"Real" Foods - Educate yourself and Eat Smart.

WinnerVictorious

just to inject a serious note... to the OP, i don't dispute that some foods are "healthier" than others in terms of nutrients, nor do i dispute the idea that some foods fill you up longer and therefore help you control your appetite. i just don't subscribe to any sort of food snobbery. you can lose weight and get fit while still having the occasional (or sometimes frequent) treat that helps make life worth living. for example, if you like pizza, THEN HAVE PIZZA ONCE IN A WHILE! you only get one life, so fill it with as much enjoyment as possible. that's my motto at least.

brower47

Trying to decide what to have for my birthday tomorrow.

I'm trying to decide between pizza, lasagna, sushi, Brazilian, Indian and Persian.

Please, I would love some input!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/867189-i-m-at-a-loss-and-need-some-help-please

wrap the lasagna inside the pizza. dip it in ice cream and enjoy. add some Reese's Peanut Butter cups for dessert.

feed the raw fish to your cat.

Like the turducken but with non poultry. I LIKE IT AND APPROVE THIS MESSAGE. Except get some sushi too as an appetizer.

Like a Turbriskafil!!

Yes!! I like food that doubles as a comedy routine. I can subtract the calories I get from laughing and then eat some more of that food. It's a delicious cycle.

PatrickSwayzesGhost

you can lose weight and get fit while still having the occasional (or sometimes frequent) treat that helps make life worth living. for example, if you like pizza, THEN HAVE PIZZA ONCE IN A WHILE! you only get one life, so fill it with as much enjoyment as possible. that's my motto at least.

I asserted this opinion today, and was crucified as not "taking this seriously". Then, I was accused of mocking the obese. Amazing...

pastryari

Trying to decide what to have for my birthday tomorrow.

I'm trying to decide between pizza, lasagna, sushi, Brazilian, Indian and Persian.

Please, I would love some input!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/867189-i-m-at-a-loss-and-need-some-help-please

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9FRSghXhDM

You're welcome.

Duck_Puddle

pop tarts, pizza, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and ice cream... all "real" food. but so are bananas, oranges, yogurt, tuna, chicken, and eggs. these are all in my diet at one frequency or another.

Calling pop-tarts real food is a stretch.

your silly label about what is real and what isn't, is silly.

the test is very simple.

can your body digest it and derive nourishment from it? if yes, then it's real food BY DEFINITION.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/food

While I agree with your definition and all your real foods (except poptarts-they just aren't my thing) are part of my diet, I believe the "can you digest it" definition would exclude corn. It certainly would for me (which is why I don't eat it-but that's irrelevant).

Graelwyn75

I go for balance myself and I think balance is the best approach, as long as you are eating plenty of nutrient dense foods and getting adequate protein and fat.

I naturally gravitate towards plenty of vegetables anyway, I naturally lean towards having salmon, chicken, eggs, cottage cheese, beans, nuts, seeds, sweet potato, brown rice, quinoa and greek yoghurt, but I also allow myself to have some ice cream, chocolate, cake, pasta, bread, cream cheese and a few other processed items. Most food is processed in some way unless you are hunting your own meat and growing your own vegetables and buying nothing from a store.

dinosnopro

pop tarts, pizza, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and ice cream... all "real" food. but so are bananas, oranges, yogurt, tuna, chicken, and eggs. these are all in my diet at one frequency or another.

Calling pop-tarts real food is a stretch.

says you...

Duck_Puddle

the test is very simple.

can your body digest it and derive nourishment from it? if yes, then it's real food BY DEFINITION.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/food

Turns out my puppy tests this definition quite regularly. Turns out most of what she eats is not actual food-but it sure does color up the yard nicely.

Firefox7275

I'm firmly in the real foods camp, tho not primarily for weight management but for health. I've been long term sick before, partly due to dodgy lifestyle choices, seen enough people through work (lifestyle healthcare) who have done likewise and read enough eye opening studies to be persuaded. Having said that I don't think perfection is required.

AlabasterVerve

I'm all for educating myself and eating real food but instead of aiming to eat "smart" my goal is to eat delicious.

shellma00

How do you try to eat more "real" foods?

I'm a IIFYM kinda gal too but I understand the importance of moderation in everything (as correct IIFYM usage does as well). I get more "real" foods (not a fan of that nomenclature) through a volunteer run fresh fruits and vegetables distribution co-op. For $16.50, it get a large laundry basket of fresh produce. It's awesome. If it is available in your area, I'd check it out (it's called Bountiful Baskets).

That being said, today I'm working out more and curbing my daytime eating so that I can have 2-3 slices of Papa Murphy's cheese pizza tonight, maybe even a beer. Go food! The "good" and the "bad".

I know this makes me look stupid.. but what is IIFYM?? Sorry.. not good with anagrams or whatever you call them.. LOL...

By the way.. we have a fruit/veggie coop that is Awesome also!!!! LOVE IT!!!! $23.50 for a huge reusable IKEA bag full. They say its enough to feed a family of 4 for 2 weeks.Ours is called Community Helpings and it is in the ST Louis, South/Central Illinois area.

brower47

How do you try to eat more "real" foods?

I'm a IIFYM kinda gal too but I understand the importance of moderation in everything (as correct IIFYM usage does as well). I get more "real" foods (not a fan of that nomenclature) through a volunteer run fresh fruits and vegetables distribution co-op. For $16.50, it get a large laundry basket of fresh produce. It's awesome. If it is available in your area, I'd check it out (it's called Bountiful Baskets).

That being said, today I'm working out more and curbing my daytime eating so that I can have 2-3 slices of Papa Murphy's cheese pizza tonight, maybe even a beer. Go food! The "good" and the "bad".

I know this makes me look stupid.. but what is IIFYM?? Sorry.. not good with anagrams or whatever you call them.. LOL...

By the way.. we have a fruit/veggie coop that is Awesome also!!!! LOVE IT!!!! $23.50 for a huge reusable IKEA bag full. They say its enough to feed a family of 4 for 2 weeks.Ours is called Community Helpings and it is in the ST Louis, South/Central Illinois area.

IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) with common sense applied or course. And yours sounds great too. I love mine. No more huge produce bills and more than I can eat in a week!

WinnerVictorious

I'm firmly in the real foods camp, tho not primarily for weight management but for health. I've been long term sick before, partly due to dodgy lifestyle choices, seen enough people through work (lifestyle healthcare) who have done likewise and read enough eye opening studies to be persuaded. Having said that I don't think perfection is required.

i don't like hi-jacking of terms.

real food. clean food. organic food.

food is real if you can digest it.
food is clean if you wash it.
food is organic if it was once alive, or if it's derived from something that was once alive.

some people use these terms to justify their food snobbery. i would prefer they just be honest with their terms instead of trying to hi-jack the meanings of already existing terms.

snob food.

that makes more sense to me and i would have no problem with that term.

squashyhelen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9FRSghXhDM

You're welcome.

Omg that completely turned off my appetite... ugh.

professorRAT

Calling pop-tarts real food is a stretch.

If you prick them, do they not bleed?

LOL Indeed they do.

CorvusCorax77

i eat a lot of processed foods and it seems to work for me.

i don't doubt what you're doing works for you, but it's not the processed food that is the culprit... it's your unbalanced energy equation.

if your calorie intake is greater than your calorie output, you'll gain weight.

for 99% of us, it really is that simple.

erm my gawd. that was hilarious!

ki4yxo

I can't has cheeseburgerz?

Only if it has bacon!

EstiloPanama

That's funny, I haven't seen anyone using all 1200 calories at McDonald's.

If there are such people, they're the rare exception.

Cool handcuffs..

XXXMinnieXXX

Eat Smart & Exercise Smarter! My friends incredibly true motto I stole! X

Lifting_Knitter

I'm just happy to see people eating. When you are friends on here with people who will only eat a package of twizzlers and call it a day...then you will get frustrated. I eat 500 calories when I eat at McDonalds. I'm going to eat real and smart.