Processed Food...the evil!

Ok, so I decided to start a healthy lifestyle instead of dieting(which totally tanked in like, 2 months ).
Im taking it slow, adding more fruits and veggies, cutting down on processed food. Sooooo, I was wondering, for thoes of you who also "eat to live" instead of "live to eat", how do you manage keeping away from the evil enriched foods and such? At times it does prove to be, trying sometimes, when your cruising the cabinets and nearly half the food has the words "enriched" or "hydrogenated" in it?
Tips would be very much appreciated.

Take a few months off an then go back and eat something. It will taste horrible. I.e. pasturized cheese v. natural cheese. it just tastes weird...almost like you might as well be eating out of the can of Crisco.

I stopped eating fast food 4 actually 5 years now. Anything that comes from a window is just

Good luck!

I think take awat is pretty much a no-no unless it is one of those health place that makes the sandwiches and smoothies. fruit/veges/raw cereals etc. Making your own stirfrys or bakes or things, meals you know what all the ingredients are, then portion and freeze them for the week.

Fo me, it's a simple as feeling far more alert, alive, and energized after a meal of fresh fruit or baked meat and lightly steamed veggies and some water.

After a processed or greasy meal I feel like a stuffed slug.

Sometimes I crave processed food, and when I give in , I tend to regret it because on top of feeling horrible, it'll usually taste strange/disgusting.

Originally Posted by Dragoriana

I think take awat is pretty much a no-no unless it is one of those health place that makes the sandwiches and smoothies. fruit/veges/raw cereals etc. Making your own stirfrys or bakes or things, meals you know what all the ingredients are, then portion and freeze them for the week.

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I agree. The trick is to buy veggies, fruits, grains, legumes, and other inconvenience foods... If you have occasional time constraints, there are healthy packaged foods (Amy's frozen dinners for example); read all the ingredients before you take it home, though. This is good to do anyway - if you buy a package of oatmeal, you might be getting just oats; or oats, hydrogenated oils, three kinds of sugar, artificial flavor and color, etc.

Good for you to make these healthy choices!

Cheers, from
SwampWitch

It's so funny that you posted that, when I made the switch, friends of ours actually got upset that we wouldn't eat certain things any longer. They said there was no proof that the life style we were switching too was better for us. That was three years ago. I lost 95lbs by switching, so what keeps me on track is looking at the size 20 jeans that still hang in my closet.

Originally Posted by SwampWitch

I agree. The trick is to buy veggies, fruits, grains, legumes, and other inconvenience foods... If you have occasional time constraints, there are healthy packaged foods (Amy's frozen dinners for example); read all the ingredients before you take it home, though. This is good to do anyway - if you buy a package of oatmeal, you might be getting just oats; or oats, hydrogenated oils, three kinds of sugar, artificial flavor and color, etc.

Good for you to make these healthy choices!

Cheers, from
SwampWitch

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I am sorry but everything I have ever eaten by "amy's" tasted like dirt to me.

Originally Posted by lunasmom

Take a few months off an then go back and eat something. It will taste horrible. I.e. pasturized cheese v. natural cheese.

it just tastes weird...almost like you might as well be eating out of the can of Crisco.

I stopped eating fast food 4 actually 5 years now. Anything that comes from a window is just

Good luck!

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I just gotta have my "fast food", I love McDonalds french fries.

IMO, it's a matter of habit. I grew up on a farm with healthy natural foods and I have difficulty with my tummy if I eat "junk" type food or food with additives. I also find I don't really crave any of that stuff either. I rarely drink pop (soda for you Americans ), hardly ever have potato chips or that sort of thing. I make my own french fries if we have fish and chips and I use peanut oil for frying the french fries and usually olive oil for other things. I use a lot of butter, but I honestly believe butter is better for you than margarine.

My suggestion would be to buy fruit and veggies. Take the time after shopping to wash and prepare the veggies so that when you crave something you can just grab some already prepared veggies to nibble on, i.e. carrot sticks, celery sticks, broccoli florets, etc. I have to do that with lettuce - if I don't wash it and spin it dry, put it in a plastic bag ready to just pull out and add dressing, the lettuce will stay in the crisper until it's well past it's prime. Having good nutritious snacks already prepared and available will help to keep you from grabbing something else that is all ready to eat but not necessarily good for you.

When our daughter started drinking too much pop (soda), I stopped buying it when I did groceries.

Good luck and I hope you manage to stay on track and eat better.

Originally Posted by LSULOVER

I just gotta have my "fast food", I love McDonalds french fries.

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BUT I do try most of the time to eat healthy

Thanks for all the suggestions!
My dad and I are already stocking the fridge w/fruits and veggies.
Im just gradually introducing more healthy food in my body and less sodium.
As well as exercise

I wish fruits and veggies weren't sooooooo expensive. It would make it alot easier to buy them and munch those instead of the junk food that we all have gotten used to.

Originally Posted by crittermom

I wish fruits and veggies weren't sooooooo expensive. It would make it alot easier to buy them and munch those instead of the junk food that we all have gotten used to.

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The lower storage time is also a pain, but a workable one.

Neither Neil or I frequent FF restaurants-perhaps 2-3/yr!! (and that would be DQ for ice cream!)
I bought a pineaple yesterday and cut it up (with the rind on) for easy snacks.
I've eliminated soda and I have seltzer water available for that carbonation boost. I've switched to Whole wheat pasta except there aren't lots of shapes available for some of the stuff I make. It really doesn't taste that different to me. I've eaten steel cut oats for several years. it takes 30 minutes to cook but I make a batch then refrigerate the rest and reheat in microwave. I ued to put lots of sugar and half n half on it but switched that to a few chopped pecans/maple sugar and a teeny bit of whole milk.
I don't think fruits and veg are expensive compared to frozen junk food.
I really watch labels and try not to buy anything that has high fructose sorn syrup-esp if its in the 1st 5 ingredients. The same for whole grains buy that instead of enriched grains.
Do you have a pedometer?? They aren't too expensive and are easy to wear to see how many steps one is taking daily!!

I make a lot of my own food with my "Magic Bullet" food processor. I make Fruit sorbet, homemade soups, sauces, muffins, salad dressings etc. all with no added preservatives, sugar or additional salt. I tend to use olive oil, because it is better for you. I also tend to flavor things with a variety of spices. The only thing I really buy with any hydroginated fats in it is Lactose free cheese and microwave popcorn with butter.

Unsalted nuts are also good to help with hunger pangs

They are cholesterol-free and contain healthy, unsaturated fats which can help lower the risk of heart disease. Nuts also provide magnesium, which helps maintain bone structure. They contain zinc for growth and wound healing, and manganese, which protects against free radicals. All nuts are a good source of vitamin E, an important antioxidant. They are high in fiber. Try to get a selection , just for interest and variety.
Almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, and pine nuts are all yummy and great for your health and heart

Originally Posted by XangelicxnekoX

Ok, so I decided to start a healthy lifestyle instead of dieting(which totally tanked in like, 2 months

).
Im taking it slow, adding more fruits and veggies, cutting down on processed food. Sooooo, I was wondering, for thoes of you who also "eat to live" instead of "live to eat", how do you manage keeping away from the evil enriched foods and such? At times it does prove to be, trying sometimes, when your cruising the cabinets and nearly half the food has the words "enriched" or "hydrogenated" in it?
Tips would be very much appreciated.

Click to expand...

This isnt really a tip...but...after your body has purged the nastiness left behind by heavily processed foods and you avoid white flour/sugar for awhile...you wont crave it anymore.

Food will taste different, and processed junk will taste crappy to you.

I do however, majorly struggle during PMS...I would practically push someone down the stairs if one was waving a greasy chicken leg at the bottom. When it something powerful i cant compete with, I schedule a "cheat" day. I chose one meal in a week to eat the crap I crave. And you know what happens? I wake up feeling like crap, my bowels are screwed up, and I regret indulging in junk.

Keep in mind a radical habit change you are doing will take awhile to become a true habit. I would do steps at a time, not all at once. Give up transfat first, adjust to shopping/prepping w/o it. Then move onto white flour, etc.

The suggestion about raw nuts is a good one.

You can also take some "diet" books out from the library, I learned a lot that way.
You can eat healthier and learn a lot but you dont have to use it as a reducing diet book.


I've been there...good luck!

I will not buy anything with high fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated fats. You should throw the stuff in your cupboards away if they contain those ingredients. You are on the right track, just read your labels and anything with those ingredients or a ton of sodium are not good for you. Campbell soup is so full of salt, you may as well eat a salt shaker.

Trader Joes has good quality at affordable prices. More and more companies are eliminating trans fats. Around here restaurants are advertising that they don't use products with those ingredients. I am glad the country is finally getting more health concious.

Remember dark chocolate is an antioxidant.

you will only find soft drinks in my basement, and i only have them for visitors, as i wont drink them at home.

I have a turkish store next to my place and their fruits and veggies are reasonably cheaper than a normal supermarkets, i will only buy stuff that is on sale! And for the way i eat i dont spend more than 5€ for fruits. veggies and meat per week.

Being poor is how we do it
Seriously, real food is so much cheaper and easier to deal with.