bad eating habits

fussy1

New Member
I have a problem that I really want to fix.

I am 25 year old lad, and really fussy eater. Because of this I seem to eat rubbish unhealthy foods. I really want to eat healthy but I cannot, the smell look and taste of foods puts me right off.

If for example I got a cheese Burger from McDonald's, it would have to be completely plain, just cheese on Burger. Even pizza has to have no tomatoes! I don't like curry, Sunday dinner, onions, mushrooms, vegetables and most fruits. I could go on and on, I grew up eating rubbish food and it is all I like, it is really embarrassing around other people, physiologically it has really affected me.

I don't go out for meals, it stopped me joining the army years ago, and now I don't even like asking girls out on dates any more because it would involve a meal and I get bad anxiety feelings just thinking of eating with other people.

How can I stop this controlling my life?! I am missing out on a lot of things because of this.
 
Oh I would really like to help, I know how you feel, I am trying to address similar things, adding different foods into my diet as it really was limited.

How about trying 1 food at a time? Could you cope with that?
 
how about trying to make your own burgers (really easy) and making chips from jacket potatoes etc?
But on another level, try just 1 thing at a time and probably see a dietician or food counsellor. Good Luck
 
The Burger from MacDonald's was an example really, any salad or stuff on top and I feel sick just looking at it. I want to go out for meals and have a good time etc without worrying too much about the food, it is really embarrassing when I am the only one getting plain food, just like eating like a kid.

It is really hard changing my way of thinking, junk food is the safe option but I really want to eat healthy, I just cannot seem to do it. I have tried eating one or two new things as suggested, but I just could not do it, the textures and taste etc are too much to handle. It is really embarrassing.
 
Anyway to hide it? Like as suggested home made burgers but put lentils or something inside mixed in, you cant taste or see them, ditto with bolognaise.

For homemade pizza cooked mushed up carrots can easily be hidden in the tomato sauce, I have done it when feeding children!
 
I used to be a REALLY fussy eater, and like you it was the textures and to a certain extent the "idea" of the food that was telling my brain "you dont like this!!"

But I had to force myself to eat other things, dont get me wrong there are still things i just can't face, mushrooms for one! But this seems to be taking over your life. I would definitely go to see a dietitian!

How do you feel about soups? You can sneek LOADS into those! Or have you tried looking on forums for fussy children? There are loads of tips and tricks for geting veg in things without anyone realising. I know it may seem patronising at first, but once you get used to tiny bits of these foods, you might be able to stomach larger amounts. I think it will just take time, but dont be afraid to ask for help

Kate :)
 
It's just habit/learned behaviour and you CAN train yourself out of it. I'm proof of it. I never drank water really, you swear it would choke me before! But now I drank 3 litres of water each day quite happily. I'm not boasting but just to say, it CAN be done, you just have to believe its possible and not just give up at the first hurdle. You won't like the taste of vegetables at first, you have to keep at it and persist until you get to like them as your taste buds *will* change.

Certain vegetables are pretty sugary so I would suggest trying starchy vegetables first. They're not the best kind of vegetables really but they'll get you into eating a few vegetables. Things like a stir fry, put soy sauce on it and chicken with some noodles.

Stage 1:
If I were you, I would try things like sweetcorn, carrots, potatoes, parsnips, turnip, beetroot..basically all the root vegetables first.

Stage 2
When you get used to them, work up to tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, onion, mushrooms. Get a few salad recipes, add a load of ingredients into the salad to make it more interesting.

Stage 3
Then last by not least, your green veg. It's good to eat a variety of vegetables as each colour has different nutrients in it. The green are particularly good for iron and fibre so give them a go too! :)

Oh you will need to learn how to cook a few healthy recipes too, fast food isn't a good food option. Remember that it's a lifestyle change. Push yourself, especially when you don't want to. There are great recipe threads here, I would suggest trying one new recipe out a week and eating it no matter what.

To be honest, your main problem is the way you're thinking about the vegetables and fruit. You basically need to change the way you think about healthy food and realise that it will only help you feel good and look good, not hinder you. Say you eat a vegetable you don't like, what's the worst that will happen? You may not like the taste but you will get to like it. it's not going to harm you, remember that fruit and vegetables will help you to your goal weight, if nothing else!

Oh with the fruit, try the more sugary ones first-bananas, pink lady apples, pears, oranges, kiwis. Make a fruit salad. Marks and Spencers do really nice fruit salads, they are a bit pricey for what they are but it may just get you started off. Nectarines are good too, peaches, strawberries, cherries, grapes. Why not make smoothies? Or buy a low calorie one? Check the calories though-buy a small bottle, not the ones at those stands because they are way too big!

The reason I suggest the more sugary fruit and veg first is because they will seem more palatable:) Work your way up to the green veg :)
 
As others have said you can train yourself out of it and undo the mental glitches you have. I used to be exactly like you when I was younger, couldn't tolerate even the mildest spiciness, relish, salad bits and condiments on food just seemed like gunk and would make me feel ill to think of eating it. Like you I had to order a plain cheeseburger in Maccy D's because I found the 'trimmings' revolting. Years of being really poor when I was a traveller living on skip food and home made 'chapattis' went part of the way to healing the problems, when it's 'that veg stew or starve' you have to re-evaluate. Some of it was deliberate on my part, I made myself keep eating olives until I found a love for them. Some of it was others, my boyfriend at the time kept making very, very mild curries for me until I developed a tolerance to spices and increased it gradually. It can be done, all the best!
 
Some good advice there thanks everyone.

Now I just need to make sure not to fill the trolley with crap when I go shopping but healthier food instead. In theory if I can't get to the usual rubbish I eat in the house, I have to eat what there is even though I probably wont want too.

Easier said then done but I must try!

Thanks everyone.
 
It is really hard changing my way of thinking, junk food is the safe option
Dear Fussy,
I wanted to add something. Junk food is anything BUT the safe option. It will kill you.

Do you cook? If you're buying ready cooked healthy food, then no wonder it tastes awful. Get a simple cook book and experiment.
For example, if you cook youjr own pizza from scratch, you'll get something that is really healthy and low in fat and you can put whatever you want on top.:)

You need some help.
 
Make a list of the foods you do like and base your meals around them.
If you want cheeseburger then buy higher quality burgers and wholemeal rolls from the supermarket rather than going to McD's. There is no law that says you have to have salad & mayo on a burger.

Buy chicken fillets/fish fillets and foil bake them and serve with jacket potatoes and any veg you do like.

Grill chops and again have with whatever veg you like.

Eat porridge or wholegrain cereal at breakfast or poach/scramble some eggs to go on wholemeal toast.

It is easy to improve the quality of your diet. You don't have to do it all in one go.

If you want to go out for a meal opt for a plain steak, fries and hold the salad if you don't like it.

Soups and smoothies are a good way of getting nutrition in your diet.

Just take it one day at a time. And be adventurous with new things you've never tried before.
 
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