Barriers to Healthy Diets -- Removing them is not as hard as you think

Barriers to healthy diets are placed into four broad categories:

External Barriers

Psychological Barriers

Physical Barriers

Dieting Barriers

This article examines only the most difficult barriers in each category. Let's remove the barriers to healthy diets...but first, "What is a Healthy Diet?"

What is a Healthy Diet?

A healthy diet provides the recommended daily allowance for vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Any diet that fails to meet the minimum daily allowance for any nutrient is unhealthy. Of course, providing the daily allowance for all nutrients is next to impossible given the poor nutritional value of today's diets.

We eat on average 1.5 meals a day (not even close to the suggested 5-6 meals). The one meal we manage to eat is usually late in the evening, high in calories, high in fat, and is missing Group I Foods (fresh vegetables and fruit).

The majority of young men between the ages of 20-25 eat only 2 servings of fruit and 1 serving of fresh vegetables throughout the week! The next generation is nutritionally starved.

A healthy diet is quite simple and easy to follow. Here are the steps to eating a healthy diet:

Eat 5-6 meals a day.

Every meal should have a serving of lean protein, complex carbohydrate, and unlimited amounts of Group I Foods.

Eat approximately 40-50% protein, 30-40% complex carbohydrates, and 30% fat everyday. Limit sugars, saturated fats, and trans-fatty-acids.

Maintain a slightly negative energy balance or perfectly balance it. How do you accomplish this? Read the next few steps!

Calculate your energy output everyday. Energy output is the Resting Metabolic Rate plus the number of calories burned through physical activity.

Subtract your energy output from your energy input -- the number of calories you eat a day. The result is the remaining total energy and it determines your energy balance.

If the result is a positive number, you have a Positive Energy Balance. Simply, cut back on the amount you eat.

If the result is negative, you have a Negative Energy Balance. Increase the amount you eat.

Make adjustments to energy input (the number of calories you eat a day) so that you'll remain with a slightly negative energy balance.

Some weight loss experts advocate a strong negative energy balance at baseline. In theory, this makes sense but in practice it's associated with weight regain.

I believe that energy should be balanced or slightly negative at baseline. The closer to a balanced energy state, the better the chance for avoiding weight regain and maintaining your ideal weight for a longer period of time.

Do not cut back, slow down, or stop exercising. If adjustments need to be made, it's better to make dietary changes than to make changes to your exercise plan.

A healthy diet is simple to follow. Eat fewer calories, exercise, and make dietary adjustments as needed. No pills, supplements, acupuncture, magnets, or magic minerals are needed. Just a calculator.

Removing External Barriers to Healthy Diets

Two difficult external barriers are peer pressure and time. Our friends and family influence our lives more than we like to admit. They affect our decisions, choices, moods, behavior, and weight.

During medical school, I worked in a weight loss clinic to make some money. I will never forget the level of influence a spouse or friend could have on a patient. Several times, I saw first hand someone, other than the patient, make the dieting decisions.

At this level of influence, our peer groups can make a big impact on eating a healthy diet. Just keep this influence thing in mind. OR, should I say, "Keep it in mind only if you have TIME."

Time is another rarely acknowledged external barrier to healthy diets. We live in world that seems to lose time. The normal 24 hour day feels more like 15 hours. All we do is rush from one event or appointment to the next. Eating a healthy diet is next to impossible.

Please, slow down. Who knows, by slowing down we might actually pay attention to the important things in our lives. I find that the more I rush the less I get done. And what I do finish, really isn't all that important.

Be serious about eating a healthy diet and slow down.

Removing Dieting Barriers to Healthy Diets

About two to three decades ago, while watching repeats on TV, Americans changed their diets and started eating lots of fat and processed foods. We have suffered ever since.

Eating lots of fat created a macronutrient imbalance and has clogged our arteries. Then we fell in love with processed foods. This love affair drained all of the vitamins and minerals from our bodies and resulted in a micronutrient deficiency.

Until we restore things to the pre-TV Dinner diet, we will continue to suffer heart attacks and weight gain.

It's really crazy...we stuff ourselves with heavy fat and then starve for vitamins and minerals.

Removing Physical Barriers to Healthy Diets

Physically, our lack of exercise is the greatest barrier to healthy diets. Start exercising! Walk. Jog. Swim. Lift weights. Sweat. Move. Breath. Live.

Removing Psychological Barriers to Healthy Diets

The mind can be tough to control, especially when it comes to hunger. But what can help is changing your food perspective. Where do you place food in your life? To help you through this important change in perspective, check out...Weight Loss Psychology

Conclusion

Watch the influences in your life, slow down, reduce fat, eat raw vegetables and fruit, exercise, and change your food perspective.

Once you've done all that, then you can focus on eating a healthy diet. I think we need to get back the 24 hour day, what do you think?

To Healthy Living!

Michael A. Smith, MD
Chief Medical Consultant
Diet Basics Website

Dr. Smith is the Chief Medical Consultant for the Diet Basics Website, a content rich weight loss website dedicated to all dieters. Visit his site and check out his Diet Basics News Blog and RSS Feed. Hundreds of E-Zines and Websites have already tapped into this incredible free source of weight loss information. Don't miss out!

---

Drinking Green Tea May Help You Lose Weight

Green Tea Also Has Anticancer PropertiesGreen tea, which has been... Read More

4 Tips for Fast Fat Loss Part II

Fat Loss Tip #2) Drink More WaterI know, I know,... Read More

Conspiracy Foods, The Inside Story about the Mass Produced Foods that are Making Society Sick

Food manufacturers can easily manipulate a whole population by the... Read More

Understanding the Glycemic Index

Things get so confusing when it comes to understanding what... Read More

Turn Off the Fat Genes - A Book Review

Once in a while a good title comes along and... Read More

The Mental Game Of Weight Loss

Many of us have tried losing weight in the past... Read More

Saint Valentine Never Had it So Good

There are several theories on the origins of Valentine's Day.... Read More

Self-Sabotage Snacking After Gastric Bypass Surgery: Why Do We Do It?

LivingAfterWLS reader feedback indicates snacking is the single biggest problem... Read More

Weight Loss and Diet Programs - The Real Skinny on What Works Best!

Have you ever wondered with all the weight loss programs... Read More

Savoring Moments Through Mindful Eating

We all eat. But how mindful are we of every... Read More

The Public Stoning of Gastric Bypass Patients: When Things Get Ugly

Recently a woman went public in her online diet community... Read More

Weight Loss with Non Fat Foods? More is NOT Better!

Studies show that most Americans are fifteen percent fatter today... Read More

Weight Loss: Where to find Hidden Calories

If you have been eating as usual and the pounds... Read More

New Hope for Attaining--and Maintaining--A Healthy Body Weight

The percentage of Americans who are overweight and obese is... Read More

Empower Your Shopping Experience

Healthy living begins with healthy eating and healthy eating begins... Read More

5 Simple Steps to Start Your Weight Loss Program

Remember there's more to you than meets the eye. You've... Read More

Law of Attraction Resolves Diet Controversy

Who'd have thought healthy eating could be so controversial? Lunching... Read More

Dietary Weapons of Mass Distraction (WMD)

As hoards of low-carb proponents invade the nutritional landscape, the... Read More

Dieting? You Must Reset Your Weight-o-stat

You need to reset your weight-o-stat. No matter how much... Read More

Summer Dieting Tips

Cut the Calories, Bring Out the BikiniSummer's almost here and... Read More

Gastric Bypass Surgery ? How Fast Will I Lose The Weight?

The gastric bypass procedure isn't for everyone, but those who've... Read More

Weight Loss Issues - Can You Be Cellulite Free?

One thing I really must say at the outset of... Read More

Maintaining Your Weight Loss Momentum Away On Vacation

Going away for your holidays will also bring with it... Read More

At The Dinner Table

This Article was originally Published in The July 2004 Issue... Read More

Atkins Bankruptcy: Your New Decisions To A Healthy Life!

Atkins Nutritionals filed for bankruptcy at the beginning of August... Read More

Lose the Weight for GOOD ? Nothing to Lose or EVERYTHING to Lose?

Some of you will not like what I'm going to... Read More

Resolve + Enthusiasm = Power

Think for a moment about the highest mountain you ever... Read More

Look On Aisle 5

Have you ever stopped to calculate how much time you... Read More

Before & After: A New Look at New Years Resolutions

Have you seen the ditty below that's roaming the Internet... Read More

Take Anything... Just Leave My Coffee Alone!

The pursuit of a healthier me (or you) shouldn't involve... Read More

Slimming Solutions

Here are 5 solutions to slimming:1. Set Mini-Goals: Try setting... Read More

Weight Loss Problems? Are You on the Path of Delusion, Depression, and Destruction?

Are you weighted down with delusion, depression and on the... Read More

Obesity is Big Business

Obesity and overweight, weight reduction and weight management therapies, miracle... Read More