We should be working in our favorite meals into our daily diet – using portion control and our food data to learn how to make them lighter (if necessary). For eating right to be a habit that we keep doing forever, it has to include our favorite foods and our personal and family traditions.
Otherwise, it’s just another temporary diet that will end in regain once it is over.
I agree, it has to be a lifestyle change NOT a temporary change. However, at the same time I find that I often don’t crave those foods as much the less I eat of them. For example pizza or Oreos went from maybe once a week to maybe once a month or less. While it usually tastes good in the moment, I have been trying to focus on how I feel afterwards. Eating “healthy” (lots of vegetables/legumes in general) and exercising has actually helped me reduce or eliminate a lot of the random aches and pains that I associated with getting older. As soon as I notice myself slacking off a bit and eating more sugar or processed foods I start to feel it in my joints. Pain (or lack thereof) is really good incentive for me!
Agreed. I still eat basically everything, but the portions are smaller and the frequency of what is popularly called ‘junk food’ is relatively rare now.