“Everything in moderation” is risky advice

• An imbalance or changes in hormones
• Emotional issues (eating for comfort)
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Dehydration 

• Lower stress levels: stress promotes cravings for comfort foods.
• Drink plenty of water: Dehydration manifests itself as hunger, so when you get a craving, drink water.
• Get enough sleep: not getting enough sleep alters the hormonal balance.
• Eat enough protein.
• Avoid hunger: under-eating can make food cravings worse.

The “best” diet is a theme: an emphasis on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, and plain water for thirst. 

That can be with or without seafood; with or without dairy; with or without eggs; with or without some meat; high or low in total fat.

• Salivary response: the more a food causes you to salivate, the more it will cover your taste buds.
• Rapid food meltdown: this tells your brain that you’re not full, even though you’re eating a lot of calories.
• Calorie density. junk foods are designed to convince your brain that it is getting nutrition, but to not fill you up.
• Memories of past eating experiences: When you eat something tasty, your brain registers that feeling and will bring it up in the future.

Most people think that building better habits or changing your actions is all about willpower or motivation. But your environment has an incredible ability to shape your behavior.

Nowhere is this more true than with food.

That doesn’t mean they are made of 100% whole grains. All 3 components (endosperm, germ, and bran) of a grain must be present for it to be classified as a whole grain.

It’s made by adding bacteria to milk, which can soothe several gastrointestinal ailments. But highly sweetened yogurts are like candy in a container instead of a valuable dose of dairy.

Opt for Greek yogurt, which is thicker in texture, and also contains double the amount of protein and less sugar than most yogurts.  

Eat a sufficient amount of calories and carbohydrates to keep your body “fed” and satiated. Once you learn to recognize these signals in your own body, it becomes much easier to trust your instincts and repair unhealthy relationships with food.

Give yourself “unconditional permission to eat.”

People realize they don’t really want that food that was forbidden before; they just got caught up in society telling them they couldn’t have it.

1. Eat fewer calories than you burn every day.
2. Eat mostly real food if you want to be healthy.
3. Do those two things consistently for a decade to KEEP the weight off.

When you only eat real food and avoid all unhealthy food, you’re more likely than not going to run a caloric deficit – and thus lose weight.

• Meat – GRASS-FED, not grain-fed. 
• Fowl – Chicken, duck, hen, turkey.
• Fish – Wild fish, as mercury and other toxins can be an issue in farmed fish
• Eggs – Omega-3 enriched cage free eggs.
• Vegetables – As long as they’re not deep-fried, eat as many as you want.
• Oils – Olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil – think natural.
• Fruits – Fruits have natural sugar, and can be higher in calories, so limit if you’re trying to lose weight.
• Nuts – High in calories, so they’re good for a snack only.
• Tubers – Sweet potatoes and yams. Higher in calories and carbs.

• This effect often leads to consumers confusing “low fat” with “low calorie”, which results in the overconsumption of the former.
• When choosing between similar products with different names, consumers prefer products with healthier-sounding names.
• If you are eating at a restaurant you believe is healthy, you assume that the food choices you are making are healthy as well.
• People who think their meal is healthy are more likely to add side dishes, drinks and desserts, resulting in over twice as many additional calories.
• Items marketed by firms known as socially responsible stewards are assumed to be better and healthier products.

Happens when we overestimate the healthfulness of an item based on a single claim, such as being low in calories or low in fat.

This halo effect makes us more comfortable to eat more than we otherwise would if a product is promoted as low in fat or calories.

Chronic hunger generally indicates that your diet is imbalanced or inadequate, which can cause your body to conserve energy and resist weight loss.

Include healthy foods that boost satiety and keep you fuller longer, namely those high in lean protein (organic eggs, poultry, fish, beans and lentils), fiber (fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans, lentils), and good fat (avocado, nuts, seeds, and extra virgin olive and coconut oils). 

Trying to be "perfect" week after week typically leads to feelings of deprivation, resentment, even anger or depression, and culminates in either binge eating, or diet abandonment.

Ditch the "all or nothing" mentality. In that mindset, one small diet deviation triggers thoughts like, "Well, I blew it, I might as well go all out!" which keeps you stuck. Allow yourself small splurges in ways that reduce the chance of overeating.

A high-protein diet is essential for us to help our body grow and repair. We have been told to eat approximately 55 gm of protein daily for males, and 45 gm for females, based on average weights.

Not eating enough of protein can also have side effects like hair loss.

The protein supplement market had a valuation of USD 12.4 billion in 2016.

The way protein is packed in everything from candy bars to ‘high protein’ versions of staple products, it is becoming clear that it is an ongoing health fad. Many experts believe that products with ‘inflated protein’ are a waste of money.