Quiet the noise surrounding food classification and value by assigning good, OK, or bad to your choices. Common sense will support this because there are long standing beliefs that are routinely understood by both health professionals, and the general public alike.
Good foods are fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. These deserve to hold the limelight in your diet and should represent 80% of your choices to support your health and fitness levels.
OK is where many get tripped up. Learn to read labels or nutrition facts about foods. Carbohydrates and protein have 4 calories per gram, where fat has 9. Do the math so you know what the dominant source of energy is and use that information to assign good, OK, or bad.
We know that junk food is bad, it’s right there in the name. Also known, are the dangers of saturated fat and processed foods that don’t necessarily fit in the junk food category. By limiting OK and bad foods to 20% you allow some indulgence without letting it dominate your dietary choices, messing up your well deserved health and fitness.