Picky eater
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sarabeebz
Posts: 13 Member
Morning all! I have previously turned to carb/sugar filled breakfast bars, toast, cereal, etc to start the day. Over the past couple of months I have been on a journey of cutting out bread for the most part and finding breakfast/protein bars that are the better options (low or 0 sugar, good stats in other nutritional areas), but I'm consistently lacking in protein every day (the day as a whole, not just breakfast). I finally found a tolerable protein powder for after the gym and a really good protein bar for before but that's still not cutting it, especially the days I do a lot of cardio and MFP ups my goal. I hate hate hate a lot of the things that are in all of the diet blogs.. eggs, peanut butter, oatmeal, fish.. Basically, I'm a picky eater and having a hard time getting my daily protein in because I don't like a lot of the things that are protein packed and the go-tos for dieting. I also feel like snacking on protein bars all day isn't the best route. I recently got a carton of egg whites and can eat a little bit of that if it's mixed in with turkey sausage but I only seem to go for it on the days I'm feeling extra pumped about getting fit. The other days I talk myself out of it. I should meal prep chicken since I don't generally eat a lot of meat throughout the day, some days none at all, and that could help out a bit but I don't like the taste of reheated chicken... sigh... any suggestions for the pick eater? Maybe how to make yourself like foods you've hated your whole life? A pep talk telling me to suck it up and eat these things because it's good for me? Protein alternatives that I might be missing?
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Replies
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What have you been getting your protein from until now?0
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On the contrary, letting go of the idea that I had to eat certain foods to lose weight and be healthy, was what made me eat healthily, and keep doing it. So are you sure you don't like steak and potatoes? Smoothies? Chilies, curries, pancakes, fried eggs? Pasta, rice dishes? Chocolate milk, cheese, yogurt? Fruit salads? Going from one extreme to another isn't exactly healthy; finding the middle road is more difficult, but a lot better.1
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estherdragonbat wrote: »What have you been getting your protein from until now?
I never really thought too much about protein until I got MFP premium and saw that I was lacking in it. I usually have chicken for dinner if I cook so protein there and I recently made a taco bowl with brown rice, black beans, and ground turkey so bean protein there. Umm.. I got the boca veggie burgers for a quick bite after the gym and those have a decent bit of protein. I guess I mainly struggle with breakfast protein and feel like that's a good place to focus.0 -
Increased portions of the meats/proteins you do like? Such as more of the turkey sausage. Larger portion of chicken as you mention you often have it for dinner.0
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Even though you don't like eggs, you might like a quiche. I made the following a couple of days ago and I like it. I did substitute a cheaper cheese.
https://allrecipes.com/recipe/20876/crustless-spinach-quiche/
I get most of my protein from eggs, canned tuna, cheese, yogurt, protein bars, ground turkey, steak, and chicken.1 -
As @kommodevaran says: #1 rule of dieting is just to keep the calories under your limit. In theory, you can eat anything you want to accomplish that. If you do not naturally gravitate toward a diverse diet you may need some tweaks, however. You want to be sure you are getting at least 1g quality protein per kg of lean body weight. If you get MFP premium, it will show you how much you've eaten per meal (so long as you log accurately). Aside from that, you can experiment to see what carb/fat ratio works for you in terms of controlling your appetite. Some-- but not all-- people find that lowering carbs and eating more fat (including high-quality saturated fats) is helpful. Drinking more fluid-- particularly before meals-- is also thought to help with appetite. Again, you need to experiment to see what works for you.2
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I get a ridiculous amount of protein from dairy, prolly close to 75% of my intake depending on the day. It's convenient because cooking is not always required and I find it very satiating because I use the 2% MF varieties. I eat things like yogurt, cottage cheese, brick cheese, ice cream (there are high protein/lower cal options out there like Cool Way or Halo Top) or a an actual glass of milk pretty much daily. Most protein supplements on the market are whey protein as well, including the one I use.2
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Even though you don't like eggs, you might like a quiche. I made the following a couple of days ago and I like it. I did substitute a cheaper cheese.
https://allrecipes.com/recipe/20876/crustless-spinach-quiche/
I get most of my protein from eggs, canned tuna, cheese, yogurt, protein bars, ground turkey, steak, and chicken.
I'll try the quiche! I don't think I mind eggs as much as long as there's a lot of other stuff with it and the egg isn't the bull of it0 -
Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, low fat string cheese, lunch meat???1
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Why are you choosing to cut out cereal if that is what you like? Try Kashi GoLean cereal. It’s 12 grams of protein per serving. With a serving of milk that takes you to 20 grams of protein. With a serving of non fat Greek yogurt, your close to 30.2
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kommodevaran wrote: »On the contrary, letting go of the idea that I had to eat certain foods to lose weight and be healthy, was what made me eat healthily, and keep doing it. So are you sure you don't like steak and potatoes? Smoothies? Chilies, curries, pancakes, fried eggs? Pasta, rice dishes? Chocolate milk, cheese, yogurt? Fruit salads? Going from one extreme to another isn't exactly healthy; finding the middle road is more difficult, but a lot better.
I definitely prefer the middle road! When I try cutting things out entirely I end up binging on snacks and sweets. I've tried cutting back on bread/pasta because I love it and that stuff seems to stick straight to my thighs which is where I naturally carry my weight anyway. I was way overdoing it on sugar too so its been a work in progress tweaking what I eat to cut back but not completely avoid it. I was making homemade fruit smoothies for a while but that was all or most of my sugar intake for the day. I'll try eating larger portions of things I do like and see how that works out. I have a hard time eating a lot in one sitting so I may just be someone that has to graze throughout the day.0 -
kommodevaran wrote: »On the contrary, letting go of the idea that I had to eat certain foods to lose weight and be healthy, was what made me eat healthily, and keep doing it. So are you sure you don't like steak and potatoes? Smoothies? Chilies, curries, pancakes, fried eggs? Pasta, rice dishes? Chocolate milk, cheese, yogurt? Fruit salads? Going from one extreme to another isn't exactly healthy; finding the middle road is more difficult, but a lot better.
I definitely prefer the middle road! When I try cutting things out entirely I end up binging on snacks and sweets. I've tried cutting back on bread/pasta because I love it and that stuff seems to stick straight to my thighs which is where I naturally carry my weight anyway. I was way overdoing it on sugar too so its been a work in progress tweaking what I eat to cut back but not completely avoid it. I was making homemade fruit smoothies for a while but that was all or most of my sugar intake for the day. I'll try eating larger portions of things I do like and see how that works out. I have a hard time eating a lot in one sitting so I may just be someone that has to graze throughout the day.
If you don't mind me asking, do you have a medical condition that requires you to limit your sugar intake?0 -
kommodevaran wrote: »On the contrary, letting go of the idea that I had to eat certain foods to lose weight and be healthy, was what made me eat healthily, and keep doing it. So are you sure you don't like steak and potatoes? Smoothies? Chilies, curries, pancakes, fried eggs? Pasta, rice dishes? Chocolate milk, cheese, yogurt? Fruit salads? Going from one extreme to another isn't exactly healthy; finding the middle road is more difficult, but a lot better.
I definitely prefer the middle road! When I try cutting things out entirely I end up binging on snacks and sweets. I've tried cutting back on bread/pasta because I love it and that stuff seems to stick straight to my thighs which is where I naturally carry my weight anyway. I was way overdoing it on sugar too so its been a work in progress tweaking what I eat to cut back but not completely avoid it. I was making homemade fruit smoothies for a while but that was all or most of my sugar intake for the day. I'll try eating larger portions of things I do like and see how that works out. I have a hard time eating a lot in one sitting so I may just be someone that has to graze throughout the day.
If you don't mind me asking, do you have a medical condition that requires you to limit your sugar intake?
No, I just tend to go over my sugar goal for the day that MFP has for me. And from all the research I've done about sugar, it gives you a temporary boost of energy and contributes a lot to belly fat.0 -
kommodevaran wrote: »On the contrary, letting go of the idea that I had to eat certain foods to lose weight and be healthy, was what made me eat healthily, and keep doing it. So are you sure you don't like steak and potatoes? Smoothies? Chilies, curries, pancakes, fried eggs? Pasta, rice dishes? Chocolate milk, cheese, yogurt? Fruit salads? Going from one extreme to another isn't exactly healthy; finding the middle road is more difficult, but a lot better.
I definitely prefer the middle road! When I try cutting things out entirely I end up binging on snacks and sweets. I've tried cutting back on bread/pasta because I love it and that stuff seems to stick straight to my thighs which is where I naturally carry my weight anyway. I was way overdoing it on sugar too so its been a work in progress tweaking what I eat to cut back but not completely avoid it. I was making homemade fruit smoothies for a while but that was all or most of my sugar intake for the day. I'll try eating larger portions of things I do like and see how that works out. I have a hard time eating a lot in one sitting so I may just be someone that has to graze throughout the day.
If you don't mind me asking, do you have a medical condition that requires you to limit your sugar intake?
No, I just tend to go over my sugar goal for the day that MFP has for me. And from all the research I've done about sugar, it gives you a temporary boost of energy and contributes a lot to belly fat.
The MFP sugar goal is rather arbitrary. I don't even pay attention to it at all, and instead have changed my tracking to look at fiber instead. If you don't have a medical reason to restrict sugar, it doesn't make a lot of sense to get worried over it.
Most folks just track the three basic macros of protein, fats, and carbohydrates (of which sugar is at type) and either follow the MFP default for those, or customize (if you have MFP Premium) to hit a protein goal of .8-1g per each lb of your goal body weight. In terms of macros, meeting your protein minimum would be most important, and then eating however much fat or carbs that fit your calorie goal and make you feel the most satisfied. This helps with diet compliance and long term success.3 -
kommodevaran wrote: »On the contrary, letting go of the idea that I had to eat certain foods to lose weight and be healthy, was what made me eat healthily, and keep doing it. So are you sure you don't like steak and potatoes? Smoothies? Chilies, curries, pancakes, fried eggs? Pasta, rice dishes? Chocolate milk, cheese, yogurt? Fruit salads? Going from one extreme to another isn't exactly healthy; finding the middle road is more difficult, but a lot better.
I definitely prefer the middle road! When I try cutting things out entirely I end up binging on snacks and sweets. I've tried cutting back on bread/pasta because I love it and that stuff seems to stick straight to my thighs which is where I naturally carry my weight anyway. I was way overdoing it on sugar too so its been a work in progress tweaking what I eat to cut back but not completely avoid it. I was making homemade fruit smoothies for a while but that was all or most of my sugar intake for the day. I'll try eating larger portions of things I do like and see how that works out. I have a hard time eating a lot in one sitting so I may just be someone that has to graze throughout the day.
If you don't mind me asking, do you have a medical condition that requires you to limit your sugar intake?
No, I just tend to go over my sugar goal for the day that MFP has for me. And from all the research I've done about sugar, it gives you a temporary boost of energy and contributes a lot to belly fat.
Excess calories contributes to fat (of all kinds, belly and otherwise). It's not attributed to any type of food specifically. Eat more calories = gain fat. Eat fewer calories = lose fat.2 -
kommodevaran wrote: »On the contrary, letting go of the idea that I had to eat certain foods to lose weight and be healthy, was what made me eat healthily, and keep doing it. So are you sure you don't like steak and potatoes? Smoothies? Chilies, curries, pancakes, fried eggs? Pasta, rice dishes? Chocolate milk, cheese, yogurt? Fruit salads? Going from one extreme to another isn't exactly healthy; finding the middle road is more difficult, but a lot better.
I definitely prefer the middle road! When I try cutting things out entirely I end up binging on snacks and sweets. I've tried cutting back on bread/pasta because I love it and that stuff seems to stick straight to my thighs which is where I naturally carry my weight anyway. I was way overdoing it on sugar too so its been a work in progress tweaking what I eat to cut back but not completely avoid it. I was making homemade fruit smoothies for a while but that was all or most of my sugar intake for the day. I'll try eating larger portions of things I do like and see how that works out. I have a hard time eating a lot in one sitting so I may just be someone that has to graze throughout the day.
If you don't mind me asking, do you have a medical condition that requires you to limit your sugar intake?
No, I just tend to go over my sugar goal for the day that MFP has for me. And from all the research I've done about sugar, it gives you a temporary boost of energy and contributes a lot to belly fat.
I read your posts again, but still may have missed this.... What is your goal? To lose weight, maintain weight, build muscle, compete in marathon, etc?0 -
fitoverfortymom wrote: »kommodevaran wrote: »On the contrary, letting go of the idea that I had to eat certain foods to lose weight and be healthy, was what made me eat healthily, and keep doing it. So are you sure you don't like steak and potatoes? Smoothies? Chilies, curries, pancakes, fried eggs? Pasta, rice dishes? Chocolate milk, cheese, yogurt? Fruit salads? Going from one extreme to another isn't exactly healthy; finding the middle road is more difficult, but a lot better.
I definitely prefer the middle road! When I try cutting things out entirely I end up binging on snacks and sweets. I've tried cutting back on bread/pasta because I love it and that stuff seems to stick straight to my thighs which is where I naturally carry my weight anyway. I was way overdoing it on sugar too so its been a work in progress tweaking what I eat to cut back but not completely avoid it. I was making homemade fruit smoothies for a while but that was all or most of my sugar intake for the day. I'll try eating larger portions of things I do like and see how that works out. I have a hard time eating a lot in one sitting so I may just be someone that has to graze throughout the day.
If you don't mind me asking, do you have a medical condition that requires you to limit your sugar intake?
No, I just tend to go over my sugar goal for the day that MFP has for me. And from all the research I've done about sugar, it gives you a temporary boost of energy and contributes a lot to belly fat.
The MFP sugar goal is rather arbitrary. I don't even pay attention to it at all, and instead have changed my tracking to look at fiber instead. If you don't have a medical reason to restrict sugar, it doesn't make a lot of sense to get worried over it.
Most folks just track the three basic macros of protein, fats, and carbohydrates (of which sugar is at type) and either follow the MFP default for those, or customize (if you have MFP Premium) to hit a protein goal of .8-1g per each lb of your goal body weight. In terms of macros, meeting your protein minimum would be most important, and then eating however much fat or carbs that fit your calorie goal and make you feel the most satisfied. This helps with diet compliance and long term success.
Good to know.. I'll have to look more into macros because I dont know much about that.0 -
How do you feel about pork loin or tenderloin? It's lean meat, easy to prep a big one for the whole week, then slice to use in sandwiches, pasta, salads, stir-fry.
I get a good chunk of my breakfast protein from Greek yogurt.0 -
I'm at the "ideal weight" for my height/age and just trying to figure out how to turn fat into lean muscle. I go to the gym 7 days a week for the most part doing weight training and cardio on "rest days." I dont eat as clean as I could but I know I would get burned out and hate this health journey if I went that route. I've enjoyed the challenge of finding the things I can tweak here and there to make better choices but feel like being a picky eater has made that a little harder. From what I've read, eating more "good fat" and protein will help meet my goal.0
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You really can't afford to be a choosy eater if you are a picky eater that is not getting enough protein. While parts of the internet are on the warpath against sugar don't forget 20 years ago you could eat all the sugar you wanted if you limited your fat. Plenty of people lost weight on low fat diets because it didn't matter about the sugar or carbs as long as they were in a calorie deficit.0
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