First Things First!
I believe the most important revelation you can have with regard to weight loss is that food is just fuel for your body and that the word Diet literally means all the foods from which you are choosing to eat.
FOOD=FUEL
MY DIET=The foods I am willing to eat.
Whether your are choosing it consciously or not you are indeed "on a diet." The problem is that for most of us our diet is chosen by our circumstances in the moment rather than through careful, informed choice. Add to that the most common weight loss problems of over and/or under eating and it is no wonder that so many of us struggle with weight issues. Just like you put gas into your car you need to put food into your body. How much, what type and when are the factors that should considered along with this all important one...WHY?
Why am I eating what I am eating right now?
Why did I let my weight get out of control?
Why do I choose the kinds of foods I choose?
Instead of making decisions about the kind of "fuel" you put into your body based on convenience and taste you need to choose your fuel based on its quality and on the needs of your schedule, and your lifestyle. Does that mean you need to sacrifice...YES! Does that mean you need to sacrifice taste? Absolutely NOT!
I began by realizing that I knew nothing about real nutrition and chances are neither do you. Have you been basing your ideas about a healthy diet around the food pyramid? Sadly my friends even the government now understands that the old skool food pyramid was misguided. The new MyPyramid does a better job but it still has its basis in commerce and legislation more than in nutrition and science. Since I knew I knew nothing I looked for something that might challenge the old paradigms. I found a "Diet" designed for women. Why this diet? Its name ...the "Flat Belly Diet" I know...catchy right...well effective is more like it. I did a ton of research...looking up the studies the diet was based on and the scientists themselves and I believed. You can also check out "Eating Clean" which is another "diet" that I found to be exceptional in its responsiveness to todays consumer choice limits and real science.
Ultimately you cannot go wrong with this paradigm...
Anything that stands on one leg (Fruits,Vegetables,Whole Grains (minimally processed)) is a GREAT choice
Anything on two or less legs (Poultry,Fish) is a GOOD choice
Anything on 4 legs should be eaten in moderation AND you need to be concerned with what that animal was eating!
Now that is a rough...REALLY rough outline approach. Generally though the fewer people between you and the food you are considering the generally healthier that food will be. Processed foods are NOT...NOT...good for you. Processing destroys most of the useful nutritional elements in a natural food. And corn....don't even get me started. it's in everything and it is USELESS! I repeat CORN HAS NO IMPORTANT NUTRITIONAL VALUE! It will keep you alive...it will keep you moving...it will NOT enhance your health in any way, shape or form. And despite what the Corn Lobby would like you to believe High Fructose Corn Syrup and its ubiquity in all manner of processed foods is directly correlated to childhood and adult obesity rates in the US and the wider world (to a lesser extent)
