Healthy eating habits go far beyond a diet – it’s about creating a lifestyle. Here are six things I’ve learned since losing weight that have completely changed my thoughts about food.
Until recently, I had always considered myself a healthy person; I never ate fast food, white bread, or drank soda. But, that wasn’t enough to help me reach my weight loss goals.
Healthy eating habits mean more than just buying a loaf of whole-grain bread.
Healthy eating is a lifestyle, and it’s about educating yourself on health, exercise, and nutrition and then gradually incorporating positive, healthy changes into your life.
The operative term in that last sentence is the word gradual.
Removing bad habits and replacing them with better ones gradually is essential. Many people fail at any weight loss strategy or healthy lifestyle change because they use a method that is too drastic and quick. Good habits take time. Eating healthy is not a race; it’s a journey.
Here are six things I learned about food since losing weight.
#1. Calories do count.
The first week I started counting calories, I lost 8 pounds (I use My Fitness Pal to track my food). After that, I lost on average 1-3 pounds a week.
The foundation for my weight loss is knowing exactly how many calories go into my body.
Some people shudder at the thought of counting calories. In all reality, it is necessary for anyone wanting to lose weight permanently. You must know what is going into your body.
The great thing about building healthy eating habits is that you will most likely not have to count calories forever. It is a great skill to have and one that I always come back to when I find myself getting off track.
Check out my post on counting calories for tips to get started.
#2. Fresh, minimally processed foods are better.
Our country is filled with highly processed and nutrient-deficient foods heavily explicitly marketed to busy parents and kids. These foods may seem harmless, but plenty of evidence shows these foods contribute to numerous health problems.
It’s no secret that millions of Americans today suffer from obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer due to a poor diet.
I was utterly ignorant of my diet’s importance to my body’s overall wellness. Given that processed foods are found everywhere in our society, it’s impossible to expect people to give up processed foods altogether.
However, I feel that reducing your family’s consumption of processed foods will positively affect their health. Learn to read labels and the ingredients list. If you see many ingredients you have never heard of or can’t pronounce, you may want to pass and find a less processed, natural version.
Want to learn more about clean eating? Check out my clean eating for beginners post and clean eating meal prep post. Both will get you moving in the right direction with food.
#3 Just because a food says it is low-fat, low-calorie, and diet does not mean it is healthy.
This lesson piggybacks off #2. Many foods that claim to be better for you may not even be healthy.
Often these foods are filled with harmful additives and other chemicals to make up for the loss in fat and sugar. This reduction is usually only a difference of a few grams and thus, making the original version much healthier.
#4 Eating healthy does not cost more money.
I was among the many people who thought eating healthy would cost me a fortune, and I was wrong. My grocery bills have decreased since starting to purchase more nutritious foods and cooking at home. Controlling the portions I eat has also helped reduce the cost of eating. Usually, the difference in price between a healthy food choice and an unhealthy one is small. It’s all about making health a priority.
Check out this post on clean eating on a budget.
#5. Cooking homemade meals from scratch can fit into my busy life.
At this point, many of you may be thinking, “When in the heck do I have time to cook a homemade meal?”
I run a business, have two very active teenagers, and my family eats a homemade meal for dinner every night. And, fun fact, I started my weight loss journey while working full time outside the home with two little kids.
“How is this possible?” you ask? I rely heavily on meal planning, meal prep, and freezer cooking as my key strategies for feeding my family healthy meals.
I spend about 8 hours twice a month cooking meals for the next two weeks and then freeze them.
I also meal prep food every Sunday for the entire week.
Check out my post on beginner meal prep for more tips and recipes.
#6. Healthy eating does not mean sacrificing or giving up “bad foods.”
I would be a hypocrite if I said I never ordered a pizza or ate chips, which are delicious! And of course, I love Italian food! See my sister blog, Gluten-Free Italian Eats, for all my Italian favorites.
The key is moderation and being mindful of the food you’re eating.
In a nutshell, healthy eating to me means filling your body with wholesome, fresh, minimally processed foods every day without exceeding the number of calories your body needs.
It is about learning what habits you need to change and slowly replacing them with ones that will enhance your health.
In time, you will see the benefits of these positive changes, and they will become a part of who you are.
Gabrielle Leon says
Thank you so much for this article! It was so helpful for me and for my weight loss journey.
Linda says
ok what about those of us who are 60’s . I lost 25lb last yr, we had death of mil very stressful- I gained 12 lb back. I am still struggling to get all of it back- I am keeping track, losing only .5lb wk sometimes not that. I have fibro. do light exercise. I need help.
Jessica Marshall says
Thank you so much for this entire site. I have been a lurker for about a year, and I have recently become more serious about my health and weight loss journey. Your posts are so inspiring and great for practical use. Thank you for being so open so that others may benefit from the lessons you’ve learned.
sandy says
I am a Simply Filing ww girl….I read a lot of your posts . how do you figure out how many calories you should eat. I am down to the last 15 pounds after loosing 63 pounds. I know exercise would help as well but I am looking to count calories possibly
martha@ simple-nourished-living.com says
Great insights here, Tammy. And I couldn’t agree more, especially about calories counting and committing to gradual change. I too was one of those people who thought I hate pretty healthy but the truth is that I ate WAY TOO much! I think finding your balance is important too. I like to think in terms of eating healthy 80% of the time and for fun/pleasure 20%. It’s a plan I can stick with forever 🙂
Patty says
Your blog has been so helpful and encouraging to me as I strive towards eating healthy and maintaining a good weight. Thank you for being real and for sharing such helpful info!
Mary Rose says
I found weight watchers online for free at freckleberrys.com.I also found that you get one point for each 40 calories in food.I have the points calculator but found that if you divide the calories in food by 40,you get the points in food.Its all based on calories!I get 40 points which is 1600 calories.Using calculator I get the points in food.The site above tells you how many points you get.Points are easier to count then calories.All you need once you find out how many points you get is a regular calculator.Its working for me!
Teresa Connor says
Do you have any suggestions on #1 Calorie counting? I know there are a lot of programs out there like “lose it”, “fitness pal”, etc….is that what you used? What was your biggest struggle in tracking calories? I struggle with getting the exact calories amount with measuring. Thank your for all your do! It has helped me tremendously, I’ve cut out so many other websites as it gets overwhelming.
BarbaraP says
You are so “right-on” Girl! You make so much sense! I too thought I was eating “healthy” ( eating whole grains and fresh fruits and veggies. Also stopped eating “no-fat” foods realizing how much sugar was in those foods) but now realize it is so much more related to sensible portion control and knowing when to stop ( realizing being satisfied instead of feeling stuffed!) Thanks!!
Hudson Brown says
I found by eating “healthier” u become more active and have better additude :-}