Healthy food and junk food: How to make the right choice for weight loss

Have you noticed how much blame is put on certain foods these days?

It feels like every week there is a different culprit.

“Don’t eat meat because it’s full of fat”

“Eat meat because it’s low in carbs”

“Don’t eat bread because it’s high in carbs”

“Don’t eat eggs because they are high in cholesterol”

But which is true?

And how do you know the difference between healthy food and junk food?

Healthy Food and Junk Food Choices 

Do you find it hard to determine what is healthy food and junk food with all the different advice that is being pushed?

It can be so difficult to know what advice to listen to. Then add in all the confusing information on the back label of foods, it can quickly become overwhelming!

Of course there are foods that are healthier and more nutritious than others. I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you that an apple is more nutritious than apple pie.

However, if you are reading this article then I bet what you are really struggling with is trying to eat more healthy food and less junk food, so that you can lose weight. Am I right?

So instead of me telling you to refrain from the burgers and choose a salad, let's instead look at how you can choose healthy foods more often and lose weight!

And the trick to choosing healthy foods more often than junk food might surprise you in both its simplicity and because of how different this advice is to what everyone else is saying.

This approach is exactly how I have lost over 25kg without dieting and whilst it might seem counterintuitive at first, it’s amazing how quickly it can work.

Picking between healthy food and junk food

The short answer is that you have a tendency to want whatever you aren’t allowed. Think of every child in the entire world. What is the toy that they most want? The one that they don’t have, particularly if they see someone else playing with it!

The same thing happens to you, where if you think you aren’t allowed the chocolate bar, then you will just want it even more!

Now let me explain, as there is a way to remove the desire for chocolate bars without inhaling your body weight in chocolate. It’s not some wild concept either, and is completely backed up by science.

But isn’t junk food too addictive?  

Have you noticed how lots of foods are labelled as addictive these days? And it’s not surprising, considering how so many foods are engineered in labs to make them as irresistible as possible.

Back in the day there weren’t good and bad foods, there was just food. And whilst it is absolutely true that foods have become more engineered, there is a way to enjoy these deliciously designed foods without becoming addicted. The trick is to look at why we might become hooked in the first place, which includes two main reasons;

1. Bad foods get put up on a pedestal; and

2. There are other external factors, within our control, that affect our desires.

Thankfully there is a way for you to overcome these factors. So let's delve into how to do just that.

Why are junk foods more appealing than healthy foods?

Restricting foods has the unfortunate side effect of increasing the attractiveness of “naughty” foods and treats. This happens because when we restrict certain foods, the effect is that it puts them up on a pedestal. It’s like me saying don’t think of an elephant. What are you thinking of now? I’m sure exactly what I’m also thinking of as I write this! 🐘🐘🐘

This isn’t just speculation though. An important study has shown that rigid restraint of “fattening” foods actually was associated with a great tendency to overeat and resulted in higher BMI and poorer weight loss, compared to being more flexible with allowing all foods. What this study shows is that it is much better to allow all foods in moderation, as opposed to restricting certain bad foods, because that will backfire and lead to overeating and becoming obsessed with those “fattening” foods.

The question then becomes how can you eat “fattening” foods in moderation and lose weight without dieting.

Whilst I answer that question more in detail in the articles about why you are always hungry, the short answer is to first allow the treat, then really savour the flavour of it. Studies show that slowing down and really enjoying your food can significantly reduce the amount of food that you consume.

I know you may still be worried about losing control with eating junk food. So let’s talk now about junk food addiction.

Why are junk foods so addictive?

So now that you know the importance of removing junk foods from their pedestal, let's talk about the realities of junk food addiction. 

It’s often believed that there are certain chemicals that cause addiction. Nicotine in cigarettes, alcohol in drinks and sugar or carbs in food.

However, there are some issues with this concept. For example, people can also become addicted to things like gambling, pornography and video games. These of course don’t have any addictive ingredients, so what’s going on here you may be wondering.

How rats hold the answer to addiction

There were some telling addiction experiments done on rats in the 1970s. In one experiment, rats were isolated in a cage, with nothing else to do except push a lever for drugs. Unsurprisingly, they became addicted, to the point of overdose and death. 

In another experiment, rats were put in an environment with lots of other rats and space to roam, wheels to run on and basically have a good time. Whilst they had the same access to drugs, they never overdosed or even overindulged.

It's a sad story for the rats that paints a clear picture of addiction. The drugs were not the main issue. The issue was the level of happiness and connection in the rats.

Connection breaks addiction

Later studies have also shown incredible results for people who find connection and purpose. For example, studies showed that community gardening can have a significant impact on reducing rates of addiction. This highlights the importance of community and play. 

To apply this in your own life doesn’t mean that you must join a community gardening group. You don’t even need to do anything at all. But if you want to make your journey to stop binge eating easier, and generally enjoy life a bit more, you may find it easier by finding time for a hobby that you love and doing it with someone else. This may be as simple as going for a walk with a friend each week, looking up classes at your local community centre or joining a local sports team.

Basically, the more connection and playfulness you feel in your own life, the easier you will find it to break free from your addiction to binge eating, particularly when combined with the other techniques in this guide.

Next steps to start choosing healthy food and losing weight

Now that you understand the importance of allowing all foods, it’s time to give it a go. Because the key to losing weight is not to restrict yourself, but instead enjoy the pleasure of eating all foods.

Connecting with your community will also make this easier. But to give yourself the best chance of success with this approach, book a free discovery call to hear about how a personalised plan can help you to achieve your goals. Plus, I will fill you in about my weight loss without dieting guarantee to ensure your success.

—-------- About the author: James Hay

Hi, I’m James, an intuitive eating weight loss coach. I teach people how to lose weight without any dieting or restrictions.

My clients lose weight whilst eating all of their favourite foods.

I’m qualified in Public Health and also a certified nutritionist and health coach. I have personally applied what I teach to lose over 25kg and can help you achieve similar results without dieting. Let’s talk