To Eat? What not to Eat?

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Shaniikage
Shaniikage Posts: 1
edited December 2014 in Health and Weight Loss
I am young, and I hear over and over again that I have the chance to start great eating habits from the jump. However, it is very hard to stay focused on eating right when nobody around me is doing it. 1. I need help with what foods to eat. 2. I need people to see what other "real" people eat, so I can get ideas. Anyone interested in helping me?

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  • NK1112
    NK1112 Posts: 781 Member
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    My suggestion would be to learn to cook. Start small and build your way up.

    Any nutritionist will tell you that a wide variety of food is the best way to get all the various nutrients your body needs ... and the recommendation is to get in some of all the food groups on a regular basis, however to stay away from processed foods as much as possible and go easy on restaurant or fast food meals (as they will be loaded with fats and sodium much more than you want)

    The USDA and most medical centers, universities, have nuitition links or articles if you are not certain what you should eat.

    The hardest thing I have found to do in my own efforts to eat healthy is to eat treats very moderately ... I still overeat when I bring potato or nacho chips, candy or other sweets into the house. Still haven't learned to eat just one piece instead of one entire purchase! Yet I also learned that I can have a small amount as a treat when I am away from home and not have it set off an eating binge. So ... when I want ice cream, I pay the $5.00 for a small cone of good ice cream instead of buying a tub and bringing it home where I'll end up overeating on it.

    Good luck
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    edited December 2014
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    If you were raised eating lots of junk, I don't think it's any easier for you to switch to more healthy food than if you were a couple decades older.

    When they talk about young, they mean small kids. If kids are raised to eat a healthy diet, it's easier for them to do it as an adult. Even if they have a Diet Rebellion in college, when they decide to eat healthy again, they aren't in some new, foreign place. They're just back where they started. :)

    If you're old enough to type, you're old enough to have formed bad habits and they can be hard t change at any age.

    Helpful places to begin learning good habits:

    http://cdn1.sph.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2013/04/HEPApr2013.jpg


    http://www.fitness.gov/eat-healthy/how-to-eat-healthy/

    And before anyone asks me why I'm demonizing food: Because I like to demonize food. :)
  • tiffnkailey
    tiffnkailey Posts: 150 Member
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    Thanks, these are good suggestions.
  • CloudyMao
    CloudyMao Posts: 258 Member
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    The chance to start having good eating habits - responsibility for that falls on those responsible for the child, when you're not in control of what you're eating and relying on your parent/carer that is when the opportunity to form initial eating habits is.

    Now you already have your eating habits & you have an opportunity to change them early on in life, which will set you up for a healthier adulthood than otherwise. If you are in school or college this will be helpful - as these also have a responsibility to provide you with healthy balanced meals, if you are attending school or college I would suggest seeing if they have a 'breakfast club' or anything of the sort - this way you could eat your breakfast & lunch there, as well as having some fruit or nuts to snack on throughout the day - then the only thing you're responsible for putting together yourself is the rest of your days food, another one or two balanced meals.

    http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/Goodfoodhome.aspx

    This page will provide you with facts about a balanced diet, information on the eatwell plate; information about sugar and salt; information about processed foods and packing lunches; as well as healthy eating tips, and much more.

    I hope that helps, feel free to add me if you like for support & always willing to help with info.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
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    herrspoons wrote: »
    Anything you want as long as it's within your calorie allowance, although a good balance if meat and veg would probably help.

    All of this. What I did was starting incorporating more fruits and veggies and then replace some of the fast food with more whole food. I found that doing it a bit more slowly made it easier to hit nutritional goals and maintain performance.

  • mandimahoney5
    mandimahoney5 Posts: 93
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    I eat what ever I want. If i want pizza, i eat it. Same with Candy, Mac& Cheese ect... Just make sure to be accountable for it. Weigh and track it. Plan your meals so you can make sure you fit in what you eat with in your calorie goal.
  • dfargher
    dfargher Posts: 37 Member
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    mandimahoney5 wrote: »
    I eat what ever I want. If i want pizza, i eat it. Same with Candy, Mac& Cheese ect...

    It's easy for most people to like pizza and mac&cheese. Most people have a harder time learning to like veggies and leafy greens.

    OP - if you want to put out effort to "learn to like" healthy foods, you should focus on adjusting your palette to enjoy non-starchy veggies. Those are universally considered healthy. Spinach, broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, peppers, onions, cucumber, leeks, kale, fennel, etc. The more you enjoy (and the more good recipes you learn for them) the easier it will be to eat healthfully and maintain your weight through your life.

    I shouldn't need to add this caveat, but this is MFP and people will scream if I don't, but obviously you will never eat a diet of *only* veggies. You will still eat pizza and mac&cheese and chocolate in moderation. But a love of veggies will definitely be a boon for your body and mind.

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