9 signs that you have a healthy diet even if it doesn't feel like it (2024)

Advertisem*nt

You eat when you're hungry and stop when you're satisfied.

It sounds almost too simple, but in a world that constantly preaches restrictive diets or cutting out the "food villain" du jour, it can feel like a radical concept to simply listen to our bodies and eat when we're hungry and stop when we're full.

But Leon explains that when we get in touch with our physical sensations again, we can remember how to eat intuitively, and our bodies will know how to take care of the rest.

"As a registered dietitian, I have clients ask me 'what' to eat, and 'how much' to eat all the time," she says. "Often, they have been dieting for so long, they just don't know what 'normal' eating, or what I refer to as 'intuitive eating' looks like. We are all born with 'intuitive eating' skills, which are the ability to feel the signals of our body, such as when we are hungry and when we are full."

Advertisem*nt

You aren't jumping from fad diet to fad diet.

There's a growing body of research to prove that diets don't work, even though it's nearly impossible to go a single day without hearing about the latest and greatest weight loss plan out there.

Sure, it might sound like a surefire way to a "healthy" lifestyle: Cut out a certain food group or restrict eating at certain times, and you'll be the picture of health and happiness.

Unfortunately, restrictive diets often leave your metabolism confused and your body flat-out starving, and nutrition experts see that fad diets come and go simply because they don't actually work. Think about it: If any one diet plan actually worked, wouldn't we all just be "thin" by now?

Leon says, "When a person follows restrictive, prescribed, or 'fad' diets, their bodies lose touch with the ability to sense these intuitive eating cues of hunger and fullness. The good news is, if you do eat to satisfy your body's hunger and if you eat a wide variety of different foods without fear or guilt, you are probably eating more healthfully than you think."

Advertisem*nt

Your diet consists of a wide variety of foods.

A healthy diet includes a wide range of foods … even ones that have been traditionally vilified for their high calorie content, high fat content, or high carb content. Because food shouldn't come with a moral compass, there is no such thing as "good" foods or "bad" foods — all foods can have their place in a "healthy" diet.

According to Leon, "Most people don't realize that the adequacy of our food intake (or our child's!) is determined over the course of a week or two, or month, rather than simply one single day. There will be days when a person eats no vegetables, for example, yet on another day they find themselves eating a garden's worth of salad. To be a healthy eater, it is important to be flexible with foods, as well as eating a wide variety of foods," including but not limited to fruits and vegetables, grains, calcium-containing dairy or nondairy foods, proteins and fat.

Advertisem*nt

You enjoy what you're eating.

So many times our prevailing diet culture likes to remind us that food is something that should be avoided, limited, or otherwise villainized. But food is one of life's greatest pleasures and it should be celebrated as such.

"Eating is pleasurable, flexible and nourishing," says Leon. "...The ability to enjoy your meals is important to health. When we eat meals and snacks that are satisfying, we are more likely to tune into the natural rhythms and cues of our body, another sign of good health."

When you're only eating foods because of their low-calorie or low-fat labels, are you truly enjoying what you're putting into your mouth? Or are you eating based on some strict plan, guide, or concept?

Advertisem*nt

You're consistently eating enough for your body's needs.

Diets, by their very nature, put your body into a state of semi-starvation, so it's no surprise why people end up overeating or bingeing to compensate later on.

Leon explains how this happens, saying, "I have had clients tell me that they wake up in the middle of the night and feel hungry. This is a sign that a person may not be eating enough food during the day. Alternatively, I have had people complain about being 'starving' when they get home from work, and find themselves eating more food than they would have liked. They report feeling stuffed and uncomfortable. The ability to respond to hunger during the day is a healthy behavior, and helps to avoid excessive eating later in the evening."

If you're eating enough at regular intervals throughout the day, you won't experience extremes in hunger, and thus likely won't overeat any foods.

Advertisem*nt

You have enough energy to do the things you want to do.

Having fun with food is important, but remembering that food is your body's primary source of fuel is equally as important. And when you're eating enough, including lots of different options in your diet, you'll feel energized throughout your day.

Leon adds, "When a person eats a well-balanced diet, they are generally able to perform at their best. Their blood sugar levels are stable, which means they have sustained energy throughout the day."

Advertisem*nt

You're sleeping well.

You might not think that sleep and eating are intrinsically related, mainly because when you're sleeping, you're not eating. But the two are closely linked and it all comes down to the nutrients in your food helping your body get the rest it needs.

Ana Krieger, MD, MPH, Medical Director of the Center for Sleep Medicine at New York-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine recently told NBC News that "Eating healthy and allowing the body to absorb proper nutrients provides the brain with the chemical environment that it needs to produce the neurotransmitters that it needs to maintain adequate sleep."

If you're eating regularly, your body is better able to find its natural 24-hour rhythm, which, in turn, helps you get the quality z's we all need to function properly.

Advertisem*nt

Your mood remains steady.

As Leon points out, under eating leads to the dreaded feeling of "hanger," which is unpleasant and uncomfortable. Conversely, overeating can impact your mood, too, causing spikes in blood sugar which can leave your moods a little all over the place.

By including all kinds of foods into your everyday diet, your body will have a continuous source of fuel, which will help physically and also mentally. Eating whole sources of fiber, proteins, and fats can keep your body's engine running consistently, which will help you feel good in mind and body.

Advertisem*nt

You're having regular bowel movements.

It sounds a bit TMI, but one sign that you're eating healthfully can be found in your bathroom habits. As Leon says that having regular bowel movements (which differs from person to person) is a sign that indicates your diet is "healthier" than you think.

Being "regular" means something different to everyone — some people go a few times a day, and others a few times a week. But going to the bathroom with a normal frequency for your body often means you're doing A-OK in the eating department.

She adds, "Our bodies are not machines, and they give us useful information all day long. If we listen to the message of our bodies, we are responding in the healthiest possible way."

Sign up here to get INSIDER's favorite stories straight to your inbox.