Where to get information on Nutrition

Hi All,
I have used MFP off and on for quite a few years and have learned a lot but not really put it into practice. However I have recently realized that that when ever I get serious about WL And start counting calories I tend to fall in the same pattern where I try to eat as little as possible and keep the calories as low as I can. It’s never sustainable and no matter how determined I am to change I keep repeating it.
I’ve realized that I need to lay off looking at the numbers until I get a handle on the nutrition part of the equation. My diet is largely made up of convenience foods because of my crazy work schedule. So, I want to transition my diet to focus on more fresh foods that hopefully will help with overall energy levels and feeling better.
Having said all of that (sorry for the novel) I was hoping for some ideas of where to look for reliable nutrition advice.
TIA

Replies

  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
    For reliable, I'd suggest starting with science-based nutrition sources such as:
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,717 Member
    Good sources suggested above! I'd add the the nutritional advice from mainstream national/international bodies is also quite good: USDA, NHS, WHO, etc. Many people have an oversimplified understanding of what those resources offer, kind of the "glance at page 1" view. If you take a look at their sites, the actual information is much more comprehensive and nuanced than that cartoon-like understanding. I'm most familiar with the US version, which is here:

    https://www.myplate.gov/myplate-plan

    There are also sites like this one (with which I'm not affiliated, BTW) that will recommend full eating plans in various styles, with recipes:

    https://www.eatthismuch.com/

    One thing to consider is that "convenience foods" is not necessarily a full synonym for "fattening unhealthy foods". If you look around, you can find convenience foods that are calorie efficient, and nutrient dense. That can be anything from frozen meals, to bagged salads, to frozen vegetable mixes with some light seasoning/sauce that you can combine with rotisserie chick, or packet chicken/tuna or some other simple protein source to make a full meal. Reading labels, and taking some time to look at areas in the grocery store you're skipping now, can help you find these.

    Fresh foods are great, but many frozen foods (and some canned) these days, are nutrient-dense and tasty.

    In addition, if budget isn't super tight, some people benefit from signing up for one of the services that delivers healthy meal ingredients you can cook yourself, with some of the prep done for you. That can introduce new foods/recipes/techniques in a manageable way. It's possible to sign up for a small number of meals per week (with some), it's not necessarily a big deal where you have to sign up for all meals for a week.
  • camilledaisy
    camilledaisy Posts: 33 Member
    Thank you both so much. You gave me a lot of options to start learning! And thank you AnnPT77 the idea about meal delivery kit is a really good idea.
  • jeri30
    jeri30 Posts: 46 Member
    I'll suggest the Volumetrics Diet Plan...it emphasizes eating vegetables/fruit...low cal, high nutrient density foods. Here's a review of it: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/volumetrics-diet

    Meal delivery kits are a good starting point (I tried Hello Fresh, but it's only convenient in the sense that the recipes and ingredients are selected and delivered and you pay a premium for that...it's a lot more expensive than just putting it together yourself.......I still had to do all the chopping and the cooking and I wasn't impressed by the meat quality (I had food textures with their meat that I generally didn't even with Kroger budget meat) so I actually switched to the veggie plan) but unless you plan to use them the rest of your life, you'll probably want to learn to cook healthy on your own.
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,048 Member
    edited June 2022
  • gpanda103
    gpanda103 Posts: 189 Member
    I’d be careful going off what government agencies say, as they get lobbied pretty heavily. Honestly, I just focus on eating mainly unprocessed stuff. Whether it’s beef, eggs, dairy, vegetables, fruit.. if all that’s done to it is stuff like pasteurization or whatever then I’m fine with it. There’s just way too much conflicting information out there that is impossible to wade through
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
    edited June 2022
    Registered Dietitians are probably the best source but of course you might not want to spend the money to see one. You could check and see if your work benefits or insurance would cover something like that. I think that might be a good option for you since you have trouble with finding a sustainable way of eating and they can help with that...

    It's so tough to find good information about it on your own because if you ask 5 people you'll get 5 different opinions. Every piece of nutrition advice contradicts another it seems like. Like the person above I just focus on creating balanced meals with protein, carb, healthy fat and getting plenty of fruits/vegetables, and I limit the ultra processed stuff like doritos and focus more on whole foods...
  • camilledaisy
    camilledaisy Posts: 33 Member
    Thank you so much for your common sense and insightful comments. I don’t know why I made “healthy eating” so complicated! It is really about trying to get more whole foods and keeping treats to a manageable (calorie wise) amount.
    I appreciate all your replies.