HELP ME!!!

A lot of people ask questions along the lines of: "What are the foods I can eat to lose weight?" So I thought it would be helpful to put together a comprehensive list of all the foods that you can eat while dieting!

Meats:
chicken (white or dark meat)
turkey (again, white or dark)
beef (lean cuts or less lean cuts)
fish, shellfish, and seafood
venison
elk
bison
veal
lamb
mutton
pork (including ham, bacon, boar, etc.)
sausages
offal meats (liver, heart, etc.)
goat
rabbit
pigeon (squab if you want to be fancy about it)
poussin (what is this even? it appears to be some kind of bird)
squirrel
goose
duck
grouse
partridge
pheasant
quail
snake
alligator
kangaroo
ostrich
turtle
escargot (let's be honest: snails)
frog
moose

And I gave up after the meats. By the time I was about to add camel, beaver, and alpaca meat, the project proved to be way too large.

Is this what people want when they ask the question? Absolutely not in most cases. This list is on the nit picky side and nobody likes a nit picker. Many of them want a simple diet plan. Some of them are bored with their current options or don't have a lot of experience with foods and want more variety in their diet. Some of them are looking for those "10 Weird Foods" that will help with weight loss. A lot of them are just lost in the conflicting information of the diet industry. I get that.

But I'm also trying to prove a point. The options are literally endless. And I mean that literally. Imagine this list stretching just through the produce section of the world. I'm not sure how long MFP allows posts to be, but I suspect we would find out with a list like that. Now add in all of the different cultures of the world and their various cuisines. Different taste combinations and cooking methods. The list would be huge!

So what's my point? "What can I eat to lose weight?" by itself will give you an overwhelming number of responses. A lot of us boil the answer down to some variation on: "Things that you like that fit in your goals." That's not people being snarky just for the sake of it. That's a real answer and one that's meant to open the mind to some of the wonderful possibilities out there.

There are a ton of foods to be discovered out there, but we can't tell what you'll like or not like. We don't know what will fit into your goals best. You're in this for the long haul and you have to be able to maintain once you reach your goals. Start with foods that you like, even if they aren't traditionally considered healthy. Find ways to make them fit into your goals. Figure out what keeps you feeling better throughout the day; it'll be different from person to person. Branch out and try new things. Read nutrition labels at the grocery store. Watch your macro and micro numbers to see how you're doing nutritionally. Include a new food in your diet every week. Try a new recipe every Wednesday. Check out sites like Eating Well, Cooking Light, Pinterest, Skinny Taste, or others. Whatever works best for you.

It takes some time to build a personal food routine, but it will serve you better in the long run than sticking to a handful of recommended foods.