Ask Dr. Gourmet

There are foods I don't like in The Dr. Gourmet Diet Plan. What should I do?

I have been trying really hard to lose weight but I am finding it really hard. I have been looking at your site and it is really good with the weekly eating plan, which is just what I am looking for, but I don't like a lot of the food that is suggested on there, no I have to admit that some of it I have tried and other things I haven't. What can I do?

Dr. Gourmet Says....

Thank you for your nice words about the Dr. Gourmet site.

The meal plans are designed to make it easier for people to eat healthier and to lose weight. The goal of The Dr. Gourmet Diet Plan is also to help teach people new ideas about how to eat better. A major goal is to show what a normal portion size is, for instance. Another goal is to help folks understand new techniques that help them reduce calories in recipes and eat great food.

One task that I have is to expose users of the website to new foods. There are so many foods out there that are so good for you and are delicious when they are prepared properly. That said, there is a way for you to substitute those recipes you don't like with recipes that you might like better. Simply click the green circle next to the recipe you want to change, and the software will show you several alternative recipes. They will take the same amount of time to make and will have the same protein type, so that substitutes for chicken recipes will also contain chicken, fish recipes will be offered to substitute for fish recipes, etc. (If you don't want to eat fish at all, you can adjust the meal combinations by editing your Group - the meal types are at the bottom of that page.)

You can substitute meals that you prefer for ones in the plan, but it's a good idea to make the commitment to try one new food per week. That way you can follow a plan, eat the foods that you like, and try new foods that expand your horizons.

Thanks for writing,

Timothy S. Harlan, MD, FACP, CCMS
Dr. Gourmet