Forgot what normal food is

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FrancineDesign
FrancineDesign Posts: 67 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
It seems like when I decide to eat healthy, nothing is actually healthy. For example. I usually have toast for breakfast but when I try to eat healthy I do better on low carb so toast goes out the window and then I usually have porridge but I hate making it every morning. Then comes lunch. Usually I have sandwiches, a yoghurt and a muesli bar. But more carbs in the bread, sugar in the yoghurt and same with the bar. I then get to dinner and chicken stir fry is the only healthy thing I can think of. So what do I eat that's healthy but not so expensive and time consuming. Shouldn't healthy also be convenient?! Help me guys. What should I be eating?!
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Replies

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    You like toast sandwiches and yogurt? Eat them?

    How many calories in your bread? What do you eat on your toast?
    - I have scrambled egg white, spinach, ham, mushroom, cheese on 1 slice white toast most mornings

    What kind of sandwiches?
    I fill mine with protein, salads, light mayo and English mustard

    My yogurt is 0% Greek yogurt eaten with berries

    What other food do you like?
    I like casseroles over salad leaves, chicken or vegetable stews with 100g basmati rice, pulled pork, chicken kebabs, pizza

    All weighed and logged accurately

    Try www.skinnytaste.com for ideas

  • courtneyfabulous
    courtneyfabulous Posts: 1,863 Member
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    Food. You should be eating food. I think you're overthinking this.

    Also sounds like you're eating a whole lot of carbs (hate to break it to you but porridge has probably the same amount as the toast).

    Carbs aren't bad though, they're just easy to eat too much of.

    Sounds like you need more variety too.

    Try to add more fruits, veggies & greens, and probably need more protein too.

    Ideas for protein sources:
    Eggs
    Yogurt
    Greek yogurt
    Cottage cheese
    Chicken
    Fish
    Beef
    Bison
    Lamb
    Pork
    Shrimp
    Crab
    Mussels
    Clams
    Lentils
    Beans
    Chick peas
    Whey protein powder
    Protein bars
    Tofu

    Ideas for carbs:
    Brown rice
    Potato
    Sweet potato
    Quinoa
    Sprouted bread
    Gluten free bread
    Other breads/tortilla/bagels, etc
    Banana
    Corn
    Butternut squash
    Spaghetti squash
    Pasta
    Rice pasta
    Rice cakes
    Oats
    Cereal
    Granola
    Crackers

    Ideas for veggies/greens:
    Kale
    Spinach
    Lettuce
    Tomatoes
    Mushrooms
    Cucumber
    Carrot
    Peas
    Bell peppers
    Celery
    Zucchini
    Summer squash
    Asparagus
    Cabbage
    Broccoli
    Cauliflower

    Ideas for fats:
    Peanut butter
    Avocado
    Avocado oil
    Olive oil
    Grass fed butter
    Coconut oil
    Cheese
    Nuts

    Ideas for fruits:
    Blueberries
    Raspberries
    Strawberries
    Honeydew
    Cantaloupe
    Watermelon
    Apple
    Persimmon
    Pineapple
    Tangerines
    Grapefruit
    Mango
    Peach

    Ideas for low calorie ways to add flavor to food:
    Fresh herbs
    Dried herbs
    Spices
    Sea salt
    Soy sauce
    Lemon or lime juice
    Pick de gallo
    Salsa
    Ketchup
    BBQ sauce
    Vinegar
    Garlic
    Onions

    I hope this gives you ideas for healthy foods to eat - there's a lot more than I listed obviously but these are my favorites and go-to items. For meals I pick a protein, a carb, and some veggies and create something. I'm a little more flexible with snacks.

    If you're having trouble coming up with ideas for meals and snacks try Pinterest, cooking websites, YouTube.

    Also, remember- "healthy" is subjective. What I consider healthy you may not and vice versa. But whole real foods tend to be most widely considered healthy. But the most important thing is sticking to your calorie goals. Getting adequate protein and fiber is quite helpful too. Don't be afraid to have occasional treats too. Not everything has to be 100% healthy. You lose by being in a deficit, not by how "healthy" you eat.
  • QuixoticNeurotic
    QuixoticNeurotic Posts: 9 Member
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    FrancineDesign wrote: »
    Help me guys. What should I be eating?!

    Most mornings I eat:
    1 Egg
    2 Bacon rashers
    Cooked tomatoes
    Baked beans

    Which (unless I've been to the gym) instead of cooking in butter/oil I use a tap of water and a lid on my frying pan, so it all steams!

    If you really don't want your old lunch you could swap your sugary yoghurt for Greek (protein) and fruits like berries!
    White bread could be swapped for multigrain, or you could have a salad (I like mine with olives and chilli fried shrimp).

    Other meal ideas include:
    Soups (chop veg, boil in water, add stock cube and blend or leave chunky if you haven't made your own before)

    Homemade Mexican dishes with kidney beans, plenty of veg, spices (I don't eat minced beef, but you do get lean if you wanted) and a small amount of strong cheese goes a long way!

    I ADORE lean steamed chicken or salmon with a little chilli sauce, Greek yoghurt for dipping and some dark green veg on the side!

    On the go I like to grab cottage cheese and pour in some chilli sauce - my mum likes this with crackers!

    Fish, peas and mashed potatoes can make a quick and easy fish pie dish without a lot of extra ingredients!

    Baked potatoes can be microwaved! Instead of just cheese try beans and a little cheese; instead of prawn Marie rose try fresh cooking prawns in advance, chilling and mixing with low fat mayo, paprika and ketchup (I use the ratio of about 10 prawns to 1/2 tsp mayo, a pinch of paprika and 1/5 tsp ketchup). In fact almost any common topping for baked tatties can be made skinnier!

    A stew is a great thing too! A little meat, a lot of carrots and peas, some potatoes and just a little gravy granules makes something hearty and delicious!
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    There are many different versions of healthy. Let go of the idea of healthy and focus on what foods work for you to stay within calories each day.
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,750 Member
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    I agree with the others, you're overthinking this. Eat what you like, just reduce portions until it fits your goal. Then if that leaves you hungry, tweak it - increase protein, put in whole grains, bulk with veg, reduce high calorie treats - there are lots of tips on this forum and elsewhere - until you have something you enjoy that is also filling enough.

    I don't really understand what the problem is with the stir fry dinner - stir fries are quick to make and shouldn't be expensive. Maybe make a list of dinners you like and spend some time hunting down recipes for them that suit your tastes and calorie goals, then put those recipes into a regular rotation. Batch cooking saves time and can reduce costs (no good for stir fries but can work well for many dishes).
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    So many arbitrary and contradictory rules. I have tried living by some myself (I probably still do, but at least my current ones seem to be functional). What do you mean you do better on low carb? And why would you choose porridge when on a low carb diet? What's wrong with sugar? Aren't there any other meats besides chicken you like?

    What does healthy eating mean? Is it a useful term? Practical? Or is it only creating restrictions, confusion and anxiety? The problem with suggesting meal plans (or even templates for composing meals) to someone who is confused and anxious, is that it can increase confusion and anxiety as the person tries to rigidly adhere, without understanding the purpose and reasoning. I think you should just focus on three things:
    1) Getting enough of everything you need.
    2) Not eat too much of anything.
    3) Eat food you like in a schedule that fits your day.

    Use your food diary to do this. Log what you eat or plan to eat. Try to hit your calorie goal. Do that for a month or so. Then assess - how are you feeling? Energized or lethargic? Hungry or satisfied? Happy or irritable? If something is off, start to track macronutrients (fat, protein, carbs). This can help you balance your diet. But there are lots of ways to balance diets too. You have to find your own balance. I love MFP because it allows everybody to find their balance.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited October 2016
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    Many foods are healthy, including bread. If I don't eat bread with my eggs I get hungry and consume more calories, so it's healthy for me to continue eating it. The sugar in yogurt does not magically remove all the protein and calcium. It's still healthy.

    Today I'm planning to have green fava beans, cooked in fermented sheep/goat yogurt with chicken breast with a variety of spices on white rice. On the surface this may sound like a very nice, balanced and nutritious meal with lots of protein, fiber and micronutrients. If you dissect it using all versions of "healthy eating" you'll find it's horrible! A healthy eating vegan would point out the chicken and yogurt, a low fat enthusiast will point out that sheep milk is very high in fat and saturated fat, a low carber would point out the rice, a sodium fearmongering enthusiast would shriek at the amount of salt used in the process of making fermented yogurt and a paleo follower would point out the beans.

    Chasing "healthy" is one heck of a maze you will never be able to win. Just simplify your food approach - if you are getting enough nutrient rich foods and are happy with what you eat from a taste and satiety perspective, then you are doing pretty well on the "healthy" front. No need for complicated detailed (unnecessary) rules.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited October 2016
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    Get the idea that food is bad or unhealthy.. Foods do have different macronutrients and micronutrients, but at the end of the day it just food..

    An this "healthy" word you are using in terms of convenience and expense not sure what this means.

    Eat what you enjoy and moreover eat what satisfies you the best (provide satiety and fullness) that will fuel your day to create as much of a balance energy wise for you so that you can stick to your goals.

  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
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    Agree that you need to ditch some preconceived notions about what is and isn't healthy. Aim instead for wide and varied. So if you want toast, eat toast! Want yoghurt that has some totally not a problem sugar in it? Have the yoghurt!

    And also, a stir fry takes all of what, 10 minutes? Maybe a few more minutes to chop the chicken and veg if you're not lazy like me and buy the bags of stir fry veg.

    But honestly, just eat food, try to make choices that both keep you satisfied from a hunger perspective but also satisfied psychologically. Do your best to be on target week to week calories wise. Makes this whole thing a lot easier.
  • courtneyfabulous
    courtneyfabulous Posts: 1,863 Member
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    As a former "clean" eater I agree with the other comments- try to let go of being too strict. That doesn't mean you should just start living off of only Cheetos and twinkles of course- just try to eat mostly nutritious real food, but don't stress if you feel like having a cookie or some macaroni and cheese now and then too.
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    edited October 2016
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    For me 'healthy' has been eating the same foods that I was eating back when I was overweight, just in the appropriate calorie amounts. By doing this it has made the whole thing sustainable for me and I was able to lose the extra weight, improve all my health markers and most importantly-maintain the loss for several years now (which most people aren't able to do).

    Don't make this more complicated than it needs to be-keep eating the foods you like, just learn how portion sizes work, track your calorie intake and then eat the correct amount of calories for your weight goals.
  • Rebecca0224
    Rebecca0224 Posts: 810 Member
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    If you are going to restrict carbs to lose weight then you will always have to restrict carbs to keep the weight off. Low carb, paleo, low fat, sugar free they are just labels stop trying to focus on what you think should be "healthy" and focus on calorie intake, macros, portion control, and how you feel. Carbs are not bad, fat is not bad, sugar is not bad everything in moderation. If you restrict yourself from foods you enjoy you will have trouble over eating and bingeing or you will be miserable and neither of those are going to help you lose weight. If you like toast eat toast! I love potatoes and last night I ate 3 potato skins with cheese and bacon it was great and fit into my daily calories I went over on my carbs but that's ok once in a while. I have tried restrictions like you are doing and it doesn't end well. Eat food you enjoy, count calories, pay attention to macros, and get moving and you will lose weight. Dieting shouldn't mean suffering or stress. Stress actually makes the body release chemicals that hender weight loss, so relax.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    Agree with the others above that you are making this harder than it needs to be. Weight loss is simple, but that doesn't mean it is easy. It all comes down to a calorie deficit to lose weight, and how you reach that goal within a calorie deficit is largely up to the individual. Find a balance of foods that provide nutrients (macro and micro), foods that are satiating (keep you full) and foods that make you happy that fit within your calorie goal (small treats on a daily or weekly basis as you can fit them in).

    It helps to fill out MFP with your current stats and a reasonable goal (how much total do you want to lose) and rate of loss (if you're trying to lose less than 50 lbs then 1 lb/week is the recommended rate). Spend some time logging the foods you normally eat when you aren't trying to lose weight. See how those fill up your day. Are you over by a lot? A little? Are there small changes you can make like subbing one piece of toast with butter for a scrambled egg? On your lunch maybe add cut veggies/hummus for the muesli bar but keep the sandwich and yogurt. For dinner, stir fry is great but there are so many options, look on Pinterest or websites like Skinny Taste and Cooking Light for ideas. Once you see how your typical foods fit into your calorie goal and make some small tweaks try that for a few days and see if it satisfies you. If not, play around with foods that fill you up more (increasing protein works for a lot of people).

    There's no reason you have to cut out carbs in order to lose weight, so if you enjoy them and don't have a medical reason to restrict, then I would work to find ways to keep them in your diet and focus more on calories and portion sizes.

    Good luck!
  • Nightmare_Queen88
    Nightmare_Queen88 Posts: 304 Member
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    You can pretty much eat what you want just in smaller portions. I typically eat 1 cup low fat vanilla yogurt with banana and peanut butter or two eggs and a bowl of special k protein cereal with almond milk. If I'm in a rush I'll have a peanut butter and banana protein smoothie/shake. For lunch I'll have a turkey burger with cheese and some type of vegetable on the side or sweet potato fries. Chili or taco salad sometimes as well. For dinner I might have chicken salad with some kind of vegetable on the side or a salad with lemon pepper chicken. If you're trying to eat less carbs then instead of bread you can opt for a lettuce wrap or try and find a low carb bread. There are some out there. Go online and do some searches for low carb meals you can make. Or YouTube. Good luck with your journey and try not to get discouraged. Eating healthy doesn't have to be stressful or boring. :)
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    If you are struggling to stick to a low carb diet then you don't do better on a low carb diet. Start with your normal diet and add foods to it. Make smaller changes.
    Eat a variety of foods you like with nutrients that meet your goals. Meet your calorie and protein goals and eat several servings of vegetables and fruits a day. Try eating whole grains.

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