If I eat roughly the same things everyday would that be bad?

I find it hard to stick to my calorie range unless I do a lot of planning. So I usually just figure out a days worth of food in my calorie range and then I find myself eating it daily. It's like a routine, I love routines because I don't have to put much thought into my food choices.

What I would like to eat daily:
Breakfast: Banana, slim fast shake powder mixed with 2 cups of skim milk.
Lunch: Cup of strawberries, special k 90 calorie bar.
Dinner: Lean turkey balls, lots of broccoli. Dessert: Orange sherbet. 
Snacks: 14 baby carrots, light ranch veggie dip, and an apple.

Stats for the day:

Fat - 20.2% (34 grams)
Protein - 17.0% (65 grams)
Carbohydrates - 62.9% (239 grams)
Alcohol - 0.0%
Other - 0.0%

Daily Sodium Intake - 2,535 mg
Daily Sugar Intake - 158 grams
Daily Cholesterol Intake - 105 mg
Daily Saturated Fat Intake - 8 grams
Daily Fiber Intake - 28 grams

I heard this is bad though, that you need different nutrients in different foods.

Oh and no, I don't get tired of eating the same foods everyday just incase anyone was going to ask. lol

Oops, I forgot the calories - 1,445, and nutrition grade says A

JEEEZUS

where's the protein? where's the fats? all I see is CARBS CARBS CARBS SUGAR AND MORE SUGAR

you need protein you need fat, these foods FILL YOU UP.. carbs just spike and crash your energy and insulin levels and make your body more likely to STORE FAT; especially the kinds of carbs that you are eating

slim fast... get rid of NOW!! eat real food slim fast is nothing more then a sugary shake with added vitamins, a marketing scheme to get people to buy their product.. it's portioned controlled but 95% sugar, chemicals, thickeners and additives.. all stuff that your body DOESNT NEED... look at the ingredients on the back of the package, there's like a hundred! and all unessessary

special k bar... yikes MORE sugar and simple carbs.. no nutritional value whatsoever. Instead pair those strawberries with low fat cottage cheese or fat free sugar free yogurt

orange serbert... really? after an entire days worth of sugar you need more of it? how about a cup of fresh fruit instead, or a REAL ORANGE.. at least theres some fiber and nutrition there

wait a sec... your LUNCH is only strawberries and a sugar bar? that's a terrible lunch, not to mention probably unsatisfying. I bet you are starving an hour later. Instead pack a large salad with chicken or other lean protein, and have the strawberries as a side dish (or on top) drizzle with balsamic vinegar and a bit of oil

you need to ditch all the unecessary sugar and UP the protein.. you'll feel more satisfied and probably lose weight faster

and I don't know your stats but 1445 calories is a reasonable intake, but you may need a little more depending on activity level

i think its better that you mix it up day to day... otherwise you're really not getting a full range of nutrition in there and it might work against you trying to lose weight.

Ah ha ha ha! Carmenxox - you totally did what I was going to do!! and I completely agree, there is NOOOOO protein in xlovelyx's diet!!! Too many carbs for sure. 

- Agree 100% about the slim fast & special K bars & EVERYTHING ELSE you said!

Xlovelys - I hope you don't take this the wrong way! Carmenxox said all the right things. More protein is definitely needed in your diet with the reduction of processed carbohydrates... Here is a diet that could serve you quite well if you're willing:

- BREAKFAST: Egg Whites or 2 - 3 Hard Boiled Eggs, Whole Grain Toast, Mixed Berries & Green Tea

- LUNCH: Mixed Greens with cherry tomatoes, bell peppers & mushrooms & some grilled fish or chicken & maybe some pumpkin, spaghetti squash or acorn squash

- DINNER: Grilled chicken or fish with steamed or roasted asparagus, green beans, spinach & onions... and perhaps some lentils with olive oil drizzled on top....

SNACKS: Cherry Tomatoes, Bell Peppers, Olives, Celery, Cucumbers, Berries, Nuts, Seed, Pumpkin, Seaweed

It's okay to eat the same things each day as long as you get everything you need from the selection, otherwise it's like making the same mistake over and over again and it will show in the long run. Try a 50% carbs, 30% protein, 20% fat nutrition plan and watch out for the vitamin intake, vitamins are very important to the human body.

Hi xlovelyx, I feel the same way you do about having a routine and that it's easier to eat the same things all the time.
I do that, too. But I tend to eat way more than you for less calories.

Breakfast: alternate either an omelet (1 egg, 1 egg beaters, 2 slices deli ham, 1 slice cheese, chopped green peppers) and 4 oz. OJ (with Metamucil); or, low sugar instant oatmeal with craisins and OJ

Lunch: salad greans (lots!) with craisins and spray dressing; 6 slices deli ham; carrots or cauliflower, 1/2 cup Fiber one; banana

Dinner: salad greens (lots!), tomato, spray dressing; 4 oz. meat for fish; 1/2 baked potato or 1/2 cup rice; veggies;
Dessert: (always!) 1/2 cup frozen yogurt; 4 graham crackers

This comes out to about 1200 calories for me. At barely 5 ft. tall and sedentary, that's all I need; you could have more.
Like you, I started in the 230s (this time) and have lost over 60 lbs so far.

Eating the same thing all the time is probably not the best thing to do, but I figure if it works for you, keep doing it.

Good luck xlovelyx!

Original Post by xlovelyx:

I find it hard to stick to my calorie range unless I do a lot of planning. So I usually just figure out a days worth of food in my calorie range and then I find myself eating it daily. It's like a routine, I love routines because I don't have to put much thought into my food choices.

What I would like to eat daily:
Breakfast: Banana, slim fast shake powder mixed with 2 cups of skim milk.
Lunch: Cup of strawberries, special k 90 calorie bar.
Dinner: Lean turkey balls, lots of broccoli. Dessert: Orange sherbet. 
Snacks: 14 baby carrots, light ranch veggie dip, and an apple.

Stats for the day:

Fat - 20.2% (34 grams)
Protein - 17.0% (65 grams)
Carbohydrates - 62.9% (239 grams)
Alcohol - 0.0%
Other - 0.0%

Daily Sodium Intake - 2,535 mg
Daily Sugar Intake - 158 grams
Daily Cholesterol Intake - 105 mg
Daily Saturated Fat Intake - 8 grams
Daily Fiber Intake - 28 grams

I heard this is bad though, that you need different nutrients in different foods.

Oh and no, I don't get tired of eating the same foods everyday just incase anyone was going to ask. lol

okay...so your macronutrient ranges are fine but i would still change my diet if i were you, your lunch is by no means a lunch. i have edited your original meal plan for the day to reflect the following and i hope it helps. i don't see the amount of carbs as a problem but simply the type, and your diet is too low in calories to fill them with special k and slim fast bars.

Breakfast: Banana, 1 poached egg, 1 slice ww toast, 1 yogurt, and coffee/tea or something [350 total]

Lunch: Cup of strawberries [50], small salad with 3 oz chopped deli meat [100-150] and light dressing [50], string cheese [80]  [330 total]

Dinner: 3-4 oz Lean turkey balls [200], 1/2 cup brown rice [150], 1-2 cups broccoli [50] [400]

Dessert: Orange sherbet [100]

Snacks: 14 baby carrots [35], light ranch veggie dip[50], an apple and cottage cheese [180] [265 total]

Grand Total: 1445

Hope these recommendations help and I think that eating the same thing daily can be fine, then you'll get bored and switch it and have that for a while and then switch again...lol. not a problem if you're meeting your daily needs. 

I typically eat the same thing Mon - Fri and I haven't been having any problems with it.  It's much easier than planning out and cooking something different every single day.  I typically take about 3-4 hours out of my weekend to cook up a weeks worth of food.  Once you do it for a while, you'll realize how modular your meals are.  If you eat a 400 cal dinner every night, next week you can change it up with something else that's 400 cal.  It really makes the whole process that much easier and allows you to not have to rigidly count calories daily as long as you have an idea of your portion sizes(remember weighing your food is MUCH more accurate).

As long as you don't get bored with it, I find it to be a very efficient way of eating right.  I would, however, recommend giving yourself at the very least a cheat meal every once in a while to throw a little spice in there.  I personally eat whatever I want on the weekends while staying at or under my daily calorie allowance.

It is unhealthy to have a limited range of foods in your diet on several levels. 

First is the nutritional level.... the narrower the range of foods the less complete the nutrition you are getting and that can cause medical problems over time.   The second is a mental level ..... by sticking with a 'safe' menu that is too rigid you can create anxiety problems if, for whatever reason, you are forced to eat something outside of your normal diet.  Finally, there's a practical level.  Losing weight effectively and permanently means learning how to eat better, control portions and usually get some daily exercise as well within a real life setting.  People who delegate weight-loss to meal replacements, very fixed menus & very restrictive 'rules' of eating never learn how to manage this aspect successfully.  As soon as they depart from their set menu and eat anything approaching a normal balanced diet they regain much of the weight lost.

I don't understand why everyone is reaming you for the foods you eat. The whole point of calorie count is to not limit what you eat, just how much. SOME people (including myself) have to shop for a family and don't have the money to get food that I will eat and food that my family will eat. I have to eat what the rest of my fam eats, and guess what. I still lose weight. Your method works, my method works, let's not point fingers, shall we? And besides, you are straying from the original question, which is variety, not "am i eating the right foods".

I believe that variety is good for your body and you shouldn't have the same thing everyday. Even if as far as you can go is to plan a few food schedules and just alternate between them each day.

Wish you the best of luck.

~*~Gela~*~

A lot of these answers aren't what I was looking for, just a bunch of eat this eat that. I am pretty aware of what is healthy, mediocre, bad, etc. Not everyone wants to be a health freak. I for one grew up on McDonald's, chips, pop and cake... so this is actually a BIG change for me. Up until 1.5years ago I would puke if I ate a vegetable and fruit had to be covered in sugar... I have come along way and right now my biggest concern is not going to McDonald's vs. depriving myself of everything. Like orange sherbet for example, I AM going to have orange sherbet not an orange like carmenxox said. It may not be nutritious but I went out of my way to find an alternative to fatty ice cream for when I get my sugar cravings. And instead of grabbing a huge piece of cake I am grabbing a special k bar for that sugar craving instead. They may not be award winning choices, but at least I am getting those 5 servings of fruit and vegetables finally (which I might add is still difficult), staying in my calorie range, keeping my sodium down, and still managing to get some things that I enjoy in there to not be deprived... because I know very well that when I deprive myself of things I like I end up depressed and throwing my hard work out the window.

So anyways, thanks to those who answered what I was looking for and any other answers on eating the same things daily would be appreciated. What about switching it every 3-5 days? Or maybe a Monday-Sunday schedule? With different stuff each day for a week and then repeating it...

Original Post by xlovelyx:

 Or maybe a Monday-Sunday schedule? With different stuff each day for a week and then repeating it...

 That one would probably be a better option.  If you worked out a varied menu for 7 or 10 days you'd have  a much better chance of getting the right nutrition.   And if you repeated a 7 or 10 day cycle it probably wouldn't feel monotonous.  The more 'real food' you can incorporate, the better. 

Original Post by xlovelyx:

A lot of these answers aren't what I was looking for, just a bunch of eat this eat that. I am pretty aware of what is healthy, mediocre, bad, etc. Not everyone wants to be a health freak. I for one grew up on McDonald's, chips, pop and cake... so this is actually a BIG change for me. Up until 1.5years ago I would puke if I ate a vegetable and fruit had to be covered in sugar... I have come along way and right now my biggest concern is not going to McDonald's vs. depriving myself of everything. Like orange sherbet for example, I AM going to have orange sherbet not an orange like carmenxox said. It may not be nutritious but I went out of my way to find an alternative to fatty ice cream for when I get my sugar cravings. And instead of grabbing a huge piece of cake I am grabbing a special k bar for that sugar craving instead. They may not be award winning choices, but at least I am getting those 5 servings of fruit and vegetables finally (which I might add is still difficult), staying in my calorie range, keeping my sodium down, and still managing to get some things that I enjoy in there to not be deprived... because I know very well that when I deprive myself of things I like I end up depressed and throwing my hard work out the window.

So anyways, thanks to those who answered what I was looking for and any other answers on eating the same things daily would be appreciated. What about switching it every 3-5 days? Or maybe a Monday-Sunday schedule? With different stuff each day for a week and then repeating it...

i think the reason people nitpicked your food choices is because you posted a menu and the macronutrient ranges along with your question instead of just asking a question. i think that your substitutions are good if they keep you satisfied but i would imagine that you would be hungry eating that every day. what i would do it try to make 2-3 menus and alternate every day, maybe make brown rice and pasta at the beginning of the week so you can alternate them every day and steam a ton of veggies at the beginning of the week and alternate those as well. so just make a general template if you'd like...so for example

B: some sort of fruit and your slim fast shake [alternate bananas and apples]

L: cup of strawberries or other fruit, special k bar or nutrigrain bar [similar convenience but different nutritional values]

D: lean turkey balls or chicken stripes, broccoli or green beans [similar and along the same lines]

snacks: baby carrots or cherry tomatoes, light ranch veggie dip, and an apple or other fruit

So, all very similar and equal in terms of satisfaction but different items to provide different nutrients. very easy to substitute as well, just buy two snacks, two types of fruits, two types of veggies, and 2 types of protein :) hope it helps. 

Hi xlovelyx, I just read your profile message and I just wanted to say well done! You have lost a lot of weight already and I think that is really inpsirational.

I don't need to lose quite as much, from 176 to 145, lost 4 lbs so far.

I know from my husbands experience that getting used to eating veg is a major and long process. I think it took him a good 5 year to enjoy most veg, but still doesn't like certain ones, or takes out too big a pieces. His diet is quite the same on a day to day basis. As long as you are aware of your (greatly improved) eating habits and keep working towards it, you will do well.