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What is 'eating healthy' or 'eating balanced' or 'smart' - etc - to you?

Aunt Spiker

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What = eating healthy, balanced, smart, moderately to you?

Everyone has a different view on this - some are more stringent than others. Some avoid sodium, others sugar . . . what are your focuses when cooking/dining, etc?
 
What = eating healthy, balanced, smart, moderately to you?

Everyone has a different view on this - some are more stringent than others. Some avoid sodium, others sugar . . . what are your focuses when cooking/dining, etc?

I try to eat 2000 calories a day, slightly more if I am working out harder. I also try to eliminate as much red meat, butter and processed food from my diet as possible. Otherwise, I eat what I want within that 2000 calorie range.
 
"Healthy" to me is the same as balanced. Ensuring you get adequate nutrition from all your food-groups (aka - not barring meats or veggies).
A balanced dinner for the family is one serving of veggies, one of meat, maybe some fruit. . .non-soda/juice for a drink (usually water/tea). . . . and I avoid foods that are empty calories.

We all have the same intestinal disorder so we have to make sure we eat plenty of veggies/fruits (mainly for fiber) but I also try to keep B12 and iron in the mix routinely (liver, citrus fruits, beans). We all eat yogurt routinely and I make fruit smoothies often (realy just yogurt and fruit with no added sugar).

I have more health issues than the rest of the family so I, also, eat plenty of nuts (like cashews and almonds) and eat even more veggies than the kids.

I've had to get creative to keep veggies and such from being too bland for the kids to willingly eat - so I figured out a few good sauces that are low fat/low sugar - mainly just flavored veggie-broth.

One of my kids is on a casein-low diet so I avoid cheese in/with meals.
 
We need a balanced meal every 3-4 hours. This must include protein (to include an array of amino acids), fat, carbs and sugars (the four basic food groups). Further, it needs to be balanced to include vitamins and minerals (and don't forget water). I think it is best to also look at exercise and raw food as something needed each day (kind of in the form of a meal, so to speak).

Personally, I believe it is best to eat as low on the food chain as possible to be efficient about resources, reduce externalities and avoid animal cruelty. As a vegan, I need to eat beans, nuts/seeds and dark greens most days to maintain a diversity of amino acids and minerals.


We are what we eat and breakfast is our first violent act each day. Further, we reap what we sow.


I should note that changing one's diet is twofold. In addition to modifying our typical foods, we need to create positive experiences around them. Our tastes are acquired and much of what we like is founded in the surrounding experiences. When the new food has positive associations, incorporating it will cease to be work.

I might also note that vegan's crap and farts don't smell, and we taste better.



Oh, and...

Meat is Murder
 
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"changing your diet is twofold"
Absolutely!

When I started adding more veggies/fruits to our diet of course the fruits were taken with a smile but the veggies - not so much. Garlic, onion and certain herbs added to all veggies, though, make this far tastier, and so does grilling them (cucumber, bell peppers, pineapple and onion grilled like kabobs is fabulous). Due to our intestinal issues I've had to further limit meat, though I'm not against it completely - and there are several meatless dishes that I fix like Eggplant Parmesan, Ratatouille (which I only fixed the first time as a cute joke to coincide with family-move night, but it was soooo good it became a favorite!) and a newly discovered Bruschetta that is quite tasty and completely diet-focused.

We've completely adjusted, now. Just tonight, in fact, my kids asked to finish the cantaloupe that was still in the fridge - something that never would have happened in the past. And one of my kids is crazier about the Bruschetta than I am.
 
My guidelines are, generally, I try to eat between 1400 and 1600 calories a day. I always have a vegetable with dinner (I don't count potatoes as a veggie). Salt is for boiling water and putting on my lemons, other than that, I don't add salt to my food. I try to buy, as much as possible, whole grains. I generally try to stick with the food groups, but I tend to not get nearly as much fruit as I should, the same is not true about my kids. I also buy as much reduced/low/no fat items as I can get. I still don't think I am being really healthy, but it makes me feel better to try.
 
I have to avoid soduim
 
We need a balanced meal every 3-4 hours. This must include protein (to include an array of amino acids), fat, carbs and sugars (the four basic food groups). Further, it needs to be balanced to include vitamins and minerals (and don't forget water). I think it is best to also look at exercise and raw food as something needed each day (kind of in the form of a meal, so to speak).

Personally, I believe it is best to eat as low on the food chain as possible to be efficient about resources, reduce externalities and avoid animal cruelty. As a vegan, I need to eat beans, nuts/seeds and dark greens most days to maintain a diversity of amino acids and minerals.


We are what we eat and breakfast is our first violent act each day. Further, we reap what we sow.


I should note that changing one's diet is twofold. In addition to modifying our typical foods, we need to create positive experiences around them. Our tastes are acquired and much of what we like is founded in the surrounding experiences. When the new food has positive associations, incorporating it will cease to be work.

I might also note that vegan's crap and farts don't smell, and we taste better.



Oh, and...

Meat is Murder

Some of what you say here is good advice, but the basic food group thing is a joke, and always has been. Here is an abbreviated timeline for the official food groups. One revision included alcohol as a food group. It's a crock:



In 1916, the first daily food guides appeared in USDA publications, consisting of five food groups: milk and meat, cereals, vegetables and fruits, fats and fat foods, and sugars and sugary foods.

In 1933, family food plans specified the foods to be eaten each week to meet nutrient needs at various cost levels using 12 major food groups: milk; potatoes and sweet potatoes; dry beans, peas, and nuts; tomatoes and citrus fruits; leafy green and yellow vegetables; other vegetables and fruits; eggs; lean meat, poultry, and fish; flours and cereals; butter; other fats; and sugars.

In 1942, the “Basic Seven” food guide was released by the USDA. The “Basic Seven” food groups were green and yellow vegetables; oranges, tomatoes, and grapefruit; potatoes and other vegetables and fruit; milk and milk products; meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dried peas and beans; bread, flour, and cereals; and butter and fortified margarine.

In 1956, the seven food groups were condensed to the “Basic Four” in the USDA publication Essentials of an Adequate Diet. The guide was intended to meet only a portion of calorie and Recommended Dietary Allowances for nutrients. It recommended a minimum number of servings from these groups: two servings of milk and milk products; two servings of meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dry beans, and nuts; four servings of fruits and vegetables; and four servings of grain products.

In 1979, the USDA issued the “Hassle-Free Guide to a Better Diet” which added a fifth food group to the “Basic Four,” to include fats, sweets, and alcohol...


PCRM >> Good Medicine Magazine >> The Origin of U.S. Dietary Guidelines
 
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But the 'fats, sweets, and alcohol" were always classified as things you should avoid.
 
IMG_0698.jpg


This young lady is illustrating the proper approach to balance in one's diet. See how her elbows are out for proper stability and the beer perfectly centered? Her eyes are facing forward and not down for better equilibrium, and her fingers are evenly placed along the glass to prevent undue tippage.

Her technique here is flawless.
 
But the 'fats, sweets, and alcohol" were always classified as things you should avoid.

Classified as things to consume in moderation, actually.

But it's ridiculous to classify them in a 'food group' anyway, as they are not a food group. That system was/is stupid and meaningless, and arbitrary.
 
For me it means eating smarter in order to enjoy life and be healthy. Eating is part of my lifestyle, just like my exercise. I try to avoid a lot of sodium, sugars, and saturated fats. I exercise regularly and with a good deal of intensity. I eat mainly what I want with moderation and make sure that I account for that through maintaining a strong exercise regimen. I drink a lot of water and avoid soft drinks. I don't "count calories" as much as I am aware of what I am eating in terms of what's "good" or "bad" but mainly how much I'm eating. I eat to satisfy my hunger and then stop. I don't eat with my wallet (buffets are horrible for that). I do eat a lot of protein foods (eggs, fish) and nuts (walnuts, almonds).
 
As my metabolism slows with age I've had to cut back on lots of things. First it was cokes, then whole milk, then fried foods. I've always eaten lots of veggies and I think that's the basis of any healthy diet.
 
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My idea of eating healthy? Eating a couple meals a week that aren't fast food...and no more than a dozen sodas a week. Despite this, my BMI puts me in the "normal" range...but ya, I really need to learn how to cook. ;)
 
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To me tt means better portion control, more fresh fruits, veggies, water and as natural as you can get or afford. I do not think you should deny yourself junk food though and feel that it is all about moderation. Food is to enjoy and should not be something that brings stress.
 
But the 'fats, sweets, and alcohol" were always classified as things you should avoid.

See I would rather live and enjoy these things in moderation rather than not have em.. I mean what is the point of living if you cannot do things and eat things you enjoy? Could it knock off a couple of years of my life by ingesting bad things? Maybe or maybe not. It is a risk I am willing to take.
 
What = eating healthy, balanced, smart, moderately to you?

Everyone has a different view on this - some are more stringent than others. Some avoid sodium, others sugar . . . what are your focuses when cooking/dining, etc?

Everything in moderation.
 
Eating healthier, to me, is being more mindful of what I eat. Writing down everything I eat helps with that. So I'm not just shoving food in my mouth for no reason without realizing how many calories I'm actually consuming. And keeping a balance of everything. Everything in moderation. :) Glucose, fat, sodium, protein, carbs... these are all required by our bodies.

In short, it's a balance of everything. Meat, veggies, fruit, sugars, fats, grains, etc.


In not-so-short:

I'm trying to lose very stubborn weight and build muscle with a slowed metabolism and dying thyroid. No, I don't want a body builder's body, but I do want to see muscle definition. So for me, extra protein is a must. I cut carbs down, but not so much as to induce ketosis. I just want more protein than carbs. I don't care where the protein comes from.

I try to stay under 1500 calories and always have a deficit of calories burned vs calories eaten. But not too much so.

I eat very little pre-packaged food. I have very few cans of things in my cupboards. I do have some though, for convenience. 98% of the time though, everything I eat is made fresh, not packaged or canned. This allows me to control the sodium, among other things.

I have cut lactose out of my diet for a specific health reason. I may be able to add it back in eventually though. So that means that I'm drinking almond, soy, and coconut milks. I use them for my protein drinks that I have 2 - 3 times a day.

I eat quite a bit of vegges - mostly asparagus, spinach, kale, collard greens, green beans, cucumbers, squash, and broccoli. I limit the corn and peas due to higher carbs in them. Almost all of my veges are fresh (save the spinach and corn), and most of them I get from a local organic farmer.

I eat a lot of meat too. I eat quite a bit of fish (mainly mahi mahi and salmon due to the high "good" fat content - caught wild, not farm raised), I eat red meat, chicken and pork. I eat eggs every day. (a boiled egg is my snack at work). I get my eggs and beef from a local organic farmer.

I also eat beans: black, kidney, chick peas mostly.

I try to get enough fruit, but I don't think I do. It's hard to eat fruit and keep the carbs down too. I have an apple every day at work, and I put blueberries, blackberries, and/or raspberries in my protein drinks.

I cook with olive or coconut oil, and actually add coconut oil to my protein shakes now. I have peanut and sesame oils too, but I don't use them as often. They're more for specific dishes. But I do NOT use canola or vegetable oil.

I try to limit the sugars I have too. I have switched to using Agave as my sweetener due to it's lower glycemic index. I do have some sugar in my home, but it's rarely used and it's organic, non-bleached sugar. I use sea salt and kosher salt, not iodized. I will NOT use artificial sweetener [aka, poison]. I do not buy "sugar free" or "fat free" crap.

While I do try to limit certain things (as mentioned above) like sodas, 'fast' foods, etc, I do have them on occasion. If I really want a Pepsi, I have one. If a piece of pie sounds SOOOO good, I have a piece. It is my firm belief that these occasional indulgences of "bad food" is what allows me to continue to eat very healthy the other 99% of the time. I cannot abide by denying myself that which I want so badly. I'm just more aware of what I am eating. I think about it before I eat it. A chocolate bar may sound good, but I consider it before I eat it. I consider whether or not I REALLY want it. I consider the amount of calories I've already eaten that day and if I'm going to work out or not. I consider if something else would satisfy that craving. If I still want it badly after said consideration, then I have it.

I also have one day a week where I allow myself to eat 'what I want" for dinner. No rules applied. Sometimes what I want is really healthy. Sometimes it's not.
 
i don't limit sodium, no need to for me. iodized salt serves a purpose as well. if i have pasta, which i love, i buy rice or wheat pasta. lots of chicken and fish and some red meat. i will have a potato now and then, and i love apples, oranges and bananas. i also eat rice and beans. a particular snack made from snap peas and rice, puffed.......yum!!!!!!! nuts.

my sweet tooth is for ice cream, good ice cream.
 
What = eating healthy, balanced, smart, moderately to you?

Everyone has a different view on this - some are more stringent than others. Some avoid sodium, others sugar . . . what are your focuses when cooking/dining, etc?

I eat pretty much anything I want but try to keep it below 2,000 calories. But I generally opt for lots of fiber and lots of protein eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and lean meats so I can keep it within 2,000 calories but not feel hungry. I won't eat fried foods anymore not because they're unhealthy or whatever but because I can eat twice as much of the same food and have the same caloric intake if I eat the baked/non-fried version instead of the fried IE baked potato chips, boiled shrimp, chicken etc, plus you don't have to give up flavor for this, you can cook on the stove top using vegetable stock instead of cooking oil. I, also, will opt for the diet versions of pretty much anything, light mayo, diet soda, no fat yogurt, and the low carb monster drink, which has 10 calories per serving rather than 100 but still has the same kick and IMO tastes way better anyways.

It, also, helps that I can no longer imbibe alcohol because I have to wear a SCRAM bracelet, I drank beer pretty much every day and not that ***** light American piss lager, I'm talking Guinness Stout, Sam Adams, Warsteiner, or Bass, and I would drink a lot so that was more calories just from beer than I eat in an entire day now.

GOD I WANT A BEER!!! KILL ME!!!
 
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