What are bad foods?

By Denise Austin Lifetime

http://www.womencentral.msn.com/fitnesshealth/experts/LTVexperta.asp

Q: Are there certain foods that I must cut from my diet in order to lose weight and get healthy? Should sugar, junk food and other treats be completely off-limits?

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Simple steps to follow
• 1. You have to CHOOSE to do things to make yourself healthier.
• 2. DO those things to make yourself healthier.
• 3. Evaluate your choices:
  • if everything is fine or better, than continuing DOING step 1 & 2
  • if not choose a different option and DO step 2.

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A: My motto is: Everything in moderation. There are always problems when it comes to overdoing things and going to extremes; you can have too much of a good thing, but you can also have too little, which can lead to cravings and binges. Sugar gives you a quick high and a burst of energy, but that typically lasts for only about 10 minutes. Then, once the sugar wears off, your energy level plummets. The goal should be to keep your blood sugar at a moderate level; that means eating a healthful amount of sugar found in nutritious fruits and juices, but never overdoing it with empty sugars, such as the ones you find in candy and soda. If you're eating these bad sugars, you're simply taking in a lot of empty calories, as there's no true nutritional value in sugar. The result: You'll get an immediate high and then an eventual low, which will often leave you feeling even lower than where you started. So aim to eat more nutritious foods that will give you the natural energy you need to make it through the day.

As for other junk food, I do, in fact, eat guilty-pleasure treats, and almost every day! I eat well 80% of the time and have my naughty fix 20% of the time. So, for instance, when I get together with family and friends, I enjoy dessert with them. But I am always sure to walk for an extra 10 minutes the next day to work it off! There are, however, foods that you (and I) can really do without — in particular, anything containing partially hydrogenated oils. This unhealthful ingredient is found in many crackers, packaged baked goods and cookies. Check your labels, because it's the worst kind of fat for our bodies, with zero benefit! Other than that, keep in mind that moderation is truly the key to healthy, balanced living.