So nothing is healthy or good to eat?

Anise6789
Anise6789 Posts: 100 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Ok, so having been on a diet plateau for three weeks, I find myself caught up in a whirwind of different oppinions, to the point I am totally confused and have considered fasting.I allowed folks to see my diet and got all sorts of feedback which I appreciated, but left me more confused. To the purists no food is edible except the ones in produce allegedly sprayed with those preservation chemicals, when the water sprays it .In my state your lucky if the produce isnt at rotting point when you buy it. Nuts are healthy but full of fat, same as cheese. Dried and canned fruits a no no.Healthy choice and lean cuisine which I like, full of alleged sodium , even though web MD says they are fine.Heck I bought a bottle of prune juice for obvious reasons only to discover It had 180 calories a glass.I can have a boatload of broccoli and a smell of lean beef., eat chicken breasts till there coming out of my ears, And never will I eat smelly fish. Oh I have tried varying sorts of fish and hated it all.low fat Mayo has too much sugar, so I guess get the full fat and admire it in the fridge cause you sure cant eat it. All that Aspartaine in the fake sugar, caffine in tea and coffee. Bad, Bad white flourin breads, and what have you. I buy whole grain bread but figure it has to be bad for you because the kind I get tastes good unlike wheat bread. If theres nothing left to eat but wheat, greens, chicken and fish, and a tad of fruit, egg whites, whey protein,and a handful of nut or pods, who wants to eat at all?We had best all quit eating immediately because everything is bad for us. Oh and by the way for those purist who think Parents should have thier fat kids taken away, Imagine the new fostor mom saying to the kid, " You were snatched from your real home and family cause your a fat little porker, and we will be cutting your food supply , while our real kids chow down on goodies. LOL! That should provide more grief for foster kids, as if they dont have enough. Well forgive me, in a fit of frustration, I am just saying!!!!!!!

Replies

  • Misiaxcore
    Misiaxcore Posts: 659 Member
    Lol some days I actually feel like anything I eat is unhealthy and would be better off not to eat at all myself.
  • gogonunubean
    gogonunubean Posts: 160 Member
    If you try and listen to everyone, you'll end up eating nothing!

    Listen to what your body tells you. Personally I love veggies and eat vegan meals at least half of the week, but I believe in everything in moderation. I plan my menu for cheese (mmmm brie!) and make sure I exercise well.

    For me, I am not on a 'diet', this is a way of eating I will continue forever. I educate myself but make my own choices. I know how over whelming it all can be!
  • krypt5
    krypt5 Posts: 243 Member
    Totally understand your frustration. I was feeling the same way when I was learning about nutrition. There is a lot of bad information out there, even coming from quacks who are qualified. What we hear often is alarmist claims. Only one side of the story. To every story there is multiple sides. People used to blame fats for obesity, now they blame carbs. When will it ever end.
  • trilikeagirl
    trilikeagirl Posts: 218
    May I suggest Lindt Excellence Dark Chocolate with a Touch of Sea Salt? At 48 calories, 6g carbs, 3 g fat, 1g protein, 13g sodium and 5g sugar, I do believe it is the perfect food. Washed down with a small glass of merlot (endless health benefits), you can go to bed feeling pretty darn good about things. :happy:
  • michedarnd
    michedarnd Posts: 207 Member
    *chuckle* It really DOES seem that way, doesn't it? I live in the Pacific Northwest, and we have a LOT of health purists up here. I try to cook a lot from scratch and balance it the way that works for my body. After all, even the fish (mercury), the wheat (some diets say that all actual GRAIN is bad), the whey protein (artificial and potentially chemically) has people complaining. I've thrown in the towel -- admitted that I'm going to die of SOMETHING, eventually, and opted for a balanced diet that makes me feel good and achieves my weight-loss goals sustainably. Then, I pretty much thumb my nose at all of the hysteria. LIVING evidently causes cancer, so I've given up. :-)
  • fireflyangel22
    fireflyangel22 Posts: 85 Member
    I feel just as frustrated as you often. Especially when I try to listen to all the "experts." My motto: Everything in moderation, including exercise. I've lost 20lbs and haven't cut anything out of my diet, and haven't gone on any crazy exercise program. I just try to pick "healthier" options (like a salad over a cheeseburger) or simply less of everything! Then I try to get my butt off the couch and move more often!
  • joakool
    joakool Posts: 434 Member
    I don't have an answer to your question because I feel the exact same way that you do. Your post made me smile (sorry if it wasn't supposed to, but I so feel your pain!). I am often confused and frustrated about trying to eat "right" but, like you said, there is so little that is "good". I just do the best I can. I really, really do. I stay away from the obvious (pop, alcohol, fried foods, sweets, etc.), and try to eat the other stuff in moderation. I exercise every day (usually two or three times a day) and sometimes even that is confusing when people talk about which exercises are better than others. It's frustrating! But, all we can do, is our best. Good Luck! :smile:
  • skinimin
    skinimin Posts: 252 Member
    haha don't listen to the extremists, they make life sad. do a bit more research on nutrition and figure out what you want. i want a flat belly so i keep my sodium intake between 1000mg and 1500mg, to stop water retention. there is nothing wrong with vegetables at all and anyone who tells you not to eat them is not to be listened to. i keep my fat intake at 25% or less of my calorie consumption, cos of the flat belly thing. i loooove sweets though so i eat a few pieces of fruit a day.

    when you do a bit of your own research on nutrition, looking at different sources, you will find out how it affects your body and what foods to eat to get the body you want. do what works for you and ignore the preachers. ehhh, i hope i'm not preaching right now... am i???
  • aurorasangel2000
    aurorasangel2000 Posts: 38
    Lol, I know how you feel sometimes. As far as the plateau, I'm guessing you're talking about weight not changing? That will happen at times, and sometimes, regardless of what you eat, you just need to change your workout routine a little. Your body will adapt to some things over time. As far as food, just about everything has its good and bad points. You're going to get different responses depending on who you ask because everyone has their own opinions. If you're really stressed out and not sure where to go from where you are, it may be best to try talking to a nutritionist to see what they say. I'm sure that there are more options out there for you other than grass ;-) Best of luck with everything!
  • theidarisafa
    theidarisafa Posts: 46
    In general you want to eat as pure as your budget and money allows.

    That being said, frozen meals, as long as they are low in sodium and balanced out throughout your day are fine.

    And your body needs fat, the good fats. NOT the bad fats(trans fat, like in crisco and stick margerine), but the good fats in dairy, nuts, avacados, etc.


    You have to decide your comfort level you have.

    I'll admit, I have some kooaide and chips sometime, and chocalate, but they do not replace my meals.

    I try to eliminate corn syrup from my diet, but even so, it's in a lot of things that I may eat, so I don't fret about it.

    Just do the best that you can.

    Once you learn what is in some of the foods that you like, it takes away the appeal. The processed snack cake isle used to make my eyes light up. Now I see it as high priced, processed junk.

    food is fuel. You want to fuel your body. And good food makes you feel good. Sometimes you need a little "bad" food such as chocolate, chips, candy in order to continue to make good choices throughout your day.

    It's like playing a game. What's the food going to do for you? Is it going to fuel your body? Is it going to give you a sugar headache and ruin your calories for the whole day?

    No food is off limits. You just have to find a way to work them into your daily diet. I have like friend chicken every tuesday. I'm no saint. But I don't eat it everyday. and I try to make good choices the rest of the week.

    And a lot fitness experts think that one day a week to "pig out" in moderation is fine. I personally try to work that foods that I really like into my daily diet so that I can stay on track. A cookie here, a cupcake there, some candy, pizza, chicken. As long as I'm within my calories(or close) it's doable. It prevents me from not carding and just giving up completely.

    You didn't gain the weight in only one day or meal. You won't lose it the same way either.
  • aurorasangel2000
    aurorasangel2000 Posts: 38
    I feel just as frustrated as you often. Especially when I try to listen to all the "experts." My motto: Everything in moderation, including exercise. I've lost 20lbs and haven't cut anything out of my diet, and haven't gone on any crazy exercise program. I just try to pick "healthier" options (like a salad over a cheeseburger) or simply less of everything! Then I try to get my butt off the couch and move more often!



    Thank you!!! I knew I wasn't the only one who has taken this approach ;-) Hehehe
  • TaraTLC83
    TaraTLC83 Posts: 93 Member
    If you are really struggling with what you should eat, maybe you could get a referral to a Registered Dietician. They will ask you to keep a detailed food log (which you do anyway) and analyze it to make sure you are getting what your body needs and suggest the best and healthiest way to reduce your intake. It would be personalized to YOU rather than generalized by a website.
  • jcn1109
    jcn1109 Posts: 49
    Most of what the purists (as you call them) say is based on an ideal that no one can stick to in the real world. Like my friends who swear the only way to eat is strictly organic. Sure, if you can afford it. I sure can't. As to the sodium in pre-packaged meals, that is an issue IF you need to watch your sodium intake. Even Lean Cuisine and Healthy Choice. I can't eat them because I'm not supposed to have more than 2000 mg of sodium a day (at max and most people would be surprised how quickly sodium adds up, it's in so many foods) and I can make the same stuff with little to no sodium at home. Other than that, common sense is the name of the nutrition game. Read the labels, watch for what you need to watch for (it isn't the same for everyone, after all), and if you're in doubt ask a doctor or nutritionist. (Personally, I never trust the internet, not even WebMD, but that's just me.)

    (And, is it just me or do I use parentheses way too much?)

    (Darn it, I did it again!)
  • Anise6789
    Anise6789 Posts: 100 Member
    LOL all your posts in response to mine are good, helps ease the desgust with my diet plateau. Thanks all
  • jcn1109
    jcn1109 Posts: 49
    *chuckle* It really DOES seem that way, doesn't it? I live in the Pacific Northwest, and we have a LOT of health purists up here. I try to cook a lot from scratch and balance it the way that works for my body. After all, even the fish (mercury), the wheat (some diets say that all actual GRAIN is bad), the whey protein (artificial and potentially chemically) has people complaining. I've thrown in the towel -- admitted that I'm going to die of SOMETHING, eventually, and opted for a balanced diet that makes me feel good and achieves my weight-loss goals sustainably. Then, I pretty much thumb my nose at all of the hysteria. LIVING evidently causes cancer, so I've given up. :-)

    michedarnd, LOVE your attitude, by the way! I agree completely!
  • azizam3
    azizam3 Posts: 1
    I went through this back and forth too. If it is so bad, why eat it? But then I really crave good food. I pretty much cut down on rice, pasta and potatoes (except in soup). I can do it. No pork fine (just too much fat). But I can't do without drinks, sweets and just good tasting food.

    Therefore, I eat a lot of things just in small portions. I love the option of creating recipes here. I made them, divide it into portions and enjoy. Yea I go over on sugar sometime, but it is just a guideline. I exercise a lot and loose weight rapidly and fairly joyfully now. It was hard at first when I thought I can't have anything. Now I have everything...just small portions. Oh and I drink lots of wine ;)
  • Jennyisbusy
    Jennyisbusy Posts: 1,294 Member
    I know right? I have been on a quest to find some solid guidelines for my family but all the different (not to mention conflicting) groups are so extreme. What I am thinking now is to pull from what the majority can agree on.

    Me Cave Lady! Produce-good, candy-bad. :laugh: Everything else in moderation (whatever that means).

    ~SIGH~

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