Healthiest way of eating
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VENUS!Born_2_Lose wrote: »Eat as close to the earth as possible...shop only on the outsides of the grocery store. Whole foods, grains, sprouted breads, lean meats, loads of fruits and veggies...no processed or canned foods. Rule of thumb....Eat like our ancestors did (they were farmers). Best of luck to you!
as opposed to eating on Mars?
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Charlottesometimes23 wrote: »
FIFY
I must ask that you not change my words when you quote me. If you have different advice, please give it. If you think people should skip doctors and should go straight to dietitians, you can post that without altering my words.0 -
With all the information available online (and much of it contradictory), is anyone able to offer an insight into the healthiest way of eating long term?
Define "healthiest". A 300 pound lineman is going to have a different perspective than a 94 pound dancer.
Define "long term". What makes sense at a hyperactive 21 may not make sense at 51.
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Blue Zones by Dan Buettner is an interesting read about places in the world where people live longer and healthier than anywhere else on earth. You'll discover there is not one right diet. Lifestyle also plays a large part in health.0
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I agree it is confusing. I have decided that I have to find what works for me and leaves me feeling healthy and happy - that's more fruit, veg, and less processed food; I don't feel good if I eat large quantities of meat, and in fact would happily not eat it very often, but when cooking for the rest of the family I am not wanting to cook different meals so we all get the same thing.
I think all the "advice" makes it very confusing!0 -
http://cdn1.sph.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2013/04/HEPApr2013.jpg
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/index.html
http://sodiumbreakup.heart.org/sodium-411/
Those are nice, general info links. If you visit your doctor, though, you can get info that is tailored to you!
At least in the US, medical doctors get almost no education in nutrition. I probably learned more about it in high school home-ec than you would learn in med school! The best nutrition info you can get from a doctor is a referral to a dietitian.
But the links are great!
OP, as most of the other posts have said, a balanced diet with a combo of protein, carbs, and fat is the key. The specific foods are personal choice based on what you like, and what will keep you satisfied and still hit your calorie goal.0 -
Well, if you define healthy in terms of longest living centenarians, they have a few similar eating habits somewhere along the lines of cooking and eating whole foods (veggies, fruits, roots, meat, seafood, dairy, few processed foods), but not too much (limit calorie intake/avoid overeating) and eating mostly (not all) plants. They also do or incorporate light physical activity into their daily lives like making the time to walk everyday, gardening, biking or even lifting light dumbbells. What I noticed in Japanese culture is that they do not like to sit still at all. For instance, after sitting for awhile, every couple hours, they'll get up, stretch, walk around, do a bit of chores, run errands, visit a friend, etc. They really make use of their time! And finally, you need a good support system. Surround yourself with friends and family, share your feelings and laugh/be merry. Stress is a big no no and have huge negative impact on long term health! Did you know, most centenarians have all their original teeth?! Well that being said, for me, these traits define healthy... It's rehashing a ton of stuff people always say to do for health but then again, we never really listen anyways...0
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http://cdn1.sph.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2013/04/HEPApr2013.jpg
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/index.html
http://sodiumbreakup.heart.org/sodium-411/
Those are nice, general info links. If you visit your doctor, though, you can get info that is tailored to you!
At least in the US, medical doctors get almost no education in nutrition. I probably learned more about it in high school home-ec than you would learn in med school! The best nutrition info you can get from a doctor is a referral to a dietitian.
It's similar in my country. They receive very basic 'high school level' nutrition education and unfortunately, are known to put people on fad diets which can set them up for failure.
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Log everything you eat, then check the reports area at the end of the week. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/reports You can see all of your micronutrients there and you'll get a graph of your average daily intakes. It's helpful to have a visual sometimes.
Here's the RDA, fnic.nal.usda.gov/dietary-guidance/dietary-reference-intakes/dri-tables It's a good starting place to set nutrient goals, but it's better if you get a metabolic panel done and see if there's something your body is deficient in.
Some people don't think multivitamins are worth it, but they can be a nice safety net. It's always better to get nutrients from their whole food sources but it's nearly impossible to meet your RDAs of all the water soluble vitamins if you are on a calorie restriction.
Start small, try to eat a varied diet and don't eliminate anything unless you need to for allergy/medical reasons. If you do have food allergies or medical dietary restrictions try to find some alternate sources for the nutrients from those foods. People have their prefered eating styles where they eliminate or go really heavy with one macro or another but you are usually going to get in more varied nutrients with a varied diet. Don't give up too much or try to change too much at once, just make small sustainable choices and you may find that you start naturally gravitating towards some foods. There's plenty of room in a healthy varied diet for chocolate and things you enjoy.
You could see a nutritionist to get started, or just start really small and see how it goes.
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With all the information available online (and much of it contradictory), is anyone able to offer an insight into the healthiest way of eating long term?
I posted the following a few months back. I am including a photo of some of my typical meals (including this morning’s breakfast). FYI ONLY – I have eaten like this for over 1 year – it is my “new normal” it is NOT some temporary diet thing. I no longer eat the way I did in the past. Down 171 pounds so far.
“Fast-food & frozen dinners are tempting with hectic schedules. BUT I have found – with just a little planning healthy low-calorie dinners can be just as easy and quick to prepare. Below are just a few of my own meal creations that took 30 minutes or less to prepare. All of them are 250 calories or less…not that I don’t eat meals over 250.
I never eat off a paper plate or out of a container. The last thing I want is a meal that screams “I’m on a diet!” I adjust plate size depending upon the meal. I also have healthy mid-morning / afternoon snacks and save some calories for the TV munchies (100-calorie popcorn, Fiber Bar, Jello, Sugar-free Fruit Cups, Edy’s Frozen Bars etc.)
I’m fortunate – I love to cook and meal-prep in some ways relaxes me – as long as I’m the only one in the kitchen (LOL). I buy mostly healthy foods and then get a bit creative.
I do NOT deprive my wife of her favorites. She does not have a weight problem – I do. I will buy her occasional chocolates, ice cream, pizza, chips and McDonalds etc. and have none of it myself. She has always had those things in moderation and it helps me condition myself.”
Happy eating - everyone is different - I merely post what I have done "long-term" and will continue to do.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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Davis_em0 -
Michael Pollan has good advice: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.
There's no magic formula for foods to avoid or add more of. Just eat at a caloric deficit and you'll lose weight.
But what you might find helpful to get you started is, for most meals, to split your plate into three sections. One half of the plate should be non-starchy vegetables. 1 quarter should be carbs. The other quarter should be protein. Nikonpal's plates above are actually a great example of what I mean!
You'll find this will already cut your calories down. Later you can tweak your macros for more/less protein/carbs. Just focus on getting this healthy balance for now. That's pretty sustainable.
Spend enough calories on whatever treats you like so that you don't feel deprived.
I ate this way for a couple of years and kept off a lot of the weight I'd lost. (Not all - I had too many treats.) But as a way to eat healthily, it's definitely sustainable long term.
These days I'm likely to have way fewer carbs and lots more protein, because that stops me eating junk. But I started small.
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My go to site is NutritionSource from Harvard's School of Public Health. A well designed site with information unswayed by advertising or politics.0
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Thanks everyone. This is certainly 'food for thought'!
(pardon the pun)0 -
I lean towards a plant heavy diet, with very little red meats or grains. I love to load up on fruits and veggies with chicken or seafood. I need to remind myself to add in grains- otherwise nothing, ahem, "moves", so a super low carb diet doesn't work for me. Same with a really low fat diet - I often feel very hungry without some fats in each meal.0
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