Tired of healthy eating?!

[pollycupcake]

One of my New Year's resolutions was to focus on eating healthy and as the year progressed I became better and better at it. Treats like biscuits and chocolate became less frequent, my alcohol consumption is nearly non-existant and even my coffee consumption is fairly low (I used to drink several cups a day, and now it's usually only 1-2). Meanwhile, I became more and more focussed on taking a wide range of vitamins/minerals, malted barley & nutritionally "boosted" products. My diet now consists of fruit, vegetables, whole grain bread, canned fish, cereal, rice and rice milk (I don't eat regular dairy products). Even when I go out to restaurants, I've been chosing healthy options (like salad or steamed fish).

But it was really good. I was previously a uni student, so my diet previously included sugar-laden sleepovers with friends, guzzling energy drinks and scoffing sugary snacks to stay awake to study, and stress-eating of "comfort foods" at exam time so my body definitely needed the health kick. But after 10 months or so of all this, I just feel SO SICK AND TIRED of healthy foods. I've just lost my appetite completely for things like fruit & veg because I'm so sick of them.

I thought eating healthy was supposed to be a habit-forming and feel really good (and it was for a while), but now I just feel deprived and am now constantly craving pancakes with syrup, potato wedges and sour cream, pizza etc

Is this a normal phase to experience after long periods of healthy eating?

[scorpio1980]

It isn't what you do every once in a while that hurts you. It is what you do day in and day out. If you are un happy with life and feel deprived then "cheat" every once in a while. Go out 1 day, and eat some of the stuff you are craving. Get it out of your system, then come back to your healthy diet. Maybe make a day once a week or so that you can devote to satisfying some of these cravings. Just stay devoted for the majority of the time, and you will be fine. Life shouldn't be about being deprived, we should find a happy ground in the middle. I have a really healthy diet 90% of the time. I give myself 2 cheat meals per week, and 2 deserts per week. This keeps me sane. I ate a bacon/pineapple pizza, and a burger and fries for my 2 cheat meals this week. A milkshake, and a big piece of cheesecake for my deserts. These were 2 different days. It enabled me to go out with friends and enjoy the same foods they ate. My regular diet of fish, rice, veggies, fruit, and daily exercise allows me to stay healthy and fit while being able to indulge. This is just my 2 cents, and what works for me. When I didn't cheat at all I would eventually drop the diet and binge for weeks. Now allowing myself to cheat 10% of the time gives me happiness and strength for the rest of the time. Good luck.

[Andrew Gubb]

Here's what I do if I feel deprived of something:

I eat it. I totally fulfil my desire for that thing.

While I'm doing so, I try to remain as present as possible. (See: The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle). I notice the sensations before, during, and after eating. I also do periods of healthier eating alternating with periods of less healthy eating, and that way I also get to notice the sensations that come from long periods of eating a certain way, contrasted with other other way.

The more you work on being intensely conscious while you're experiencing the food you eat and its effects, the more you really want to stop eating unhealthily. More than want, it becomes like a physical sensation, you just don't feel like it, just like you pull your hand automatically away from a flame.

I don't know if you don't also need to change your focus a little and try to really love vegetables and so on. I know always eating with a sense of "should" is such a killer to the enjoyment of food. I think we should use some mentally-derived rules and structure to help us explore diet, but we should be able to release the effort and really enjoy what we're eating when it gets down to it. It's like you said, healthy eating should be habit forming. I guess part of that is you've got to learn to really anticipate and savour and delight in healthy food in the same way you did for unhealthy food. I can tell you from experience that this is certainly possible. It takes a bit of creativity is all. Maybe find a few healthy restaurants too Are there any raw, macrobiotic, vegetarian and/or vegan places in your town?

I haven't updated it for ages but this is my recipe site: The Spiritual Vegan

[elucidate]

Here's my secret...sometimes...every now and then I will get the urge to scoff a hungry jacks burger...so I do!

The last one was kinda tasty...the one before that made me feel sick.

Last night I ate churros with caramel and hot chocolate sauce and had a giant choc hazelnut milkshake to wash it all down, and by the end of it I felt so heavy and bogged down that I couldn't even eat dinner. It was more chocolate than I have eaten all year in one go...but I won't be doing that again for a very long time.

I also had a gin and tonic after that, which went down a treat.

It's like with cigarettes...I quit 15 years ago, and every now and then I will have one or two, and it usually reminds me of how much I hate them and am happy I don't smoke, and so I don't again for a long time, until one day I do and it reminds me again.

It's normal to want to eat some junk every now and then, and it's normal to let yourself have it.

I get what you are saying though, and yeah, I get it too, after years and years of eating healthy and being good...it makes me want to go on huge drug binges and just forget about being healthy. It feels so boring and I worry that I'm becoming all uptight and can't let myself be around friends i know who smoke weed and drink, because I don't want that influence anymore...but it gets boring without them.

Sometimes I feel like I prefered myself the way I used to be when I was taking drugs and eating whatever I want.

I do normally feel repelled by anything that isn't fresh on most days, but every now and then I get this urge to just go the opposite direction all together, and go to extremes with it...which sometimes I do!

[kat]

Originally Posted by pollycupcake

One of my New Year's resolutions was to focus on eating healthy and as the year progressed I became better and better at it. Treats like biscuits and chocolate became less frequent, my alcohol consumption is nearly non-existant and even my coffee consumption is fairly low (I used to drink several cups a day, and now it's usually only 1-2). Meanwhile, I became more and more focussed on taking a wide range of vitamins/minerals, malted barley & nutritionally "boosted" products. My diet now consists of fruit, vegetables, whole grain bread, canned fish, cereal, rice and rice milk (I don't eat regular dairy products). Even when I go out to restaurants, I've been chosing healthy options (like salad or steamed fish).

But it was really good. I was previously a uni student, so my diet previously included sugar-laden sleepovers with friends, guzzling energy drinks and scoffing sugary snacks to stay awake to study, and stress-eating of "comfort foods" at exam time so my body definitely needed the health kick. But after 10 months or so of all this, I just feel SO SICK AND TIRED of healthy foods. I've just lost my appetite completely for things like fruit & veg because I'm so sick of them.

I thought eating healthy was supposed to be a habit-forming and feel really good (and it was for a while), but now I just feel deprived and am now constantly craving pancakes with syrup, potato wedges and sour cream, pizza etc

Is this a normal phase to experience after long periods of healthy eating?

Perhaps your diet is a bit unbalanced. I occasionally experience what you're feeling; usually eating a bit more fat or protein helps. I personally like beans, olive oil, coconut oil, macademia nut oil, etc - not to mention my beloved dark chocolate.

Going out for a good Indian, Vietnamese, etc meal can help as well, I find. It's a lot of the same ingredients, but prepared and spiced differently; that can make a huge difference if the only problem is that you're eating too much of the same thing and it's bland and gets boring.

I also eat pizza; depending on your tastes, there are a pretty wide range of options, some of which are fairly healthy. I generally go for a standard Italian-style pizza with a variety of mixed vegetables, and always without cheese; if you want something a bit healthier and feel like cooking, you could make or buy a whole-grain crust. At that point, it's entirely in line with your diet, but still delicious. There are a variety of mock cheeses as well, some of which are ok health-wise; I generally don't bother, but you could try sprinkling on some nutritional yeast, cashew cheese, looking up recipes for non-dairy cheese online, or buying some that's in line with what you want to be consuming. Consider finding a place that makes traditional focaccia or Italian pizza if you don't want to cook it yourself, or find recipes if you do - traditional focaccia is usually dairy-free, and is like a particularly tasty bread covered in something like salt, olives, cooked onions, or slices of tomato.

[Clint Cora]

Nope, for me, I never tire of healthy eating. In fact, the odd time when I'm out and I do try a bit of 'sin' food, quite often I end up not enjoying it especially if it's got a high fat content or if too sweet. Looks like my dietary taste has adjusted to healthy foods and revolts against many, but not all, unhealthy foods.

If you are getting tired of healthy foods, I would suspect that maybe your choices have been a bit on the bland side for you which makes healthy eating kind of boring and unexciting for you. Eating has become just refueling.

Whether healthy foods or not, many people suggest that dining and food should be pleasurable, rather than just refueling, especially in a social setting. After all, when you are eating out with friends, you don't want such an activity to be just refueling.

So I think some more research into how to make healthy foods more appealing would be warranted in your case. Maybe do some browsing for good healthy recipes or check up on what good chefs are doing in terms of preparing healthy meals to give you some ideas.

Healthy foods today does not have to be boring and tasteless. Food technology and preparation has come a long way since the days when healthy eating was just about eating raw fruits, veggies and wheat germ.

[CoolBee]

I remember a few years ago when I was training to be a coach, I was working with another trainee who was coaching me on weight loss and healthy eating. I said I wanted to eat healthy 80% of the time (to be defined - I wasn't sure whether I meant 4 days out of 5, 8 days out of 10, or some other measure, not the point). She started banging on at me 'what would it take to make it 100%' and I said 'I don't want 100%' but she kept on! I got quite angry in the end!

Have a week off or a day off or a meal off!

I've been doing 'no grains 6 days a week' since April and am 24kg (53lb) or so lighter for it. But for the past couple of weeks, I had a week on holiday in an oasis in the western sahara desert - eat what's there and don't fuss - and the week before that, an unusually full social calendar. Basically, trying to stick to no grains was going to make me very hungry in one environment and completely intolerably unsociable in the other!

I've been back on the straight and narrow for a couple of days now and actually feel I needed the break, not only from the healthy diet, but also from the constant monitoring of myself.

[firenexx]

You may also have been undereating. Many people overestimate the caloric content of fruits and vegetables. An orange has 50 calories, a banana 100. 10 cups of lettuce has 100 calories. Most people simple cannot fathom the volume of fruits and veggies they would need to eat. A friend of mine discovered she was consuming 700-1000 calories a day, when her basal metabolic rate and level of exercise indicated she should have been consuming 3000-4000.

So when you consume too few calories (food energy), your body craves more food energy. Genetically, your body wants fruit because simple carbs are pretty much pure energy. However, your taste buds don't know the difference between carambola, table sugar, or even high-fructose corn syrup or even MSG. Hence the craving for junk food because it is loaded with all of these crazy sweeteners that are chemically designed to make your taste buds and pleasure receptors like them.

Some people solve this insufficient consumption issue by juicing vegetables. Some people eat green smoothies (which can fit several cups of greens!) Some people eat large salads. Some people steam large quantities of greens (You can watch a huge volume of spinach become a fraction of the size and easier to masticate in a matter of seconds, in a steamer basket.) Some people do other stuff. For some people, it's easy and natural. For some people, it's stressful and can contribute to ORTHOREXIA.

[Bonadea]

I usually find that I don't crave them anymore, unless I'm lacking something.

My guess might be potassium for you right now.

[CoolBee]

Originally Posted by firenexx

You may also have been undereating. Many people overestimate the caloric content of fruits and vegetables. An orange has 50 calories, a banana 100. 10 cups of lettuce has 100 calories. Most people simple cannot fathom the volume of fruits and veggies they would need to eat. A friend of mine discovered she was consuming 700-1000 calories a day, when her basal metabolic rate and level of exercise indicated she should have been consuming 3000-4000.

Excellent point.

I've had a couple of people say they're following 'my' diet but aren't feeling too great (ie spaced out and a bit dizzy instead of energetic and wide awake like me), and when I get them to list what they're eating, they're eating maybe only 400 calories a day!!!! Just green veg and no 'starchy' veg or legumes at all.

I tell them all that aside from the vegetables and protein, they MUST get a meal with something like beans or potatoes or even chocolate in there somewhere to bring up the calories.

(I should add that many people mistakenly assume that 'low grain' = 'low carb' mine isn't, it's about 30% fat and 35% protein and 35% carb (%s by calories))

[Andrew Gubb]

Originally Posted by CoolBee

Excellent point.

I've had a couple of people say they're following 'my' diet but aren't feeling too great (ie spaced out and a bit dizzy instead of energetic and wide awake like me), and when I get them to list what they're eating, they're eating maybe only 400 calories a day!!!! Just green veg and no 'starchy' veg or legumes at all.

I tell them all that aside from the vegetables and protein, they MUST get a meal with something like beans or potatoes or even chocolate in there somewhere to bring up the calories.

(I should add that many people mistakenly assume that 'low grain' = 'low carb' mine isn't, it's about 30% fat and 35% protein and 35% carb (%s by calories))

Yeah, undereating is probably the biggest issue people have when transitioning to a healthier diet. Undereating was never my issue on a normal diet, more like it was overeating, but even I sometimes need to remind myself to fill up on calories now. It's possible to eat lots of fruit like I do and feel full but end up spacy because you haven't had enough calories. Sometimes I even have white () rice instead of brown rice just because it has extra calories. I know I could get more vitamins/minerals/fibre per calorie if I wanted to, but I also know I have a limit to how much I feel comfortable eating in terms of physical volume.

[Clint Cora]

That's why it's so important to get into a healthy diet that can be sustained for the long term. I eat like a horse - four meals per day - and I still have a 30 inch waistline at age 50. Like I mentioned before, no problem sticking to a healthy diet for life if it's a good one.

[Beingist]

Originally Posted by pollycupcake

But it was really good. I was previously a uni student, so my diet previously included sugar-laden sleepovers with friends, guzzling energy drinks and scoffing sugary snacks to stay awake to study, and stress-eating of "comfort foods" at exam time so my body definitely needed the health kick. But after 10 months or so of all this, I just feel SO SICK AND TIRED of healthy foods. I've just lost my appetite completely for things like fruit & veg because I'm so sick of them.

I thought eating healthy was supposed to be a habit-forming and feel really good (and it was for a while), but now I just feel deprived and am now constantly craving pancakes with syrup, potato wedges and sour cream, pizza etc

Is this a normal phase to experience after long periods of healthy eating?

I don't know if it's "normal" to go through this, but I can tell you, I sure did.

I lost 35 lbs. on the Blood Type Diet, and got down to my "ideal weight". Once I got there, though, I had a piece of sourdough toast (a major no-no for my blood type), and threw the whole diet thing out the window.

That is, until a few months ago, when a doctor measured my blood pressure at 167/107, and told me that I was clinically obese. Since then, it's been more about health than about losing weight, but I went back on the blood type diet, have quit smoking (pretty much), have lost 30 lbs. again, and got my bp down to 117/80, the last time it was measured.

The only difference, now, is that--

A) I'm really doing it for my health, and not out of an obsession to lose weight, or get to my "ideal weight". That said, once in a while, though I might eat something that's not on the diet, I don't use it as an excuse to dis the diet, as the main objective is to simply eat healthy, not to lose weight.

B) I'm seeking and finding ways to incorporate the healthy food into things that.. wait for it ... here it comes... taste good. The reason why we eat the ♥♥♥♥♥ food is because it tastes good, and because it's usually cheap. Well, we can still find healthy food for fairly cheap (if not cheaper), all we have to do then, is to find a way to make it taste good. I cook my own stuff, and I love what I make, else I wouldn't bother.

To that end, I have 3 things I keep in mind--there's A) what you eat; B) how you prepare it; and C) when you eat it. All three have their effects on your health, but A is always, always, always most important.

That's my $0.02. Hope it helps.

[Beingist]

Originally Posted by Clint Cora

That's why it's so important to get into a healthy diet that can be sustained for the long term. I eat like a horse - four meals per day - and I still have a 30 inch waistline at age 50. Like I mentioned before, no problem sticking to a healthy diet for life if it's a good one.

Yes, I've noticed this, myself--I can eat like a horse, and stay fairly healthy, as long as the food I'm eating is reasonably healthy food.

[liamona]

Originally Posted by pollycupcake

My diet now consists of fruit, vegetables, whole grain bread, canned fish, cereal, rice and rice milk (I don't eat regular dairy products). Even when I go out to restaurants, I've been chosing healthy options (like salad or steamed fish).

Originally Posted by kat

Perhaps your diet is a bit unbalanced. I occasionally experience what you're feeling; usually eating a bit more fat or protein helps.

I agree; your diet sounds too low in fat, and perhaps protein. When my diet was like that, I craved a lot of sugar. If you're not averse to it you should eat more red meat and/or eggs, and butter.

Since you like sour cream (and who doesn't? lol) get the best quality sour cream you can find, preferably without any additives and from old-fashioned cow breeds like Jersey or Guernseys, and add them to your meals or even desserts.

You can make some really great-tasting low to no sugar desserts if they have enough fat (preferably saturated), and you will only need to eat a small amount since they are so satiating and satisfying.

[Beingist]

Originally Posted by liamona

Since you like sour cream (and who doesn't? lol) [...]

mmmmm... sour cream ... ngangnagngan

A little trick when it comes to sour cream: plain old yogurt works as a substitute. (Not that I can eat either).

[Razia]

It would be not be normal to have it after such a long time but start it slowly don't have all at time as you must be feeling like that as you are bore of healthy eating, be slow and steady.

[Clint Cora]

Healthy eating does not have to be boring. You simply need to consult some folks who are creative enough cooks or chefs to show you some recipes that can be healthy but great tasting too. Healthy eating does not necessarily mean just eating grains, veggies and fruits. Just choose the usual foods you like that are not junk food, and then make some key ingrediant substitutions for them.