I've been training many of my clients for a long period of time and have had the joy of watching their feelings around food and dieting morph over the months and years. I have also been keeping note of my own relationship with food for the last decade. It's really interesting and satisfying to see how individuals evolve and come to peace with food and their relationship with a healthy lifestyle. Many have come to me not wanting to even speak about diet and just focus on training. A few months into it they are willing to talk, and then weeks later the weight starts coming off and they feel better overall
         Personally, I have noticed eating crappy food makes me feel sluggish, weak, irritable, and bloated. Usually bloating leads to feelings of shame and body dissatisfaction. For the first time in my life eating very cleanly is so easy and not  chore in the least bit. I've actually started my competition diet two weeks early because eating well and lean feels so good. The first important factor in lifestyle change is....
1. Loving yourself
If you love your body, you will be more inclined to treat it like your temple. Would you feed your children crappy processed food? You want your loved ones to be healthy and nourished and owe it to yourself to do the same. My bottom line is if you want to feel good and have the energy to get through the day, you gotta eat clean and lean. There is an eating disorder saying "nothing tastes as good as thin feels." While I don't agree with this, I think you can take something out of it. Eating a plate of nachos will make you feel like crap. Having a couple bites or allowing yourself some fat and sugar s in your diet is great, but only eat as much as you can handle. For example, when really hungry at work, an extra plate of delicious cake was passed to me.  A co-worker and I took a few bites (he's also eating healthy for a play he is in) and looked at each other and agreed to pitch the rest. You can still indulge without overdoing it, and being mindful of your wants, needs, and emotions is key to having self-control. I only wish I figured this out years ago. I made being mindful a goal after my last show, and am really glad I am seeing improvements. Using a food diary to track habits/emotions can be helpful.
2. Knowledge is power
The more you know about food and the body the better. If you don't understand which foods are healthy, and which aren't, it is hard to make good decisions. There is a wealth of information online. If you don't understand what carbs, protein, and fats do in the body, or which foods they are found in, look it up! It's important education for the rest of your life. Don't be suckered into products or fad diets. Sticking to unprocessed fresh foods on the outside of the grocery store (dairy, meat, fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds) and avoiding most cereals, chips, cookies, and crackers is a great start. Book an appointment with a dietician or nutritionist to sort through any confusing information that you may have.
3. Location and environment
It is much easier for someone to eat healthy in downtown toronto than thunder bay. We have more access to fresh fruit and healthy food products here. Some of my clients work in the GTA where there is no food court near by, or only a McD's and Timmys.  You may be constantly travelling, or working long hours ina kitchen where food is around constantly.
In these cases you need to make the best of what you have and really plan ahead and cook meals in advance. Pack healthy and portable foods to take with you and avoid needless eating, and plan some workouts in when you can.
 Anyone can be healthy, it just may be a bit more work for some. It is totally worth it,and will be even more rewarding :)