Bad tasting, healthy food.
Replies
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It's very easy to get addicted to eating bad food from fast food restaurants - or get used to eating it. Eating healthier doesn't have to taste bad though. I thought the same as you - eating healthier sucks. What I've found is that the better the food you eat, the less you crave the crap you were getting.
Yes - food addict in me rears it's ugly head every now and then, but there are things I haven't had in a LONG time - like a whopper with cheese only ketchup - that's what I'd get at BK all the time. A few months ago, I thought - Oooh...I'll go get one of those...I used to love them!! Then when I started eating it - for some reason it tasted different than I remembered. It wasn't as good somehow. I can't explain why.
Eating healthier doesn't have to be expensive either. You don't have to go wild getting the organic, farm raised, cage free chickens if you don't want. My brother is HUGE into not buying things with high fructose corn syrup, and buying non-GMO things, and all organic. I do *try* to be conscious of it, but sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. I buy the best quality of stuff I can buy with the amount I have to buy it with - so be it.
The bariatric dietician I once saw told me to focus on lean, quality protein and the fats/carbs take care of themselves, and I've found it to be pretty accurate.
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Weightwatcher6314 wrote: »Fast food is cheap and the industry knows about food addictions, they base their food on those addiction, such as salty sweet, salty savory (the bacon craze), sweet and gooey, etc. I dont think good food tastes bad, we just need to adjust our habits and eventually when you see a Carls Jr commercial you can recognize how awfully unhealthy they are. I eat a lot of tuna, it is one of my staples. bad food is an aquired taste as is healthy food.
But...but...I cook some things that are salty and sweet...a lot of salty and savory (I use turkey bacon so maybe that saves me) and sweet and gooey are some of my favorite things to make (just not too often). Does that mean that my cooking is making me addicted?
I eat out maybe once a month. The rest of my food is cooked at home. If I try a new recipe and it is "just okay" I don't make it again. I have to "love" my food or why bother going to the expense and the time to cook a meal?
Tonight I had curried chicken over rice with roasted broccoli. It was so good I could eat another serving...except I am saving it for lunch tomorrow.
BTW What flavor would you have restaurant base their food on? Should they make it taste horrible just so that people don't overeat?8 -
SusanMFindlay wrote: »I think, to some degree, your taste buds adjust to what you eat regularly.
For the most part, I prefer home cooked food and/or good quality restaurant food. Home cooked and healthy does not have to mean flavourless or bland. e.g. We made a delicious spaghetti sauce from a blend of ground beef and italian sausage meat (drained). It also had onion, fennel, carrot, tomato and variety of herbs/spices. *So* much yummier than a bland burger from McDonalds.
Yes!
I dropped potato chips from my diet ... replaced it with salted cucumber slices.
Then after four months, I took a diet break on a trip, and decided to have a bag of chips. I did finish them, but it took several days where it used to take 1 day (1 hour!) because I found them way too salty.
Some months later we stopped at a McDonalds for a burger on another trip. I was kind of looking forward to it because I hadn't had a burger in ages. It was actually quite awful. Like eating heavily salted ground up cardboard.
The meal I made last night (and we'll have the rest of it tonight) has so much more flavour and was much more satisfying than that burger.2 -
cerise_noir wrote: »Also, there are no "good" or "bad" foods for weight loss, just bad relationships/habits with food.
^THIS.5 -
What? Healthy food tastes bad?
I had a spinach salad with diced apples, dried cranberries, tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, carrots, and fried pork belly for dinner tonight for under 500 calories. I thought that it tasted pretty darn good.
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I must say I'm shocked at the number of people who don't want to eat healthy and eat better food, they just want to lose weight
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Therealobi1 wrote: »Therealobi1 wrote: »
I'm shocked that people are more concerned with how they look or appear than be concerned with actual healthy eating to get to a healthy weight and stay there.2 -
Therealobi1 wrote: »Therealobi1 wrote: »
I'm shocked that people are more concerned with how they look or appear than be concerned with actual healthy eating to get to a healthy weight and stay there.
Lol .
I am shocked a 15 year old killed a 7 year old this week, now that was beyond shocking
Now I lost my weight purely for a holiday. I wasn't thinking about health so what?
But I exercised each day and watched what I ate. So I wasn't concerned about health at all but weight is still off and I am healthy.
Just because people say they are eating fast food doesn't mean it's all day everyday16 -
I must say I'm shocked at the number of people who don't want to eat healthy and eat better food, they just want to lose weight
Why is that shocking?
I went to my Dr about the time I hit my peak weight and there were a few issues.
So I focused on losing weight ... and did.
4 months later, I returned to my Dr who reran the tests. Those issues were resolved.
How did I lose the weight? I ate fewer calories than I burned. How did I manage that? Well, I sought out low calorie but filling foods ... like lots of veggies. But of course I didn't give up things like pizza!
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Therealobi1 wrote: »Therealobi1 wrote: »Therealobi1 wrote: »
I'm shocked that people are more concerned with how they look or appear than be concerned with actual healthy eating to get to a healthy weight and stay there.
Lol .
I am shocked a 15 year old killed a 7 year old this week, now that was beyond shocking
Now I lost my weight purely for a holiday. I wasn't thinking about health so what?
But I exercised each day and watched what I ate. So I wasn't concerned about health at all but weight is still off and I am healthy.
Just because people say they are eating fast food doesn't mean it's all day everyday
Well yes i realize that! I am just surprised at anyone who eats fast food on a regular basis. You lost weight for a holiday, why not do it for a healthy life instead? Just curious, you don't have to answer.1 -
I must say I'm shocked at the number of people who don't want to eat healthy and eat better food, they just want to lose weight
Why is that shocking?
I went to my Dr about the time I hit my peak weight and there were a few issues.
So I focused on losing weight ... and did.
4 months later, I returned to my Dr who reran the tests. Those issues were resolved.
How did I lose the weight? I ate fewer calories than I burned. How did I manage that? Well, I sought out low calorie but filling foods ... like lots of veggies. But of course I didn't give up things like pizza!I must say I'm shocked at the number of people who don't want to eat healthy and eat better food, they just want to lose weight
Why is that shocking?
I went to my Dr about the time I hit my peak weight and there were a few issues.
So I focused on losing weight ... and did.
4 months later, I returned to my Dr who reran the tests. Those issues were resolved.
How did I lose the weight? I ate fewer calories than I burned. How did I manage that? Well, I sought out low calorie but filling foods ... like lots of veggies. But of course I didn't give up things like pizza!
It's shocking to me because i just assumed most people lose weight because of health reasons or concerns but i guess it is just my old age showing here! 2 -
I must say I'm shocked at the number of people who don't want to eat healthy and eat better food, they just want to lose weight
Why is that shocking?
I went to my Dr about the time I hit my peak weight and there were a few issues.
So I focused on losing weight ... and did.
4 months later, I returned to my Dr who reran the tests. Those issues were resolved.
How did I lose the weight? I ate fewer calories than I burned. How did I manage that? Well, I sought out low calorie but filling foods ... like lots of veggies. But of course I didn't give up things like pizza!I must say I'm shocked at the number of people who don't want to eat healthy and eat better food, they just want to lose weight
Why is that shocking?
I went to my Dr about the time I hit my peak weight and there were a few issues.
So I focused on losing weight ... and did.
4 months later, I returned to my Dr who reran the tests. Those issues were resolved.
How did I lose the weight? I ate fewer calories than I burned. How did I manage that? Well, I sought out low calorie but filling foods ... like lots of veggies. But of course I didn't give up things like pizza!
It's shocking to me because i just assumed most people lose weight because of health reasons or concerns but i guess it is just my old age showing here!
My main reason for losing weight was so that I could cycle up hills.
I used to be an avid long distance cyclist in my late 20s, through my 30s, and into my early 40s. Then life happened, I didn't cycle quite as much and I gained a bit of weight. Then we moved to a very hilly area. At first, I figured that was that for my long distance cycling. But then (2 years ago) I thought ... I'm only 48 years old. I should still be able to be a long distance cyclist. But my weight was slowing me up on the hills.
So I lost the weight in 2015, and got back into long distance cycling in 2016.
I also lost weight so I could fit in a particular cycling jacket again. It's rain jacket and they do tend to be a bit expensive. It had "shrunk" and so I figured I'd just buy another one, but the price had gone up. So then I figured that losing weight would be the less expensive option.
And sure, as I mentioned, my Dr did note a few minor health issues, but she and I both figured simply losing weight would resolve those and it did. 1 -
Therealobi1 wrote: »Therealobi1 wrote: »Therealobi1 wrote: »
I'm shocked that people are more concerned with how they look or appear than be concerned with actual healthy eating to get to a healthy weight and stay there.
Lol .
I am shocked a 15 year old killed a 7 year old this week, now that was beyond shocking
Now I lost my weight purely for a holiday. I wasn't thinking about health so what?
But I exercised each day and watched what I ate. So I wasn't concerned about health at all but weight is still off and I am healthy.
Just because people say they are eating fast food doesn't mean it's all day everyday
Well yes i realize that! I am just surprised at anyone who eats fast food on a regular basis. You lost weight for a holiday, why not do it for a healthy life instead? Just curious, you don't have to answer.
3 mums together and i didnt want to be the biggest out of the three
I eat fast food still just not 3/4 days a week
i am not surprised re the vanity thing, but what hopefully happens along the way (what happened to me) is you realise all the health benefits in losing weight too.1 -
I must say I'm shocked at the number of people who don't want to eat healthy and eat better food, they just want to lose weight
Why is that shocking?
I went to my Dr about the time I hit my peak weight and there were a few issues.
So I focused on losing weight ... and did.
4 months later, I returned to my Dr who reran the tests. Those issues were resolved.
How did I lose the weight? I ate fewer calories than I burned. How did I manage that? Well, I sought out low calorie but filling foods ... like lots of veggies. But of course I didn't give up things like pizza!I must say I'm shocked at the number of people who don't want to eat healthy and eat better food, they just want to lose weight
Why is that shocking?
I went to my Dr about the time I hit my peak weight and there were a few issues.
So I focused on losing weight ... and did.
4 months later, I returned to my Dr who reran the tests. Those issues were resolved.
How did I lose the weight? I ate fewer calories than I burned. How did I manage that? Well, I sought out low calorie but filling foods ... like lots of veggies. But of course I didn't give up things like pizza!
It's shocking to me because i just assumed most people lose weight because of health reasons or concerns but i guess it is just my old age showing here!
we can still look and want to be hot and be old. my young cousin keeps telling me i look younger since i lost weight0 -
Taste chances over time. I used to love a fair few of those highly processed junk foods - A few times I tried them again Having really looked forward to them. However they did not taste at all as I remembered, they tasted lousy, chemical and incredibly sweet and salty.
So either my memory was wrongor my taste changed - I think it was a little of both1 -
There are many lower calorie foods that taste heavenly and many higher calorie foods that taste bad. Think of the things you like the most. Are any of them lower in calories? Put these on a more frequent rotation. The higher calorie ones can still be enjoyed, though less frequently or in smaller portions. Try new things and new ways to cook. You will be surprised how many awesome dishes are pretty affordable both money and calorie wise.
I refuse to eat foods that I don't like. In fact that has been my vow when I started dieting. When you have a relatively limited calorie budget it sounds silly to spend calories or bad tasting stuff. I want to make the best out of the calories I have.7 -
dutchandkiwi wrote: »Taste chances over time. I used to love a fair few of those highly processed junk foods - A few times I tried them again Having really looked forward to them. However they did not taste at all as I remembered, they tasted lousy, chemical and incredibly sweet and salty.
So either my memory was wrongor my taste changed - I think it was a little of both
i must admit mcdonalds doesnt taste as good as it used to. but then i guess i used to eat so mindlessly i prob couldnt taste what i was eating.
Now and then i do go back and try foods that i hated but i still hate them. i.e olives, avocados, celery, cottage cheese etc.3 -
RedheadedPrincess14 wrote: »Please read the book salt, sugar, fat. Will change your life. Literally
Read it and nope, was not impressed
Learning how CICO actually works was life changing though! Figured that out and lost the extra weight and improved all my health markers-including normalizing a high/prediabetes glucose number 11 -
I must say I'm shocked at the number of people who don't want to eat healthy and eat better food, they just want to lose weight
Thing is-I improved every single health marker my doctor used, including normalizing a prediabetic glucose number, just by focusing on CICO. During that time I ate all sorts of processed 'diet' foods, ate fast food regularly, ate sweet treats and chips etc. I just started eating them in smaller amounts and created a calorie deficit. Didn't matter what I ate though-losing the weight greatly improved my health.
Now I'm several years into maintenance (one of the very few who are actually maintaining long term), and I still eat processed foods, still eat out several times a week and I still eat things like chips and sweet treats. But, I now focus on having a varied diet full of all sorts of foods, including daily veggies and whole grains, lean meats, some fruit etc. I'm still in excellent health, still have good blood work panels. I'm still at a bmi of around 21, have no medical conditions anymore and I take no medications.
I refuse to label food, which is a very slippery slope to a distorted and unhealthy relationship with food. I eat what I like, focus on variety and balance and #1 I make sure I'm staying within my calorie parameters.
For many people just starting out- losing the extra weight will improve their health and alleviate medical problems. As they go along they can start experimenting with different foods and find their own balance in how they eat-one that will be realistic and sustainable for them, for the long term.
eta: cruisin99, here's my latest health screening from October-
- total cholesterol 143
- HDL 55
- LDL 84
- cholesterol/HDL ratio 2.6 (anything under 5.0 is considered optimal).
-glucose level 95, which is in the normal range (it used to be much higher and I was labeled a prediabetic back before my weight loss)
-blood pressure 102/74
-waist circumference was 25 (taken by a medical professional)
-bmi of 21
I care very much about my health
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OP, I know how you feel. Before and during my weight loss, I craved the unhealthier things. Mostly pre-packaged, frozen pre-fried meats, french fries, pretty much all the beige foods you can imagine down the freezer isle. Not to mention the sweeter things, there, too. It wasn't until after my weight loss when I realized I needed to change my eating habits big time if I wanted this to last. My palate eventually adjusted to the healthier foods. From time to time I will still have fried foods, ice cream, and the 'unhealthier' foods of that nature. There is nothing wrong with it. It keeps us sane. But, if you're eating right 80% of the time, it works out. And, eating those things become more of a treat or an occasion rather than just the normal everyday thing. I also learned to cook more dishes at home, and that has become an interest/hobby for me now.
By eating 'right' or 'healthier' now for me is lean, raw/unbreaded or uncooked meats (chicken, fish, lean beef/pork, etc), lots of veggies (especially peppers, mushrooms, onions for spicing up dishes, green beans, broccoli, brussels sprouts, etc for sides), salads, eggs, less bread when making a sandwich (open faced or half size with 1 slice), yogurt, the right size of pasta, salads galore (I used to hate salad!), stews/roasts/chili. All home made, way less calories than pre-packaged food, and extremely more nutritional. 0 -
I haven't read all the comments, but I'm sure someone else has pointed out that only calories matter with weight loss. You can eat whatever kind of food you want as long as you watch your calories.
Nutrition is another subject. I eat healthy food that tastes good and I don't spend a lot of money. For example, I eat a lot of lentils and they only cost $1 a bag and make 3 meals. I eat them for the protein, because they are nutritious, and I also like eating them, but they also happen to be inexpensive.
There is no reason to eat bad tasting food of any kind, unless you are in a war zone and have no choice.3 -
OP: Considering the epiphany you've had about cheap food being high calorie and low nutrient, you might enjoy and benefit from reading Michael Pollan. Look him up...
Community: If anyone wants to argue over Pollan and his viewpoints, go ahead. I'm not here to convince anyone, nor will I engage in any debate. Knock yourself out...0 -
Therealobi1 wrote: »Therealobi1 wrote: »Therealobi1 wrote: »
I'm shocked that people are more concerned with how they look or appear than be concerned with actual healthy eating to get to a healthy weight and stay there.
Lol .
I am shocked a 15 year old killed a 7 year old this week, now that was beyond shocking
Now I lost my weight purely for a holiday. I wasn't thinking about health so what?
But I exercised each day and watched what I ate. So I wasn't concerned about health at all but weight is still off and I am healthy.
Just because people say they are eating fast food doesn't mean it's all day everyday
Well yes i realize that! I am just surprised at anyone who eats fast food on a regular basis. You lost weight for a holiday, why not do it for a healthy life instead? Just curious, you don't have to answer.
At my age (64) looking "hot" is not a top priority. However, If getting the weight off and getting healthy as a side affect of looking at least "warmer" I won't complain.
I don't eat a lot of fast food nor do I even eat meals at a nice restaurant. Not because they can't fit in to my calorie goals but simply because of a health reason. I have HBP and if I eat anything too high in sodium it shoots my blood pressure up and my ankles swell up(hugely). If it wasn't for those reasons I would try to fit restaurant food in more often.
Life is meant to be enjoyable and I find it enjoyable to on the spur of the moment to go pickup my favorite fast food come home and watch a movie...try out a new restaurant...eat something that is totally different than what I might cook at home. It is also enjoyable to give myself a break from the kitchen since about 90% of what I eat has to be made from scratch. There are days that seem as if all I do is exercise...cook...clean up the kitchen.
People taking pride in their appearance and bodies is not a crime. If I was healthy and younger...I'd be right there with them. Nothing wrong with looking in the mirror and liking what you see.
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I must say I'm shocked at the number of people who don't want to eat healthy and eat better food, they just want to lose weight
Well, if they think or tell themselves that eating healthfully means bad tasting food and never having their favorites again, it doesn't seem so surprising, does it?
Also, as amusedmonkey mentioned in another thread recently, if they didn't give a fig for health/eating healthfully before dieting, why would dieting change that.
Personally, however, I find that most people I interact with on MFP/in general do want to eat healthfully, and I certainly do (and did when I was fat, although I knew overeating was contrary to the benefits of my generally nutrient-rich diet). IMO, a healthful diet isn't the least bit bad tasting; for me it's far more delicious than a diet based on fast food or whatever (if you do like fast food you can include some within a healthful diet, though).
On the other hand, while I love pretty much all vegetables (if cooked properly), I loath tuna salad and don't think I need to eat it to have a healthful diet. (That's a matter of taste, not nutrition.)3 -
Weightwatcher6314 wrote: »Fast food is cheap and the industry knows about food addictions, they base their food on those addiction, such as salty sweet, salty savory (the bacon craze), sweet and gooey, etc. I dont think good food tastes bad, we just need to adjust our habits and eventually when you see a Carls Jr commercial you can recognize how awfully unhealthy they are. I eat a lot of tuna, it is one of my staples. bad food is an aquired taste as is healthy food.
But...but...I cook some things that are salty and sweet...a lot of salty and savory (I use turkey bacon so maybe that saves me) and sweet and gooey are some of my favorite things to make (just not too often). Does that mean that my cooking is making me addicted?
I eat out maybe once a month. The rest of my food is cooked at home. If I try a new recipe and it is "just okay" I don't make it again. I have to "love" my food or why bother going to the expense and the time to cook a meal?
Tonight I had curried chicken over rice with roasted broccoli. It was so good I could eat another serving...except I am saving it for lunch tomorrow.
BTW What flavor would you have restaurant base their food on? Should they make it taste horrible just so that people don't overeat?
Heh, all of this.0 -
I must say I'm shocked at the number of people who don't want to eat healthy and eat better food, they just want to lose weight
Why is that shocking?
I went to my Dr about the time I hit my peak weight and there were a few issues.
So I focused on losing weight ... and did.
4 months later, I returned to my Dr who reran the tests. Those issues were resolved.
How did I lose the weight? I ate fewer calories than I burned. How did I manage that? Well, I sought out low calorie but filling foods ... like lots of veggies. But of course I didn't give up things like pizza!I must say I'm shocked at the number of people who don't want to eat healthy and eat better food, they just want to lose weight
Why is that shocking?
I went to my Dr about the time I hit my peak weight and there were a few issues.
So I focused on losing weight ... and did.
4 months later, I returned to my Dr who reran the tests. Those issues were resolved.
How did I lose the weight? I ate fewer calories than I burned. How did I manage that? Well, I sought out low calorie but filling foods ... like lots of veggies. But of course I didn't give up things like pizza!
It's shocking to me because i just assumed most people lose weight because of health reasons or concerns but i guess it is just my old age showing here!
Why would you think this?
I was thin for years and ate an almost neurotically healthy diet, but was extremely unhealthy in other ways.
Then I was fat yet continued eating healthfully (well, except for the major problem of overeating). I knew vaguely that of course it wasn't good for my health, but my lifestyle was in other ways less unhealthy than it had been so I figured I would get it together eventually. Plus, I never had any health issues related to weight -- my doctor mentioned it was a risk factor, of course, but my tests were always good.
Eventually I got disgusted with how I looked in a photo and with the clothing options available to me and was just generally unhappy with my appearance and wanted to get back into running and biking, so decided to lose.
If I'd waited 'til the health thing was enough to motivate me, I'd have put it off much longer. Obviously if someone has bad tests, that's more motivating, but often just losing weight improves health a lot (and my healthy diet didn't make being fat okay for my health).
Oh, and I've been losing more or planning to lose more despite being well within a healthy weight for a good bit of my time here, as are many others, so probably that's not really for "health" either. (For me it's because of wanting to run faster and be more fit for athletic stuff, and because of what I think looks good for me, and plus I like vintage clothes.)3 -
vikinglander wrote: »OP: Considering the epiphany you've had about cheap food being high calorie and low nutrient, you might enjoy and benefit from reading Michael Pollan. Look him up...
Community: If anyone wants to argue over Pollan and his viewpoints, go ahead. I'm not here to convince anyone, nor will I engage in any debate. Knock yourself out...
@vikinglander I'm a huge fan of Michael PollanThe Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals changed my life.
Need to reread In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto
These books are available in my library system, so if other posters are interested, they may find them at their libraries as well.1 -
I must say I'm shocked at the number of people who don't want to eat healthy and eat better food, they just want to lose weight
When I was new to the forums, I thought this is what a lot of posters were saying as well. However, if you stick around you will realize that no one is actually advocating 100% junk. Most people who say only calories matter for weight loss also go on to say that what you eat matters for satiety, health, nutrition, etc. Sometimes people give a short response because they have answered the same question hundreds of times, but if you have read their other posts you will have context for their complete views.4 -
OP--anyone who loses weight IS getting healthier--whatever they eat.8
This discussion has been closed.
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