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Forum -> Health & Wellness -> Healthy Lifestyle/ Weight Loss/ Exercise
What helped you the most to eat healthy?



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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Sep 23 2020, 12:42 am
What helps you?
Most of us are so busy with work and family and so many cooking demands with yomim tovim, shabbos, etc.
What helps you economically stick to healthy eating and healthy cooking? Whether it be an appliance, a technique, certain foods?
What was most helpful to you in terms of learning about truly healthful eating?

How do you deal with the fact that so many greens and healthful ingredients are so much more expensive for kosher consumer or so hard to check for bugs? Find that totally frustrating!! And a lot of the stuff checked for bugs comes from China and Mexico -besides can't afford it in quantities I would need totally feel like it is inferior in quality just people don't realize and these companies have no competition in that way so they get away with it.
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amother
Floralwhite


 

Post Wed, Sep 23 2020, 12:48 am
Myfitnesspal app is amazing. Helps you track exactly what you eat.
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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Sep 23 2020, 9:56 pm
Bump
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Chana Miriam S




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Sep 23 2020, 10:56 pm
My diabetic crisis. Diabetic retinopathy when I had still prediabetic blood sugar.

The thing is that there are Plenty of cheaper whole foods. There are no rules about how much of this or that. Eat real food. Frozen vegetables work. Zucchini is easy, as are peppers, cucumbers and other non leafy veg. They also have more nutrition than greens.

Non processed food. Eggs are cheap. Meats and fats are more filling for longer than processed food. High fat sour cream may seem more expensive but you need less of it to be sated.

You don’t need to eat as much when you eat real food because it doesn’t just go up in a puff of smoke. And processed foods aren’t cheap.

On the surface it might seem cheaper to eat garbAge but I promise you the long term costs are way higher.

Also NSNG PDF if you message me your email address. Great learning tool.

Plus intermittently fasting is FREEE ding ding ding!
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amother
Ruby


 

Post Thu, Sep 24 2020, 12:16 am
The extra EBT money from the pandemic has helped a lot...

I buy A LOT of fruit and vegetables now. I don't buy stuff that needs checking, I stick to cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, zucchinis, onions, sweet potatoes, butternut squash. For fruit I get Great Value frozen peaches, mango, and berries, plus fresh plums, peaches, apples, oranges, bananas, pears...

Andrea is right that low/no carb is probably best for many of us, but I can't do it. That doesn't mean I can't do anything though! I switched the family to whole wheat pasta years ago, and mostly whole wheat bread.

When the unhealthy convenience food isn't in the house, I can't make it! So it's a matter of what I buy.
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Bitachon123




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 24 2020, 1:37 am
Ps. Apologies, I jumped at the threat title without properly reading the first post! Sorry if this answers the initial question rather than the cost factor! Edited to add that in a bit.

Eventhough I've had ups and downs my whole life, like Andrea, it was a medical crisis that truly shifted my mindset. I suddenly realised how important it is to nourish my body with good food and limit unhealthy and processed food that are negatively impacting my health, even if it takes years to catch up on you!! Yes, I do think that real foods are more expensive, but once I became aware of the benefits, the cost seemed a very small price to pay for better health.

I don't follow any specific rules, but the majority of the time I stick to whole foods, lots of fruit n veg, pure proteins and natural fats (no vegetable oils!). I try to eat intuitively and am often surprised at how little I actually need to feel satisfied! I actually don't think I spend any more on groceries than I used to, as I eat less. Also, when items are more expensive, I personally use then much more sparingly and savor them more.

I've also started intermittent fasting and finding it surprisingly easy yet effective! I eat between 11am-7pm each day and therefore have a 16 hour fasting window. I definitely eat less food overall because of this. The body works hard every time you put anything into your mouth, so giving it an uninterrupted 16 hours or so where it's not digesting food allows it to cleanse, use fat for fuel, and also weakens glucose dependant cells.

As a side point, I find it very inspiring to listen to podcasts about lifestyle medicine etc, and to better understand how the food we eat impacts out life and health so greatly! Even things that people never connect to diet, are affected too! Our bodies are remarkably self healing, and many diseases that modern medicine will use drugs or operations to 'fix', can actually be remedied by a good diet! (Referring to diseases that are due to poor metabolic health in the first place, obviously not if they're totally unrelated! But you'd be surprised just how many diseases this includes!!). Healthy food may be more expensive but surgery/drugs/medical intervention due to poor metabolic health comes at a big cost.

Lastly, I'll have to mention exercise. I started exercising a few years ago and although I hated it at the beginning, I came to love it and NEED it. I call it my reset button. Even if I have days where I stumble and fall into the sugar trap/ raised blood sugar cycle, I find that exercise resets everything and I feel better and the cravings go away.

I always say that my journey towards better health had been just that, a journey. Its about understanding health and our bodies and building small habits over time. And being kind to ourselves and somewhat flexible too. An unhealthy treat here n there is not going to damage you, it's your long term habits that will have the greatest impact on your health. Having said that, once you really understand the impact of food, eat real foods, and feel the effects personally, the processed glucose filled food that contain zero nourishment are suddenly so much less appealing!

Much hatzlocha on your journey!! Its not easy but o so rewarding. And the benefits are truly far reaching!!


Last edited by Bitachon123 on Thu, Sep 24 2020, 2:09 am; edited 3 times in total
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amother
Pink


 

Post Thu, Sep 24 2020, 1:50 am
Two of the old fashioned tips are
Eat fruit
And Stay hydrated

So juice has a bad reputation because it takes out the peel and fiber, so it's not the same as eating the fruit. BUT a smoothie maker just mashed the fruit up so nutritionally it's exactly the same as eating the whole fruit that you put in.

So my number 1 recommendation for something that is easy to do: figure out during which part of the day you are most likely to overeat (Breakfast? Dinner?) And before eating anything at that time make yourself a smoothie using only fruit, ice and cold water. Then you get in your daily rec of fruit, hydrate, and fill up a little bit before the most problematic meal.
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FranticFrummie




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 24 2020, 1:53 am
Shop the edges of the grocery store, and avoid the other aisles as much as possible. Meat, fish, dairy, fruits, veggies. Bakery if your store has one - and look for day old baked goods. Find recipes that stretch meat. My mom could make one pound of hamburger feed 12 people!

Only buy things that are in season, they will be much cheaper, and they will have way more nutrients. The Japanese believe that fruit that is imported and out of season is literally poison, and will cause disease. Besides, when you make a bracha on something that has just come into season, and take time to really appreciate it, everything tastes better.

Figure out which foods freeze best. Potatoes and carrots are terrible, but other things freeze really well. Buy a lot of whatever works, cook in your biggest pots, and then divide into smaller portions for the freezer. Having a large chest freezer was my number one money saving decision. If your store has a sale because chicken is one day away from expiration date, BUY THEM ALL and freeze them immediately.

Get an instant pot. If you are cooking for a large-ish family, you want to be able to make beans, cholent, chili, brown rice, tougher cuts of meat, and all kinds of things like that quickly and easily. Just program it and let it do it's thing. It's pretty much zero effort. You can buy roasts that are usually really cheap, season and cook in the instant pot, and then pull it apart with two forks to make tacos, or add to beans to make chili, toss with Korean BBQ sauce - the possibilities are endless.

A chicken could last a whole week, in various different preparations. Throw the bones in the instant pot, with onion skins, veggie peels, and other little bits that you've saved up in the freezer. You will have amazing broth, with all the calcium and vitamins in it. This is perfect for when someone catches a winter cold.
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ImmaBubby




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Oct 07 2020, 10:22 am
Hate to say it but it was a diagnosis of being pre-diabetic (never had issues before) that had me go cold turkey on white sugar and white flour. I lost 10% of my body weight following the Sugarbusters diet and I felt great.
I never had the problem again.
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amother
Burlywood


 

Post Wed, Oct 07 2020, 10:35 am
Tons of water.

Tiny meals. Every time you get hungry.
(Don’t starve yourself)
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amother
Jade


 

Post Wed, Oct 07 2020, 10:45 am
Invisalign
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Lets_Eat_Pie




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Oct 07 2020, 11:07 am
Have healthy (not cream based) soup before every meal - you'll feel fuller and will eat less. Join a CSA or local farm share if there's one in your area for a steady supply of fruits + veggies. Frozen fruits and veggies are generally much less expensive then fresh, but pretty good quality. Drink lots of water - I love tea and have probably 4-5 cups of herbal or fruit tea a day. Give yourself small (non-food!) rewards for hitting small goals - I get myself a new book every time I lose five pounds. Try to pre-plan meals as much as possible so you're not scrambling at the last minute.
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amother
Ivory


 

Post Wed, Oct 07 2020, 11:28 am
What helps me is just keeping lots of fresh (& frozen) produce in the house. I usually just buy whatever veggies/fruits are on sale. I have an extra freezer & keep it stocked with frozen fruits & veggies. I like to keep veggies& fruits that are easy to snack on (& check), like carrot sticks, celery, bell pepper slices, cucumber slices... etc. veggies are great to snack on when I’m working in front of the computer. If I have the food already in the fridge, then I’m more likely to eat it.

Also, Veggies that come frozen are great. You can get stuff like frozen peas, green beans, carrots...etc that don’t require kosher certification & can be bought inexpensively. Just microwave the bag from frozen in the microwave and you have a quick side for a meal in minutes. Since the pandemic started I have been buying a lot more frozen veggies since I don’t go to the store as often these days.

Also, I’m trying to make it a point to regularly have a large plate of veggies every day. I just take smaller portions of whatever we’re having for dinner (ie pasta, pizza, chicken, meat... etc) & then just fill up the rest of the plate with veggies.

Also, lately I have been doing lots of soup in my mini crock pot for lunch, since I’m currently working remotely from home. When whatever veggies I have are looking sad I just toss in the crock pot with some spices, soy sauce... etc and cook for a few hrs. Sometimes I’ll add in some egg, quinoa, pasta... . Makes for an easy, quick, healthy lunch.
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amother
Brown


 

Post Wed, Oct 07 2020, 11:32 am
amother [ Ivory ] wrote:
What helps me is just keeping lots of fresh (& frozen) produce in the house. I usually just buy whatever veggies/fruits are on sale. I have an extra freezer & keep it stocked with frozen fruits & veggies. I like to keep veggies& fruits that are easy to snack on (& check), like carrot sticks, celery, bell pepper slices, cucumber slices... etc. veggies are great to snack on when I’m working in front of the computer. If I have the food already in the fridge, then I’m more likely to eat it.

Also, Veggies that come frozen are great. You can get stuff like frozen peas, green beans, carrots...etc that don’t require kosher certification & can be bought inexpensively. Just microwave the bag from frozen in the microwave and you have a quick side for a meal in minutes. Since the pandemic started I have been buying a lot more frozen veggies since I don’t go to the store as often these days.

Also, I’m trying to make it a point to regularly have a large plate of veggies every day. I just take smaller portions of whatever we’re having for dinner (ie pasta, pizza, chicken, meat... etc) & then just fill up the rest of the plate with veggies.

Also, lately I have been doing lots of soup in my mini crock pot for lunch, since I’m currently working remotely from home. When whatever veggies I have are looking sad I just toss in the crock pot with some spices, soy sauce... etc and cook for a few hrs. Sometimes I’ll add in some egg, quinoa, pasta... . Makes for an easy, quick, healthy lunch.


What about incorporating a daily smoothie into your routine, say for breakfast.
There are so many healthy ingredients you can smack in, ie tahini, chia seeds, berries, frozen prechecked greens etc...
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amother
Aubergine


 

Post Wed, Oct 07 2020, 11:37 am
This is not a popular answer, but it's true: money. Healthy food is expensive, and even if you can afford it, it's sometimes hard to actually spend that much.
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amother
Fuchsia


 

Post Wed, Oct 07 2020, 12:15 pm
Not wanting to gain weight and more of it just because I'm menopausal. Dramatically cut down on white starches and all sugars.
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amother
Cerise


 

Post Wed, Oct 07 2020, 12:50 pm
I find spicy food fills me up faster, so I dump salsa on everything basically. That way I eat smaller meals and am still full.
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amother
Goldenrod


 

Post Wed, Oct 07 2020, 2:09 pm
My child developing an autoimmune disorder and me realizing how much diet affects overall health. Learning and understanding it on a scientific level, and seeing it before my eyes.

Really truly tuning in to how awful I feel when I eat poorly and how much better I feel when I eat well.

Not bringing certain types of food into the house. I can still make better or worse decisions but some things will just not be available.

Yes, the prices are hard to swallow. But it’s enough of a priority that it’s just how we shop.
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Bitachon123




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Oct 07 2020, 2:19 pm
amother [ Goldenrod ] wrote:
My child developing an autoimmune disorder and me realizing how much diet affects overall health. Learning and understanding it on a scientific level, and seeing it before my eyes.

Really truly tuning in to how awful I feel when I eat poorly and how much better I feel when I eat well.

Not bringing certain types of food into the house. I can still make better or worse decisions but some things will just not be available.

Yes, the prices are hard to swallow. But it’s enough of a priority that it’s just how we shop.



100% relate to this!! Especially the part about understanding health on a scientific level. Once you gain that insight, it's so much easier to prioritize healthy foods and fit them into the budget.
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