How many health fads have you tried? How many are you still following and you don’t realize it is a fad? Let me tell you the TRUTH now. There isn’t a special secret to help you to be healthy and be at your optimal weight. Being healthy is a compound effect.
Healthy choices repeated over time = healthy.
Unhealthy choices repeated over time = unhealthy.

Healthy Habits:

• Eating whole foods (fruits, vegetables, proteins, grains,  healthy fats)
• Moving your body and sweating daily
• Keeping a food journal to track what you are doing
• Limiting alcohol
• Limiting or avoiding processed sugar
• Resting/sleeping
• Minimizing stress (meditation, yoga, relaxation)

Unhealthy Habits:

• Eating processed foods (frozen dinners, packaged foods, breads, pastas, fried foods)
• Sitting around and not moving
• Eating whatever you want whenever you want
• Drinking excessively
• Eating sugar and fake sugar (donuts, splenda, sugary drinks, diet drinks)
• Not sleeping enough
• Stressing

The information in this post is based off of research from several health sources and my own personal experience. For every “doctor” who says use Splenda over Sugar there are hundreds more who say don’t use either. Nature is better than science. An organic apple will be healthier than an organic, gluten free donut. It just is AND YOU KNOW IT.

Health fads:

• Fat Free/Low Fat: Watch out for these. Most of the time if the fat is removed then other things are added to increase flavor. Sugar, carbs or artificial flavors. You may end up eating more calories by trying to skip some fat. Fat isn’t bad if you are eating the right kind.
• Sugar free or fake sugar (splenda, sweet and low) : Sugar substitutes fooled everyone. They think oh wow I can have that coke if it has 0 calories but it is loaded with so many chemicals that cause massive health issues. If you have 1 coke every 6 months I doubt there is a risk but if drinking sodas of any kind daily or on a regular basis and have health issues you must look at this as the root of your health issues. What do I use for sugar? I rarely use sugar in cooking. If I do want it I use Sun Crystals from the Stevia plant or coconut nectar.
• Fad diets (South Beach, Atkins, HCG) : People tend to quit or gain weight back after a “diet” because they are restrictive. All or nothing. You give up something for a few weeks and then boom you cave and have pizza and gain it all back.
• Low Carb : Carbs are not bad. I once had a person tell me he was not going to eat fruit because it had too many carbs. Really? you will not eat an apple because of the carbs but you will eat 3 pounds of lunchmeat? Foolish!
• Prepackaged meals (began with the TV dinner): I used to be addicted to frozen meals. I would have them every day for lunch and would rarely stay full very long. Have you ever read the label on a frozen meal? I understand you may be using the “I’m so busy excuse” but lets be real. You have some time to cook a few chicken breasts and freeze them for the week.
• Anything to avoid exercise : When you hear about those plans that say you can lose all of this weight and you never have to work out you should be suspicious.
• Fat blockers: Do not take these pills. Just don’t do it. Do you really need to know this? Have you ever read the dangers and possible side effects?

I’m not high and mighty. I don’t eat clean every single day. I do go to restaurants and eat bread baskets. However, I make more repeated healthy choices than unhealthy choices.

You know what to do. Don’t fall for the confusion. Eating a banana will always win over eating a box of organic cookies. Drinking water will always win over drinking vitamin water. Walking a mile around the neighborhood will always beat sitting on the couch. Eat whole foods as often as possible. Limit processed foods. It is that simple.