According to the International Food and Information Council, 77% of Americans are trying to lose weight. Diet fads are everywhere, each with its own conflicting set of rules. There is an entire market for diet food thriving on taking advantage of people’s desire to lose weight. Not all companies are invested in teaching customers the difference between healthy food and a quick-fix gimmick that won’t last.

It is essential to understand that there is a difference between diet food and healthy food. They sound like the same thing, but with a closer look, it’s easy to see how different they are. Not only are the foods themselves different, but the intentions behind each product are different as well. Let’s take a look at what separates them.

What is Diet Food?

The first point is made in the name alone: diet food is supposedly for weight loss. These so-called diet foods such as meal bars, 100 calorie snack packs, and sugary shakes and soft drinks, are all marketed as a way to slim down. In the end, it doesn’t matter how few calories a snack has–it’s still full of artificial ingredients and preservatives. The more processed a food is, the more likely it has lost a portion of its nutritional value.

Even if this kind of diet works, it’s rarely sustainable. Your body needs a wide range of nutrients, and deprivation forces it into famine mode. Your metabolism slows, and as soon as you stop the diet, your body gains the fat back to protect from future deprivation. A large number of people who diet gain back the weight they lost and then some.

Dieting usually focuses on limiting the food intake and categorizing foods as either good or bad. It becomes a mental game of weighing and beating yourself up over eating “bad” food. Long periods of self-imposed deprivation lead to periods of splurging. This creates a vicious loop of deprivation and splurging that leaves a dieter feeling discouraged.

Why Healthy Food isn’t Dieting

You may have heard this before, but healthy eating isn’t a diet, it’s a lifestyle. This isn’t just some trite saying used to tempt people into spending money on a product. Healthy eating isn’t about losing weight. While weight loss is a lovely side effect, healthy eating is about taking care of your body.

Depriving yourself of the nutrients needed to live is like trying to drive a car without gas. Choosing foods that support your bodily functions gives your “engine” the fuel it needs to run on a daily basis. Choosing processed foods that are low in nutrients is like using poor-quality gas in your car. It will run, but not well.

Fruits, vegetables, proteins, and healthy fats have the vitamins and nutrients needed to provide energy to keep your body healthy. Make healthy eating a lifestyle by looking at food as a form of self-care. You take care of your car to keep it running, so why not do the same thing for your body? You owe it to yourself to eat what takes the best care of you.

Eat Healthy with Z.E.N. Foods

Z.E.N. Foods strives to provide easy access to nutritious foods in Los Angeles and other Southern California areas. Just like any meal plan, the meals are most effective when coupled with exercise, good sleep, and proper water intake. Taking care of your body is more than just eating right. A meal delivery plan gives you time to focus on other healthy habits without adding shopping and cooking to your schedule. View the various food plans available on our website today.