member
    Options
    I find a lot of ideas on Instagram by searching hashtags. Pinterest is also a great resource for recipes. If you are making something from scratch, enter it in the recipe builder to make sure that you are staying in your calorie range. Carbs, or any food for that matter, should not be scary. Everything in moderation. As long as you are staying in your calorie range, you should be fine.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Options
    Just plug the recipes in the recipe builder and eat appropriate portions?

    I have a rotating dinner plan based on weekly themes, so that I go through all categories every week, but alternate contents week by week. I also keep it very simple, no fancy ingredients or difficult techniques. So Mondays is soup+dessert or stew (often blended vegetable soups and fruit yogurt or tapioca or rice pudding, or pasta or chili), Tuesdays is pork chops or chicken thigh/wings, Wednesdays is leftover from Monday, Thursday is fish, Fridays are open for whatever, Saturdays pancakes with sweet fillings, or cheese on toast, Sundays are beef or lamb. All meat/fish dishes are combined with a starch and a vegetable.

    For other meals, I eat more normal foods, focusing on what I like while keeping a balance of calories and macros. Variety is important, and I like most foods now.

    I don't fear any foods anymore, but I pay attention to how I react. What makes me feel energized and satisfied - eat more of that. What makes me lethargic and cravy - eat less of that.
  • ashleyrichey616
    ashleyrichey616 Posts: 15 Member
    Options
    I saw a joke about one guy asking another what Pinterest was, and the second responded, "When your wife spends 8 hours staring at her phone, then you eat salads out of mason jars for a week - that's Pinterest." That's me. I LOVE Pinterest, and almost my entire thing is food-related. (Most of it healthy, some of it not-so-much, but I get one cheat day a week, and that's what that's for). SkinnyTaste is a great Pinterest-er/blog for recipes, and she has all the nutrition information for all of her dishes. Some of them do call for some random ingredients here and there, but I either just pass on those or sub out the randoms for something more 'traditional.' The "Taste of Home Comfort Food Diet" cookbooks are also really good (and I know you can find many if not all of the recipes online) and also include nutrition information with the recipes.

    If you look at your macros on your MFP diary you'll see that you should actually be taking in a good amount of carbs, particularly if you also exercise. It's just a matter of choosing the RIGHT carbs. Oatmeal and fruit is one of my FAVORITE breakfasts. Sure, it's carb-heavy, but there's no refined sugars or simple carbs and an additional plus is that it always keeps me full for a nice long time, unlike a lot of other breakfasts. You can always look into making some 'swaps,' gradually if necessary. Start by switching from white pasta to wheat or one that is made from veggies, then in time switch to actual veggies (spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles, etc.). An added bonus is that it really makes the sauce the star of the show!
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
    Options
    First realize that weight loss is about calories. You can eat whatever food and lose weight as long as you eat the right number of calories to have a deficit.
    Then do some planning and stop being scared!
    I prelog my whole day so I know what portion size fits my goals. I look at calories first and then my protein goal. I find if I am meeting those then the rest sort themselves out. I use the recipe builder when I cook so I know how many calories in in something. Since I log it in advance, I know how much I can eat. If it is higher calorie then I reduce portion size and have more salad or vegetables on my plate.
    Spices and herbs don't add many calories but make food less boring.

    https://lounmoun.wordpress.com/ is my blog and has my monthly meal plans and some recipes I use.
    I find food ideas on Pinterest alll the time.
    http://www.skinnytaste.com and http://www.budgetbytes.com are great.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
    Options
    What I do is think of what I really feel like eating, then look up 'healthy X recipe' on Google.
  • Sexedee10
    Sexedee10 Posts: 62 Member
    Options
    Thanks guys. Lots of great advice... I'm just worried cause the low carb has worked in the past where other ways have failed... At the same time tho I was young and didn't understand portions... Etc... Any advice on macros.... I don't really get it.... Lol
  • kayman242001
    kayman242001 Posts: 1 Member
    Options
    A very standard macro ratio is the 40/30/30. 40% of your calories come from protein, 30% from carbs, and 30% from fat. It equals out to a very balanced diet with enough carbs to keep you energized and enough protein to keep your muscle. Just stay under your calorie goal at that ratio and you will be fine. While still being able to enjoy carbs.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
    Options
    Sexedee10 wrote: »
    I need help. I'm doing OK losing weight but here is my problem... I'm bord of the food. I see people eating yummy looking foods and recipes but I'm scared to do it and gain weight... I'm not good at coming up with recipes. I eat boaring stuff.. Boiled eggs, protein shakes, grilled chicken and veggies, salad... Etc... How do you guys lose and get away with eating fruit, waffles, yogurt, rice.... Etc.... I'm so scared of carbs.... HELP

    You just hit your calorie targets...calories are what determines if you'll lose, maintain, or gain weight, not waffles.

    Also, there's like a gazillion websites out there that are geared towards healthy eating with tons of awesome recipes...I will never understand why people must associate "healthy" with bland and boring. Get into the kitchen and cook some good stuff.

    eatingwell.com
    cookinglight.com

    just a couple to start...there are literally a gazillion of these sites and various blogs dedicated to preparing awesome meals healthfully.

  • MinmoInk
    MinmoInk Posts: 345 Member
    Options
    Sexedee10 wrote: »
    I need help. I'm doing OK losing weight but here is my problem... I'm bord of the food. I see people eating yummy looking foods and recipes but I'm scared to do it and gain weight... I'm not good at coming up with recipes. I eat boaring stuff.. Boiled eggs, protein shakes, grilled chicken and veggies, salad... Etc... How do you guys lose and get away with eating fruit, waffles, yogurt, rice.... Etc.... I'm so scared of carbs.... HELP

    Calling boiled eggs boring makes me sad. I mean, yogurts aren't that high in calories and neither is fruit.. I'm not sure why you can't have a side of Apple along side your grilled chicken. Or some yogurt with berries for breakfast? Protein waffles? Brown rice? Just portion things out correctly. Weigh things or use measuring cups at least
  • cpalumbo89
    cpalumbo89 Posts: 71 Member
    Options
    I personally can't recommend Pinterest enough it's amazing. Buy some random spices like cumin and curry and dehydrated herbs and then search recipes with those. Try one new recipe a week and may leftovers. Search vegan recipes if you want to try carbs but are afraid of extra calories or fat. Also, put peanuts in everything. I just made a 4 ingredient curry and then added peanuts to it, it's amazing.