Put aside the obvious idea that you might go insane or get really bored doing this ... :D

Does anyone see any downside to eating the exact same thing every day? Say I laid out the perfect mealplan for one day - what if I ate the exact same thing, every day, for a few months?

Is variety that important?

I would assume that there are some nutrients that scientists do not know of yet, and by choosing a variety of foods (instead of eating the same thing every day), one may end up getting those nutrients in his/her body just merely by accident.

Anyway, I am just sick of cooking and preparing meals. I figured that if I could keep myself sane and really have the discipline to do it, it might just be easier to eat the same thing every day.

Just looking for some opinions or thoughts! Thanks!

It's tough eating the same thing everyday.. You get very bored of it and (in my experience) are more likely to deviate and cheat big time.

if you have a varied diet thorough out the day, you wont have any problems eating the same thing everyday
i eat over 12 different foods each day, not to mention all the spices i use to change the flavor constantly
you just gotta use your imagination and not eating tuna + oatmeal 6 times a day :)

Thanks for the fast replies, wow!

Good points. But what if one was to eat a very "un-varied" set of meals (as you did mention taffer)?

Like maybe eating just tuna and rice 4-5 times a day and 2 MRPs.... ?

I don't think I'd be that un-varied, of course (I'm no expert on nutrition but that idea just sounds dumb), but I was just curious about this.

Thanks again guys!

I would assume that there are some nutrients that scientists do not know of yet, and by choosing a variety of foods (instead of eating the same thing every day), one may end up getting those nutrients in his/her body just merely by accident.

Anyway, I am just sick of cooking and preparing meals. I figured that if I could keep myself sane and really have the discipline to do it, it might just be easier to eat the same thing every day.

Just looking for some opinions or thoughts! Thanks!

You said it ... variety is key to get a broad spectrum of nutrients.

If you are sick of cooking and preparing meals, maybe it is a mindset issue that you need to address. It seems people these days expect it all to be easy, a nice little convenient walk in the park. Whatever happened to sucking it up and pushing it a little hard and sacrificing a bit to earn the reward? I guess that's why the lottery is so popular even though a large number of people who win end up losing all of their winnings ... people don't want to EARN it, they just want it to magically fall in their lap.

/end soapbox

Seriously, I see your point, and I understand it. I can relate. I used to be that way, too. After 4 years of coaching people, the ones who are looking for the easy way (i.e. same foods day in and out) are the ones who struggle the most. The reason is because they haven't embraced a healthy lifestyle .. instead, they've created a compromise and diet mentality that forces them to take action without belief, so they are struggling to maintain instead of it being an easy side-effect of belief. I know this seems like splitting hairs but really if you are pursuing the easy way, it's only going to seem hard until you are ready to take on the challenge.

Jeremy

Jeremy

Does anyone see any downside to eating the exact same thing every day? Say I laid out the perfect mealplan for one day - what if I ate the exact same thing, every day, for a few months?

Just looking for some opinions or thoughts! Thanks!

I see why some might say it would be bad. I personally live this way. It is easy, I can plan out meals that wife will prepare. The choices are those that I enjoy eating. I have a number of such daily plans that I have worked out, I know what they consist of in terms of calories, food types, fiber and etc. Easy shopping and preparing.

While someone might think oatmeal is good for them, I long ago decided that mush isn't going into my mouth. I eat what I enjoy eating. I never tire eating what I like. I would tire very quickly eating what someone else likes but I don't.

Eat clean, healthy and wisely but you should eat what you will continue to eat long term. Search and find what you like, what you can prepare or make available. You might have a backup plan for changes that occur in life, but know ahead of time your alternatives.

Are you going to eat the same thing every day for the rest of your life?

Even if it does help you lose weight, you won't have learned the good habits to maintain your weight loss, so what's the point?

Are you going to eat the same thing every day for the rest of your life?

Even if it does help you lose weight, you won't have learned the good habits to maintain your weight loss, so what's the point?

i've thought about that point alot, thats why, in my diet im trying to have things like "200grams mixed vegetables" instead of "200grams broccoli" or "1 piece of fruit" instead of "1 apple"

i know i cant count calories forever, but for now its ok :)
and its always nice to know you can start counting again if you think you are falling off the wagon a bit (later in life!)

personally i eat the exact same thing every day. I hate it, but i would much rather know what to make so i can eat while i am on campus 15 hours a day. Besides, i spend 5 bucks a day on food:) When school ends in a month, i can enjoy some good pasta/chicken, but until then, itss tuna + egg whites, and oatmeal for carbs:)

you know planning meals aint all bad
i mean before i was on a diet, i always used to complain about the lack of food in my house, my mum never cooked, and we were left to snack on whatever, my mum sometimes cooked us dinner or made us a snack, but i remember always complaining about the lack of food! (which is probly why i would snack on crap alot of the time, then eat a huge unhealthy dinner)

i meal eating the same meals everyday is good for bodybuilding and all, but it also helps you prepare for when you are running a household, planning a few dinners for the week, also setting out a few lunches for your kids or yourself, so you dont end up snacking on chips, but rather have ingredients on hand to make a nutritious sandwich, or some yoghurt or cheese lying around!

there is absolutely nothing wrong with eating the same thing every day, actually your body gets used to digesting hte same foods every day and becomes more efficient at getting all the nutrients out of what you eat, just make sure you take a daily multi vitamin. look at all professional bodybuilders...what to do they do (besides roid) is eat the same EXACT thing every day...so on that level besides it getting boring it works very well...not to mention thats how i lost all my initial weight of like 40 lbs. But to each his own obviously.... :tu:

I generally eat roughly the same thing every day, but that is because I am still new to this way of living. Every week it gets more and more varied as I try new and different ways of preparing the same food and discover new foods I like that work in eatting habits. Looking at it as a life style change is the only way to not get sick of it all.

You said it ... variety is key to get a broad spectrum of nutrients.

If you are sick of cooking and preparing meals, maybe it is a mindset issue that you need to address. It seems people these days expect it all to be easy, a nice little convenient walk in the park. Whatever happened to sucking it up and pushing it a little hard and sacrificing a bit to earn the reward? I guess that's why the lottery is so popular even though a large number of people who win end up losing all of their winnings ... people don't want to EARN it, they just want it to magically fall in their lap.

/end soapbox

Seriously, I see your point, and I understand it. I can relate. I used to be that way, too. After 4 years of coaching people, the ones who are looking for the easy way (i.e. same foods day in and out) are the ones who struggle the most. The reason is because they haven't embraced a healthy lifestyle .. instead, they've created a compromise and diet mentality that forces them to take action without belief, so they are struggling to maintain instead of it being an easy side-effect of belief. I know this seems like splitting hairs but really if you are pursuing the easy way, it's only going to seem hard until you are ready to take on the challenge.

Jeremy

Thanks Jeremy for the fantastic post (yet again; your posts are always great). I appreciate your soapbox rant as well as the paragraph that followed, and you make excellent points. Yes, I'm sick of cooking and preparing meals, but that doesn't necessarily mean I will stop doing it. I don't think or expect this thing to be easy. I'm already years and years into bodybuilding and although I'm far from an expert or far from being "contest quality" I do understand the work involved; I do live a relatively healthy lifestyle as well.

You make good points though - I can see how one would conclude from my questions that I might be a "fad dieter." :) I'm not, just looking for thoughts and trying to learn more in general.

Good point too about creating a compromise and diet mentality. "...forces them to take action without belief, so they are struggling to maintain instead of it being an easy side-effect of belief." Boy you said it!



Are you going to eat the same thing every day for the rest of your life?

Even if it does help you lose weight, you won't have learned the good habits to maintain your weight loss, so what's the point?


Agreed. Yes as I said above it does sound "fad-diety" to ask such questions, but again I am just looking for info and trying to learn.

BTW I'm not trying to lose weight right now, trying to get more mass, though a lot of people are telling me I've gotten big enough already. :)

Thanks to everyone for the great posts! This forum rocks!