[HadEnough]

I was wondering if anyone does this. I am trying to tweak my eating so I have what in my opinion is a perfect day, which would translate into good protein, low cal, low carb and low sodium. If you have achieved that day, do you repeat it over and over and eat the same thing (pretty much) day in and day out?

[Nola Celeste]

I think the answer to that varies as greatly as the tastes and plans of all the posters here. Some people prefer such a streamlined, organized, patterned plan that they eat pretty much the same (healthy) things every day for weeks or months. Others crave variety and prefer to plan out an array of choices throughout each day.

If you're someone who likes a "fire-and-forget" approach to your plan and can enjoy eating from a small set of familiar foods, then a perfect food day with minor variations on the theme could work great for you. If you like a lot of variation and are willing to spend a little more up-front time planning your meals each day, that might be your better option. It's all up to what you like best.

I'm definitely a variety-is-the-spice-of-life eater. Perfect-day models don't work well for me. However, there are a lot of people who have been extremely successful with that approach. As long as you're planning in advance--whether by hours or by days--and are getting proper nutrition, you're probably fine with whichever style you find most comfortable.

[asparagus4sale]

I do this. I actually hate calorie counting on a daily basis (I just don't want to think about my food that much) so I eat the same things during the day 5 days a week. I pick foods that I really enjoy but are healthy and within my calorie limit and eat that. For dinners, I want my son to have a variety of foods so I just try to keep the meals below 500 calories for myself. I also eat pretty low calories during the week so I don't have to count much on the weekends - just keep the foods healthy and not huge portions. I am still tweaking this but I do think this is something I can live with the rest of my life without ever feeling deprived. I think the real secret is choosing foods you enjoy.

ETA: Inevitably, I do become tired of a certain food so I will swap it out for something else and then go with that one for awhile.

[cornellchick]

I tend to eat the same meals all the time as well. I have a little more variety with breakfast and dinner, but lunch is always the same (sandwich with lite mayo, turkey, avocado, and mozzarella, and some raw fruits/veggies - depending on what I have in the house).

I usually only make a handful of different dinners (still getting better at this whole cooking thing ): turkey chili, meatloaf, and tortellini soup with carrots and broccoli(ni). Lately I've been having turkey chili at least 4 nights a week - it's so good and so low-cal!

But yeah, as asparagus4sale said I will definitely get tired of things after a while and want to change it up. But I have an uncanny ability to eat the same things day in and day out for years on end... for better or worse.

[KenzideRhae]

I recycle certain meals over and over, but for me, mixing things up is completely necessary. I know some people are fine eating the same things everyday, but I'm not one of them. Fish used to be the only meat I ate and liked, so when I went on a high-protein diet a few months back, I ate fish 1-2 times a day. I haven't eaten fish since and I can't imagine ever eating it again haha. Overload.

But I do totally love to have a few different meals that I put on rotation for when I don't have the time to come up with a whole new one.

[Eliana]

That is a very PRO-active approach. I like it. But no, a perfect day for me generally means depriving myself of something. LOL! Namely chocolate.

I like your way of thinking. I wish my brain were wired that way instead.

[fitkristi]

I eat the same breakfast and lunch about 90% of the time. Its just so much easier for me that way, because I don't have to think about those calories - I know what they are.