What does healthy eating mean to you?

Honouring your hunger. No food rules. Nourishing your body with whole, unprocessed good foods, but not banning yourself from nourishing your soul with 'unhealthy' foods if the occasion or craving calls for it.

I think moderation comes naturally when you have a healthy relationship with food. All the people i've ever known who have never dieted and maintain healthy weights eat like that.

I don't have much knowledge about nutrition but if I am going to be strict about the meaning of healthy eating, I think that it would be somewhat boring. You need to eat mostly natural like going back to basic, you can't eat any highly processed foods like cakes, junk foods, fast foods, etc. You eat mostly fruits, vegetables and you prepare and cook your own food with no artificial flavor enhancers and minimal oil-frying. For me, that is healthy eating but honestly I think I can't do that kind of healthy eating.

- Eating nutrient dense foods to avoid deficiencies, especially iron
- Not overloading on carb rich foods in a short period of time to the point where my blood sugar goes whack
- Not eating things that make me sick, like having egg whites too often
- Getting plenty of fiber to avoid constipation
- Having reasonable amounts of sodium because I'm prone to hypertension
- Not going over my maintenance calories for more than a few days at a time to avoid gaining weight and going back to horrible blood panel results
- Keeping my trans fats to a minimum to avoid screwing my cholesterol which I worked so hard to bring down
- Having the above rules be a part of a natural flow without getting obsessive to provide continuity
- Eating foods that don't necessarily fall into the above criteria if I crave it to keep sane

Basically, it could be different for every person based on their personal needs and situation. Healthy eating is eating in a way that does not have adverse effects on your body or mind, even if it includes foods that are usually deemed unhealthy by the public or excludes foods that are usually deemed healthy.

- Eating nutrient dense foods to avoid deficiencies, especially iron
- Not overloading on carb rich foods in a short period of time to the point where my blood sugar goes whack
- Not eating things that make me sick, like having egg whites too often
- Getting plenty of fiber to avoid constipation
- Having reasonable amounts of sodium because I'm prone to hypertension
- Not going over my maintenance calories for more than a few days at a time to avoid gaining weight and going back to horrible blood panel results
- Keeping my trans fats to a minimum to avoid screwing my cholesterol which I worked so hard to bring down
- Having the above rules be a part of a natural flow without getting obsessive to provide continuity
- Eating foods that don't necessarily fall into the above criteria if I crave it to keep sane

Basically, it could be different for every person based on their personal needs and situation. Healthy eating is eating in a way that does not have adverse effects on your body or mind, even if it includes foods that are usually deemed unhealthy by the public or excludes foods that are usually deemed healthy.

And there we go, this is basically my philosophy as well. :flowerforyou:

For me, it means eating within certain macros (similar to "If It Fits Your Macros / IIFYM"). I've learned over time that non-processed foods are best for me and that I need a good protein source with each meal. I think healthy eating is about finding the framework and habits that work for you.