What do you do when you've eaten just about all the salad you can stand?

Seriously. I am so sick of salads, gazpacho, ratatouille, and other vegetable fare that I think I am growing sprouts instead of hair anymore. What happens then is that the temptation of foods that are more calorie dense and not as helpful to a healthy, low-cal diet.

So, what do you all do.

do you like fruit?

Oh, yes, I love fruit and I eat probably 2-3 servings a day. It's just salad and veggies in general that are palling on my palate right now.

I make my lunch for work every day and it usually is 4 cups of salad greens with some sort of protein. I bring snacks as well, usually a couple servings of fruit, nonfat yogurt, sugar free, and my homemade cookies that are low-fat and whole grain, not sugar free. I eat all of it but the salad some days and find myself succumbing to the office pizza order or if someone goes out, I'll have a regular hamburger, not quarter pounder or anything, just the regular size.

I do vary the salad on the days that I have made gazpacho or ratatouille and bring that but I don't have time to make this every day.

When trying to stick to a 1200 cal food plan, it means eating a large quantity of salad and vegetables and I am just bored with it.

I did resist the coffee cake that was brought in today.

Came back to add that I eat breakfast every day and do not skip meals. I am a former calorie restrictor and I cannot allow meal skipping. Feeling hungry is addictive to me.

what about veggies and dip?  i was getting sick of packing salads for lunch and i love baby carrots, celery, cucumber, and low-cal dip.

also, i have been making pasta salad with 1/2 serving of whole wheat pasta and a ton of veggies- chopped carrots, celery, cucumber, broccoli, tomato, asparagus, etc.  even though i put in wayyyy more veggies than pasta, it still feels like i'm eating pasta salad, and not lettuce salad.

Oh, that's a good idea. I will have to make some and bring it to work.

There is a black bean salad that is easy and has jicama and cilantro with a orange juice and honey dressing that I think I will make for this coming week. I will also make the pasta salad, too. I think I will save dressing it until I am at work.

Thanks for the pasta salad idea; it triggered the black bean salad too.

This is great! I am open to hearing more creative ideas.

Salad should only be a small part of a healthy diet. You don't have to starve or limit your food to salad to loose weight and maintain. You need a clean/balanced diet. Whole grains, complex carbs, fresh fruits and vegetables, lowfat dairy, lean proteins and meats, fresh fruits and vegetables. If you are tired of salad get your vegetables a different way. Add a vegetable side dish to dinner or lunch. Cut up fresh vegetables and keep them in a container in the refrigerator, dip in salsa or Greek yogurt. Add lettuce and tomato to a sandwich, scramble some eggs and add fresh peppers, onions, mushroom's or other vegetables you like, make a stir fry and add chicken and vegetables. There are many different options when it comes to fruit and vegetables. You need fat and protein in your diet.

Go to Subway and get yourself a big sub with chips.

I like sandwiched for work lunches - I get one piece of whole grain bread and cut it in half horizantally (so it makes two thinner slices of bread), add 3 oz of grilled chicken, 1/4 of an avocado, a couple leaves a spinach, a touch of mustard, and it's really good and hearty. Than I also eat whole grain pretzels, a serving of fruit, and a nonfat yogurt with my lunch - very filling. When I pack dinners for school I do make a salad but it's really tasty, I take a couple cups of spinach, 3 oz of grilled chicken breast, 1 sliced hard boiled egg, 1 oz goat cheese, some sliced raw mushroom, and I mix it all up with homemade balsamic vinaigrette (1 tsp olive oil, balsamic vinegar and spices)

I know you said you're tired of salad but maybe try mixing it up a little? Plus - salad is not the only healthy option possible, if you have a microwave at work than the sky is the limit - you could bring veggie burgers with english muffins and veggie toppings (I really like avocado, spinach, tomato, and mustard on my veggie or turkey burgers) or some sauteed onions and mushrooms to top it with - that way you're still eating a bunch of veggies and you get a burger :) Turkey burgers also work well!

Its summer now, have you tried grilled veggies. I grill a portabella mushroom cap, red pepper, and  eggplant slice. They are very "meaty" in texture. Add a little grill seasoning. "LOVE IT!!!!" I also grill big thick zucchini slices, sweet onions etc..... You can pack leftovers for lunch the next day, heat them up with a little fresh spinach, its like a wilted hot salad. Very satisfying, breaks the ho hum salad lunch rut for me.   I also make fruit and veggie combo's. Fresh spinach , strawberries and balsamic vinegar is excellent. Or orange wedges, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, and salad greens with a fatfree sesame ginger dressing  etc......   I also get my veggies through dips... You can make your own huumuus at home and add in your dark leafy greens with the garbanzo beens and then I dip with celery or whatever veg you like. Trader Joes E=mc guacamole e salsa (whatever its called, its with their other guacamole dips) is really good as a veggie dip or even on homemade tortilla chips. I take "josephs" omega three sandwhich wraps "80 cal", cut it into wedges on a cookie sheet, spray lightly with olive oil cooking spray, sprinkle with garlic, spices, salt and pepper. bake at 375 til crispy.

What do I do?  I eat them, only in controlled portions to fit in with my meal plan.  Also, some higher calorie foods are very nourishing.  I still get my 5 servings of vegetables and 2 of fruit every day, but I also get 3 small servings of whole grains, fats, and protein  with lots of variety.  I plan to eat this way for the rest of my life, so I'd like to avoid getting tired of it.  It's taken me 3 years, but I'm finally used to simply eating less food.

My planned dinner tonight is a 4 oz salmon fillet with a light potato salad (about 3/4 cup of potatoes with other crunchy vegetables mixed in) and green beans. 

Here's a vegetable recipe that doesn't feel like you're eating vegetables

Tiella

Ha I was just thinking about this very same thing as I was making my list. I can't see myself eating another bite of salad. Then I thought ewww - but that pizza I made (which is nothing but vegetables and some FF cheese)...

It's been a complete learning experience as far as buying whole foods rather than fillers (white breads, crackers, etc). That's what filled my cart up at the store.

Just keep in mind you're eating the healthy fillers now instead of the empty calories before. I pulled out my cookbook and started looking at all the sides.  A couple of weeks I was so disparaged (like how on earth can I eat like this)...Give me my peanut butter sandwich!  Now I am actually craving this "junk".  (Junk as in foods I used to not crave at all)...

Also, to help you through this - ask your body what it really wants to eat. Mine never has a good answer anyway - it's just confused. Hence the carry-on comfy spot sitting on my behind.

I'm also on a 1,200 calorie/day diet...and I never eat salads.  I'll maybe have once every 3 months.  I just don't like them really. But I suppose I should try them more...but that is a different subject!  

There are just so many ways to eat 1,200 without eating salads! So many options if you do your research and plan ahead.

This morning, for example, I ate egg whites, 1 turkey sausage, an English muffin with PB, and some strawberries for just 400 calories. Super super filling!
I love to bring sandwiches with a low-cal, high-fiber bread and lean meat and veggies for lunch. Or I'll cook some yummy chicken stir-fry earlier in the week that I can re-heat at lunch at work. Or some whole wheat spaghetti and turkey tomato sauce. (And I only eat a meal around 400 cals.)

At the moment, I can't think of any great meal ideas to share or anything, but you really can eat 1,200 calories a day like me and not eat any salads and still get all your servings of fruit, veggies, whole grains, etc.

Good luck with the boring, yucky salads ;)

I have posted this elsewhere, but I make a big pot of vegetable soup about once a month, and freeze it in 1 cup servings in sandwich zip loc bags.  I have it as a first course for lunch almost everyday, as well as a snack once in awhile.  It is very easy, healthy, and only about 50 calories.  And the latest diet buzz is that eating soup fills you up longer than other foods!

Thanks so much for your replies. Some great ideas here. I do eat healthy, clean and very little processed food. I exercise and am looking forward to starting P90X in July.

Thank you for all your replies. Lots to think about and plan for.

I know someone said something about subway before but I wanted to give you another option.  See is there is  Roly Poly Sandwich shop near you. for I eat a 200cal breakfast and a sandwich(small 6") andchips form  Roly Poly for lunch( 400 to 500cal at the most) and then 500to 600cal dinner small amount of meat and lots of veggies lost 10lbs in less than a month trying to stick close to that although 1st half of the month I was closer to 1600cal a day.

Thanks, mellie75. I have never heard of Roly Poly Sandwiches, but I will see if we have any here. It would be good for the weekend. The thing with taking lunch to work is that I get two 15-minute breaks that I can combine as my lunch and just be at work for 8 hours and not have to be there longer than that. I love my job and my coworkers but I love my family more and don't want to spend any more time away than necessary. So, eating at my desk and leaving 1/2 hour earlier is a good motivation to bring my lunch. If I leave the building, I have to take my full lunch hour.

Yesterday, I made pasta, mix-ins, and the jicama salad (black beans, jicama, green onions with orange juice, lime juice and a bit of olive oil) so all I will have to do is put them together every night before work.

I have to pack lunch everyday too. Here are some things I take.

Baked sweet potato. I bake them ahead. In the microwave. The oven makes them to mushy. Then I cut them into cubes and pack in Tupperware. I do 3 days ahead of time. I eat it plane or top it with Greek yogurt, cottage cheese or salsa.

I cut up fresh fruit and vegetables. I pack those ahead too. I put them in baggies.

Baked salmon or tuna, salmon or tuna in a can, chicken breast, turkey, lobster chunks. I wrap it in a lettuce leaf.

Beans. Black, pinto, navy, kidney, chick peas and mix with hot peppers or olives or put in with the sweet potato.

Cottage cheese, hard boiled eggs, Greek yogurt, avacado, pita sandwiches.