What counts as 'healthy?'

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Elibeth3
Elibeth3 Posts: 7
in Food and Nutrition
Hello!! I have been yo-yo dieting forever now and I want to be able to stick to a diet and not give in to tempting chocolate.. I exercise at least 4 times a week but I'm not seeing any results. I'm thinking that the food I'm eating isn't healthy enough? I love fruits and vegetables but I just find that maybe my other choices aren't that healthy? What sort of foods should I stay away from? Sorry for being so broad, I find myself staring at the nutrition information on food labels and not having a clue what I should be looking for other than low calories.

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  • jrich1
    jrich1 Posts: 2,408 Member
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    If you stay within your calories then eat whatever you want (think moderation)
  • HeyLisa
    HeyLisa Posts: 201
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    If you stay within your calories then eat whatever you want (think moderation)

    ... and balance!
  • KhollerSA05
    KhollerSA05 Posts: 39 Member
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    You may want to start by watching your sodium. if your sodium levels are too high then it will cause you to retain water. also look for vegetables that are considered to be fiberous carbs things such as celery, spinach, asparagus and romaine lettuce. You may also want to start taking a multivitamin as well
  • RMinVA
    RMinVA Posts: 1,085 Member
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    "Low calorie" doesn't mean it's good for you. Studies have shown that people eat just as much if not more, because those foods just don't "hit the spot."

    Since you said you don't want to be a "slave" to labels, the easiest approach is to limit the presence of processed foods in your diet. Or at least stick to foods wtih a minimal # of ingredients that you actually recongize. So that means lots of fruits and veggies, lean meats (chicken/fish), whole grans (brown rice), healthy fats (nuts, avocado), and low-fat dairy.
  • lizzil0
    lizzil0 Posts: 181 Member
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    Healthy to me is fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, whole grains- if it comes in a box with a million ingredients it's not healthy.
  • copperdave
    copperdave Posts: 146
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    If you stay within your calories then eat whatever you want (think moderation)

    I agree...even chocolate - in moderation.
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
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    Since you said you don't want to be a "slave" to labels, the easiest approach is to limit the presence of processed foods in your diet. Or at least stick to foods wtih a minimal # of ingredients that you actually recongize.

    This...........

    Fresh meats that you have to cook.
    Fresh or frozen vegetables and Fruits
    Raw Nuts and Seeds
    Water, teas
    Coconut Oil and Coconut Milk
  • mommacool
    mommacool Posts: 138 Member
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    I find the more I stay away from processed foods the easier it is (I know that sounds crazy! :huh: processed foods are convenience and ease) The more whole foods I eat... fruit, vegetables, meat, eggs, nuts and seeds, and things like plain rice (seasoned up with herbs etc), plain pasta, simpler dairy products (like vanilla yogurt or plain if you can go that way, I am not there yet), the easier it is to stay on my calorie plan. I have a few processed foods I keep on hand, my favorite crackers, tortilla chips, salsa, a couple favorite salad dressings and stir fry sauces. I find it eliminates choices and possibly getting off track. And I find that the more success I have, the more I want to continue. So by eliminating many temptations and bad choices, I have made it easy to stay on track. Also, the longer you are committed to a healthy eating plan, the easier it is to just KNOW what is a acceptable amount or type of food.

    Good luck!! :smile:
  • Cletc
    Cletc Posts: 352
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    What counts as 'healthy?'

    It's pretty arbitraty.

    You can try avoiding artificial colors, artificial flavors, "flavors", "Flavoring" and "hydrogenated" preservaties such as BHT, BHA, TBHQ,

    as far as ingredient lists goes.
  • Egger29
    Egger29 Posts: 14,741 Member
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    Some "clean eating" advocates will avoid anything that has more than 5 ingredients. (Eg....Bread is generally a mixture of Water, Flour, Yeast, Butter and Baking soda (roughly)....so if there are 50 ingredients on the label...it's likely not all that natural)

    A simpler school of Clean eating is basically "You should be able to envision anything you're eating in its natural state, with 3 degrees or less of separation. See a Sirloin? You think Cow. See a Salad? You see Lettuce, carrots, radishes and such growing in a garden.

    See a Pizza Pocket? Well, breaking that down is alot more complex unless you can envision wild herds of pizza pockets stampeding across the plains....so in that respect...it doesn't fit the picture (pun intended)
  • freerange
    freerange Posts: 1,722 Member
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    Are you logging what you eat everyday? If so make your food diary public, it's hard to make suggestions of what you might want to change if we don't know what you are doing.
  • Elibeth3
    Elibeth3 Posts: 7
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    Wow thank you everyone!! I made it public now, and I'll be better at logging everything I eat. I'm going to the grocers to stock up on fruit and vegetables! I'm trying to stay away from white bread and rice even though bread is so good! I'm also learning to cook better now too so it helps! Thank you so much everyone! :D

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