What to Eat, What to Eat?

When people complain that they don't like the food they're eating -- whether it's on Weight Watchers or any other plan, I ask them: "Well, OK, what do you like to eat? Figure out what that is, and then eat it."

Of course, we should eat healthy foods most of the time; I've said before that many dieticians advocate an 80/20 plan: 80% healthy foods 20% "fun." But a "rest of your life" food plan needs to be one that you enjoy. Otherwise, you are not going to stick with it.

So, here's an idea for you: if you're bored with your food, OR if you think you have to chow down on diet-y "rabbit food" to lose weight, try this exercise. It might expand your food choices and put some pleasure back into your diet.

Get a sheet of paper (or use your computer, I won't tell), and make headings for two columns: "Healthy" and "Not So." Then, under "Healthy," write down the foods you love that are good for you. (I do hope you have a few healthy favorites!) Write down as many as you can, and be specific. List the types of fish you love. List the kinds of fruits. Do NOT list the foods you think you are "supposed" to eat, if you don't like them.

Under "Not So," do the same thing. Try to limit it, though, to maybe a dozen or so of the not-so-healthful foods you really love, and could not imagine (right now, anyway) going through life without.

OK, stick the list on your fridge, or put it somewhere else you can easily refer to it. Now the fun starts!

For the next week or two or three, try to fix your regular meals from foods listed under the "Healthy" column. If you need recipes, there are tons of them available on the Internet. Have you ever done "Google cooking?" All you do is put several ingredients in the search line, plus the word "recipe," and see what comes up.

Also, for the next week or two, try to work in 2 or 3 of your favorite foods. And I don't mean Skinny Cows, if you like ice cream. Instead, consider having a 1/2 cup of Ben & Jerry's Phish Food, if that's your all-time favorite ice cream. Yes, really. Just account for it, and work it into your food plan healthfully. (If some foods are "red light" issues for you, don't keep them in the house, but go have them out, in a controlled portion situation.)

Here are a few foods from my "Healthy" list:

Salmon, tuna, sea bass, bluefish, turkey, chicken, hummus, skim milk, peanut butter, walnuts, almonds, chickpeas, colored peppers of any kind, avocadoes, tomatoes, rice (white or brown), pasta (white or brown) oatmeal, cherries, peaches, bananas, golden kiwi, pears, grapes, broccoli, golden beets.

From my "Unhealthy" list:

Panera orange or cherry scones; Starbucks raspberry or caramel scones, marble pound cake, ice cream, brownies, chocolate chip cookies, cobbler, fried chicken, french fries.

I eat the vast majority of my meals from the first list. But several times a week, I have a scone or ice cream. Less frequently, I'll have a piece of chicken, or some french fries. (Last night I had cherry cobbler a la mode. Yummmm.)

For the most part, I try to eat quality foods; mediocre foods are so not worth it. When I'm at work and working late, I eat my share of tinned sardines and salmon (which I actually like). But when I have the choice, I go for fresh fish, veggies, and the best fried chicken or french fries I can find. No KFC or McDonalds for me . . . life's too short to eat bad food.

Now, if you really want to get fancy, you can set up three lists: (1) foods to eat frequently, (2) foods to eat less often, and (3) foods to eat every once in a while. Examples: (1) salmon, broccoli. (2) full-fat cheese, eggs. (3) cotton candy, pork rinds.

Ready to expand your food horizons? Go grab that piece of paper, and get to work.

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Some good resources for healthy eating:

(Note: I own and have read every one of these books. I don't recommend what I've not read.)

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Comments

[K]

Your healthy list and mine look a lot alike!

I have a question, as well, unrelated to this post--How did you begin exercising? How did you exercise when you couldn't do activities like run or bike?

I've got some physical issues, which may or may not get better, that make it hard for me to walk, swim, bike, etc. without pain. Any suggestions would be very welcome!

[Debbie]

Hi, K, I guess I really should do an entry on my story sometime. :-)

I started exercising in 1999, after YEARS of being sedentary. I could not do much at first. My knees bothered me greatly (osteoarthritis). I limped down stairs.

I started out with a Cardioglide (boring!) and then, in August of 1999, my husband bought me a "comfort" bike - a big honkin' clunker that weighed about 30 lbs, with a wide seat.

My first ride was 4 miles and I nearly threw up. But I got better. I slowly, slowly accumulated miles, and increased fitness.

In November 1999, I joined a gym, and started lifting weights. Again, lighter, and heavier as time went on.

My biking mileage improved. I took glucosamine and chondroitin, and that's helped a lot. I technically have osteoarthritis in all of my major joints (shoulders, hips, knees, even wrists to some degree) but exercise makes them better, not worse. (I now own a custom racing bike, the clunker being long gone . . . and have taken up Rollerblading.)

Exercise is actually good for just about anything, especially arthritis. You may hurt a little more during the workout, but in between, after you strengthen your muscles and ligaments, you are more pain-free.

Here is a GREAT article from the New York Times this past week: "You Name It, and Exercise Helps It."

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/29/health/29brod.html?ref=health

In terms of exercise and arthritis and pain: start very slow, take baby steps. Over time, you should find you can go longer, and it should hurt less.

When I first started biking, my knees would hurt dreadfully after 15 miles. Now, they hardly give a peep - maybe after 70 miles, I'll be a bit aware of them for the rest of the day. And my right "surgical" knee (bone chip removal) feels tight at times, and gripes a bit, but I mostly ignore it -- unless it starts to ache a bit, and then I go for some Aleve and an ice bag.

I don't know what your physical issues are, but as the article indicates, most conditions are improved with exercise.

[Jaymiz]

Have you heard of "The No S Diet" by Reinhard Engels? It's basically a common-sense, 80/20 plan. You limit the treats to days that start with 'S" (Saturdays, Sundays, and special-occasions), and eat only 3 meals a day on the other days. You avoid snacks, sweets, and second-helpings on non-"S" days, too. It just controls the excess, basically, without sacrificing pleasureful eating. :)
See more: http://www.nosdiet.com

[Debbie]

That's a useful approach, and it might work really well for some folks, just as the "free day" works for followers of Body for Life.

Me personally, though . . . I don't want to be restricted to just "S" days. :-) Seems to me that's adding a rule that's not all that necessary: true flexibility doesn't stick to weekends, or special occasions; it remains spontaneous, yet accountable.

If I want ice cream in Tuesday, I'll have it, and if I don't want to eat much on a Sunday, I won't. In the long run, what the scale says, and how my clothes fit, will let me know if I'm overdoing it, and need to cut the treats back a bit.

Thanks for the comment!