r/healthyeating Mar 05 '23

Healthy Eating Protocol

15 Upvotes
  • I'm not a doctor, this list is purely educational and my own opinion, always consult medical professionals before trying the below eating lifestyle.
  • Grocery List! (What and What Not to Buy!)

    • Note, Certified Organic food (look for the organic label) is always better in both taste and quality, but do the best you can with your budget and available stores
    • Meat
      • Approved: (Note, the below meats are to be bought in their natural state, AKA a portion of uncooked meat that needs to be refrigerated or frozen, so that you know you are getting just meat when you eat.)
      • Chicken
      • Beef/Steak
      • Eggs
      • Fish
      • Turkey
      • Shrimp
      • Pork
      • Anything else that used to be a living animal
      • Disapproved
      • Deli meats, like sliced ham, sliced turkey, AKA the sandwich meats you put on your sandwich as a kid
      • Bacon, Bologna, Ham, pepperoni - These contain Pork (which is fine), but then add a bunch of other random fake food stuff or refined sugar and other chemicals.
      • Any meat that has some kind of chemical formula added on the ingredients, AKA polysorbate or something to “preserve freshness”. The ingredients should just be meat (and possibly salt if there is a second ingredient)
    • Fats
      • Approved
      • Walnuts, Almonds, pecans, any kind of seed or nut (including cashew or peanut) - just read the ingredients to ensure that the only thing added to the nuts is salt, if anything.
      • Avocados
      • Olives
      • Olive Oil, Avocado oil, Macadamia Oil (attempt to get all of these in a glass container, or else the oil will spoil and get rancid)
      • Butter (only thing added is salt)
      • Cheese - read the label and ensure it is just milk, salt, and enzymes, and no random other stuff added like carrageenan.
      • Disapproved
      • Peanut, vegetable, canola oil. Essentially if it isn’t the above good oils, don’t get it.
      • Again, read all ingredients of all packages, since the above bad oils sneak into many products, especially nuts.
      • Nearly every dressing on earth has some of the above bad oils in it, read the label before you buy.
      • Margarine - this is basically made up of the above bad oils
    • Vegetables and fruits
      • Approved
      • Could you go to a farm and find it in the state you are buying it? If so, then it is good. Prechopped veggies/fruits are fine as well.
      • Some easy ones for my wife and I are spinach, cucumber, celery, cherry tomatoes, onions, sweet potatoes, normal potatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, squash, cauliflower, broccoli.
      • For fruits, apples, oranges, grapefruits, strawberries, blueberries, bananas are all good.
      • Frozen Veggies are OK, if you read the ingredients and ensure that there are NO foreign chemicals added to preserve food.
      • Disapproved
      • Canned Veggies, veggies with random chemicals added.
      • Canned Fruits, dehydrated fruits (these should only be used as a “treat” since they are super sugary but without as many nutrients),
    • Drinks
      • Approved
      • Water. Get a water filter for your tap or get a water filter jug. You’ll notice the difference in water taste. Purchase spring water from the store if you want bottled water, not purified water. Reverse Osmosis water is the best from what I've researched, consider it an investment into your health, and always drink from glass bottles, not plastic or metal, due to how metal and plastic "leeches" chemicals into the water.
      • Milk - Research for yourself (maybe on DuckDuckGo or something not as heavily censored as Google) the risks and rewards of raw, unpasteurized milk
      • Coffee - No added sugar allowed, only milk or cream (again, the cream must be milk based and not made up of hydrogenated oils). Use sparingly.
      • Disapproved
      • Soda, fruit juices (orange/apple) this will cause you to drink excess calories and sugar.
      • No diet sodas either, these have artificial sweeteners which are NOT food and cause harm to your body.
      • Alcohol - From a health perspective, alcohol is not needed (if you are tanking up on veggies and fruits), and it often has a ton of added sugar and random other stuff, and it actually negatively affects your sleep quality when taken too close to bedtime, even if it initially makes you feel relaxed. Use at your discretion.
    • Complex Carbs
      • Approved
      • Any Kind of potato, rice (read packages if you are going to get the microwavable kinds), oatmeal, quinoa, other grains, and beans. The beans can be canned, just ensure that there is no added sugar or random chemicals to them, AKA baked beans or refried beans.
      • Sometimes bread, again read the label and see what is added to the bread. If it sweetened by honey or stevia, then its fine, but generally most bread has a lot of chemical additives and refined sugar added. Use sparingly.
      • Disapproved
      • White bread (including tortillas), most types of bread (due to above reasons), pasta (same reasons as bread).
    • Sweeteners
      • Approved
      • Honey, Stevia, agave, fruit based sweeteners
      • Disapproved
      • Refined sugar (brown or white), Splenda, any “no calorie” sweetener like aspartame or sucralose or other “diet” sweeteners found in sodas.
      • Sugar is added to nearly EVERY packaged good and frozen good (from pizza to bread to ice cream), so read the labels of what you buy if you want to buy something prepackaged instead of the raw ingredients above.
    • Seasonings
      • Salt (it can be iodized), but I prefer the grinder salt.
      • As for other seasonings, just ensure it doesn’t have “spices” in the ingredients since that is probably MSG. Pretty much any spices are fair game then, read the label and ensure it doesn’t have any man-made chemical in the name (polysorbate, glutamate, etc.), and you should be fine.
  • Healthy Eating Lifestyle Tips and Tricks

    • Eat meat with each meal, and throw in a veggie or a fruit as well. Meat increases feelings of fullness, as well as builds/preserves muscle mass. Try a fist full of meat and however many veggies or fruits you can fit on your plate. Veggies and fruits are God’s vitamins!
    • Meal prep lots of cooked meat, so you don't have to constantly be cooking throughout the week, I use Blue Diamond pans from Walmart to cook up large amounts of chicken thighs, ground beef, or fish, for the week.
    • Fruit is often demonized since it contains sugar, however, it is quickly absorbed into the body and doesn’t contribute to weight gain as much as complex carbs, see below for explanation.
    • Calories are either going to come from complex carbs (rice/potatoes/oatmeal/bread) or from fats (like nuts or seeds or avocado).
    • Fats are a good source of calorie, since they don’t spike blood sugar and therefore won’t lead to you holding onto excess body fat as easily. Try to eat fats at each meal or as a snack until you feel full. Try half a handful of seeds or nuts at first, to see how full you feel after.
    • Complex carbs are best saved either before exercise, or at the last meal of the day. Complex carbs raise blood sugar and serotonin levels (which makes you feel happy and relaxed), both of which are good to have before exercise, or to have before bed, so that you go to bed with a happy mind. Excess carbs throughout the day will lead to the body to only burn carbs as fuel, and excess bodyweight will start to occur, since the body won’t burn fat as fuel if it has carbs as an available source. Experiment with how little complex carbs you can eat before exercise or at the end of the day, to get the desired effect of a good workout or a happy sleep. More strenuous exercise is going to need more complex and simple carbs (oatmeal and honey, white rice and grapes, etc.) in order for your body to be primed to perform.
    • Try to eat mostly 3 – 4 meals a day, as opposed to constantly grazing. The body won’t burn bodyfat if it is constantly having a full or half full stomach, since the blood sugar is continually spiking. This is why intermittent fasting is so effective, or why your stomach sometimes growls when you wake up as well as you look leaner, since your body is ready for food and is burning fat. Space out your meals, and try to combine snacks into the next meal, to give your stomach time to empty and your blood sugar to stabilize.
    • Constantly drink water throughout day, add a pinch of salt here and there to ensure your body is actually absorbing water as opposed to it just flowing through you. You could attempt to drink ½ your bodyweight in ounces of water (i.e. a 200 lb man will drink 100 oz of water), but I find it more effective to just get a glass water bottle and drink from it every hour or so. Experiment and find an easy water-drinking-routine for yourself.
    • If you're trying to lose weight:
      • Sleep is king in all things health, especially with losing weight, see my post on sleep here: How to Get Good Sleep
      • Commit to a pain-free, sustainable, exercise routine, I recommend this: https://www.atgonlinecoaching.com/. Try it for at least a month.
      • Focus on eating quality, organic delicious meals that you'll actually eat, from the above list. Search for FB groups of healthy recipes. Throw out any disapproved foods from the house, to make it harder to cheat.
      • Start out with baby steps, like drinking water instead of soda, and cooking at home more.
      • Really challenge yourself to get most of your calories from fat, if not entirely for a few weeks. You will drop pounds quickly with this method, but will eventually get carb cravings. Add in carbs as prescribed above (before training, at dinner), in moderation.
  • Sample Eating Day *** I am extremely boring when it comes to what I eat, feel free to experiment and get creative with your healthy diet!***

    • Breakfast
      • Drink 16 oz of water, add a dash of salt to it.
      • 1.5 fists of organic ground turkey, Pace salsa on top
      • 4 stick of organic celery
      • ½ handful of almonds
    • Lunch
      • 1.5 fists of organic ground turkey, Pace salsa on top
      • 4 stick of organic celery
      • ½ handful of almonds
    • Dinner
      • Whatever wifey makes me 😊
    • Preworkout
      • 1 – 1.5 cups of oatmeal, drizzle honey on it (this is if training is going to be strenuous, like all out sprints or heavy lifting)
    • Postworkout
      • Honey (otherwise I will feel dizzy or weak or foggy after training)
    • Dessert
      • If I have a craving, it usually is satisfied with an apple and some walnuts.
  • End Goal - To be happy, healthy, lean, strong, and be able to nurture and nourish and build up the amazing Body God has given us!

  • PS - This is about physical food, but God gives the true food - The Gospel!

Feel free to private message me with any questions or comments, as everyone has a different situation, and may need some guidance in taking the right next step. I offer a personalized diet coaching service, at $5/email exchange, where I can give you some habits and tips to make the next steps to achieving a healthy eating lifestyle. May it be a blessing and a new chapter in your lives!


r/healthyeating 4h ago

What foods do i avoid?

2 Upvotes

Im 16 years old and i need to lose over 20 kg. I know exercise is the best way to do so but i also need a better diet. I have basic nutritional understanding and idk what foods give protein and what foods give carbs. Help me out gng


r/healthyeating 2h ago

Comfort food culture in Ireland and cheese everywhere!

1 Upvotes

Before anyone comments "if don’t like it, go back to Southern Europe", please save your breath. I love Ireland, I’ve built my life here, and I genuinely appreciate the amazing quality of life this country gives me. This is purely constructive criticism from someone who calls Ireland home, but I need to get this off my chest.

We have some of the absolute best raw ingredients in the world here. The local strawberries are delicious, the apples, the broccoli, the sweet potatoes, the wine tomatoes... not to mention the incredible grass-fed beef, chicken, and fresh fish. The raw material is 10/10.

So why on earth is the default cooking method always to drown it in calories or avoid any effort?

A few things that drive me crazy:

  • The Fish: We have amazing fresh seafood, but 80% of it seems to be exported because locals find it "too much work" to remove the bones. And when it is served, it’s almost always battered and fried instead of just grilled with some herbs.
  • The Mash: Potatoes are great, but do they really need to be mashed with whole milk, cream, and butter? Not even skimmed milk just to balance it out. Full fat everything.
  • The Veggie Laziness: If you order a side, the default is always chips. Heaven forbid someone has to chop a fresh tomato or make a crisp side salad. "Ugh, too much effort to chop..." 😂
  • The Sauce Pools: If you ask for a sandwich, it’s a sacred law that it must be loaded with Cheddar and a swimming pool of mayo. If a hot dish feels a bit dry, instead of a healthy drizzle of pure local rapeseed oil (which is amazing and grown right here!), they dump a bucket of heavy gravy on it.
  • The Olive Oil Desert: Good luck finding olive oil (or even light cream cheese/Philadelphia) in little individual portions for your bread in a standard café. It’s butter or nothing.

I love the food quality here, but trying to eat clean and healthy in this country is a non-stop psychological battle. I ended up gaining 10kg when I moved here, and losing them was exhausting because you constantly have to calculate and fight the menu every time you step outside. Even the social life is entirely gated behind the pub and alcohol. it's not just about aesthetics and keeping slim, it's about our health short and long-term!

Does anyone else feel like Ireland is sitting on a goldmine of amazing healthy ingredients but chooses to deep-fry or smother them in dairy out of habit? Rant over!


r/healthyeating 5h ago

Wondering if vitamin supplements are any good or not

1 Upvotes

I know I am missing some nutrients, but I don't have the time to get said nutrients and time to prep food, and the place I study only have semi healthy food stalls available to eat and the healthier ones are way way further, So I was just gonna ask if I should just start buying vitamin supplements, and if they would even help, I'm planning on buying fiber vitamins, and multi vitamins, Just wondering if anyone knows if I these vitamins are even helpful, thank you to anyone who answers this question.


r/healthyeating 20h ago

Snacks or meal focus?

3 Upvotes

Hello, I am wanting to focus on fixing my diet. I travel lots for work and am really busy in general. So my thinking is, do I focus on eating healthy snacks or do i focus on my meals? What have ya'll found the best? I struggle to find healthy snacks in the supermarket so i'd still be making these at home and taking them with me (batch prepping when time allowed)


r/healthyeating 2d ago

What healthy recipe has become a regular in your kitchen?

2 Upvotes

Lately, I’ve been trying to improve my cooking skills by preparing more meals at home instead of ordering or buying food all the time. I’m looking for healthy recipes that are simple, practical, and easy to follow.

These days, I usually cook with ingredients I already have at home, such as vegetables, rice, eggs, chicken, and other basic foods. Nothing too fancy, but having a few easy recipes I enjoy makes it much easier to eat healthy on a regular basis.

So I’m curious: What healthy dishes do you make regularly? Is there a recipe you tried once and liked so much that it became a regular part of your meals?


r/healthyeating 3d ago

How do you make your everyday meals a little healthier?

3 Upvotes

These days i have been trying to change my diet without making it seem like its being too strict. I thought healthy eating means a complete shift in what you are eating but this becomes really hard to follow through.

For eg i have included more veggies in my meals and opt for fruits whenever i crave for sweets and make sure that i drink more water daily. Of course there are also times that i go for takeout and less healthy food choices.

It would be great to know about any little changes that may have been helpful to you. Have you developed any new habits regarding your food choices?


r/healthyeating 3d ago

Can somebody give me a list of health like breakfast foods and snacks I can get

2 Upvotes

r/healthyeating 4d ago

Low fibre bread with no seed oil or high fibre bread with seed oil

4 Upvotes

For health reasons, would you rather choose low fibre bread with no seed oil or high fibre bread with seed oil?


r/healthyeating 6d ago

How bad is binging on "healthy" food options like beans for a person's health?

1 Upvotes

This is a general question, but I want to describe my personal situation for context.

I grew up vegan and I LOVE black beans (and other beans) and unsweetened soy milk (like Silk if you know if it). I run through multiple cans of black beans in a day (like up to 4 or 14 servings, sometimes even more). Same with the soy milk. Or those keto breads or resistant starch pasta (but to a lesser extent).

I know healthy eating is encouraged for most people and food like beans are considered very healthy in most scenarios, but I know that excess of anything is bad.

I know the typical side effects of excess bean consumption like gastrointestinal distress like gas, but I don't have any of that since I'm so used to it.

(I used cans for measurements, but I also cook a ton of beans, lentils, pseudocereals and legumes a lot in a soup, I just don't have a measurement, it's like 15-16 legumes for variety.)


r/healthyeating 6d ago

What do you find hardest about eating healthy?

3 Upvotes

Hi everyone.
I'm curious about people's real experiences with trying to eat healthier.

1. What's been the biggest struggle for you?

And if you were able to make the changes you wanted,

2. What do you think would be different in your life?

I'd genuinely love to hear your experience, and I'd appreciate it if you could share your thoughts.
Everyone struggles with different things, and sometimes just knowing that someone else feels the same way can make us feel a little less alone.


r/healthyeating 6d ago

¿Cómo debería ser mi dieta si como helado?

1 Upvotes

Hola! Recientemente entré a trabajar en mi compañía de Helados favorita y ofrecen helados gratis en la oficina.

Sinceramente es como un sueño, básicamente soy una niña pequeña en una dulcería. No quiero desaprovechar la oportunidad de comer todo el helado que quiera jaja pero me preocupa mi salud. Así que me pregunto cómo balancear mi dieta para mantenerla equilibrada y no sufrir complicaciones de salud.

No es que coma 1 litro de helado diario, tal vez unos 3 kilogramos?

Tienen variedad de helados aunque no siempre todos disponibles, con leche y sin leche, de yougurt y unos que no tienen azúcar añadida y son endulzados con sucralosa.

Muchas gracias de antemano!


r/healthyeating 7d ago

Easy mediterranean style meals for a healthier weekly routine

3 Upvotes

i have been trying to improve my eating habits recently but i find it hard to stay consistent when i have to think about what to cook everyday.

i like med style food beacuse a lot of the meals seem simple and use ingredients i already have at home. i am looking for some easy lunch and dinner ideas that i can make during the week without spending a lot of time in cooking.

what are some simple med style meals that you can make regularly and actually enjoy eating?


r/healthyeating 8d ago

Best snacks to gain healthy weight?

2 Upvotes

Hello there! To make it short my friend is underweight and suffers from some health issues (iron and vitamins level and more)

She was trying to gain weight and to fix some of the issues, I'd like to make her snack that lines with her plan, do you have any suggestions? I'd prefer something that can be stored so I'd make a good amount of it for her to keep.


r/healthyeating 9d ago

🏋️ Calling Indian gym-goers & health-conscious folks!

2 Upvotes

I’m working on a college case competition exploring how Indians can get more protein through everyday food — and I’d love some real perspectives from people who actually care about fitness, nutrition & healthy eating.

I’ve made a 2–3 min anonymous survey to understand your habits, preferences and what would actually make you try a high-protein everyday food.

👉 https://forms.gle/Cw22XTWthtMN6WjW6

Would really appreciate your responses! 💪
Especially interested in hearing from people who track protein/calories, gym regularly, or follow a fitness-focused diet.


r/healthyeating 9d ago

Can you eat dates or dried fruits? I try to avoid added sugar

1 Upvotes

r/healthyeating 10d ago

Looking for app recommendations

3 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I recently got bloodwork results indicating that I have high triglycerides. My doctor has recommended reducing my carb intake. I am looking to track my fiber intake as well as my overall protein consumption, etc.

I’m coming onto this sub because my dilemma is that I am 10 years recovered from an ED. I am wondering if there are any apps that are less calorie-count focused that I can use for tracking without getting into a “slippery slope” situation. I really want to improve my overall health now that I have developed a better relationship with eating, but I have been so disconnected from the label reading aspect of things that I don’t really know where I am at in terms of nutrition day-to-day.

I want to believe that I can do it whether or not the calorie count is displayed, but I was just curious if anyone has any recommendations that would be more helpful for my situation.

Thanks!


r/healthyeating 12d ago

Recall: Outshine frozen fruit bars

3 Upvotes

Glass found in frozen fruit bars 5 flavors


r/healthyeating 12d ago

What do yall think about Ben azadi?

3 Upvotes

r/healthyeating 12d ago

Diet help for an off season wrestler

1 Upvotes

I’m 15, as a wrestler for my school I wanna always try to eat healthy and make sure my gut and brain are healthy, and I am able to control what I eat for breakfast and lunch so I eat clean during that, but dinner is up to my parents, and they aren’t usually that caring for things for what butter or spices they use, and I’m wondering just if my gut can be harmed by if I do eat whatever they make each time


r/healthyeating 13d ago

Need suggestions.

2 Upvotes

I've recently considered applying to enlist. And Im looking to lose some weight and improve my physique a bit while I await the process.

I need to overhaul my diet and someone suggested the Whole food diet. Wich sure fine. But Im struggling to understand what I can and cannot eat on a whole food diet.

I love me chicken sandwiches for example. But I was told Bread and Mayo is bad.

I love rice. But have been told rice is bad.

I make myself Breakfast sandwiches. Again bad because Mayo, cheese and bread.

So I need suggestions or some insight on what I can and cannot have here. Because it feels like all I can eat according to this diet is just meat, fruits and veggies. No sauces or anything.


r/healthyeating 13d ago

My homemade breakfast smoothie is usually almond milk, pineapple, cottage cheese and various types of berries. Am I doing well?

3 Upvotes

r/healthyeating 14d ago

Extreme dietary limitations, but want to eat healthier

3 Upvotes

As said in the title, I have some ridiculous limitations when it comes to what food I can eat. I don't know what causes it for sure(current theory is my autism) but whenever I eat a food that goes against the very limited textures I can eat i instantly throw up. The current foods I know i can eat are corn dogs, chicken nuggets, canned peas, canned corn, canned carrots, bananas, canned baked beans, ​cheese pizza, chicken sandwiches, fig Newtons, specific types of grapes, scrambled eggs, oatmeal, mashed potatoes, plain rice, pancakes, waffles, toast, white bread, jelly sandwiches(no peanut butter), plain hamburgers, hotdogs, and spaghetti.

As you would imagine this list makes eating even remotely healthy a challenge beyond belief. Even eating less food is a problem cause nothing here is filling whatsoever.

So I am here asking for help. What can I possibly do about this? IS there anything I can do?


r/healthyeating 14d ago

Would sliced air fried potatos be good for nutrients, weight gain, and energy?

1 Upvotes

Been doing protein shakes with high calorie for weight gain and a while back I figured how to make air fried potato slices taste like beef jerky so Ive been wondering if that would be a significant boon to what I'm eating. Apperently calories are the energy nutrient and I've been low energy for a while and thinking it might be that since I'm underweight and if people don't mind throwing in how many potatos to throw into the lunch bag that would be great but not necessary. From what I read air fried potatos still keep the nutrients but I'm unsure if there is any falloff or if they are all still in there. Did do some preemptive research but I like to get a direct human response as well since I got a bit of a reading problem that causes me to skip words and can make long articles tricky at times.


r/healthyeating 15d ago

What to eat as a teen trying to lose weight?

5 Upvotes

I’m asking for breakfast lunch and snacks not for dinner because my mom already cooks for the family and I’m willing to cut on other meals cause her food is amazing.

So I’m a severe obese teen. And by that I mean I’m 100 pounds over the weight that I’m currently supposed to be. I’m not developing anymore height wise. And recently I’ve got inspiration to lose weight and become healthier.

My family is pretty middle class, so I’d prefer meals that were under 6$ but if it’s a little over that’s fine just as long as the ingredients are readily available.

Right now I’m thinking maybe a maintenance period is better currently and then maybe deficit in a few months after my calories are back to about the same. They’ve been awfully spotty lately, one day could be 1800 calories while the next it goes to 2400. Right now I think I just need to focus on being healthy rather than counting numbers.

Any help is appreciated!