3 ms·

Last year, I started an experiment with my diet. It started with the idea of eating as cheaply as possible with nutrient dense foods, but I started off with an

Last year, I started an experiment with my diet. It started with the idea of eating as cheaply as possible with nutrient dense foods, but I started off with an elimination diet. I chose 2-3 "meals" that I could easily prep and only cost $2-4 each. Mostly eggs, ground beef, white rice, potatoes. I quickly added bell peppers and onions. I tracked macros, and filled in the micros with new additions. Calories as well of course. The result was fantastic. 1. I got really fast at cooking, and even now that I cook more complex meals, I'm much faster than before. Probably because I introduced new ingredients gradually and maintained efficiency in the kitchen. 2. My ability to eyeball macros on a plate is pretty good now. It's much easier to regulate my energy levels because of this. I can also guess my bodyweight within ~5lbs before checking the scale. 3. I figured out what I digest most easily. As an athlete, I can't really afford to have days where I'm "bathroom dependent". The consistency in all these aspects has greatly improved my life. If you want to get better at cooking, understand your body better, save time, and eat a healthier diet, this method might work well for you. Disclaimer: after the first 2-3 weeks, I switched from 100% compliance to ~80% compliance. That way I get the benefits of regimented eating without going crazy. Even if you eat healthy, it's not good to obsess over calories and food options.

JumpCrisscross 3y ago
> I chose 2-3 "meals" that I could easily prep and only cost $2-4 each. Mostly eggs, ground beef, white rice, potatoes. I quickly added bell peppers and onions I do this for home lunches. The gustatory and health benefits of a varied diet are too much to ignore. But the efficiency gains, and comfort in the familiar, are also appealing. So one of eggs or salmon; brown rice or farro; and combinations of bell peppers, alliums (usually onions, scallions and garlic), cherry tomatoes and any other junk I have in the vegetable drawer. Bonus points for cooked in a wok, because cook time is like thirty seconds and you keep crisp yet still sweetened veggies. > figured out what I digest most easily. As an athlete, I can't really afford to have days where I'm "bathroom dependent" Would note that most of our guts are super adaptable. Avoiding foods that upset your stomach is reasonable. But doing this too much can sensitize the gut.
reubenswartz 3y ago
I make a salad most days for lunch. Some variation in ingredients, but I can have a healthy meal in < 5 minutes that I actually crave and I have good energy through out the afternoon. If you had told me when I was younger that I do this and it's not a punishment, I would not have believed you, but highly recommend.
- parentheses 3y ago
  I love sweetgreen for this reason. It really showed me how salad and healthy western food in general can be tasty. I grew up with a few strict options: 1. very flavorful Indian food of varying healthiness made by mom, 2. rich western foods made in a factory, 3. badly seasoned healthy western foods made by mom. My mom never learned how to make healthy western food that tasted good because things like balsamic or the right balance of ingredients are what determines flavor (oversimplifying) in western cooking. As a result, it took meeting my American partner and eating healthy food she or her family made. That helped me understand that tasty healthy food does exist. Sadly this has left me with a strange attitude about food which is wrong. When I want tasty food, I am not quick to think of healthy foods. Trying to change it but I thought maybe other immigrants landing in the western world had the same experience.

JumpCrisscross 3y ago

> I chose 2-3 "meals" that I could easily prep and only cost $2-4 each. Mostly eggs, ground beef, white rice, potatoes. I quickly added bell peppers and onions I do this for home lunches. The gustatory and health benefits of a varied diet are too much to ignore. But the efficiency gains, and comfort in the familiar, are also appealing. So one of eggs or salmon; brown rice or farro; and combinations of bell peppers, alliums (usually onions, scallions and garlic), cherry tomatoes and any other junk I have in the vegetable drawer. Bonus points for cooked in a wok, because cook time is like thirty seconds and you keep crisp yet still sweetened veggies. > figured out what I digest most easily. As an athlete, I can't really afford to have days where I'm "bathroom dependent" Would note that most of our guts are super adaptable. Avoiding foods that upset your stomach is reasonable. But doing this too much can sensitize the gut.

reubenswartz 3y ago

I make a salad most days for lunch. Some variation in ingredients, but I can have a healthy meal in < 5 minutes that I actually crave and I have good energy through out the afternoon. If you had told me when I was younger that I do this and it's not a punishment, I would not have believed you, but highly recommend.

parentheses 3y ago
I love sweetgreen for this reason. It really showed me how salad and healthy western food in general can be tasty. I grew up with a few strict options: 1. very flavorful Indian food of varying healthiness made by mom, 2. rich western foods made in a factory, 3. badly seasoned healthy western foods made by mom. My mom never learned how to make healthy western food that tasted good because things like balsamic or the right balance of ingredients are what determines flavor (oversimplifying) in western cooking. As a result, it took meeting my American partner and eating healthy food she or her family made. That helped me understand that tasty healthy food does exist. Sadly this has left me with a strange attitude about food which is wrong. When I want tasty food, I am not quick to think of healthy foods. Trying to change it but I thought maybe other immigrants landing in the western world had the same experience.