What is your healthy eating method?

buzzbug
buzzbug Posts: 50 Member
edited October 6 in Food and Nutrition
I am looking to take it to the next level and begin doing more than just count calories. What do you do to make healthy choices? Eat a certain amount from each food group? Eliminate certain foods? Only eat organic? Start each day with a healthy breakfast? Plan your week of foods in advance?

Replies

  • SeaSiren1
    SeaSiren1 Posts: 242 Member
    I am looking to take it to the next level and begin doing more than just count calories. What do you do to make healthy choices? Eat a certain amount from each food group? Eliminate certain foods? Only eat organic? Start each day with a healthy breakfast? Plan your week of foods in advance?

    I try to eat whole foods (close to the source) and hit my macros. As far as organic. it can be cost prohibitive so I buy the dirty dozen in organic.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/

    ^^ This is my favorite site for healthy eating guidelines. Everything is evidenced based and easy to follow.
  • gingerb85
    gingerb85 Posts: 357 Member
    I'm vegan, but prefer whole foods rather than processed foods. Lots of veggies and fruit.
  • buzzbug
    buzzbug Posts: 50 Member
    http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/

    ^^ This is my favorite site for healthy eating guidelines. Everything is evidenced based and easy to follow.

    I like this! Simple and based on evidence. How do you use this day to day?
  • it_be_asin
    it_be_asin Posts: 562 Member
    I like to:

    Make sure I eat 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day as a bare minimum - often I eat a lot more than this
    Make sure that a maximum of around 2 of those servings come from fruit
    Try out new recipes and new vegetables in recipes on a regular basis

    That's the fun bit. The not fun bit is trying to keep the sugars down... It's a struggle.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/

    ^^ This is my favorite site for healthy eating guidelines. Everything is evidenced based and easy to follow.

    I like this! Simple and based on evidence. How do you use this day to day?

    I just read it, make sure I understand it, then I make my meal choices based on what I've learned. I've subscribed to a couple of their free newletters to keep up with the latest research and to remind me to keep on track. I often go re-read the articles just to reinforce the knowledge. I don't count fat, carb or protein grams but I am careful to include them all in my meals and to eat a variety of vegetables and fruit to get proper nutrients. And I stick to whole grains and limit added sugar and salt.

    I've been following the HSPH guidelines for nearly 30 years now and I've made it to age 50 without needing any daily meds (blood work all in check, all tests for cancer and other diseases negative). It's pretty easy to eat healthy once you learn the basics.
  • victoria1957
    victoria1957 Posts: 44 Member
    plant based whole foods and loads of water!
  • buzzbug
    buzzbug Posts: 50 Member
    http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/

    ^^ This is my favorite site for healthy eating guidelines. Everything is evidenced based and easy to follow.

    I like this! Simple and based on evidence. How do you use this day to day?

    I just read it, make sure I understand it, then I make my meal choices based on what I've learned. I've subscribed to a couple of their free newletters to keep up with the latest research and to remind me to keep on track. I often go re-read the articles just to reinforce the knowledge. I don't count fat, carb or protein grams but I am careful to include them all in my meals and to eat a variety of vegetables and fruit to get proper nutrients. And I stick to whole grains and limit added sugar and salt.

    I've been following the HSPH guidelines for nearly 30 years now and I've made it to age 50 without needing any daily meds (blood work all in check, all tests for cancer and other diseases negative). It's pretty easy to eat healthy once you learn the basics.

    That's so awesome! Thanks for explaining!
  • buzzbug
    buzzbug Posts: 50 Member
    I like to:

    Make sure I eat 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day as a bare minimum - often I eat a lot more than this
    Make sure that a maximum of around 2 of those servings come from fruit
    Try out new recipes and new vegetables in recipes on a regular basis

    That's the fun bit. The not fun bit is trying to keep the sugars down... It's a struggle.

    I have such a hard time with these two things: keeping sugar down and eating more veggies
  • agthorn
    agthorn Posts: 1,844 Member
    I make sure I'm hitting my calorie goal and at least 100g of protein a day. Everything else pretty much falls into place when I focus on those two things (i.e you can't eat mounds of junk food and still get 100g of protein per day, but there's usually room for a little something if I want it).
  • JPDad
    JPDad Posts: 147
    I try to get in 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables before the end of lunch. If I can get that done, then hitting 7 or more is easy to do by the end of the day. Save the treats for the end of the day as well.
  • Frankenbarbie01
    Frankenbarbie01 Posts: 432 Member
    paleo / primal NO grains (gluten issues) no dairy (lactose issues) Feel :smile: better than I EVER have and finally losing weight!
  • Frankenbarbie01
    Frankenbarbie01 Posts: 432 Member
    opps double post
  • DannyMussels
    DannyMussels Posts: 1,842 Member
    I basically eat whole foods also.
    I'll eat as many vegetables as I can bear, lean meats (chicken fish) and basically just oatmeal and whey.

    For the most part, if it has one ingredient in it and is a vegetable or meat, I'll eat it.

    Nothing with added sugar, usually just water or maybe tea. I can't fathom drinking 1/5 to 1/3 of my daily calories when I could be eating or snacking on something better.

    Sticking with those things eliminates the guesswork and counting of calories. (what if i had a fancy flavored coffee.....what if i tried the new dish at the restaurant...I feel like trying a new cereal......is this deli meat as healthy as ____) I hate having to look up new stuff, specially when a lot if it is guessing.

    Hence why I only counted calories for 2 weeks in my life.
  • SachaMichel
    SachaMichel Posts: 95
    I follow the food pyramid that my country's public health service outlines :smile: The last I checked, a nineteen-year-old woman needs ~7 servings of fruits/veggies, ~5 servings of whole grains, ~2 servings of meat and alternatives, etc.

    I don't follow it strictly, but just use it as a general guide.

    It's worked for me because I'm healthy as a horse :happy:
  • bjohs
    bjohs Posts: 1,225 Member
    I am looking to take it to the next level and begin doing more than just count calories. What do you do to make healthy choices? Eat a certain amount from each food group? Eliminate certain foods? Only eat organic? Start each day with a healthy breakfast? Plan your week of foods in advance?

    Keep it simple to start with or you will find yourself binging on pizza every week. Take it from me... I know. ;-) The easiest way to start is to just start adding more fruits and vegetables in to your day. Eliminate one item at a time and try to replace it with a better choice. Cut back on your portions a little at a time. Pretty soon, your food diary will look great and you'll be making awesomely healthy choices. Once you get that far... try to perfect it a little bit more. Make it a game. Have fun with it! Good luck to you!
  • TheGlen
    TheGlen Posts: 242 Member
    I follow the primal blueprint ( http://goo.gl/34ax9 ), and it has worked well for me.

    94PQs
  • vs1023
    vs1023 Posts: 417 Member
    Whole foods, low to no sugar, full good fat items like avocado, coconut milk/butter/oil, nuts, etc. I don't eat fast food, drink water, no soda, exercise with mostly strength training. Organic whenever possible. I rarely eat processed foods, everything from scratch. I'm busy too and can easily look for convenience with 2 kids, working from home, etc. It's a mental switch.
  • missle30
    missle30 Posts: 40 Member
    No processed foods, no white carbs (except on cheat day), M-F, I have 1495 calories to work with. M-W, 60% are from Protein and 35% from carbs, with 5% left over for "residual fats". Th-F, 35% from fat and 5% for residual carbs. On Th-F, I can have all the fibrous veggies I want, though, and they don't count in the totals. Unfortunately, i don't really like veggies all that much, though, so i don't eat many of them. Saturday is cheat day and Sunday I get 1750 calories with a 40-40-20 split.
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