Processed Foods Part 3: How To Make the Shift

This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please read my disclosure policy. 

In this three part series on processed food and sugar, we first discussed the impact of low quality foods and drinks on our bodies. Second, we categorized common healthy and unhealthy foods and drinks by what we should consume all the time, occasionally, and rarely.

All this information is great and most of it may not be a surprise to you. But you may be feeling uncertain about how to implement change and create a permanent healthy eating lifestyle to improve your health. So, let’s now discuss how to remove processed and sugary foods in a sustainable way. 

The key is to focus on the healthy stuff you want to add in while shifting away from the unhealthy. 

So if you currently consume mostly Red foods and drinks, shift away from them by focusing on adding Green foods and maybe some from the Yellow category. Even if you consume more Yellow foods and drinks daily than Green, you will need to make a shift to where Green foods and drinks are your primary source of nutrition.

But there is more to it in order to be successful in the long run. 

Your Roadmap to Long Term Success

Here we are going to implement the three non-negotiables needed to be successful at reaching health and wellness goals.

1. The right mindset
2. The right plan
3. The right accountability

The Right Mindset

Having the right mindset is the biggest factor in creating permanent change. You can be eating and drinking all the right things, but if your mind isn’t set on victory, success, and your reason for doing this, you are at high risk for not maintaining this lifestyle. And therefore, you are very likely to not reach the goals you aim to achieve for your health and wellness.

So, here are a few things you may need to do to shift your mindset in the right direction: 

• View food differently. Think differently about processed and sugary foods and drinks and how it is more harmful than good. How you and your body don’t deserve that harmful stuff. View what you eat as medicine that either heals or hurts the amazing and complex system of a body that was gifted to you.
• Be the boss. Often people find comfort in food because they feel it is something they can control when life is stressful and feels out of control. The truth is the food is controlling you. Processed and sugary foods and drinks set a desire in you to eat and overeat them. Rarely does anyone binge on vegetables. It is usually something processed and sugary. There is a reason for that. So you have to tell those foods who is boss, and it isn’t them.
• Self-control can be strengthened. We only have so much willpower in a day, so self-control cannot always be relied upon when tempted by those unhealthy foods. The good news is you can improve your self-control the more you practice it. Find your triggers, take a pause, remember the reasons or change, and you are less likely to give in. Next time it will be easier to say ‘no.’ 
• Seek progress. Aim to do a little better than the day before. If you are expecting yourself to go from eating mostly Red foods to only Green foods right away and be perfect every day, you are most likely going to fail and not get back up. But if you see this change as a process, you’ll continuously work on improving, even in those moments you take a step back. 
• Remember your why. Often remind yourself of the deep reason you need to make this change. Your reason to eat and drink healthier has to be stronger than your reason to stay the same. Temporary satisfaction often pushes away long-term desires. But you can overcome the immediate temptation by taking time to recall why you need to make a better choice. 

If making mindset shifts is the most challenging for you, check out this article for more information and download the mindset shift guide.

The Right Plan

No goal succeeds without a plan in place. Rarely do they just happen by thinking about them. This is true for successfully creating a lifestyle change to healthy eating. You have to strategize and plan the changes you will prioritize and how you will implement them. 

The struggle in planning for most people is the fact you have to take time to do this. Yes, it takes some time. But a little time spent planning can save you a lot of time later and help make your life healthier in the long term. 

What you need to have a successful plan with examples of how to start:

1. Write your plan down. There is power in writing things down. A visual reminder of your plan jogs your memory and increases your commitment. It will help you think things through and come up with a more achievable plan. So get out pen and paper or the Healthy Habits Starter Guide and physically create your plan.
2. Conquer one week at a time. Rather than thinking you have been successful over a long time period to get the healthy lifestyle you want, focus on being healthy one week at a time. When you consider conquering smaller chunks, the road ahead can look more doable to achieve. Before you know it, one week turns into two, a few weeks turn into a month, months turn into a year, and a year turns into a permanent lifestyle.
3. Start small and build. This goes back to ‘seek progress’ under mindset. Overhauling or changing everything at one time usually isn’t successful. So pick a meal that normally is highly processed or a very sugar beverage that you have regularly during the week and plan to replace it with a specific item on the Green or even the Yellow list. Write it down. For example, “Instead of a bowl of Cheerios for breakfast, I will have oatmeal.” Or, “Instead of coffee with flavored syrup, I will have coffee with heavy cream. Now if you pick to sub a Red for a Yellow, later on you will need to shift from a Yellow to a Green. 
4. Consider your roadblocks. Think about what is going to keep you from being successful with the change you just wrote down. For example, it will take extra time to make, it won’t’ taste the same, you may question your willpower, stress at work could trigger a bossy food craving, or a party this weekend might derail you.
5. Get specific on how you will do it. Not only how you will shift your food or drink consumption, but how you will eliminate roadblocks and challenges. For example, plan when you will get the food you need to have on hand, how you will find the time to prepare, what alternative will satisfy you when work gets stressful. Also, consider removing the tempting stuff from your house or desk drawer. 
6. Schedule your treats. As I mentioned in part one, this isn’t about never restricting yourself from enjoying a treat or foods and drink from the Red category. Just plan a time to have a treat you love. It gives you something to look forward to. Also, you won’t feel deprived and will be less likely to go on a binge. When you have that planned treat, savor and enjoy every bite. 
7. Take action. A plan isn’t worth anything until you do what you planned to do. Pick a start date and ‘just do it’ to borrow from Nike. Start making the change you have now committed to by creating a game plan for success.

If you need more help with planning, see this article.

Developing the best mindset and creating an amazing plan aren’t everything you need. You need a system to hold you accountable.

The Right Accountability

Setting up an accountability system is like the stamp of commitment to make a change. The right accountability helps keep you on track and can help you get back on track when you start to go sideways with your healthy eating changes.

There are several different forms of accountability so you have to pick which one/s will help you the most. And just FYI, the scale is not a good one.

For making sustainable changes in your eating, I find this combo the best to succeed:

A paper tracker and an accountability partner.

A Paper Tracker

There are plenty of ways to track your progress, such as a document on your computer or an app on your phone, but a paper tracker is one of the simplest and best. As stated earlier, there is something to be gained by writing goals and achievements on paper. So physically marking a sheet can give you more of a feeling of satisfaction than doing it digitally. With a paper tracker, you can more easily see your progress, not only because you can keep it out where you frequently view it but because you see your consistent star days and won’t want to break that chain. You can also mark your challenges, so you can better plan for them. Then, celebrate when you crush them. For a paper tracker, use the Accountability Calendar in the Healthy Habits Starter Guide.

An Accountability Partner

When you make your desires known to someone else, you will want to live up to what you say. But it’s more than just someone you can share your desires with. The best accountability partner will support you, check on you, and even call you out when you get sidetracked. For an accountability partner, you could join a group, make this change with a friend or family member, or hire a coach. Most people hire me whether for fitness training or nutrition coaching to be their accountability partner. I encourage and guide, support and challenge, follow up with and check in on, and give praise and grace. 

If you are looking for accountability like I just shared, set up a coaching call with me. 

By implementing these three critical parts, you can more confidently make a shift from consuming primarily unhealthy, highly processed, and sugary foods and drinks to fueling your body with the medicine of whole, real food and beverages. I promise you, you will feel so much better in so many ways. You won’t regret this change, you will only wish you had done it sooner. 

I wish you nothing but the best in your health and wellness,

Jen

Processed Foods Part 2: What to Eat and How Often

This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please read my disclosure policy.

We started this 3-part series on processed and sugary foods by discussing whether they were really that bad and how they impact our health and our bodies. What products those are exactly and whether some are better than others can be a source of confusion. So in this part of the series, let’s clear all that up.

Some people don’t like the idea of calling certain foods “good” and others foods “bad”. But we have to categorize food somehow so people have an idea of what is healthy to eat and what is not. You need to know what will cause you to gain weight and increase your risk for medical conditions versus foods and drinks that will help you maintain a healthy weight and greatly reduce your chance of premature death. 

When we think of items we consume that are highly processed and sugary, we must also consider the beverages because they are one of the biggest sources of artificial sugar we consume regularly.

I am dividing foods and drinks into three categories, which can also be known as green, yellow, and red foods. 

Eat daily = Green 

Eat occasionally = Yellow 

Eat rarely = Red

These go from least processed and sugary to most. Best quality to poorest.

Now, if you have done a food elimination diet before or have been tested for food allergies or sensitivities, what I might list as a Green food here could be a Yellow or Red food for you. So, these designations are not law. 

If you have a question about a food or beverage I have not listed here, email me. I’ll let you know where it stands and add it to the list. 

Green: Eat daily

This is a list of foods and beverages you can safely consume as often as you would like. They are the highest quality foods. The natural medicine your body needs. You will probably not be surprised by this list as they are the foundation for an awesome, healthy eating lifestyle. 

Carbs:

• Vegetables: fresh and frozen

• Fruits: fresh, frozen, or dried with no added sugar

• Legumes: beans and lentils

• Grains: whole oats, quinoa, barley, rice, and corn (especially organic)

Protein:

• Meat: chicken, pork, lean beef, bison, lamb, turkey, and wild game

• Seafood: fish, shellfish

• Other proteins: eggs, plain greek yogurt, tempeh, hummus

Fats:

• Oils and other cooking fats: extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, walnut oil, ghee, and real butter

• Dressing and marinades: with ‘Green’ oils

• Seeds: chia, flax, hemp, pumpkin, and sesame

• Nuts: walnut, cashews, pistachios, almonds, brazil nuts, pecans, pistachio, macadamia, and peanuts (technically not a nut)

• Nut butters: natural with no added oils or sugar

• Others: coconut, olives, avocados, guacamole

Beverages:

• Water

• Black coffee 

• Black and herbal teas

• Canned coconut milk

• Coconut water

Yellow: Eat Occasionally

When I say ‘eat occasionally’, I am talking about only having these foods once or twice a week. They are processed but either not as highly processed and/or made with better quality sugars and oils. They don’t need to be the primary part of your daily, even weekly, nutrition. Food in this section can be part of that good treat or two for the week.

Carbs:

• Sweeteners: honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, monk sugar, agave, molasses

• Bread products made from whole sprouted grains and seeds

• Breakfast foods: granola made from Green and Yellow foods, instant oatmeal

• Pastas: made from beans such as chickpeas or lentils

• Snacks: popcorn, crackers not made from refined wheat

• Flours: almond, coconut, whole wheat 

• Sauces: made with no sugar added

Protein:

• Meats: medium lean meats, minimally processed lean deli meat. Jerky, bacon, and sausage of good quality.

• Other proteins: tofu, edamame, cottage cheese, quality protein bars

Fats:

• Chocolate: dark chocolate made with quality sugars and fats

• Desserts: made from Green and Yellow foods

• Dairy: Sweetened greek yogurt, quality cheeses, sour cream

Beverages:

• Milk, whole preferably

• Heavy cream

• Milk alternatives: almond, coconut, soy

• Fruit juice made from 100% juice

• Alcohol, not made with artificial sweeteners

Red: Eat Rarely

For these red foods and drinks, consider consuming one to two times a month or better yet, rarely ever. They are the most processed, unhealthy, inflammatory things to have. Consider these foods this way--if you can find it or something similar in a gas station, your body wasn’t made to have it. To point out those few exceptions some of you might note to prove me wrong, yes sometimes you will find fresh fruit, plain nuts, and water at a gas station, but pretty much everything else is… I’ll be blunt about it...junk. And also, those “healthier” versions of junk food are still junk food. 

Carbs:

• Breads: loaf bread, rolls, buns, tortillas, and other bread products made from white grains

• Artificial sweeteners and syrups: pancake syrup, table sugar, high fructose corn syrup, sweeteners in packets  

• Vegetables: anything breaded or fried

• Fruit: canned or dried with added sweeteners

• Condiments: jellies, jams, sauces, spreads made with Red oils and sweeteners

• Desserts: cakes, pies, ice cream, cookies, pastries made with processed flour, oils listed, and sugar listed

• Snacks: candy, pretzels, chips, poor quality protein bars, crackers, snack mix, veggie straws

• Breakfast: donuts, bagels, non-greek sweetened yogurt, cereal, flavored instant oatmeal

• Boxed items: pastas, instant noodles, flavored rice, cake, cookie, and other dessert mixes

Proteins:

• Meats: fried meats, fast food burgers, hot dogs, processed deli meats

• Meatless: processed soy, soy burgers

• Other proteins: egg mix

Fats:

• Oils & “butters”: canola, vegetable, soybean, safflower, sunflower, shortening, corn, peanut, margarine, or any other fake ‘butter’ spread

• Bottled dressings and marinades: those made with Red oils

• Cheese: processed cheese, cheese dips, cheese sticks, 

• Nut butters: with added oils or sugar

• Chocolate: milk and white

• Poor quality pizza - most frozen and delivery brands

Beverages:

• Energy drinks, all sodas, juice not 100% juice, flavored milk and creamers, drink mixes, cocktails made with artificial sweeteners

How does your current nutrition compare?

What category do the foods you eat and drink come from? Be honest with yourself. 

Some of you may see this list and be thinking, I have a lot to work on and are uncertain where to start to make a change. Or maybe you have tried to make a change in the past, but it didn’t last. I won’t leave you hanging.

In the final part of this series, I’ll discuss how to make the changes necessary to create a sustainable healthy lifestyle. We’ll talk about how to shift your eating from mostly Red foods and drinks to Green foods and drinks so you can create a sustainable, healthy eating plan. 

I am excited to help you make the change,

Jen

Processed Foods Part 1: Are Highly Processed and Sugary Foods That Bad?

This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Here is a myth or a common thought people have shared with me:

Highly processed food and sugar aren’t that bad.

The truth:

Highly processed foods contain chemicals, such as bad oils. And sugar is a powerful drug. They are the reason we are so overweight and have so many preventable diseases. So, they are that bad.

I am not trying to sound overly dramatic, but I really do want to be clear on this. Highly processed foods with unhealthy oils and lots of sugar are big problems for us, especially here in the U.S. It is why we have large numbers of people who suffer from diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, autoimmune disorders, cognitive conditions, Alzheimer’s, and cancer. And the list could go on. It messes with our gut, nerves, joints, emotions, hormones, and brain. Highly processed foods and sugar affects us physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Our bodies were created to process, absorb, and live off of real foods and beverages in their most whole forms-- from out of the ground, roaming the land, out of the sea and air. So anything lab created and highly processed is foreign to the body, causes a lot of inflammation, and damages the body in the long term. How it will damage someone's body will vary from person to person. 

Hippocrates says it best, “Let food be thy medicine and let thy medicine be thy food.”

I am not saying you should never celebrate your birthday with a slice of cake, share an occasional pie at your favorite pizza place, or enjoy a glass of wine on the weekend. It is the repeated, daily intake of these highly processed foods and sugars that are the issue. Like your morning flavored coffee and pastry, fast food for lunch, midday soda and crunchy snack, and dinner using packaged seasons and boxed instant sides.

The Biggest Enemy To Our Future Self's Health

You need to know what will cause you to gain weight and increase your risk for medical conditions versus foods and drinks that will help you maintain a healthy weight and greatly reduce your chance of premature death. 

This is real. 

Our health isn’t something to mess around with. I saw it firsthand working with cardiac patients as a nurse. Most of them wouldn’t have been there if they understood and/or practiced how to take care of their health. 

My heart went out to them and their families. 

I wanted to do something to keep people from having to lay in bed to recover after a heart attack. Something that would give people a fighting chance at avoiding a heart attack in the first place. Something that simplified what it means to be healthy and how to overcome the challenges in doing so. My experience as a nurse is one of the big reasons I am where I am today.

Our health is one of our greatest assets. We can’t enjoy life to the fullest, be there for our families, serve our community, or work to the best of our abilities with poor health. Our choices now add up in the end. And I don’t want you to regret later in life that you never made changes to be healthier for your future self. 

I cannot not stress this enough with you. It would be a disservice to you if I didn’t and wasn’t upfront about what is ruining our health and killing us. I care for you too much. 

So, how are you feeling right now? How is your health? Are you happy where it is? Do you like how your future self will be if you continue to stay on the same path? 

A top reason clients seek me to help them with their health and wellness is because they don’t like the path they are currently headed down. If that is you, let’s talk.

In Part 2, we will categorize these highly processed and sugary foods and beverages in one of three ways: those okay to have all the time, those okay to have on occasion, and those not okay to really ever have. 

To your best health and wellness,

Jen

More on the effects of processed foods and sugar on our bodies, check out these books:

• Sugar Crush by Dr. Richard P. Jacoby and Raquel Baldelomar. 
• What the Heck Do I Eat? by Dr. Mark Hyman
• Grain Brain by Dr. David Perlmutter
• Genius Food by Max Lugavere