THE ONE RULE for Eating Right

Throw a stone into a crowd and you have a good chance of hitting somebody who’s highly opinionated about how to eat right.

In this group you're sure to find a vegan, a Dr Oz fanatic, a Paleo devotee, a Sugar Buster, an Atkins fan, etc.

In this group you’re sure to find a vegan, a Dr Oz fanatic, a Paleo devotee, a Sugar Buster, an Atkins fan, etc. Each will argue his or her way to eat is the only healthy diet.

What/how to eat is reaching a level comparative to religion. People become unthinking, devoted followers of a variety of specialized diets – each of which promise perfect weight, appearance, health and a super-extended lifespan.

"Yes, my diet is supported by scientific research, is going to prevent cancer and heart disease, and is easy to follow! Would I lie to you?"

“Yes, my diet is supported by scientific research, is going to prevent cancer and heart disease, and is easy to follow! Would I lie to you?”

Don’t trust leading dietary experts just because they appear knowledgeable and authoritative. That includes celebrities, journalists, some TV doctors and popular diet book authors. Much of what they “know” they made up and quite often wrong.

I don’t hold any degrees in nutrition, medicine or science. My theory is based on proven science and common sense:

Good human nutrition is moderation, balance, and eating good-tasting food that’s good for me and to include occasional treats that are good-tasting and calorie for calorie, less good for me.

A lot of this....

A lot of this….

A little of this....

A little of this….

and sometimes one or two of these.

and sometimes one or two of these.

Some things I eat are less good – not bad – for me than other foods. Some foods are better for us and some are less good, but all food has its place in a healthy diet. I believe it’s a natural way to eat and always has been.

Primitive man had to hunt and gather food. ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

There wasn’t a handbook to tell them what was safe to eat and what to avoid. They learned the hard way. In the process they ate a lot of things that could potentially kill them. The human body was able to repair itself of damage done by making a mistake.

It seems logical to me that many mistakes were made. Man wasn’t farming; he was roaming eating what might be “food” as he found it. His body made use of whatever it could and cleansed itself of the mistakes/toxins with its adaptive digestion system.

Sometimes the mistake contained toxins too powerful for the body to recover. The guy who made the mistake only lived to make it once, but he also didn’t live to warn his fellow man. It’s not impossible to believe that were some people who could make the same choice and have no ill effects at all or maybe just a tummy ache.

Today our food sources are vastly different. What we eat is different; how we get food is different; what we know about our food is different; food storage methods are different. The biggest difference is the availability of food.

Through research we know more about what our bodies need for good nutrition and we’re learning that some foods may support good health better than others.

Here are good sources of protein although some are better than others, but all can be included in a healthy diet.

Here are good sources of protein although some are better than others, but all can be included in a healthy diet.

Healthy Diets include:

  • Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are a good foundation
  • Processed foods  
  • Red meat, bacon and spareribs
  • Butter, ice cream and whole milk
  • Olive oil, avocados, and nuts
  • Salt, fat and sugar make food taste better

You might be gasping at the things I have listed as part of a healthy diet. They are all part of a healthy diet and what makes it healthy is how the foods are balanced. Balance means that some foods you eat in large quantities and others you eat in small and very small amounts.

I don’t recommend giving up what you enjoy eating. I believe each of us has the ability to have a healthy relationship with our food. That means we can choose when and how much to eat guilt free.

Chasing the “perfect diet” and eschewing the inherent pleasure that we get from eating is not just a waste of time, it’s a waste of life!

Now that you understand my philosophy towards eating right, here is my one and only rule!FullSizeRender

Jackie’s Rule:
If it tastes bad, spit it out!

 

 

Jackie Conn

About Jackie Conn

Jackie Conn is married and has four grown daughters and four grandchildren. She is a Weight Watchers success story. She's a weight loss expert with 25 years of experience guiding women and men to their weight-related goals. Her articles on weight management have been published in health, family and women's magazines. She has been a regular guest on Channel 5 WABI news, FOX network morning program Good Day Maine and 207 on WCSH.