On The Table

A collection of knowledge-based articles to inspire overall wellness.

Healthy Foods and Diets: Be in the Know

Before starting a diet, be sure to educate yourself on the healthy and unhealthy foods you are accustom to.

Healthy Foods and Diets: Be in the Know

Improving your health and well being can be a big step in the right direction toward a healthy lifestyle. 

Maintaining an unhealthy weight can increase your risk of numerous life threatening diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and stroke. It can also put unnecessary pressure on your joints, muscles, bones and body.  Over time, this will lead to fatigue, lower quality of life and a decreased life expectancy. While there are numerous healthy foods and diets, there are also many unhealthy choices as well.  Let’s explore some of these first.

Unhealthy foods and diets

Unhealthy foods and diets can lead to additional weight gain, unhealthy and unsustainable weight loss, or additional health problems which could ultimately threaten your overall health.  Unhealthy foods and diets include but are not limited to:

      - Fast Food.  Chances are that your food isn’t healthy if you bought it through a drive-thru.  Fast food restaurants typically bathe their high fat and sodium foods in oil and additional salt.  This combination plus the high calorie content and limited nutritional value can spell disaster for your health.

      - GMOs.  Genetically Modified Organisms, especially corn and soy, are terrible for your health.  In simple terms, GMOs are not the same species of food produced thirty years ago.  These modifications can wreck unknown and dangerous havoc on your long term health so it’s best to avoid them.

      - Mono-diets.  Diets that are centered around a single food or food group are often dangerous and can lead to vitamin deficiencies, fatigue, weight gain and other health problems.  Although these diets may have success stories, the participants were mostly likely highly supervised and guided to avoid unnecessary health risks—but you won’t have that luxury on your own.

Healthy foods and diets

Conversely, there are many healthy foods and diets that can improve your health, increase your energy and help you lose weight.  These healthy diets are varied and with a little research, finding the perfect diet for you will not be difficult.  If used correctly, healthy foods and diets include:

      - Leafy greens and vegetables.  Spinach, kale, collard greens, broccoli, carrots, celery and other vegetables are low in calories and high in nutrients.  By eating a diet rich in these kinds of foods, you are making positive strides toward better health.

      - High protein, low carb diets.  Diets that are high in protein and low in carbs can lead to healthy, sustainable weight loss and decreased muscle loss.

      - Low fat diets.  Saturated and Trans fats are unhealthy fats that are often eaten in excess.  By reducing your intake of these fats, you are taking a positive step toward improving your health.  But remember that not all fats are unhealthy; healthy fats found in nuts and avocados are necessary components of a healthy diet and should be eaten in moderation with other healthy options.

Remember there are many healthy foods and diets and the perfect diet for you is out there.

What about a diet that saves me time AND gives me healthy food to eat?

If you’re looking for something fast and convenient without the hassle of going to the grocery store, bistroMD offers a diet delivery program that can help you develop healthy eating habits and lose weight. We don’t just tell you what to eat, although we do have many helpful articles in our Health Library; but we also deliver the food right to your door.

We cook with the freshest ingredients and have over 200 recipes and a customizable menu so you’re sure to find something to satisfy even the pickiest eater.

Every bite you take follows this proven approach for healthy weight loss. Our program provides 1,100-1,400 calories daily with 40-50% total caloric intake from lean, adequate protein, 20-25% of calories from healthy fats, and 30-35% from complex carbohydrates.

It only takes a few weeks to see results, so what are you waiting for?

We have a men and a women’s program with the option to receive five-or-seven-days’ worth of healthy meals delivered to your door. The seven day option comes with the My Night feature, your one night a week to just kick back and relax.

The two programs range from $130-$160 and EATS, our essential and tasty snacks are just $1.50 per snack. Women receive two snacks per day and men receive three snacks per day.