I’m still recovering from the flu but had most of what’s written below already put together so I’m posting it pretty much as is. Hope it’s helpful to someone.
You Really Are What You Eat – Part One
When it comes to getting fit and changing your body composition food intake is a huge part of the equation. It doesn’t matter how much or how intensely you workout, if your diet isn’t clean, healthy, and well balanced 90 percent of the time your results will suffer.
It's vitally important to know what you're putting into your body and why certain foods, additives, and ingredients should be avoided while other foods and nutrients should be sought after.
First let’s cover the foods you should limit to less than once a week to never.
Cola, Sodas and Diet Cola and Sodas
Regular colas and sodas are loaded with sugar which not only has way too many calories but has a detrimental impact on blood sugar and insulin.
Diet colas and sodas have artificial sweeteners and these have been implicated in stimulating or deregulating appetite. Never mind that they’re chemicals and could contribute to cancer among other things. Want something sweet? Try a ripe banana, carrot sticks, berries, apple slices, or a baked sweet potato. Natural is always better.
Refined Snacks
Is it loaded with refined carbs? Is it white or beige? Does it have white flour, white rice, white potatoes, sugar, honey, or ‘enriched’ ingredients? Skip it.
Is it salty or sweet? Skip it. Pretzels, crackers, chips, popcorn, most cereal bars, some nutrition bars, and even some whole grain crackers and chips should be limited. It’s too easy to eat too many in almost no time at all. All those refined carbohydrates – even too many of those supposedly healthy whole grain ones - are not going to get burned off by most folks. They just turn to body fat.
Refined Breads and Cereals
Just don’t go there. Most breads and cereals have the “whole grain” seal on their labels but the government doesn’t require them to have enough whole grains to be truly healthy. Look for fiber content above 2 grams and if it says ‘enriched’ that means they striped out the good stuff before sprinkling a few vitamins back in.
Desserts
Unless it’s a piece of plain fruit just don’t go there.
Fast Food and most Frozen Foods
They’re loaded with refined carbohydrates, fats, sodium, artificial preservatives and too many calories. Even most 'diet' or 'healthy' versions contain too much sodium, refined carbs, and chemicals, and are not as healthy as the same foods made from fresh ingredients. Choose carefully, read the labels, and eat sparingly.
High Sodium Foods
If it’s in a package, box, jar, or can, BEWARE. Salt is overused by the food industry because it’s a preservative and flavor enhancer. That does not mean it preserves or enhances your health or weight.
Foods with Hidden Sugar
Ditto as above. I repeat, if it’s in a package, box, jar, or can, BEWARE. Sugar is overused by the food industry because it’s a preservative and flavor enhancer. That does not mean it preserves or enhances your health or weight.
Foods with ARTIFICIAL Sweeteners
Believed by many to be healthy alternatives to sugar artificial sweeteners are coveted for their low to no calorie content. Go ahead, take a chance. Eating or drinking these chemical is playing Russian roulette with your body. Don’t take my word for it. Check out these links:
Sweet Poison
Sugar Substitutes and The Potential Dangers of Splenda
Warning on Artificial Sweeteners - Extract from: The WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL CONFERENCE and the MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS FOUNDATION, FDA in COLLUSION WITH MONSANTO
Avoid Trans Fats
These artificial fats are killers. And they’re in a lot of packaged foods – although having been proven unhealthy – because they’re self stable. Some food companies are discontinuing their use but they're still in a plethora of products. Any food label with "partially hydrogenated" on it should not be eaten.
A Guide To Trans Fats
Next: What you should eat.
