As I’ve covered a few times on this site, healthy eating is a pain in the ass, like everything else that involves maintenance after a certain age.

So what exactly do I eat every day of my life, and why am I sick of it in spite of the fact that I can’t stop doing it?

The answer to the first part will follow, with specific food items you just have to accept no matter how much you want to hit that new burger joint.

The rest of it has to do with how eating the aforementioned foods make you feel, which becomes more important than consumption after a certain point in life.

You have to accept the fact that life is a balancing act filled with gives and takes along the way, mostly takes.

Ok, the food:

1] Oats

A study published in the Nutrition Journal found that participants who consumed oatmeal on a regular basis experienced a drop in bad cholesterol (and waist size!) due to their increased fiber intake.

I like knowing that oats are good for me more than I do consuming them. Nonetheless, just knowing this cancels out the negatives.

I also don’t like blood sugar crashes during workouts or long mornings at my computer, so eat your oats and shut up.

2] Raspberries

I know, weird, right?

I mix this antioxidant-rich berry in with my morning oats for taste, and again, the knowledge that they are good for me.

Never underestimate human psychology in all of this.

3] Carrots

Okay, I generally don’t like carrots. For one thing, I hate carrot juice, which seems counter-intuitive, but isn’t.

What I do like – and/or hate – about carrots is that they fill me up during the course of the day when I’m dreaming about chips and blocks of cheddar cheese.

4] Bell Peppers

For taste, i throw them into pretty much everything. For one thing, I like the primary colors [yellow, red and green], and they’re also a good source of fiber, like celery and cucumbers.

Personally, I prefer celery stuffed with goat cheese, but I have to earn it to enjoy it. I’ll get to that in a minute.

5] Chia Seeds

You may have heard all about Rhona Rousey’s love affair with Chia seeds. they burn longer, keep her feeling full and provide hours of energy.

This is also true for other human beings, if you can get past the fact that they don’t taste like anything, including water.

Again, they boost your fiber intake and you reap the digestive benefits, which is well documented.

6] Flax Seeds

A step below the today deified Chia seed, flax seeds offer up 5.6 grams per two tablespoons – which is actually more than those two bites of broccoli can claim.

Of course, “2 bites of broccoli” is a relative thing since I consume an entire stalk in a single sitting.

Note: I can only eat it when it when steamed, then I can get enough for some reason I can’t quite explain.

7] Barley

Most people I know haven’t a clue what barley is. Most think of oatmeal.

In the end, it doesn’t matter. Just buy it and throw something on top of it, like shrimp or chicken.

It has no taste whatsoever, but cooked barley has 6 grams of the fibrous gut-filling nutrient.

Again, we’re talking about filling you up so you don’t crave things you shouldn’t eat.

Yes it sucks. Yes I get it. But no, you can’t deviate…much.

8] Brown Rice

Everyone by now has brown rice stuffed somewhere in their kitchen. We all know it’s better for us than the dreaded white rice, with over three times the amount fiber per cup.

I still prefer white rice, but like so much else I love, I don’t eat it.

9] Artichokes

Finally! Something I love!

Artichokes rock!

One medium artichoke boasts an impressive 10.3 grams of fiber and incorporating it into your diet may aid weight loss efforts…because, again, it makes you feel full.

This aside, I’ll boil or steam 3 of these bad boys and down all of them in a single sitting without an ounce of flavoring.

10] Lentils, Black beans, and Green peas, Sugar Snap Peas, Chickpeas, Split peas

Beans and legumes will always be standouts in this category. One cup of lentils serves up a massive 15.6 grams of fiber, which can help keep your energy steady throughout the day.

They also help maintain stable blood sugar levels.

I keep beans in the kitchen because they’re easy to combine with foods I prefer, like pretty much everything.

11] Blackberries

I love these these things. Blackberries contain 8 grams of fiber per cup, towering over strawberries and blueberries.

I know. You thought blueberries were on top the food chain.

12] Pears

There is nothing quite like a ripe, juice pear.

One medium pear contains around 5.5 grams of fiber, but in order to get all those grams you need to keep the skin in tact because that’s where most of the nutrient is concentrated. This same rule applies to apples, potatoes, and even that white stuff you love to pick off of oranges after you’ve peeled the outer layer off!

I’ve witnessed people do that.

13] Whole Wheat pasta

Yes, pasta is good for you.

No, not all pastas are as good for you.

Read the labels.

http://www.eatthis.com/pasta-nutrition

14] Figs

One dried fig contains nearly one gram of fiber and about 20 calories.

I like them, you might as well.

15] Dates

These things are weird, mushy and have the capacity to pull out a crown, but they have 1.6 grams of energy-boosting fiber, so there’s that.

16] Popcorn

I love popcorn and eat it all the time. I fill the bottom of a pan with extra virgin olive oil throw in the kernels and wait for them to pop. Then I add some spice and eat it in a bowl while watching Criminal Minds.

17] Acorn Squash

I couldn’t spot this in a grocery isle if my life depended on it, but one cup mashed provides your body with 6 grams of satiating fiber. Plus, acorn squash is also an excellent source of vitamin C—one serving provides about 20 percent of your daily needs—which is important for your immunity.

18] Sweet potato

I really like these when they soft. I carry them around with me. 6 grams of fiber per large baked potato for only 160 calories.

19] Apple

One medium apple contains around 4.4 grams of the belly-friendly nutrient and can help ward off junk food cravings between meals.

20] Almonds

High fiber nuts and seeds are always great while you’re on the go. Snack on almonds, which have an average of 3.5 grams of fiber per one-ounce serving and are a convenient way to supplement your fiber intake slowly throughout the day. In other words, they burn slowly.

21] Oranges

If I ever experience a radical drop in blood sugar during an intense workout, I reach for an orange. It’s not the fiber I’m looking for, it’s the fructose.

One orange also contains 4.4 grams of fiber, versus a banana, which contains 3.

22] Whole grain bread

One slice of a true whole grain bread can contain around 5 or 6 grams of fiber.

Remember to stick with whole grain, not multigrain, which simply means that there are different types of grains present

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It should be obvious by now that consuming the aforementioned foods are a proven way of tricking your body into feeling full so you don’t down a Big Mac.

Adulthood is tough when you break it all down, which is why so many of us deflect attention from existential pain by going to the gym, watching a lot of television, working, and staying out of the hospital by eating things we hate.