Losing weight and good eating habits on a beginner level

First I would say that "clean" is not a productive word when trying to develop good habits. Food is neither good nor bad, clean nor dirty. Focus on hitting your calorie target and not worrying so much about the foods you take to get you there. The best thing you can do for your health is make progress in your weight loss. So don't think you need to give up everything you enjoy eating. Just try to eat it less frequently and in smaller portions. Lean meats (such as chicken breast) and fish (any kind of fish or shellfish) along with beans, fruits, whole grains, and vegetables are some good foods to intermix to get nutrition and limit your calorie intakes. There is no good or bad time to eat. You can eat as late in the night as you want, as long as you leave calories for it in you daily allotment. So if you like to eat late at night, leave a couple of hundred calories for a snack such as cottage cheese and fruit.

Hey Neisha! What I always tell new people is just to log for one week without trying to change anything. Log every bite that goes into your mouth, all condiments, drinks, etc., plus all exercise. That will help you learn about logging and get you used to the process. Then after that week, you can look at your diary and see where you are now, and that will help you figure out where to make the most effective changes when you set your calorie goal.

Everyone’s habits and needs are different, and if your new way of living is too uncomfortable for you, you won’t keep it up for long. You need a way of eating which works with your lifestyle and which you will be happy with for the rest of your life, and that means learning to work with the foods you love, the places you like to go, and the people who love you.

What I found when I did this for myself was that not just specific foods, but also habits needed to change. I made some permanent changes to long term problems in my life which caused me to reach for food as comfort when I felt stress. I stopped driving past the corner where I stopped for an Icee every day. I started going to places other than restaurants with my mother when I wanted to spend time with her. As far as specific foods, I am a diabetic so I needed to cut out foods which hurt my blood sugar levels, which in my case meant eating less refined sugar and white bread. Because I have trouble eating just one serving of certain foods, I cut them out of my life completely. Later I was able to add some of them back when I had more control and was able to moderate them, and others I found I didn’t miss because they weren’t worth the calories. I also found that it was much easier to stay within my calorie limits when I got enough exercise.

Everyone is going to be different, but some foods which I find most helpful are proteins such as chicken (I prefer thighs to breasts), pork tenderloin, and salmon steaks. Pork loin and tenderloin are often overlooked as healthy foods, but both are very lean and low calorie, and it’s possible to cook a whole loin ahead of time and use it for sandwiches, stir fries, and in other dishes. I limit oils and fats when cooking, and dressings and sauces, which tend to be high in calories. I also make sure to eat several servings of fruit, which helps keep my sweet tooth under control. I also eat a little chocolate every day. Take a look at your favorite foods and see if any of them can be made lower calorie without losing flavor. If not, see if a smaller amount will satisfy you, while filling up on lower calorie foods.