There is a very easy way to know what foods you shouldn't eat: if it's not real, don't eat it. Pork rinds. Breakfast bars. Toaster pastries. Let's face it, Americans have their own — interesting — way of believing that certain manufactured (and yet tasty) products are actually food, i.e., what your body needs to give it energy as well as vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients so that your body keeps running smoothly and you keep being healthy.

But, guess what? Toaster pastries aren't food. Yes, some of the ingredients are food — or once were food before the nutrients were processed out of them — but, for the most part, the ingredients in toaster pastries and manufactured products like them aren't really food.

The thing is, nothing else tastes quite like a toaster pastry, and if you're someone who feels like she has to have her toaster pastries — and yet still wants to keep her weight at a manageable level — then you have to figure out how to make these items a once-in-a- while treat, or substitute a healthy food.

For example, let's say you typically eat a toaster pastry because it's quick and tastes sweet. Well, you could instead have whole-wheat toast, butter, and sliced strawberries. The nutritional difference is substantial, but the preparation time isn't really that different. To save even more time, in the time it takes to toast the bread, you can slice the strawberries.

In other words, eat real food, not “food” that was created in a factory and by a manufacturer. Plan to eat food rather than food products, and there is a good chance your weight and your health will benefit from it.

Now, this doesn't mean you can't eat fun foods, but it's better to eat foods that come from natural products, such as a real brownie, rather than a snack cake that comes in a box. If you can, cook and bake yourself so you know exactly what's going into your food. Read cookbooks and learn how to make healthy substitutions. For example, applesauce is a great substitute for butter when you bake.