What do I eat?

jenny5557
jenny5557 Posts: 5
in Food and Nutrition
Every time I turn around I hear to eat certain foods, then I hear that those foods are bad, and then I hear something else. I'm so confused as to what is really healthy, so then I get frustrated and give up. Can anyone give me ideas as to what I should snack on and what I should eat? I'm not good in the kitchen, but crock pot meals work :)

Replies

  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    You can eat whatever you like. There are no off limit foods.

    Think of what foods you enjoy eating and make them fit into your day. Either by portion control or substitutions to make them lower cal.

    If you click the recipes tab in the forums, there's plenty of threads with meal ideas/recipes that you can check out.
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
    Eat what you like. Obviously, limit overly fatty, sodium heavy super processed junk best you can, but no food is really "off limits" so long as you're eating at a deficit.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    I'm a big fan of the If It Fits In Your Macros school of thought. The idea is to eat about 80% healthy foods, plenty of lean protein and veggies, and then have some snacks and indulgences where you can. It's been my experience that if you cut out too much too soon you're way less likely to stick with this long term.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Healthy in my book...... lean meats, whole grains, fresh fruits & veggies, healthy fats, & dairy .... I prefer full fat .... but my milk & yogurt are 1% or 0% (calorie "budget").

    Real, unprocessed foods are "healthy foods" ... at the grocery store I look at the list of ingredients .... If the list is really long I try to find something else.

    Do I eat some processed foods? Yes, I'm not perfect .... my goal is to eat BETTER.

    cookinglight.com is really helpful in finding healthy recipes.
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
    Avoid processed foods. If it came from the earth or had a mom, eat it :)
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    You can eat whatever you like. There are no off limit foods.

    Think of what foods you enjoy eating and make them fit into your day. Either by portion control or substitutions to make them lower cal.

    If you click the recipes tab in the forums, there's plenty of threads with meal ideas/recipes that you can check out.

    This.

    I love pizza. If I want to have pizza, I only have 2 slices instead of a whole pie. I eat a lighter lunch that day, maybe a salad topped with shredded chicken. I'll make sure my snacks are protein heavy so I can hit that macro goal. Then, pizza becomes no problem.

    It's about balancing your choices without depriving yourself.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I think this link titled "What Should I Eat" is an excellent nutrition resource. It is guidelines for healthy eating, but also has links for weight control.

    http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/

    The confusion over what is "bad" and what is not comes from differences of opinion on what exactly is meant by "bad foods", since just about any food can be part of a healthy diet, and nutrition science is full of gray areas and there are few absolutes.

    Most people will agree that plenty of vegetables in the diet is a good thing. Just about everything else is arguable.

    For weight loss, though, it usually comes down simply to calories, making no foods "bad" as long as you control your calorie intake. Some medical conditions could restrict your diet or affect how your body processes food, so even that can vary by individual.
  • jenny5557
    jenny5557 Posts: 5
    I am new to this and can't believe how helpful everyone is. Thank you very much!!!
  • disneygallagirl
    disneygallagirl Posts: 515 Member
    2 of my favorite crock pots meals: super easy and yummy
    #1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, 1 jar of salsa; pour over rice.
    #2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, 1 jar of salsa, 1 can of corn, 1 can of black beans - when done sprinkle cheese, add a bit of sour cream.

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