Meal Planning Burn-out

fitdeb

fitdeb

Cathlete
I had a startling realization the other day - I have been planning/preparing meals for 53 years! My mother went back to work when I was 13 and the cooking fell to me 5-days-a-week. I can't even imagine how many individual meals I have prepared over my life.

Anyone else burned-out with the entire planning process?

My husband and I eat really clean so I feel like I am endless doing math -- calculating grams of protein, fiber, sugar, salt, etc.

There are days when a bag of chips and a soda seems like the perfect meal -ha!
 
While I've not been around the sun as may times as you, nor have I been given the responsibility of cooking at a young age, I still am the only one responsible for cooking all my meals as an adult. I'm vegan, too, which is similar in ways to other healthy eating lifestyles, which is to say: If you want to know what's in your food and make sure it doesn't have garbage in it that you don't want, you make it yourself.

So... YES. I tire of planning and cooking all the time. I occasionally get something from out maybe once or twice a month, and sometimes I do go for "cheat" meals - meaning frozen entrees or a bagged salad kit (kinda addicted to the bags of shredded kale and cabbage that come with a dressing and toppings like pepitas and craisins), but the rest of the time it's a lot of time spent in the kitchen.

It's more fun when I can find fun and interesting recipes. They get bonus points from me if they're quick to throw together, too.

I stepped away from calorie and micro/macro-nutrient tracking. I found I fall into self-judgment too easily doing that, plus, it built a bad habit of not eating enough even though I was hungry, or eating even though I wasn't hungry because I needed to get my calories in for the day.
 
fitdeb said:
I had a startling realization the other day - I have been planning/preparing meals for 53 years! My mother went back to work when I was 13 and the cooking fell to me 5-days-a-week. I can't even imagine how many individual meals I have prepared over my life.

Anyone else burned-out with the entire planning process?

My husband and I eat really clean so I feel like I am endless doing math -- calculating grams of protein, fiber, sugar, salt, etc.

There are days when a bag of chips and a soda seems like the perfect meal -ha!
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Same here. I’ve been counting calories, or points, or something, daily, for 50-years, and now sodium, fat, protein etc in later life. I get sick of it, and tell myself I’m done with it, but then I see my clothes getting tighter, and my feet and knee pain is exacerbated by extra weight, so back I go to counting daily. I guess, for some, counting is part of life, like brushing our teeth.
 
fitdeb said:
There are days when a bag of chips and a soda seems like the perfect meal -ha!
Click to expand...
Or a big ol cheese pizza.. :p
fitdeb said:
Anyone else burned-out with the entire planning process?
Click to expand...
Yessss! I, too, had to help my single mom cook and have been the one responsible so long that I've BEEN over it.Exhausting. There's no real option otherwise, though. I console myself with the reminder that at least I'm not having to pump my own water or raise and grow my own food.
 
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I am really running out of ideas. I try to get plenty of protein, but I don't like meat. I try to eat chicken and some fish as much as I can stand, but I wish carrots had as much protein as steak! I'm not against eating meat for any reason other than I don't really care for the flavor or texture.

I feel like I am eating the same meals over and over -- breakfast is either egg whites on ww toast or oatmeal or yogurt plus fruit.

My main meal is most often a big salad with some kind of meat (usually roast chicken) buried under a scoop of cottage cheese.

I used to love to cook and try new recipes but now I just want fast and healthy.

I could eat pasta for every meal :) I do make a big home-made pizza once a week, never any leftovers.
 
If you were looking for non meat protein ideas, I am sorry I can't suggest any. The closest I come is adding unflavored protein powder to smoothies or to my bars for travel.

My breakfast and lunches rarely vary unless they are leftovers trying to eat up a supper. I only have mental energy for supper menus. I'm constantly scouring the web and cookbooks for variations for supper.

I do enjoy varying up baking my roasted chicken with herbs and alternating citrus. It's a good change up.

For my salads , I enjoy creating different homemade dressings. Makes the salad feel different.

For sides of boring meat or eggs, I like making different fruit salsas.

ETA: so if you're interested in either of the dressings or salsas I can post links?
 
@fitdeb You can get protein from plants, just know it's not in the volumes you get from animal meats. Ie: 8 ounces of lentils will not have as much protein as 8 ounces of chicken breast.

But here to say it is possible to get protein without meat (or not always sourcing your protein from meat every single day or every single meal.)

There are hundreds of vegetarian and vegan recipes out there - I suggest checking some out if you're looking for variety.

Just look at the ingredients in the recipe and if it contains things you know you like, then it's likely going to be a recipe you enjoy.

Bonus to swapping out some of your animal protein for plant proteins is that you're going to increase your fiber intake.

A couple of my favorite vegan and/or vegetarian-friendly recipe blogs:

Minimalist Baker
Pick Up Limes

And, I've been watching a bunch of their YouTube videos lately, The Vegan Gym tends to have a lot of recipes with a focus on higher protein consumption.
 
Thanks for the tips. My post was really more about whining than anything.

I guess that some days I wish I didn't care so much about the quality of my diet. I have been eating wisely for more than half my life. Haven't had a fast food meal in decades! Maybe I need a week off of healthy food and just go wild on the junk stuff! Sort of like taking a week off from working out. Just kidding, my gastro system would probably shut down.

Thanks again for the tips, I will for sure looking into them.
 
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