I have been giving some thought to where I want to be eating wise, next year. I know there are as many eating lifestyles as there are people in the world, so I thought I would ask some of you what your thoughts were, what you liked to eat, what you had struggled with embracing, etc.
For instance, theoretically, if I choose to embrace vegetarianism/veganism, I could do so. I like meat a little too much though and don't know if I would be willing to give that up
Then there is the organic/whole foods approach to eating, which is the most appealing to me at the moment. I love to cook so the thought of taking whole ingredients and turning it into delicious home made recipes is something very appealing to me. However- whole foods require a lot of fruits/veggies and that is something I definitely struggle with. How do you go about learning to like fruits and veggies? Aside from obliterating them in Magic Bullets and then mixing them with something tasty.
There is the Paleo diet, which my brother in law was telling me about. That is the whole "hunter/gatherer" lifestyle we used to do as a race eons ago (haha eons)
There is low carb/Medifast- which I could not do. I did Kimkins low carb and lost a bunch of weight on it then gained it all back and then some when I ate carbs again. I don't think I would do Medifast either, simply because it is so expensive.
The same thing goes for the Jenny Craig/Nutrisystem. Its nice and convenient, but too expensive.
Even more expensive than the WW meals.
I haven't really done a lot of research into these different lifestyles (aside from JC/Nutrisystem/low carb) and I am looking for more reading materials, etc. I am not keen on reading about how they torture our farm animals etc, but if you have anything else you would like to recommend, I am all ears for it. I really need help from former veggie haters to veggie lovers, and the same from fruit haters turned fruit lovers. This is what I struggle with the most. Short of just buying all fruits/veggies and buying nothing else (no meat, no bread, no pasta, no cheese...) I don't know what to do. I'd lose a lot of weight that week, that is for sure lol
He took my last name when we got married. I took on the challenge of motherhood and losing the 80 lbs I gained
I used to hate a lot of veggies, but then I started tring them, cooking them different ways, and I have learned to love them. With fruit, I just try a new one when I can. Never had a mango before, but tried it... loved it. I hate peaches. always have, tried it again... still hate them. As well as pears. It's just kinda something you have to just ya know find what you like and what you dont.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to do the whole low carb thing, but was scared, so I lowered my carbs, and only wat them 1-2 a day.... but then hello silly me, I learned apples and what not have carbs... so I am in a boat... that is lost... ;)
I hope you find the right path for you!
I think I'll end up being a vegetarian again in the future. Because I love tofu and fake meat in general--and I think I'm more comfortable with that lifestyle! I just love the fake meat :) And I think easy to be moderate and healthy with a plant based diet. You have to find what works for you, mi love!
ReplyDeleteI have never been a vegtable eater b/c my parents didn't make us eat anything we didn't want/like, but I have been trying to try vegtables. Just try to make them in different ways. Or just chew and swallow and don't taste.
ReplyDeleteHey there! Former medifaster and vegatarian here! My brother is currently a peskatarian (meaning he eats fish as his source of meat).
ReplyDeleteMy tips to liking Veggies:
1) Don't give yourself other snacking options in the house. For example, I never really "feel" like a having a carrot, or an apple, but if that's all I buy for myself, those are my only options in the house, so I'll eat them.
2) Let your practical side come out. Throwing something away because it went bad is a waste of money. If you get in the habit of using up what is in your fridge/pantry BEFORE going grocery shopping you'll save tons of money, come up with some creative recipes, and moving on.
3) Try canned veggies or steamer bags. These often have some spices or salt added. Yes, you have to drink more water to compensate, but it can be a good way to get your feet wet w/ veggies.
4) Set a small goal every day. For example, maybe every day this week you can have a salad with dinner instead?
Keep in mind after you eat fresh, it's actually HARD to go back to the crap. You'll feel so much more energenized!
You can couple a salad or a veggie side w/ a microwaved healthy entree.
For me, I discovered that I don't feel satisfied unless I've been able to crunch on something. So I need some form of salad or something crunchy to make my meal fulfilling. Since I don't keep a lot of bread/rolls around the house, this usually helps a lot.
I wouldn't suggest going completely vegatarian unless you have your iron level monitored by your physician. It's VERY easy to be a unhealthy vegatarian, as most vegatarian quick foods are higher in salt (which can contribute to heart disease) and lower in iron (which is a real problem for women who shed it once a month). I actually strugged with anemia for 2 years, even on supplements. Anemia's first sign is usually exhaustion which can quickly lead to depression.
I also did Medifast and did lose a lot of weight, but I gained a lot of it back. While Medifast CAN and DOES work, it's like any other diet plan - if you don't follow it by the book forever, then you'll pack it all back on.
Good luck with you decision! (I eat as fresh as I can, and it's kept me down about 40-50lbs for several years.)