Goal - Simplifying Nutrition

Trying to get a handle on nutrition is no fun.  No fun at all. Everyone tells you weight loss is a simple matter of calories in vs. calories out.  Maybe that's generally true but my body is guilty of fuzzy math.

I have Hashimotos Thyroiditis and PCOS and I swear no matter what I do my diet is never "right" for progressive weight loss. I'm on synthroid, cytomel and metformin to control the three issues but it's only helped minimally

I've done it all.  Not so much guilty of yo-yo dieting as much as being nutritionally schizophrenic.

I was vegetarian. I tried Atkins. I tried South Beach. I've tried gluten free, dairy free, sugar free (and all three at the same time!) diets.  I've looked high and low for a dietary strategy that will work for me.  Nothing works.

I faithfully use sparkpeople.com and myfitnesspal.com to log my food and exercise.  I try to limit my intake of pastas, potatoes and even bread to a large extent so that I can stay lower carb.  However....I can't, mentally, deal with any diet that makes a food or group of foods off limit.

So what am I doing to simplify my diet? I'm trying to be moderate in everything... even moderation.

The big thing I'm having to learn is to forgive myself for being normal.  I go through periods of time where I don't want fruit but I eat a ton of vegetables.  I go through Atkins like spells where all I want is meat.  I even have carb binges where I crave pasta and potatoes in dishes like we had when I was growing up.

My current nutrition goals are to continue broadening the fruits and vegetables that are my go to foods.  I love my carrots, cucumbers, celery, and spinach.  I adore raspberries, strawberries, bananas, pineapple and mango. I know there's a whole world of other fruits and veggies out there for me to try.  I've become a zucchini and squash addict in the last few months.  Now to keep exploring!

That goes doubly for the meats I bring in to the house.  I've never cooked duck and I rarely bring fish in to the house because I hated it in the past and I'm scared to spend the money on something I wind up hating. I need to stop being so scared and expand my horizons.

So to those of you out there in blog land - What "new to you" foods have really gotten your cooking juices flowing?  What about fruits and veggies you love that are off the beaten track?