Strange question about diet

[Wademeister63]

I've decided to improve my eating habits this year. Sort of a new year's resolution I suppose.
Improving should really be easy since I've been eating probably about as badly as possible. Mostly burgers and fries, cokes, pizza and pretty much whatever I can get at a drive through or delivery place. I've been doing it for years and it's about time to knock it off.

I don't want to try jumping in to a completely different lifestyle just to revert to my old ways a month later, so I need to do something easy. I mean REAL easy. I'm thinking since I like a lot of veggies but rarely eat any, that maybe just fixing myself a simple veggie dinner a few times a week would be a healthy step. I'm not going to do any elaborate cooking but I could sure steam some squash, green beans, or asparagus or whatever.

Seems like when I was a kid my mom would make like 2 veggies and a meat every day and I get tired just thinking about dragging out all the stuff to do it and then cleaning up the mess after. If I were to say grill a steak or brat one day, steam a veggie the next day, maybe have a salad-in-a-bag the next day and so on, I would only be making one item per day and I think I could manage that.

So here's the strange question...
If I make some veggies for dinner some days and some meat on other days, is that a reasonably healthy way to eat?

[Geddyfleaharris]

I don't think so but I am not an expert. Protein is basic building block of the body. It repairs and builds muscle. 99% of complete proteins are found in meat and fish. You can make complete proteins but combining incompletes like rice and beans but who needs that hassle.

I believe the key to healthy eating is moderation and balance.

[Bassman316]

Originally Posted by Wademeister63

If I were to say grill a steak or brat one day, steam a veggie the next day, maybe have a salad-in-a-bag the next day and so on, I would only be making one item per day and I think I could manage that.

So here's the strange question...
If I make some veggies for dinner some days and some meat on other days, is that a reasonably healthy way to eat?

You're basically doing what I'm doing, man. I started reading about the Atkins diet last week, and what you said is pretty in line with that. If you're okay with eating salads and meats more often that stuff that contains a lot of sugar, i.e. bread, pasta, rice, etc., you're good. I've been on it since last weekend. I know it doesn't sound like much, but this is coming from someone that every other month gets all revved up about going on a diet and losing weight only for it to last about three days ... so far I've been doing pretty good. It's tough the first day or two, but like you said if you're good with the steaks, brats, and salads (I'm actually cooking some brats right now for lunch), you should be good.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Just keep a balanced diet.

Do you have a steamer? If not, you can just chuck a mixture of veggies in a pot and boil them while you are cooking some meet to go with. For all the time it takes to cook vegtables, you could cook them to go with pretty much anything else.

[Steve]

Just stay the heck away from the drive through. ANYTHING else you eat is way healthier.

[Bassman316]

Originally Posted by Steve

Just stay the heck away from the drive through. ANYTHING else you eat is way healthier.

Word up. That stuff is bad for you, man. No matter what it is.

[Wademeister63]

Originally Posted by Steve

Just stay the heck away from the drive through. ANYTHING else you eat is way healthier.

Noooooooo! My favorite! lol

I know it's bad and I've been eating drive-thru food probably 8-12 times a week. Grab a bisquit n gravy, BLT or pancakes in the morning most weekdays, usually a burger, bbq, chicken or taco for lunch on weekdays, and about half the time something on the way home from work as dinner. Sometimes I'll take something to work for breakfast and/or lunch and rarely I'll cook a real dinner at home. Fairly often dinner could be spaghetti, ramen noodles, Kraft mac n cheese or some kind of TV dinner. Or pizza. About one every two weeks I guess.

Probably horrifies some of you guys, haha. Add the fact that I NEVER work out or do much physical activity and I'm probably a lot healthier than I should be. I'm 46 yrs old, 6' tall and weigh 225, I don't get sick often and am fairly strong. I feel pretty good in general but almost always tired. I'm hoping (knowing) that a change in diet will not only get rid of some excess weight around the middle, but will also improve my energy levels which will really be great. For now I need to be realistic and plan for ultimate ease and simplicity. Maybe when I get a bit of momentum I can actually make meat and veggies on the same day

[TBrett]

Do you like veggies and dip? Makes a great snack and if you cut up a bunch at the beginning of the week, they'll keep for several days in containers in the fridge. I use Ceasar salad dressing for the dip. You don't need much to add a great flavour to the veggies.

Our local supermarket sells roast chickens. I'm the main cook in our household and at the end of a workday, cooking is just about the last thing I want to do. So the chicken feeds the three of us one night (I usually steam some Brussels sprouts or asparagus to go with it - very quick and easy), and then I'll use the leftovers on homemade nachos or with veggies and pasta the next day.

There are lots of different approaches to diet, but eating a balance of whole, natural foods and eliminating excess sugar and salt is a good rule of thumb. Once you get used to eating this way, you'll probably lose a lot of your taste for fast food.

[MichaelScott]

Just do this:

http://www.warriordiet.com/

Lost 20 pounds with it.

[Chunk-O-Funk]

Just buy some boneless chicken breast or pork chops, and Shake & Bake.

A bag of frozen veggie's. Pop them in the microwave.

You've got 3-4 meals and it only takes about half an hour to prepare and cook. If you're the only one eating the leftovers should last you a few days. Just reheat in the microwave.


If you can't do that a diet is not your main concern.
Lazy bastid.

[Wademeister63]

Originally Posted by Chunk-O-Funk

If you can't do that a diet is not your main concern.
Lazy bastid.

Hey, I resemble that remark! Lol

Sounds like some good ideas here, thanks gang

[HEIST]

When you start making your own food, you'll also notice that your wallet gets heavier.

[Ericman197]

Originally Posted by Wademeister63

Noooooooo! My favorite! lol

I know it's bad and I've been eating drive-thru food probably 8-12 times a week. Grab a bisquit n gravy, BLT or pancakes in the morning most weekdays, usually a burger, bbq, chicken or taco for lunch on weekdays, and about half the time something on the way home from work as dinner. Sometimes I'll take something to work for breakfast and/or lunch and rarely I'll cook a real dinner at home. Fairly often dinner could be spaghetti, ramen noodles, Kraft mac n cheese or some kind of TV dinner. Or pizza. About one every two weeks I guess.

Probably horrifies some of you guys, haha. Add the fact that I NEVER work out or do much physical activity and I'm probably a lot healthier than I should be. I'm 46 yrs old, 6' tall and weigh 225, I don't get sick often and am fairly strong. I feel pretty good in general but almost always tired. I'm hoping (knowing) that a change in diet will not only get rid of some excess weight around the middle, but will also improve my energy levels which will really be great. For now I need to be realistic and plan for ultimate ease and simplicity. Maybe when I get a bit of momentum I can actually make meat and veggies on the same day

Actually it sounds like you're an excellent candidate for improving your health through dieting. First off, the biggest thing is cutting out the fast food. That's going to save you money, sugar/saturated fat/cholesterol/etc., and SODIUM! You're at the age where these things start to become really important, especially if you have a history of heart disease in the family.

So in answer to your first question, the most important thing is you make a diet plan that is reasonably healthy, and that you are willing and able to follow. Can you eat more salad one day, and more grilled chicken the next? Sure! It might technically be better for you to have a more balanced intake on a day to day basis, and it might make it easier for you - but there's nothing wrong with your plan.

Just one hundred years ago, food supplies were totally inconsistent - it's a pretty modern idea that we 'must' have x servings of vegetables, y servings of fruit, and z serving of meat every single day. What I think is more important is that you try to average it out over a week: if you have a little less vegetables one day, have some more the next. As your cooking skills improve, and as you learn how to make more new foods, you'll probably be eating really well in a few weeks' time.