Tired of Chicken?

by Kris Pitcher

I walked into an ironic conversation in the break room at work. People were talking about eating the same thing over and over and how they couldn't do that. The irony is that I eat the same thing...over and over and over and over and over...

What? Again?!

Some had tried to make a large amount of "dinner" so they wouldn't have to cook for several nights. They ended up throwing out the food because they were sick of it. Another chimed in that that would never work for her because she would get bored.

A third said her husband wanted something different every night and eating the same thing just wouldn't be exciting. Exciting?

Now, in the past I've heard people have concerns that it's not "healthy" to eat the same things all the time. This is just silly to me. The nutritional community would agree that it is not unhealthy to eat a common menu of items, provided they are healthy and clean.

I have two thoughts around this topic. First, eating the same menu of items is a good thing when it comes to weight control. Preparing a large quantity of food makes sense so that you have food prepared ahead of time.

Creating less complication around our food is a good thing as we are trying to manage our weight. Knowing that we can select from a group of 4 complex carbohydrates which work for our plan is a smart tool. Having a list of lean protein sources, or a "go to" list of vegetables and fruits just makes the process easier.

Taking the constant guess-work out of the process simplifies it. When things are easy, we can do it. When we can do it, we do it. See?

My second thought is about deriving our excitement from our meals. You know what? If you need excitement...go buy some new underwear and find some new hobbies with your spouse.

If you have a weight management goal, are dieting, or need to make changes thinking you need to find excitement with your meals is a recipe for self-destruction. Chicken and vegetables is chicken and vegetables. Spice it up a lot of different ways...but it's still the same. Look for other ways to "feed" your excitement.

I washed out my Pyrex container from which I'd eaten my umpteenth chicken and broccoli meal. As I did, I recognized that what I choose for myself is very different from the norm. And, I have great hobbies with my spouse ;)