The term "healthy" is overused.

FitnessTim

Often I hear about diets and foods that are "healthy" and "good for you". Healthy is relative based on what your body needs at the time. If you lost in the wilderness, then foods with a high calorie density is probably your best bet with vitamins and nutrients being a lower priority.

A body builder who is trying to gain weight will probably be less concerned about processed sugar.

When I am trying to lower my percentage of body fat, I do tend to eat the foods that people consider "healthy" because these foods tend to have fewer calories per ounce.

Recently I fell victim to a food that was labelled healthy. It was some kind of all natural multi grain cereal that had all these assorted twigs and berries in it. I brought it home put my bowl on the scale and measured out a 1 ounce serving. I looked down in the bowl and was shocked to see that it was barely 3 spoonfuls. What the heck?!

I reached into my cupboard and pulled out a box of Lucky Charms and measured out a 1 ounce serving for comparison. The Lucky Charms filled the bowl and looked 3 times more filling than the "healthy" cereal.

Both the Lucky Charms and the "healthy" cereal had about the same amount of calories per serving. When it comes to cutting calories and trying to lose weight, Lucky Charms turns out to be the better option. Sure Lucky Charms has more processed sugar but with the shape of the cereal it had the lower calorie density per serving so it was more satisfying and more filling.

arewethereyet

visually the Lucky Charms would be more satisfying, but the twigs would clean your colon and make you feel fuller, longer.

We have to use the tricks that help US lose weight. Each of us have different issues. A friend of mine has a protein shake for lunch. She said if she doesnt get started on eating foods, then she will not munch all day.

For me if I drink my calories, I will end up eating my way through the kitchen before dinner is cooked.

The twigs ARE healthier. Are they a better choice for you? Maybe not.

catcrazy

And I bet far tastier than the twigs and berries!

I go as "healthy" as I can while also keeping in mind that you eat with your eyes as well as your belly. Your body may get all that it needs in 3 spoonfuls but your belly and mind would not which is more likely to lead to going over on calories.

100% with you...use common sense when it comes to what is "healthy

FitnessTim

Reading the nutrition information the "healthy" cereal has a bit more fiber, but other than that Lucky Charms has it beat. I'm a fan of fiber but I can get my fix with another fiber rich alternative (I love beans).

I just compared whole wheat bread with plain old white bread. Again, there is very little difference. The brand of bread you choose is more important than whether or not it is whole wheat. I actually prefer whole wheat for the taste but I'm more concerned with what goes on it or in between the slices.

soze

The only time I thought healthy was over used was when I weighed nearly 400 lbs and some guy, ex-friend, said I looked healthy.


Tough lesson learned there. I stay away from energy bars too. They are usually laced with sugars.

My theory is that if it grows in your garden you can eat all of it and have no worries.

FitnessTim

The only time I thought healthy was over used was when I weighed nearly 400 lbs and some guy, ex-friend, said I looked healthy.


Tough lesson learned there. I stay away from energy bars too. They are usually laced with sugars.

My theory is that if it grows in your garden you can eat all of it and have no worries.

I agree about the garden when it comes to vegetables but not fruits. I don't even track calories when I eat most vegetables because they are so insignificant and they usually take the place of something else more calorie dense.

Good point

edorice

Both the Lucky Charms and the "healthy" cereal had about the same amount of calories per serving. When it comes to cutting calories and trying to lose weight, Lucky Charms turns out to be the better option. Sure Lucky Charms has more processed sugar but with the shape of the cereal it had the lower calorie density per serving so it was more satisfying and more filling.

More satisfying and more filling until a half hour passes by and you're hungry again from all the processed sugar that you ingested. That's why soooo many people are on here CRYING that they are hungry. Because of all the sugar/simple carbs they take in every day.

arewethereyet

Reading the nutrition information the "healthy" cereal has a bit more fiber, but other than that Lucky Charms has it beat. I'm a fan of fiber but I can get my fix with another fiber rich alternative (I love beans).

I just compared whole wheat bread with plain old white bread. Again, there is very little difference. The brand of bread you choose is more important than whether or not it is whole wheat. I actually prefer whole wheat for the taste but I'm more concerned with what goes on it or in between the slices.

I had gestational diabetes with my daughter. The doctor said that when you eat a refined flour like white bread it is just like eating 2 tsp of sugar. It goes straight to the body as glucose and sends your sugar levels sky high.

With whole wheat it goes into the system slower. There are more ingredients in the process of your body getting it from one place to another. Therefore the wheat is better than the white. OF course whole grain is better than wheat.

I do the best I can. Sometimes I just want plain ol white bread. So I buy white wheat by Natures Own. close to the same taste.

The way food is processed makes loads of difference. I have been on this journey for 3 yrs now. I have watched floof appear on my tummy in just a week from eating processes stuff like lucky charms, white bread and of course desserts with white sugar.

Try it as an experiment.

1st week eat all natural (as best you can) I found a 5 ingredient bread at Publix and used that. I made a turkey breast and chicken breast on Sunday for the week. I measured my stomach area................

the 2nd week I ate the same AMOUNT of calories 1200-1500 depending on exercise. This week I ate more processed foods. Mac and cheese in the box (I did have fresh homemade mac and cheese on the previous week) sugar cereals, white bread, white potatoes, white rice,

I gained 2 INCHES on my middle!! I was amazed..............seriously I thought my experiment would go the other way and I could finally prove the clean eaters wrong :laugh:

It does matter if you eat the healthier versions, you just have to know what that is. Just because the box says HEALTHY doesnt mean it is.

Like with cheese. I eat full fat cheese or 2%b milk cheese. If you look at the low fat ones they are loaded with stuff other than cheese.

Thanks for getting me thinking about this stuff again, I really needed to!

Merry Christmas!!

Jeannie