need help

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fefetwimom
fefetwimom Posts: 28 Member
im staying under my calories lately however what i do eat is nowhere near healthy enough. i need help with this. everyone says eat fruits and veggies and lots of it but i am a picky eater. i literally throw up half the ones i try to shove down that i dont like. i like lettuce, i can eat it, but it makes me sick so thats out. ive counted what ones i can eat and its less than 10 combined. and 2-3 of those have to be covered in ranch for me to stomach it. i know this is bad and im missing out but is there anyway to eat healthier without a ton of fruits and veggies. oh and i dont like nuts but i can stomach peanuts if i have to. beans make me sick. the texture is just too much., i can only do it if theyre red kidney beans in chili but im sure chili isnt healthy either. i need recipes and meals that i can make. i have no problem with cooking for myself and my kids, i just dont ever know what to make and how to make it

Replies

  • julie9200
    julie9200 Posts: 62 Member
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    What are the fruits & veggies that you do like?
    Chili can be very healthy, depending on what ingredients you use.
    What I do for my kids that don’t like veggies is puree cooked veggies and add it to things like spaghetti sauce, chili, taco’s, etc. Start with very small amounts and make sure they are fully pureed so that you won’t be able to taste, see or feel them. I found a lot of ideas at sneakychef.com
  • AvsFreak
    AvsFreak Posts: 152 Member
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    As long as you hit your calorie goal, and try to get in all your protein, fats, and carbs, you will lose weight. No need to shove food down your throat that you don't like. That's a sure way to fail at a diet. Just eat the foods you enjoy while staying in your targets.
    If you don't want to eat a ton of veggies don't, but make sure you are getting enough vitamins. You don't have to eat nuts either. get your fats from other sources like Avocados, dairy, oils, and meats.

    Oh, and chili is just fine as long as it fits your goals! :)
  • dry61ed
    dry61ed Posts: 34 Member
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    I am glad to hear that there is someone else who is not a big veggie/fruit fan. I can eat them, but have to remind myself to do so and it is an effort for me to include them daily. I take daily vitamins to ensure I get what I need. Also, I stay at or below the calorie recommendation. Good luck to you.
  • katilynnegray
    katilynnegray Posts: 98 Member
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    Have you tried smoothies? If you like fruit juice you should be able to add lots of fruits and vegetables to smoothies without having to taste them. You can mask the taste with a little chocolate and/or peanut butter or even protein powder if you find you're not getting enough protein.
  • smalacarne
    smalacarne Posts: 89
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    check out Skinnytaste.com
  • fefetwimom
    fefetwimom Posts: 28 Member
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    apples
    bananas
    grapes
    corn
    green beans(but only french cut style which usually is from a can)
    ones i need ranch for:
    green peppers
    carrots(only baby carrots though)
    cucumbers


    i can sometimes drink juice of different fruits though, strawberries, oranges,kiwi(but i cant eat he actual fruit or juice my own as the seeds always gets me)
  • fefetwimom
    fefetwimom Posts: 28 Member
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    i will check out those websites also. thank you. any help is good. my doctor says the only problem is im slightly anemic still(i have been since being pregnant with my son in 2005 and it was much worse before my hysterectomy) so he says to try to get iron in my diet
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    What are the fruits & veggies that you do like?
    Chili can be very healthy, depending on what ingredients you use.
    What I do for my kids that don’t like veggies is puree cooked veggies and add it to things like spaghetti sauce, chili, taco’s, etc. Start with very small amounts and make sure they are fully pureed so that you won’t be able to taste, see or feel them. I found a lot of ideas at sneakychef.com

    +1
    Chili's not bad at all as long as you use lean meat - it's really not that much different than vegetable soup when you break it down. It's more the things you eat with chili that tend to make it a bad meal - sour cream, cheese, corn bread and/or tortillas - so you need to cut or limit your portions of these. The only other problem with chili might be sodium if you use a lot of canned ingredients - try using more fresh or at least rinse your canned veggies and beans.

    My hubby hates beans too so when I make chili, I puree most of them, leaving only a handful whole for presentation. Makes for a lovely thick chili! We use the leftovers to make sloppy joes. You could do the same thing by pureeing all the veggies to make it more palatable.

    I might also suggest trying veggies cooked in different ways. If you've only tried boiling canned veggies, try frozen or fresh instead and try other methods of cooking besides boiling - saute, steam, roast. Not everyone thinks of this so I try to bring it up when I hear folks say they can't stomach veggies. I was raised with overcooked (mushy) canned veggies and they totally grossed me out. Now I buy mostly frozen and boil it to the texture I prefer (just barely soft). If I buy fresh veggies, I usually saute them.
  • jutymo
    jutymo Posts: 162 Member
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    There's another post asking for favorite recipe sites. Go to some of those and search for recipes utilizing the things on your list. I'm not much of a veggie eater either but I've found lots of recipes that sounded good and tried them. Cucumbers with rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce are really good. I'm sure there's a green bean casserole out there that's low calorie, Stir fry using corn, carrots, green beans and green peppers would be easy. Apple sauce. I just had peanut butter and bananas on english muffin for breakfast. Frozen grapes in the summer. Fruit salad with apples and grapes and a sauce of mashed banana.

    You can do this if you decide that you can do it and then do some research. But start with some of those recipe sites and try out some new recipes. It's amazing what you can find out there.
  • jutymo
    jutymo Posts: 162 Member
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    Oh yeah! Try roasting veggies you think you don't like. I HATE green beans in any way shape or form but if they're roasted with salt and pepper until crispy, I'll eat 'em. I'll eat almost any veggie that can be roasted. Not sure why they're different roasted but I like a lot more veggies out of the oven that I won't eat any other way.

    Try roasting:
    Brussels sprouts
    Broccoli
    Cauliflower
    Asparagus (my favorite)
    Green beans
    Even corn is good roasted on the grill!
  • amlycia
    amlycia Posts: 1 Member
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    Chili is not too bad if you substitute ground beef with ground turkey or chicken. a quick one is:
    2lb of ground chicken(what i prefer)
    2-16 oz jar chunky salsa
    1 can kidney beans(undrained)
    1 pkg low sodium chili seasoning(or chili powder spice works too)
    combine all ingredients in a slow cooker for a couple of hours or simmer on stovetop for 2 hours.tastes great and under 300 calories per serving.(1 cup) .1 tblspn fatfree sour cream (10 cal) also goes great on this.
    I also like to have a crunch so I have a 1/2 serving Special K cracker chips(12 crackers,55 cal).
  • jetabear10
    jetabear10 Posts: 375 Member
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    I am a meatatarian who HATES veggies.

    I understand how frustrating it can be trying to force yourself to eat them against your will. I have adopted the try to eat healthier policy where I eat what fruits/veggies I can but am not forcing myself anymore. It just isn't worth the stress.

    I take one day a week where I try a new veggie from a recipe I find on the internet and if I can't pallet it...it goes on my never again list. Instead of changing my entire diet overnight, I am hoping to do it gradually. If is doesn't work, at least I can say I tried. Realistically, I doubt I will ever like veggies so I just decide to make "healthier" choices than I normally would and the rest can work itself out.

    Good luck!
  • fefetwimom
    fefetwimom Posts: 28 Member
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    thanks for all the ideas. i am liking alot fo them.

    i looked at the sneaky chef site and i love it!! knowing its in their isnt a big deal to me if i cant taste them or if i dont feel the texture. my kids do eat better on the fruits and veggie scale( they prefer frozen fruit over ice cream, i owe it to their dad who likes them and has them eat them) but my son has aspergers so he does tend to focus on how food should look to him and if it looks or tastes different it isnt happening. even if its something he likes, so i think it will work wonders for our family. i am actually going to do some homemade mac and cheese with her purees in it tonight. this is great. ythanks you guys!

    kinda related but not really. is turkey meat better than ground beef? its what i heard but i wasnt sure. if so im gonna have my hubby grab some because i found a chili on there thats only 331 calories per serving and has lots of fruits and veggies pureed in. thanks
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    For turkey vs ground beef, it's not always better. Some ground turkey includes the dark meat which can be high in fat. If you do buy ground turkey, check the label - make sure it says the percentage lean (90 or 93%) or that it says ground turkey breast.

    I personally don't care for ground turkey so I always use the leanest ground beef I can and drain what little fat comes out.

    Not sure about ground chicken but I would assume the same applies.
  • julie9200
    julie9200 Posts: 62 Member
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    thanks for all the ideas. i am liking alot fo them.

    i looked at the sneaky chef site and i love it!! knowing its in their isnt a big deal to me if i cant taste them or if i dont feel the texture. my kids do eat better on the fruits and veggie scale( they prefer frozen fruit over ice cream, i owe it to their dad who likes them and has them eat them) but my son has aspergers so he does tend to focus on how food should look to him and if it looks or tastes different it isnt happening. even if its something he likes, so i think it will work wonders for our family. i am actually going to do some homemade mac and cheese with her purees in it tonight. this is great. ythanks you guys!

    I've tried several of the recipes on the site and from one of her cookbooks that I bought. My veggie-hating boys have never noticed anything different. The mac&cheese cupcakes were a big hit! I started out with small amounts and plan to keep increasing the amounts until one of them says something negative. You could also cheat a little and buy jars of baby food, but I can't bring myself to pay the price.
  • Sunsh1ne
    Sunsh1ne Posts: 879 Member
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    Roasting veggies like that is actually chemically different than say, steaming them. A lot of the time that salt draws out moisture so that they stay firm while still cooking, and if you're using a direct heat source you will sometimes get a little bit of caramelisation as the heat converts some starch into sugar and then sort of boils it in place. I will eat any vegetable that has been roasted; it makes them like candy!
  • stanvoodoo
    stanvoodoo Posts: 1,023 Member
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    Friuts are ok, veggies are good but they are not main meals.

    Protein is the largest part of your diet.

    For further help, you need to either give more info on what you are eating and your intake levels or open your diary.

    Best of luck!!