How do You know what is healthy?

I have been on so many diets, and have heard so much conflicting information.... I do NOT know what is truly healthy for me anymore? I have tried:

South Beach
Atkins
Paleo
Sparkpeople
Skinny Biotch
French Diet
etc etc etc and on top of all this I am also gluten free!

HELP I feel like and IDIOT!
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Replies

  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    Eat normal foods... cut out most processed foods... get some exercise.
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
    Healthy is a subjective term. Just use common sense, most everything is healthy in moderation whether because of nutrients, calories, or mental health (tasty things).
  • FrostyLady
    FrostyLady Posts: 6 Member
    I would say eat anything closest to it's nature. Of course in moderation!
  • katsmo
    katsmo Posts: 219 Member
    The reason that there are so many diets like this out there is because they don't work for the majority of people. Eat fresh, wholesome food, drink plenty of water, and get enough activity to make you sweat on a regular basis. There is no other quick, easy, magical formula.
  • trinoc
    trinoc Posts: 73
    I like Michael Pollan's advice best. "Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants." That's doable for a lifetime, imo. Counting %, g, etc isn't.
  • hazelsmrf
    hazelsmrf Posts: 96 Member
    I like "Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly animals" :)
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Read this: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/

    It will tell you what you need to know about eating healthy.

    ETA: this site is not about "dieting" though it will give you the keys to a healthy diet.
  • IAmABetterMe
    IAmABetterMe Posts: 128 Member
    It's funny I don't really eat processed...I just have an issue where I decide certain foods are off limits!
  • Eat normal foods... cut out most processed foods... get some exercise.


    i agree with this, anytime ive ever lost weight it wasnt over a fad diet, it was because i simply ate healthier and excercised - this last week i was taking diet pills, in a weeks time i didnt lose any weight, i felt i had more energy in the am but by time to workout i was pooped, i got a weird feeling on most days and i just didnt like it..so back to the ol' natural for me - -seemed to work the first 2-3weeks of my dieting anyway soo dont feel i need that extra fad stuff.

    back to subject lol, just eat healthy - fruits veggies grilled chicken breast, steamed entrees etc+

    CHECK OUT THE RECIPE THREAD.. so many great ideas
  • thinnerisstronger
    thinnerisstronger Posts: 124 Member
    Diets in general are not healthy. Healthy is simple. It's mostly fresh foods. Things that can go bad. If they don't expire, they are probably not good for you. Whole grains are better than white flour. Ditch the junk food. Don't go overboard on sugar (except when Easter candy goes on sale...) Remember that almost everything is okay in moderation.
    There's no quick fix as these diet programs would like you to believe. You don't need them.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Healthy is a subjective term.

    How so? Healthy would mean a body and mind in good health. Health means freedom from disease and ailment.

    There are many ways to achieve healthy, and sometimes no way to achieve it, but the meaning is always the same.
  • Faintgreeneyes
    Faintgreeneyes Posts: 730 Member
    diet= fad. You go on a "diet" once you get off what happens? You gain all the weight back.

    My advice- eat food in moderation aka by portion size, try and stick with lots of veggies, fruits, lean meats, whole grains, but allow yourself to eat whatever it is you like. Depriving yourself of things makes you want them more, and encourages binging behaviors because once you get it, you tend to over indulge.

    I eat ice cream at least once a day. I stick to serving size, but fit it into my cals for the day.

    Do what works best for you, but a life style change, will help you keep the weight off, in a healthy manner- continuing on a "diet" fad will only lead to a yo-yoing effect and not really learning how to eat properly.

    Also adopt some form of physical exercise- try for 3 days a week and do something you like, running, zumba, elliptical. I personally mix in weights and cardio but being physically active combined with a healthy diet will change your life in a good way. Better than any "diet" out there!
  • hazelsmrf
    hazelsmrf Posts: 96 Member
    I have been on so many diets, and have heard so much conflicting information.... I do NOT know what is truly healthy for me anymore? I have tried:

    South Beach
    Atkins
    Paleo
    Sparkpeople
    Skinny Biotch
    French Diet
    etc etc etc and on top of all this I am also gluten free!

    HELP I feel like and IDIOT!

    Ok I have no idea what the French Diet is or the Skinny Biotch diet, but I know Atkins well, South Beach, Paleo (many different shades of that!) etc. I think they're all fine if you can do them forever. I lost weight well on Atkins, but since it wasn't a life change it ultimately didn't work to keep the weight off. Some people though are perfectly HAPPY eating steak and broccoli and full fat dairy for life, and for them a diet like Atkins is a dream come true. I'm glad those people found what works for them. I would never in a million years be able to be a vegetarian or vegan, so even if I could magically lose 5 pounds a week eating raw vegan, I would never attempt it, blech for me!

    Ultimately I decided that I want to be able whatever I want, within reasonable limits. But I also wanted to understand why choice A is healthier than choice B, so I read a lot on nutrition, and a lot of what I read goes against the food pyramid and conventional knowledge. So anyways, those studies and reports and books that I've read usually steer me into eating high fat foods vs low fat foods, but even though I know I should stay away from processed foods, I still love em and allow myself to have them.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,454 Member
    I eat "dirtier" than most people here and am probably in way better health. Eating healthy doesn't ensure health. Health is determined by many factors like, weight, rest, risk behavior, environment, stress, and genetics. You can just ONE of those wrong and be unhealthy.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • DebraAukett
    DebraAukett Posts: 128 Member
    Eat out of all 5 food groups - you must have your proteins, fruit & veg, grains, dairy and good fats - don't do fad diets, don't starve yourself, eat lots of unprocessed foods. Using MFP to count your calories also helps a great deal if you stick to your allowed calories. And exercise when you can!

    See it as a lifestyle change... not a diet
  • ElPumaMex
    ElPumaMex Posts: 367 Member
    I have been on so many diets, and have heard so much conflicting information.... I do NOT know what is truly healthy for me anymore? I have tried:

    South Beach
    Atkins
    Paleo
    Sparkpeople
    Skinny Biotch
    French Diet
    etc etc etc and on top of all this I am also gluten free!

    HELP I feel like and IDIOT!

    None of those diets promise to be "healthy".
    Their main objective and promise: to reduce your weight.

    A healthy diet should give you all of the nutrients you need, without adding to it unhealthy chemicals such as preservatives, etc.

    As another poster indicated, whole foods are healthy.
    You can also eat processed foods, but try to find them with natural ingredients.
    For example, for bread I eat: Alpine Valley Organic Multi-Grain with Omega 3
    (I don't eat just Organic food, since it is expensive, but this particular brand is delicious and has no preservatives/chemicals added)
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    I have been on so many diets, and have heard so much conflicting information.... I do NOT know what is truly healthy for me anymore? I have tried:

    South Beach
    Atkins
    Paleo
    Sparkpeople
    Skinny Biotch
    French Diet
    etc etc etc and on top of all this I am also gluten free!

    HELP I feel like and IDIOT!

    I'm gluten free, to me that's quite enough. It's not about what you can live with for 6 weeks, 6 months, or a year, it's what you can live with for a life time. Because I lift and it's important to me to build muscle I'm high protein and moderate carbs and fats. I do not restrict what I can eat (except for my allergies and intolerances) because this isn't a temporary solution to a problem, it's a permanent lifestyle change. To me my weight was a symptom of an overall issue, and i tried atkins and south beach and a few pills years ago in an attempt to get my "weight issue" under control. Weight, however, was just a symptom of a sick lifestyle. By finding balance I have way more than my weight under control.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    It's funny I don't really eat processed...I just have an issue where I decide certain foods are off limits!

    If you know that this is your issue, than why choose to have any foods "off limits"? Seems to me moderation would be key.
  • BrettPGH
    BrettPGH Posts: 4,720 Member
    It's funny I don't really eat processed...I just have an issue where I decide certain foods are off limits!

    See I (a complete and utter NON-professional) advise against that. Why limit yourself, your life? At some point you're probably going to eat those foods again. If your diet (like South Beach or Atkins) is all about cutting out entire food groups you're just on a temporary, fad diet. You're not finding a new way to live.

    Count your calories, try to eat veggies and sound meals. Exercise. Do these things and you should be able to find success, without cutting out the foods you love.

    If you're doing something temporary, the results will be temporary.
  • sarah2954
    sarah2954 Posts: 291 Member
    Any diet that completely removes food groups is BAD