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Eating same meal everyday?

sdavis484

Does anyone else eat the same meal (lunch) everyday (m-f) to cut down on decisions and to make tracking so so easy? Also, do you skip snacking or a nibble here and there bc then you don't have to track it? I do!

Replies

aufan3416

Yes. I eat the same thing everyday for breakfast and lunch. I normally change it up for dinner. I try to stay away from snacks.

puffbrat

During the work week, I generally eat the same breakfast, lunch and snacks with some slight but variation/substitutions. Every few months I change what those are. It makes planning my meals and calories plus morning prep so much easier.

FinelyFermented

I've done that a few times. For me it always ended with me getting sick of the same thing and a trip to a drive thru. I now try to meal prep Sunday night for the upcoming week. Way cheaper and it stops crappy decisions about lunch

vkrenz

I eat the same thing every day M-F for breakfast and lunch and I'd eat the same thing for dinner every night if my husband wouldn't put up an argument. It doesn't matter to me to have variety. I do get hungry for other foods on the weekend. It does make it easier to track but that's not why I eat the same. I do it b/c it saves on making a decision of what else to eat

serindipte

I read that people who are naturally thin tend to do this.. not sure how true that is, but it makes sense.

sdavis484

I thrive on routine and love knowing exactly how many calories I'm "spending" on lunch before it even happens. I had gestational diabetes with 2/3 kids and it really changed my mindset of food. Food is fuel. I was very strict with it bc it wasn't just me, my choices effected my baby! I started seeing food as fuel. I began eating the same thing everyday bc I knew how it would effect my blood sugar and even though I'm no longer pregnant, I haven't looked back. 🙂

cwolfman13

Nope...I like variety, and if I would have done that for the 7-8 months it took to lose my weight I would have wanted to shoot myself. I rotate through a lot of the same things week to week, but never the same thing everyday.

lemurcat2

sdavis484 wrote: »

Does anyone else eat the same meal (lunch) everyday (m-f) to cut down on decisions and to make tracking so so easy? Also, do you skip snacking or a nibble here and there bc then you don't have to track it? I do!

Sort of? Not the exact same thing, but I tend to have the same breakfast for days on end but change up the fruits and veg -- for example, 2 egg omelet with veg, but different veg depending on what is on hand, plus fruit on the side (could be half an avocado or some other fruit). Right now I'm on a smoothie kick and have them every morning, but they include greens, some other veg or vegetables, nuts or seeds or both, sometimes half an avocado, some kind of protein source, and some kind of fruit, and the specifics change.

My lunches are often made in advance and so the same thing for several days (lentil stew) or I have a few go tos (salad with protein) and again the specifics change. Or I might have leftovers from dinner.

So I don't get bored, but I do have a simple routine.

I don't nibble (never been a tendency of mine) and I decided not to snack when I first started losing and thought about what pattern of eating made me most satisfied. Nothing about logging, though, just eating preference.

bathsheba_c

Not exactly, but I do usually make enough for leftovers, and then I’ll copy-paste from one day to the other. Another thing I’ll do is prep a few food elements ahead of time and then mix and match, which makes logging easier. For instance, I’ll marinate and sear tofu, and then I’ll use it inside summer rolls one day and to top a salad the next.

chris89topher

Yes, it's sad but I do that. Breakfast, lunch and snacks are copy & paste, then dinner is switched up but I've been rotating only about 8-10 things for dinner so I eat basically the same stuff all the time. I like it that way though. It doesn't usually bore me.

vampirequeen1959

I eat the same thing for breakfast and always have a salad for lunch but vary the protein. I ring the changes with our evening meal but it tends to be from a limited number of choices because I'm a limited/lazy cook.

sardelsa

I eat the same breakfast and one of three lunch options (sometimes I vary the protein or vegetables but base is the same) snacks are also similar day to day, dinner changes but it is usually a protein source, grain/starch, vegetables and a salad (and wine). For me this works so I don't have to track my intake, if I'm not losing weight over time I cut a portion, snack, or cut down food on one or more of the days and it works out.

kshama2001

I have the same breakfasts and lunches for long stretches of a time, but vary them seasonally. For example, this fall I harvested all my basil before the frost, made a ton of pesto, froze it in 1 C containers, and had this on toast with a fried egg for breakfast. When I ran out, I switched to scrambled eggs and veggies. When it gets warmer, I will be having fruit, veg, and protein powder smoothies for lunch.

I do love to cook and reserve my passion for dinners. When I was single I would eat the same dinner for days in a row, but in a relationship I like to be more accommodating. Or show off

girlwithcurls2

aufan3416 wrote: »

Yes. I eat the same thing everyday for breakfast and lunch. I normally change it up for dinner. I try to stay away from snacks.

^This. Even my snacks are the same. I meal plan dinners so that I don't have to make a decision about what to eat or cook when I get home. An added bonus to that is leaving a recipe out on the counter and having someone start dinner before I get home, or if I'm really lucky, actually making dinner. Occasionally I'll get a shot at leftovers if nobody else took them, but logging them is easy because I've been using the recipe builder for so long on this site that nearly everything I cook is already in mfp somewhere.

Aporia1983

I do for a variety of reasons; makes it easier to track, I know my grocery bill won't fluctuate and since I'm on a strict budget that's super important, it cuts out food waste since it's difficult to cook for one person and it helps me to eat enough because with too many choices I tend to just not make a choice and eat.

I have coffee with creamer every morning, an apple for a mid-morning snack, on work days I eat a turkey and swiss whole wheat bagel sandwich (I work at a bagel shop so it's free) and for dinner I have greek yogurt with a banana and peanutbutter granola. On the days I don't work the only thing that changes is for lunch I have two slices of wheat toast with peanutbutter and banana and for dinner I have either chicken breast or salmon or shrimp with broccoli, mushrooms, bell pepper and brown rice-sometimes I'll add teriyaki sauce to it.

For snacks I stick to baby carrots, pretzels and a baby bell cheese, a small handful of almonds. And I drink plenty of water every day.

Every once in a while if I've been really good at not snacking I'll indulge in whatever I want. But this is working for me.

sgt1372

20oz of freshly ground French pressed black coffee 4 breakfast @ day

RelCanonical

I'll usually vary it a little, but everyday I'll have pasta with vegetables in a sauce for lunch. I'll change up the vegetables and sauce, but I always love Meijer brand medium shells, lol.

LenGray

Yes and no, I guess.
I typically make two meals (generally a soup and a casserole) which I use for lunch and dinner that week. To keep the drive-thru at bay, I usually have a few pre-made options like pizza, chick'n tenders, etc, in the freezer. I also keep plenty of frozen veg on hand to 'add' to these meals if I start getting bored.
Breakfast is typically oats+eggs, yogurt+fruit, or breakfast burritos with sauteed veggies/salsa.
Snacks vary from chopped veggies+fruit, a glass of milk, or popcorn.

So, there's options for variety, but it lets me be as lazy as I want to be lol Considering that I'm out of the house 12+ hours a day for school and two jobs, I do what I can

erjones11

I'm terrible about lacking variety in my diet...I find something I sort of like and eat it again-and-again. Breakfast, lunch, dinner it does not matter I just get stuck on certain things. I might have chili for dinner three times a week, alternating with flat bread or something the other nights.

I am thinking though I need to do a better job tracking macros and hitting at least some sort of protein goal. That said it is likely once I figure out how to hit that protein goal ground hog day will start again!

ssorg9

I basically eat the same thing M-F for lunch & snacks. Various forms of a salad in a jar for lunch which can be made a week ahead of time, gala apple at 10am, Wassa crackers and 1 cup of mixed veggies on the way home. I have about 5 different breakfasts that I have every day which vary from 320 to 450 calories.
Weekends are more freelancing, but I track everything.

kimlight2

I eat basically the same 2 things for breakfast. If I have to go into the office I have potatoes and 2 slices of bacon. If I am working from home I scramble 1 egg and 2 egg whites, top with queso and bake 10 tater tots.

sheloves89

I'm on a strict budget of $30/week for groceries, so being able to buy one thing and making it last for a while is important to me.

Breakfast is a protein shake, lunch is a salad with some kind of protein on top (usually a hardboiled egg or some beans - those are cheap!). Dinner gets switched up, but almost always features brown rice (one giganto bag from Costco will last me a year), whatever veggies are cheap and in season, and a cheap protein.

The variety mostly comes from my well-stocked spice drawer. Same basic ingredients can make so many different dishes depending on how you cook and 'spice 'em!

tvm1970

I meal prep five breakfasts, lunches and dinners for M-F. I put a measured quantity of nuts and pretzels in a mini bag for each day, have my fruit ready and have pots of cashew yoghurt in case I feel I need a little something extra. I measure out protein powder into lidded containers ready for my daily shake. I freestyle on the weekend.

Katmary71

I make the same things for breakfast- currently oatmeal with yogurt apple and seeds, lunch-large salad with protein, plus a protein drink with coffee when I first get up. I'm cooking for one, usually what I make last a few days and I'll eat it until it's gone based on what vegetables are on sale and in season. If it's soup or chili I'll make a bunch and freeze half but still eat the rest for about four nights. Night snack has been air popped popcorn with coconut aminos, smoked paprika, and garlic powder. Sadly I order the same select things at restaurants too, have my favorites and don't eat out often so I look forward to my usual.

nytrifisoul

No, because i only eat one meal a day. I would go crazy if i had to eat the same thing every day.

Also, I dont snack throughout the day either. Unless you consider black coffee with zero calorie sweeter a snack.

lightenup2016

I have black coffee for breakfast everyday and an egg and cheese burrito for lunch almost everyday. That combination (IF and protein/carb) really helps keep my appetite in check for the rest of the day, and I’m able to eat within my goal calories. My afternoon snack is usually the same thing, too—a Greek yogurt and a square of dark chocolate, maybe an apple or carrots. Dinner is where I change it up, and get my vegetables in. Then I have an after dinner snack which varies some.

There are of course the off days when we eat out, or go on a trip or something. Then I just do what I can to log and not go too crazy. And sometimes I go too crazy 😜

hesn92

Yep. I eat the same thing every day except for dinner. Makes my life easier. Packing my lunch is easier and I don't have to spend time wondering what to eat. Plus I can just hit "copy yesterday" on my food diary.

ETA I guess I should say I eat the same thing every day for a period of time, until I get bored of it and then start eating something else. I just like routine I guess.

sammidelvecchio

I really thrive weight-loss wise when I do this. M-F - same thing breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner, snack. All pre-planned and measured.

firephoenix8

I live alone and I don't love cooking. So I make two meals on Sunday, and one is lunches for the week and the other is dinners for the week. In that sense, yes, I eat the same thing every day. But I rarely repeat the same thing the next week, and I try to always keep trying new recipes so I have variety. It works for me.

sijomial

No, to me that would be hateful and more like a punishment and completely unsustainable.

I like variety and used calorie counting to track what I ate and not to decide what to eat.
(It helped decide how much to eat but not which particular foods.)