EAT THIS, NOT THAT.

 EAT THIS, NOT THAT.

Written by Antoinette Maria
30 Oct 2022

Nutrition is a key player, whether your goal is to lose fat or gain/build muscle. It is extremely important that you are fully aware of what you’re eating and how much you’re eating in order to obtain a healthy and balanced diet. The overall goal is to find freedom in your diet. Therefore, we’re not saying you can never eat “unhealthy” foods. There is nothing wrong with enjoying yourself with your favorite treat or “not so healthy” food in moderation, so long as you’re not frequently overeating them.

Many articles written by experts state to “eat less carbs” or “drop your calorie intake” in order for you to reach your goals. If you listen to every “expert”, your diet probably won’t last a lifetime. It’s all about balance and being reasonable with yourself. You don’t want to live a life where you’re constantly obsessed with every little calorie that you consume.

Ditch the articles that tell you to eat as little as possible to lose weight and read our guide on how to build a balanced diet without feeling too restricted.

WHAT FOODS ARE CONSIDERED “HEALTHY” AND “UNHEALTHY”?

By definition, a healthy diet improves overall health and provides the body with essential nutrients.

Unhealthy food, or junk food is described as food that is high in calories from added sugar, trans fat, and/or sodium, lacking nutrients that our body needs.

It is preferable that you strive to make the basis of your meals from whole foods (unprocessed, natural foods of the earth), and to minimize your intake of artificial, processed foods in order to obtain a healthy diet.

HOW DO I CREATE A HEALTHY AND BALANCED DIET?

The best way to build a nutritious lifestyle is to create a balanced diet that allows you to have fun and enjoy all your favorite foods in moderation. The primary goal is to find alternatives to your favorite foods, so that way you are still finding some comfort in eating a healthy diet.

THE 80/20 RULE 

The 80/20 rule is a guide to help find balance in your diet. Eat nutritious food 80 percent of the time and enjoy your favorite treats with the other 20 percent. For example, you might have some ice cream and a small piece of cake as a dessert or your favorite red wine for dinner.

The best thing about the 80/20 rule is that you’re never saying “I can’t eat that”. Instead, you’re saying “I can enjoy this treat today as long as most of today’s intake comes from nutritious foods”.

FOOD CATEGORIES

Listed below are categories containing foods that you should keep in your diet along with alternatives to your favorite foods, and foods that serve little to no nutritious value that you should limit or cut back on.

MEAT/FISH

Eat this

• Poultry: skinless, white-meat chicken or turkey; 90% lean ground turkey
• Beef: flank steak, top loin, 90% lean ground beef
• Fish: salmon, tilapia, cod, tuna
• Pork alternatives: turkey bacon/sausage

Not that (cut back on)

• Deli/lunch (packaged) meat
• Bacon
• Ham
• Sausage
• Hot dogs
• Salami

*Quick tips

- Grilling, roasting, or baking are the healthiest ways to cook your meat. Avoid deep frying your meats or using marinades or sauces that are high in sugar and sodium. Instead, choose salt-free spices/herbs or garlic to season your meat. 

- When choosing meat at the grocery store, aim for lean meats (no more than 15% fat), or skinless poultry. Minimize your intake of processed meats such as deli slices, hot dogs, salami, etc.

- Choose fish high in omega-3 fatty acids. If choosing canned fish like tuna, aim for those that have “sodium free” or “low sodium” written on the label.

DAIRY PRODUCTS

Eat this

• Lightly sweetened or unsweetened greek yogurt
• Almond, coconut, or soy milk
• Low fat cream products

• Low-fat cheese
• Plant based butter spread

Not that (cut back on)

• Sweetened yogurt
• Cow milk
• High fat cream products

• Ice cream
• Cream cheese
• Custard
• Butter

• Milk chocolate

*Quick tips

- Flavored milk, yogurt, or puddings can have a lot of added sugar, which are empty calories. Look for dairy products with “reduced or low sugar” written on the label to reduce your sugar intake.

- When recipes such as dips require sour cream, substitute with plain, non-fat yogurt. You won’t be able to tell the difference.

CARBOHYDRATES

Eat this

• Brown rice
• Quinoa
• Whole/sprouted grain bread
• Potatoes (sweet or red)
• Beans/lentils
• Oats
• Fruits/vegetables

Not that (cut back on)

• Pasta
• White bread
• White rice
• White potatoes
• Bagels
• Flour tortillas
• Sugary cereals
• Sweets or pastries

*Quick tips

- Canned or packaged fruits and vegetables often contain a higher sodium or sugar intake. Aim for fresh fruits and vegetables in the produce section at your grocery store.

- Pick whole vs refined carbs. Opt for brown rice, sweet potatoes, and oats. Limit carbs with added sugar or refined grains, such as sugary cereals, desserts, or candy.

SNACKS

Eat this

• Unsalted or lightly salted mix nuts
• Veggie tray with cottage cheese or hummus dip
• Dark chocolate

Not that (cut back on)

• Potato or snack chips
• Granola/cereal bars
• Low quality protein powder or snacks

*Quick tips

- Snacks doesn't always have to be packaged. Combine different food sources to create a healthy snack, such as carrots and hummus or greek yogurt parfait using fresh fruit and granola.

- Try not to snack all day long. Snacking a lot typically means that you are still hungry and that you aren’t prioritizing your three main meals throughout the day. Prioritize a good enough sized breakfast, lunch, and dinner so that way you are not stuffing yourself with snacks made up of endless amounts of calories.

CONDIMENTS

Eat this 

• Plain hummus
• Guacamole
• Powdered peanut butter
• Raw, sugar free honey
• Nutritional yeast
• Balsamic vinegar
  

Not that (cut back on)

• High calorie salad dressings
• Barbecue sauce
• Pancake syrup
• Margarine
• Queso dip
• Artificial sweeteners 

*Quick tip

Many store-bought condiments are filled with high calories and sugar in just a small serving. For example, it's easy to use more than one serving of ranch (which typically ranges from 150-250 calories per serving) when you’re eating a salad, adding on a high amount of unnecessary calories. Pay attention to the amount of condiments you are adding to your foods to avoid extra calories. 

SPICES & OILS

Eat this

• Flaxseed or avocado oil
• Low sodium or sodium free seasonings (i.e Mrs. Dash)
• Garlic, basil, ginger, or cumin seasonings

Not that (cut back on)

• Canola or soy oil
• Table salt
• Seasonings with high-sodium intake
• Premixed seasonings (i.e Italian Greek)

*Quick tip

When looking for seasonings at the grocery store, check the sodium content and compare them with other products. Choose the seasonings that have “no salt”, “reduced sodium”, or “low sodium” written on the product label.

DRINKS

Drink this

• Sparkling mineral water
• Sugar free vitamin water
• Fruit smoothies made with fresh fruit
• Water, of course.

Not that (cut back on)

• Sweetened juices/soft drinks
• Sports beverages (i.e Gatorade)
• Canned sodas
• Alcohol

*Quick tip

- The worst way to waste your calories is on high-calorie, sugary drinks. Some beverages should be limited or consumed in moderation, such as canned sodas or sports beverages. Choose drinks that are low in calories and added sugar. 

- You can still drink alcohol while having a healthy and balanced diet. Try cutting back on margaritas or cocktails which contain a high amount of added sugar. Dry wines such as red or white wine typically has less sugar than sweet wines like pink moscato. 

THE BOTTOM LINE

A balanced diet contains all of the food groups listed above, but you need to balance them, too. Eating clean 100% of the time is not realistic, and that’s perfectly fine.

Eating in moderation leads to more sustainable weight loss than you think. Your cravings will be off the wall when you restrict food which may allow you to lose weight temporarily, but most of the time restrictions lead to binge eating, falling you back to square one.

Practicing moderation allows you to maintain a good balance in life while not allowing yourself to overindulge. The more freedom you find in your diet, the better results you will achieve long term.