Anyone eat a "natural" diet with good results?

[bruins77437]

I eat a lot of stuff like bread, bagels, pasta, etc.. Just starchy carb sources. They fill me up but make me feel like crap. Has anyone had any luck eating a "natural" diet consisting of mostly fruits, veggies, meats, fish, nuts? Im sick of feeling like crap and need to lose around 40 lbs. I am an alcoholic who is one day sober and trying to turn my life around. A friend mentioned eating this way can help with weight loss and make me feel healthier. Any one?

[Kenshinhimora]

I eat a lot of stuff like bread, bagels, pasta, etc.. Just starchy carb sources. They fill me up but make me feel like crap. Has anyone had any luck eating a "natural" diet consisting of mostly fruits, veggies, meats, fish, nuts? Im sick of feeling like crap and need to lose around 40 lbs. I am an alcoholic who is one day sober and trying to turn my life around. A friend mentioned eating this way can help with weight loss and make me feel healthier. Any one?

I don't know anyone who is on a synthetic diet.

[bruins77437]

I don't know anyone who is on a synthetic diet.

great feedback...

[softpounder]

I'm not sure but... what is a natural diet though?

But yes, a lot of people can get good results with a natural diet as long as their micros and macros are met, and they train optimally.

[Gxp23]

great feedback...

great question, and by that i mean, retarded question.

[digistp]

I don't know anyone who is on a synthetic diet.

True story.

OP, idk of any foods that aid in weight loss. Weight loss is caused by eating fewer calories than you burn.

[WonderPug]

I think you're trying to ask if some folks consume a diet composed of whole and minimally processed foods, but I'm not really sure.

[Spells0n]

^Same thoughts,

OP: food is food, calorie is calorie, it's possible to make progress if you're eating right amount of calories, macros and micros.

[Bergivation]

I get most to all of my calories from marinated chicken, fruits, almond and peanut butter (no salt or oil added - I make my own), shredded wheat... stuff like that. I am not personally fond of eating loads of pasta and breads. If I do it is usually 100% whole wheat bagels with egg whites. My body is sensitive to heavy starchy foods and I get bogged down and lethargic if I eat like that.

A caloric deficit is your only option for losing weight. Eating foods that are considered "natural" will definitely help - as unnatural foods that you are referring to are most likely foods with a lot of additives; IE frozen pizza, enriched pasta, white breads, etc... Anything without an ingredients list is better for your body, which is why most nutrition experts advise that you walk around the outside of the grocery store and stay away from the inside aisles (for the most part).

[KobiDC]

I'm sure there are people on this planet that consume exclusively whole 'unrefined' foods with great results, just as I'm sure that there are others who consume what foods they wish, regardless of the food being processed/unprocessed - and have similar outcomes.

[BallAb0veAll]

I eat a lot of stuff like bread, bagels, pasta, etc.. Just starchy carb sources. They fill me up but make me feel like crap. Has anyone had any luck eating a "natural" diet consisting of mostly fruits, veggies, meats, fish, nuts? Im sick of feeling like crap and need to lose around 40 lbs. I am an alcoholic who is one day sober and trying to turn my life around. A friend mentioned eating this way can help with weight loss and make me feel healthier. Any one?

It always amazes me how ignorant people can be so don't even pay attention to them OP.

Personally, in the beginning of 2012 I decided to go the healthier route of eating minimal processed foods and more 'natural' foods as you called it. I can tell you that it has changed my life physically and mentally. My body feels better on a daily basis and I'm able to function much better physically. Mentally my focus is better, my mood and attitude has improved, my grades shot up and I felt happier with the control i feel i have on my happiness. Before doing this I felt just as cranky as some people on this forum and crappy as you might be feeling now.

My diet consists mainly of home cooked meals because almost anywhere you eat out at is bound to have been processed with unnatural ingredients unless advertised otherwise. I think it's very important to take pride in what you feed your body because this helps drive your motivation to develop your own cooking skills and habits. But Chicken, ground turkey, turkey breast, and eggs are some of my favorite protein sources. I eat red meat but minimize that intake. I don't eat bread, wheat, chips, or white potatoes. Plenty of beans and seeds. I juice vegetables daily and typically don't eat fruit. Amaranth, millet and quinoa are some of my favorite 20 minute meals that provide unrefined carbs and good fiber with protein. I cook with coconut oil and sometimes olive oil. I replaced table salt with pink Himalayan salt which I highly recommend you look into. Sweet potatoes over white potatoes and brown rice over white rice. Minimizing sugar has a HUGE impact on the body in my opinion. Less ups and downs and better moods. It's really important to eat vegetables though. Much better than micronutrient supplements like a multivitamin since most of them are chemically recreated in a lab.

I could go on forever but bottom line, I have made some of the greatest strides and accomplishments and I think the way ive changed my diet has contributed to that. I became more driven to be in touch with my body. I'm happier and am nicer to people too. You don't see me calling your question retarded or criticizing you.

Message me if you ever want to talk more or got questions. I recommend surfing alternative and holistic websites out on the web regarding the pros and cons of natural foods vs. the current food industry.

Good luck OP

Edit: at the end of the day it is calories in vs. calories out for weight gain. But there is plenty of in between worth paying attention to.

[KobiDC]

Personally, in the beginning of 2012 I decided to go the healthier route of eating minimal processed foods and more 'natural' foods as you called it. I can tell you that it has changed my life physically and mentally. My body feels better on a daily basis and I'm able to function much better physically. Mentally my focus is better, my mood and attitude has improved, my grades shot up and I felt happier with the control i feel i have on my happiness. Before doing this I felt just as cranky as some people on this forum and crappy as you might be feeling now.

I eat processed foods and I'm perfectly happy the majority of the time.

I suspect all these benefits that you attribute to eating exclusively whole foods are due to increased micronutrient intake (whole foods generally are more micronutrient-dense) and a placebo effect to some degree..

In all due respect, unnecessarily restricting foods isn't instantly going to improve your life. Your body does not care about the arbitrary names of foods, nor does it care whether we believe the foods are processed/unprocessed - and in some cases (whey for example), processed foods have a better nutritional profile compared to their whole food 'counterparts'. Your body however, does care about the nutrients that the food contains.

TLDR - food choices are mostly irrelevant, net energy balance and nutrient intake are what matters.

[dbanj]

I eat a lot of stuff like bread, bagels, pasta, etc.. Just starchy carb sources. They fill me up but make me feel like crap. Has anyone had any luck eating a "natural" diet consisting of mostly fruits, veggies, meats, fish, nuts? Im sick of feeling like crap and need to lose around 40 lbs. I am an alcoholic who is one day sober and trying to turn my life around. A friend mentioned eating this way can help with weight loss and make me feel healthier. Any one?

OP is just saying eating processed foods makes him feel like crap, he is asking if people feel the same way when they eat processed foods and if eating minimal/no processed foods help. how is this hard to understand?

OP i would suggest doing the obvious which is switching to a diet composed of minimal processed foods. there could be something in the processed foods you could be allergic to/causing you to feel like crap. of course you would get the same results either way, but im sure you would much rather had a diet composed of foods that didnt make you feel like crap.

[MegaLex88]

I was similar to you OP. I only eat natural foods now. Not even trying to be on some kinda diet its just how it is. Once you drop processed foods for long enough you wont go back. You don't realize how bad you actually feel right now because you're used to eating processed food and drinking. After a few months if you try them again they really do make you feel terrible both mentally and physically. It becomes no effort to avoid them. Recently just starting juicing raw vegetables to my normal diet and I feel even better.

[BallAb0veAll]

I was similar to you OP. I only eat natural foods now. Not even trying to be on some kinda diet its just how it is. Once you drop processed foods for long enough you wont go back. You don't realize how bad you actually feel right now because you're used to eating processed food and drinking. After a few months if you try them again they really do make you feel terrible both mentally and physically. It becomes no effort to avoid them. Recently just starting juicing raw vegetables to my normal diet and I feel even better.

Finally someone else who agrees. Juicing has only made me feel even more optimal. I totally agree with you're point that you don't really realize how bad you feel right now. Once you break away it's a sensational feeling. Whenever I eat processed or low quality food now I notice how it affects my body in not the best way. My skin even reflects it.

OP is just saying eating processed foods makes him feel like crap, he is asking if people feel the same way when they eat processed foods and if eating minimal/no processed foods help. how is this hard to understand?

OP i would suggest doing the obvious which is switching to a diet composed of minimal processed foods. there could be something in the processed foods you could be allergic to/causing you to feel like crap. of course you would get the same results either way, but im sure you would much rather had a diet composed of foods that didnt make you feel like crap.

Also agree that there are so many things that your body could be sensitive too. A lot of times it can be a matter of a process of elimination.

I eat processed foods and I'm perfectly happy the majority of the time.

I suspect all these benefits that you attribute to eating exclusively whole foods are due to increased micronutrient intake (whole foods generally are more micronutrient-dense) and a placebo effect to some degree..

In all due respect, unnecessarily restricting foods isn't instantly going to improve your life. Your body does not care about the arbitrary names of foods, nor does it care whether we believe the foods are processed/unprocessed - and in some cases (whey for example), processed foods have a better nutritional profile compared to their whole food 'counterparts'. Your body however, does care about the nutrients that the food contains.

TLDR - food choices are mostly irrelevant, net energy balance and nutrient intake are what matters.

Thank you for your respect as I respect your opinion as well. I should have mentioned that everybody is different and genes probably play a huge role in it. I'm susceptible to depression, alcoholism and diabetes so my sensitivities are going to be much different than someone else. But I agree your body doesn't care what the name of the food is, it recognizes the nutrients and whats actually inside. The additives in processed foods are surely recognized in your body though? And even though our body has its own process of dealing with these things, could that be a reason why so many peoples' bodies are breaking down faster nowadays and getting illness like cancer? And by helping our body out we give it more energy to spend elsewhere, say strong immune response? Just a thought bud!

Glad you feel happy though I heard a quote in middle-school one time saying "90 percent mental, 10 percent physical". I truly believe if in our mind we are saying something we are eating is going to hurt us, then it surely will have more of a negative impact. And I also believes this goes towards every aspect in life. Visualization, meditation, and many other things. But those are outside the scope of this convo.

Good luck OP!

[Nytmair]

Hi OP, I personally do feel healthier and physically/mentally better since I stopped drinking (recovering alcoholic here, 1year as of yesterday ), started eating more whole foods (natural foods if you will), and exercising. I can't say which one has had the biggest effect, but I am willing to bet alcohol was dragging me down. I hope you can stay sober. You won't regret it. Good luck.

[rand18m]

Finally someone else who agrees. Juicing has only made me feel even more optimal. I totally agree with you're point that you don't really realize how bad you feel right now. Once you break away it's a sensational feeling. Whenever I eat processed or low quality food now I notice how it affects my body in not the best way. My skin even reflects it.



Also agree that there are so many things that your body could be sensitive too. A lot of times it can be a matter of a process of elimination.



Thank you for your respect as I respect your opinion as well. I should have mentioned that everybody is different and genes probably play a huge role in it. I'm susceptible to depression, alcoholism and diabetes so my sensitivities are going to be much different than someone else. But I agree your body doesn't care what the name of the food is, it recognizes the nutrients and whats actually inside. The additives in processed foods are surely recognized in your body though? And even though our body has its own process of dealing with these things, could that be a reason why so many peoples' bodies are breaking down faster nowadays and getting illness like cancer? And by helping our body out we give it more energy to spend elsewhere, say strong immune response? Just a thought bud!

Glad you feel happy though I heard a quote in middle-school one time saying "90 percent mental, 10 percent physical". I truly believe if in our mind we are saying something we are eating is going to hurt us, then it surely will have more of a negative impact. And I also believes this goes towards every aspect in life. Visualization, meditation, and many other things. But those are outside the scope of this convo.

Good luck OP!

Rather than dissect all the many fallacies in your argument and your logic, I'll simply point out that the life expectancy continues to rise, i.e. all cause mortality decreases including death rates from cancer. You clearly have many misunderstandings with regards to nutrition and metabolism. Having said that if your diet makes you happy then by all means continue, sounds as if it provides adequate nutrition. However, that has nothing to do with others as you clearly glean mental benefits from your dietary choices.

[krist7]

For weight loss: Eat in a calorie deficit and train. That's all

[RhinoBody]

Sensitivity to gluten could be your problem.

[Currensy420]

There is no such thing as a "natural" diet..

[BallAb0veAll]

Rather than dissect all the many fallacies in your argument and your logic, I'll simply point out that the life expectancy continues to rise, i.e. all cause mortality decreases including death rates from cancer. You clearly have many misunderstandings with regards to nutrition and metabolism. Having said that if your diet makes you happy then by all means continue, sounds as if it provides adequate nutrition. However, that has nothing to do with others as you clearly glean mental benefits from your dietary choices.

Ill come to sort out my fallacies as I age cause I'm half the age of you and have half the experience so I respect your opinion in that matter.

But who says mind can't determine what happens to your body? Plenty of ancient teachings further back then nutrition and metabolism that talk about mind over matter. And I also don't think anyone besides myself can truly designate what has caused these mental benefits besides the speculation of myself.

Regardless ill use your input to further my endeavor in this thing called life.

[rand18m]

Ill come to sort out my fallacies as I age cause I'm half the age of you and have half the experience so I respect your opinion in that matter.

But who says mind can't determine what happens to your body? Plenty of ancient teachings further back then nutrition and metabolism that talk about mind over matter. And I also don't think anyone besides myself can truly designate what has caused these mental benefits besides the speculation of myself.

Regardless ill use your input to further my endeavor in this thing called life.

Not me, I think I just agreed with this point and considering you seem concerned with what would be considered nutritious foods, I see no problem as long as it doesn't get out of hand and turn into orthorexia.

Just be sure to not make the mistake of thinking that your perception of a healthy diet means that others should follow in totality because it is true that by in large the body doesn't know the difference, it simply processes what you give it. For instance if your diet is properly composed in sufficient quantities of nutrients and within energy balance, then by in large it doesn't matter. If preservatives or other additives cause you grief, then don't eat them, but overall there's little to no evidence I'm aware of that they are harmful in anyway. Actually one can easily make the argument that food preservatives save many lives. (Most object to the more modern preservatives, we have been using preservatives for several millennia).

[BallAb0veAll]

Not me, I think I just agreed with this point and considering you seem concerned with what would be considered nutritious foods, I see no problem as long as it doesn't get out of hand and turn into orthorexia.

Just be sure to not make the mistake of thinking that your perception of a healthy diet means that others should follow in totality because it is true that by in large the body doesn't know the difference, it simply processes what you give it. For instance if your diet is properly composed in sufficient quantities of nutrients and within energy balance, then by in large it doesn't matter. If preservatives or other additives cause you grief, then don't eat them, but overall there's little to no evidence I'm aware of that they are harmful in anyway. Actually one can easily make the argument that food preservatives save many lives. (Most object to the more modern preservatives, we have been using preservatives for several millennia).

You're right. I don't think you, him or anyone should follow what my opinion is of a healthy diet in totality. And I shouldn't think that my perception is what should stand for others. I'm just stating what I feel and have learned based on personal experience. Could be many other things involved that I haven't come to realize yet.

I can't say that preservatives, additives, etc. are negative or positive etc. But time will tell. I appreciate your feedback and input. It'll help contribute to me being a well rounded person.

OP, listen to your body, listen to the responses and do what you feel is best! I wish the best of luck to you!

[KobiDC]

Ill come to sort out my fallacies as I age cause I'm half the age of you and have half the experience so I respect your opinion in that matter.

Age =/= knowledge.

Life expectancy (disregarding external causes such as war, famines, etc.) is rising in almost all countries - there is a very strong case of this being attributed to better nutrition; and as I'm sure you're aware, there are more processed foods on the planet now than say, 50 years ago.

[desslok]

OP, most of my foods come from this list
http://www.whfoods.com/foodstoc.php
Some days 100%. But I am able to use portion control and moderation to enjoy anything I want, if I decide to. For example, going out with friends, cake for a coworkers birthday, etc.

[AAOBob]

I eat a lot of stuff like bread, bagels, pasta, etc.. Just starchy carb sources. They fill me up but make me feel like crap. Has anyone had any luck eating a "natural" diet consisting of mostly fruits, veggies, meats, fish, nuts? Im sick of feeling like crap and need to lose around 40 lbs. I am an alcoholic who is one day sober and trying to turn my life around. A friend mentioned eating this way can help with weight loss and make me feel healthier. Any one?

Natural/unnatural doesn't matter. You will feel better when you lose weight and get off the booze. If afterwords you want to claim its because of raw foods and the fresh blood of lambs, it doesn't really matter much.

If you want to loose weight , you will need to go into caloric deficit and to do so you won't eat a lot of carbs. I think that is where is much of this BS comes from. People cut out a major carb source which cuts out a LOT of calories and then they tell everyone it was wheats/hfc/insert carb source here, fault. The reality was it was THEIR fault for eating too damn much.

[ASTRONOMICAL]

i think its a placebo effect... ive eaten almost exclusively whole foods for years and I never noticed some drastic change nor do I notice anything on days when I eat fast food... believe in it and you'll probably feel it... to me its just elitist BS... then again this could just be an issue that has to deal with other mental health issues... case and point, its not magic for everyone.

[WonderPug]

Plenty of ancient teachings further back then nutrition and metabolism that talk about mind over matter.

Are you referring to "ancient teaching" that the world is flat and that the sun revolves around the earth?