I often talk about my personal struggle in losing weight in my teens and early 20s. I went up and down on the scale and did destructive things to my body. And I went through horrible periods of deprivation that left me feeling empty. And the worst part i that this deprivation didn’t lead to anything lasting. I was so frustrated.
I changed my pattern when I changed my attitude. And the biggest lesson for me was that I could make more of a lasting change in my diet and my body eating foods I love than I could living in a place of deprivation.
But here’s the catch
I love pizza. And brownie sundaes. And macaroni and cheese. All carb-filled, fattening foods. And no, I didn’t discover a miracle way to eat all these foods on a daily basis. Because believe me…I would have done it if I could.
But here’s what I did discover. I love lots of different foods. And maybe I don’t love them all in the same way. Like, I really love roasted Brussel sprouts. I mean, I totally adore them. I could eat them like candy.
No, Brussel sprouts aren’t pizza. They don’t take the place of pizza. But that doesn’t mean I don’t totally love them. So right there I have proof that I can love food and eat healthy.
The drop pounds while eating foods you love formula
Ok, here goes, This is the real deal on how to make a lasting transformation if you love food and don’t want to feel deprived.
Number 1
Stop counting calories. Seriously, don’t do it. You have to be mindful of what you eat. But It has been proven is study after study after study that there are more effective methods for long-term weight loss.
And greatly limiting food intake will always make a foodie unhappy. Meaning you won’t stick with it long-term if you love food.
Number 2
Discover the different ways you enjoy lean protein, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats and high-fiber grains. Here are some ways I found cleaner eating could rock my world:
- Asparagus french fries – They totally fulfill my need for salt and crunch
- Roasted Brussel sprouts, cauliflower & carrots – seriously rocks my world
- Roasted, unsalted almonds – so good
- Guacamole – full of healthy fats!
- Slightly defrosted frozen cherries – once they’re cold, they’re totally creamy like ice cream!
But I didn’t know this until I started experimenting. You need to start trying different ideas and recipes and see the types of healthy foods you love! They exist, I promise you. My answer my not be right for you. But if you spend the time investigating, you will find healthy foods you love.
Number 3
Never create a mindset that you need to abandon the comfort foods you love. I still eat pizza. I still eat macaroni and cheese. And, a brownie sundae now and then isn’t so bad.
But I don’t need to eat them all the time anymore. Because there are so many other healthy foods that I love, that I feel fulfilled having them occasionally. And that’s the trick. When you discover how you can find fulfillment with healthier foods, the more fattening treats can more easily become more occasional treats.
This is possible so don’t give up on yourself.
You don’t just wake up one day craving kale. That‘s not how this works. You must keep trying things until you find the recipes and foods you love.
Looking for a fresh start with healthy eating? Check out this 21-day jump-start plan. It even comes with a cookbook filled with lots of cravable healthy eats! This is a great plan if your looking for help in transitioning to a healthier lifestyle. And it comes with free email coaching from me as a bonus!
But whatever you do, you must start by putting one foot in front of another. You’re starting a new chapter of your life. You’re inventing a new way to interact with the world. So realize this is a journey and not a place you’ll just arrive when you decide to “be good.”
This is the first time I read a blog post like this one, it is really original. Number 2 is my favorite also because I like to try new recipes and eat healthy foods.
Thanks for sharing it 🙂
Thanks so much. I like trying new recipes too.
Yes, love this! I know exactly these struggles of keeping healthy while keeping my love of food. I’ve been doing something very similar, and thrown myself into cooking so I learn more about what I’m consuming!
Spending more time cooking was a big one for me too!
Thanks for this post. I never count calories, but I’m often frustrated with my weight. Your post really encourages that if we eat healthy food, we can always eat some pizza or a pie here and there.
I always say to never put a food in the never list!
I really like the idea that you can experiment and skip counting calories. Too many rules and restrictions definitely sets me up for failure, so moderation like you mention is key.
Yes, always moderation.
Actually counting calories is exactly how I lost all the weight I did. I am a wicked overeater and it helped me keep my eating in check.
These are great tips! Trying new foods and recipes with your favorite foods are good ideas and also not counting calories too! Don’t want to be so consumed in that to the point you aren’t eating healthy.
I so want to try asparagus french fries! I love green beans when they’re roasted on the grill in olive oil. If they stayed crunchy, I’d have them for afternoon snacks. I love the carbs, too, so have to avoid them as much as possible, or at least choose the good kind.
This is wonderful. I am all about moderation and not counting calories. Like I will have my ice cream, but have it after a healthy dinner and not every single night lol
I’m at the start of changing my diet to be a low-fat, low-cal one because I’ve read a lot about how that can help reduce the chances of triple-negative breast cancer recurring. That being said, I know it’s not wise to cut out my favorite foods, but there really are many other great foods that can also satisfy various cravings as well.
I ditched counting calories a long time ago and so glad I did! I enjoy a balanced diet and listen to what my body wants. Most of the time, it’s healthy. Some of the time it’s pizza and fries and heck yes I’m going to have them!
That’s the thing that many people get hung up on with diets…they can’t have X food or they cut out all of Y. You can lose weight and eat what you want as long as it’s in moderation. Balance it out!
Asparagus french fries? Color me intrigued! I’m a big foodie who needs to lose weight myself, so I will definitely be thinking about this as I try to get back to my pre-baby weight.
These were helpful tips! I really want to lose some mom weight and I am bad at counting calories and always end up getting discouraged.
Food is something that should definitely be enjoyed or loved even when you’re eating healthy. There are plenty of healthy recipes that will make eating so much more enjoyable! I think this is such a good post for people who want to lose weight or eat more healthy.
Excellent post. I figured out on my own if I stopped spread out my eating by having little snacks in-between meals have helped me with my weight loss and drinking water.
I’ve dropped the notion of good food vs. bad food. There is room for all food. When I restrict the things I love all I do is obsess about when I can have them and it creates this negative emotion surrounding food. Eating all foods allows our bodies to get everything it needs like vitamins and minerals- even pizza and brownies now and then. 😉
I definitely have just tried to focus on eating more of the healthier things and eating the other things I love in moderation. Portions have been a huge factor for me.
This is great advice! As a serial Dieter, I used to deny myself what I loved and it was miserable. I don’t do it anymore. But I too like to sub something for something healthy. For my salty snack I like edamame with a little soy sauce. Those asapagus fries sound awesome.
This is such solid advice. My husband loves frozen grapes. I cannot wait to tell him about frozen cherries. I might win the wife of the year award.
The better I eat, the better I feel. Finding foods I love and new ways to prepare them gets me excited about eating healthier. I also don’t punish myself if I stray from the healthy. We all need a treat every now and again.
I am definitely at a point where i need to make a change. I have found so many foods that are healthyand that I love. Aside from bread and cheese, I really don’t even like the processed foods. I should just stick with the real stuff.
These are great tips thank you. I have to admit that I do calorie count.
Mindful eating works so much better for me. I hate being deprived! I am currently in that situation right now!
There are so many creative ways that we can eat good clean healthy food! I love that we don’t have to burdened with counting our calories and that we can experiment and learn new ways to love food in a healthy way!
This is my life! I quit counting calories. I like to eat what I want, but in moderation!
I love your list of substitutions like the frozen cherries for ice cream. I agree that if we eat things we don’t enjoy we may binge later.
These are some great tips! Its so important to have a balanced diet. I randomly love celery so definitely need to eat that more. I love the idea of frozen berries too!
For me it’s really all about consistency and sticking to a routine! I usually don’t restrict myself when I’m trying to lose weight but I also don’t indulge nearly as much as I would love to.