Eating Healthy

Published on September 8, 2004 By acohen843 In Diet

Eating healthy is a lifestyle. I know, I spent many years not eating healthy. My previous lifestyle included many precious moments at McDonalds sharing quality time with quarter pounders with cheese, or enjoying grande nachos that could feed a family of six (if I ever gave them a chance), and I have enjoyed many mozzarella sticks.

I've finally decided to start eating healthy. Normally I would say diet since I am overweight, but I think lifestyle is a better word. I believe this for the following reasons:

Maintaining weight loss is a lifelong process. Eating healthy and then going back to my previous lifestyle is useless.
Diet is an interesting word. The Merrium-Webster dictionary defines diet as to eat sparingly or according to prescribed rules.

To eat sparingly may not be the best practice. Too many people starve themselves while trying to lose weight. Ironically, eating less may not help you lose weight. If you eat too little food you don't lose weight. Your metabolism slows down preventing you from losing weight.
My main reason for losing weight is to be healthier. That goal is a lifelong process, not one just dictated by my weight. This is a lifestyle change.

The first thing I learned is to eat more vegetables and fruits. I am pretty good with vegetables but I need to learn to eat more fruits. Drinking water is also important.

I work part time in a supermarket. I learned that there are three types of fruits and vegetables: regular, organic, and genetically-modified. Each vegetable or fruit has a four-digit number that identifies it. Genetically-modified and organic has an additional number: 8 for genetically-modified and 9 for organic. For example:

banana 4011
genetically-modified banana 84011
organic banana 94011

Eating healthy is a goal that everyone should have. It is not just a goal for losing weight!

Comments

MartialDoc

on Sep 27, 2004

Acohen, great to hear that you're wanting to start eating healthier. Here are some tips (I'm studying to be an acupuncturist and we take nutrition courses as well...)

1) Drinking water is definately great. The best amount is to drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces each day. I.E. If you weigh 150 Ibs, drink 75 ounces of water a day. I suggest starting out slowly and working up. Eventually, you'll reach the point where you'll crave water if not constantly drinking it. True, you will have to pee all the time but it's great for the body.

2) Try to eat organic foods. They tend to be more expensive, especially if you get them at a general store. If you have farmer's markets frequently, go to those. In Colorado here, we have stores that are primarily organically grown (or so they claim). The organic food there is generally less expensive than, say, an Albertsons.

3) Try not too eat too much of anything. So, even though fruit is great, don't go eating 3 or more apples a day. That's too much sugar.

4) Continue to eat things that you enjoy. Don't just stop eating all the food you love. Otherwise, you'll probably stop eating healthily and go back to your old eating habits. Start slowly and gradually increase. I eat fairly well and I will still go to McDonalds, Taco Bell, and places.

5) Don't eat a large meal after 7 PM. And never eat right before you go to sleep.

6) Drink some warm water right when you get up. It's good for you.

7) Try to drink very little (nothing if you can) during meals. Liquids hinder digestion.

Hope that helps.

acohen843

on Sep 27, 2004

Hi,

Thanks for the useful info.

Alan

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