Tips for the Grocery Store

Ever notice there’s no windows or clocks in the grocery stores?  That’s because they want your undivided attention.  The commercialized grocery chain is exactly that: a commercial.  “Deals” are around every corner designed to give the everyday shopper the greatest shopping experience ever.

Supermarkets are the best places to get most of the foods that we need to live, but
sometimes stepping into the store can create a lot of anxiety with all those fancy signs and, sometimes, dim lighting.

Also around every corner are the common pitfalls that face every dieter or person
looking to shed a few pounds. Deceptive labeling techniques have made it hard
for shoppers to really know the difference between healthy and unhealthy. Most
shoppers go into a store with no set agenda but what they think they want for
food for the next week. This can create a cart full of products that you do not
need and that are more than likely not good for you. If it is in your cart, then it is in your house. If it is in your house, then it WILL be in your mouth.

Here are six ways to make your shopping experience better,   and help you trim your waistline by watching what is going into your cart:

Have a menu planned for the week

Having planned meals that you can cook and freeze ahead of time takes the pressure off of you by knowing exactly what you are going to have for meals throughout the
week. Buy extra ingredients for your favorite healthy meals and cook in bulk.
This way you can save those healthy meals for the next day’s leftovers. Making
a menu also enables you to shop for the ingredients that you need and leave those high-calorie snacks on the shelf where they belong.

Start smart: Create a list from your menu

Knowing what you are going to have for meals ahead of time makes the shopping
experience easier. Having your list, you are armed with the information you
need to go through the store without falling into the pitfalls of high-calorie,
nutrient-lacking foods. Not only will this help you shop with ease knowing that
you are putting only the necessities in your cart, but also it helps to cut down on your budget by buying ingredients in bulk, and not putting extra snacks or treats in your cart that sometimes come with an out-of-the-world price tag.

Shop around the perimeter and avoid the inner aisles of stores

Think about those inner aisles: alcohol, processed foods, cookies, chips, etc. On the
perimeter you’ll find produce, bakery, seafood, meat, dairy, and the frozen section are usually areas that you find along the perimeter of the store.  Shopping around the perimeter of the store provides you with the opportunity to shop for fresh or frozen fruits, vegetables, fish, and meat that are leaner and will provide you with the best selection of foods available. You get to choose from the leaner cuts of meat to skim or lower fat milk that have fresh expiration dates on them. This can help you plan meals better by choosing fresh chicken, meat, or fish, giving you more whole food options and sometimes better deals from the person behind the counter.

Learn to read labels

Learning to read the labels can be a far better use of your time then walking around
aimlessly looking for healthy products. Pay close attention to the serving
size, amount of fats (in particular, saturated fats), and if there are trans
fats on the label. Also look for sodium content, fiber, sugars, and calories
per serving. The most important aspect of label reading is making sure that you
look at the ingredients. If you are looking for a whole wheat product, for
example, the first ingredient should be stone ground or whole wheat flour. If
the first ingredient happens to be unbleached, enriched whole wheat flour, then
the product has been stripped of the natural fiber that comes from whole wheat.
If whole wheat is found somewhere besides the first ingredient, then there is a
lesser amount of that in the product.

Deceptive labeling is making headlines as manufacturers are allowed to put certain
phrases on products if they meet certain guidelines set by the FDA. Learning to
read the labels will help you to fight back and be armed with the knowledge to
pick healthy and nutritious foods.

 

Buy store brand and not name brand

Name brand products do only one thing to you: they kill your wallet. Buying no-name
brand products not only provide you with the same fresh, quality ingredients,
but they are also just as nutritious as the name brand products at half the
price. Shop smarter by buying store name brands, and you will find that not
only are you lighter around the waist, but also a little heavier in the wallet.

 

Shop at local Farmers’ Markets

The produce that you find in the stores is packed full of nutrients and sometimes
something else: pesticides. Pesticides are typically used to keep bugs and rodents away from the plants in order for us to enjoy them when they get to the supermarket. On most weekends throughout the year, you can find Farmers’ markets someplace in your town. This is where local farmers come and sell their goods. The markets are usually packed with produce that has not been treated with heavy pesticides so you can enjoy the nutrient-packed food right away.

Also, farmers that grow this great produce are willing to answer any questions
you might have about pesticides, preparation, and other things you might find
useful. It might be more money, but rest assured you are buying products that
are good for you without pesticides, and you are helping your local economy
grow.

These steps will help make your shopping experience more enjoyable by eliminating the high pressure of walking around all the processed food found in the supermarket.  By using these tips you’ll shrink your waistline and the amount you spend grocery shopping.

See more healthy blog posts on my Team Beachbody website where I am a contributing author. 

For recipes and grocery list ideas for clean eating click here.

Can Regular Sunshine Give You a Better Body and Health

 Ever heard the term “the sun’s deadly rays”?  The media for   a long time now has made people believe that we need to live in caves and never see the sun to prevent cancer and stay in good health.  But isn’t the sun a big contributor to all forms of life on Earth?

Throughout the majority of human existence (with the exception of the last few decades), humans have always spent more time outdoors than indoors. Nowadays however, most of us are trapped inside offices all week long and might only get out into the sun once a week, if that.

This subject of the sun and natural production of vitamin D can fill entire books, so I’ll try to summarize my opinions and what I’ve learned in the past few years through a lot of my reading.

Don’t worry, I’m not ignoring the fact that overexposure to the sun CAN cause problems, including cancer… but we need to also consider the fact that underexposure to the sun can have problems as well.

Consider these points:

1. Non-consistent sun exposure and infrequent SUNBURNS is the major cause of damage to the skin and increased risk of cancer… Think about your typical person that sits inside an office all week long without ever seeing the sun, and then gets FRIED at the pool or the beach on the weekend. THIS is where the damage occurs.

2. Regular consistent small amounts of exposure to the sun (without burning) can actually have a protective effect on the skin, increases healthful Vitamin D levels in the body, and can improve mood, help depression, and dozens of other benefits.  Each individual’s skin pigmentation determines what amount of sun exposure they can safely obtain without doing more harm than good.

For example, a very fair-skinned person with a far northern heritage might only be able to get 10-15 minutes of sun exposure over the majority of the body during peak hours before it does more harm than good.  However, someone with darker skin and a heritage that originated closer to the equator might be able to get much longer periods of regular sun exposure without doing more harm than good.

3. Increasing Vitamin D levels from regular small doses of sunshine can actually decrease cancer risk. Vitamin D itself has been shown to have a protective effect through various processes in the body.

4. This one is interesting and deserves some thought — According to Dr William Grant, a Vitamin D researcher, cancer rates in those living at high latitudes (farther north) such as Iceland are approximately 4 TIMES the cancer rates of those living at lower latitudes (closer to the equator) in the tropics.

Hmm, yet those people living in the tropics are getting MUCH higher levels of those so-called “deadly sun rays”… but they are also producing higher levels of protective Vitamin D on average too.

5. Vitamin D is actually produced into a hormone in our bodies and regulates hundreds of processes in the body, and is WAY MORE important to almost every single aspect of your health than most people realize. There is even evidence that due to the regulation of so many hormonal processes in our bodies that can be affected by Vitamin D, producing enough Vitamin D in your body can even help with fat loss, muscle building, blood sugar control, and hundreds of other factors.

6. It is hard to obtain enough Vitamin D from dietary sources alone (egg yolks, organ meats, and fatty fish are good sources, but still relatively small). The best utilized source of Vitamin D is what we produce in our bodies from moderate regular sun exposure over large portions of the body without burning.

7. An antioxidant-rich diet can help to protect the skin (to an extent) from damage if you get too much sun exposure. This means that getting lots of antioxidants from things such as various teas (green, black, white, rooibos, yerba mate, chammomile, etc), various berries, fruits, vegetables, beta carotene, nuts, olive oil, etc, etc can help to protect your skin. Make sure to pick up some Shakeology here to help increase your antioxidant levels in the body.

8. Another point that proves that irregular burning is the major cause of damage and not regular small doses of sunshine… Rates of skin cancer are typically higher in areas of the body that get irregular sun and occasional burning as opposed to areas of the body that have received consistent sun for your entire life.

So what’s the best way to do this in a healthy way while minimizing sun overexposure risk?

In the spring, try to start with just small periods in the sun such as 10-15 minutes/day.  Make sure to try to NEVER get a sunburn!  Gradual small doses of sunshine over a large part of your body almost daily helps your body produce the most beneficial and protective Vitamin D levels.

Avoid extended periods of overexposure to the sun on large portions of your body… If you’re going to be out for several hours or an entire day in the sun, you’ll still need to make sure to cover up appropriately (based on your individual skin pigmentation and sensitivity) to prevent burning and skin damage… remember that we’re talking about regular small doses of sunshine that is beneficial, not entire days out in the sun without covering up.

I would caution against relying heavily on chemical-based sunscreens as most of the chemicals used in sunscreens are potentially carcinogenic and are also known to be estrogenic, as they absorb through your skin and into your body.  If you’re going to use a lotion based sunblock, you’re best bet is a natural form that uses zinc oxide or titanium dioxide… These are natural sunblocks that don’t absorb into your skin, but rather sit on top of the skin’s surface and block the rays.  This is a big difference compared to the harmful chemicals that are in most sunscreens (various benzones, homosalate, etc).

Load up on antioxidant-rich foods such as various teas, fruits and veggies, berries, etc daily to help prevent free radical damage and protect your skin.

More Blog Posts:

Low Fat Chicken Cacciatore

Want to Get In Shape But Don’t Know Where to Start

 

My Trick to Curb Cravings

If you’ve read any of my recipes, you’ve noticed I love to take normally unhealthy meals and make them healthy just by changing out a couple ingredients.

I also love to trick my body in to thinking it has just been given a huge meal just by eating nutrient dense foods such as Shakeology, or even just a regular protein shake.

The 2 best things that do this are protein and fiber.  Protein and fiber both digest very slowly, therefore, keeping you fuller longer.  Their combination also helps keep hunger under control and prevents catabolism so you don’t lose any of that lean muscle you’ve worked so hard for.

These are the two best times of day that I think this is perfect:

1)  In the middle of the afternoon to hold off cravings until dinner.

2)  Late night right before bed to hold off those cravings right before bed.  your body needs something that it ‘believes’ is filling but isn’t and without doing any damage to your waistline.

Find a protein shake or a protein bar that has the following ratio:  24 grams protein, 3-4 grams of fiber and less than 2 grams of sugar (hopefully sweetened with Stevia) and roughly 150-200 calories.

This combination will keep your metabolism burning in high gear all day!

5 More “Healthy” Foods to Avoid

You know from my previous posts of some examples of foods that are marketed as “healthy” but are FAR from it such as reduced fat peanut butter, corn and soy products, and unhealthy canola oil.  Buying local, fresh foods from Farmers’ markets, organic farms, or from your local grocer can go a long way for your budget and your health.  However, not everyone can benefit or wants to shop healthy.  Here are the top five foods to avoid or minimize in your diet for a longer, healthier life and a leaner waistline, followed by the top five foods that will give you amazing health benefits.

#1:   Low-fat Foods

Food labeling can be very deceptive when it comes to food geared for weight loss.  Low-fat foods are one of the products to be careful about.  Just because the food says “low fat,” does not mean the food is low calorie.  Be sure to check the label and see how many calories are typically in the product.  Most people associate low-fat foods with lower calories, so they tend to eat more.  Do not be fooled by this deceptive labeling technique.

#2:   Sugar-Free Foods

Sugar-free foods are geared to people with diabetes or at risk for developing diabetes.  Sugar-free foods have low calories and no sugar.

However, look at the label under sugars, and you will see something interesting.  Sugar-free foods tend to have sugar alcohols, which is an ingredient designed to give it sweetness.  Most of the time, sugar alcohol is made from sugar products, which can lead to increased calories.  Sugar alcohols carry between 1.5 and 4 calories per gram.  Not only do you get extra calories, but you also can get cramping, bloating, and other gastrointestinal problems if you ingest too much.

#3:   Commercial Smoothies

Normally, smoothies are associated with healthy eating.  They have skim milk, fruit, and yogurt, so they are considered a great, healthy food.  Some commercial smoothies, however, have many hidden calories from extra sugar.  Some smoothies are also made with ice cream, so you end up ballooning sugar, fat, and calorie content.  Most of the time, the fruit in smoothies is blended up into fruit juice, or fruit juice is added.   This eliminates the fiber that is found in the skin of most fruits.  My advice:  Make your smoothies at home, and leave the commercial smoothies on the shelf.

#4:   Commercial Yogurts

Yogurt, again, has been considered a natural health product containing calcium, probiotics, and other products that have been shown to be beneficial to our health.  Look at the label again, and you might see something surprising.   When looking at the label, some of the first few ingredients in yogurt are different forms of sugar.  All this extra sugar can lead to weight gain and stubborn, hard-to-lose body fat.  So again, read the label and see exactly what is in the product before you choose the yogurt of choice.

#5:   Sugary energy drinks including items with added vitamins and minerals

Energy drinks have been advertised as giving you that extra pick-me-up during the day, and a way to increase the intensity of your workouts.  Energy drinks can contain high amounts of caffeine and sugar, which gives you that initial pick-me-up, but you end up crashing hard later.  Also, some drinks that have added vitamins and minerals, can have loads of sugar as well.  So stop and think before you drink and choose something lower in calories and sugar, maybe something like coffee or tea.

Next, I am going to share with you 5 foods that are beneficial to your health, and you might not even know it.

#1:  Swiss Chard

Aging can create many different problems for people.  Wrinkles, lack of balance, and our eyesight can worsen, and are just some of the different things that happen with the aging process.  Swiss chard is considered a super food because of some of the amazing caroteniods that can be found in this leafy green vegetable.  Swiss chard contains high levels of lutein and zeaxanthin that have been shown to help with good eyesight.   These two caroteniods have been shown to build up in the eyes, which help with the way light rays enter our eyes and are absorbed.

#2:  Pepper, Especially Capsaicin

So most of you are probably asking why pepper is on the list.  Pepper is a zero-calories food that can add a lot of flavor to your foods.  Not only does it pack a great punch to your foods, but capsaicin has been shown to have tremendous anti-inflammatory properties.  It has also been shown to be helpful in fighting some cancers because of its anti-cancer effects.
#3:  Wheat Grass

There are plenty of juices out there that contain Wheat Grass which is chock full of vitamins and minerals that will keep you healthy.   Loaded with Vitamins, B, C, and E, this food can help to clean out your system and fight infections.   Not only does this food contain essential vitamins and minerals, but it also is a complete protein.  This food is full of the essential amino acids that our bodies require for building muscle.   The high concentration of vitamins helps protect the body from stress that our bodies are under daily.  Wheat grass by itself is not very tasty so I was happy to see it in my shake that I drink every day: Shakeology.
#4:   Tahini

Tahini is now found in most grocery stores as an excellent source of all the B vitamins as well as calcium.  B vitamins are essential in development of healthy cells in the body, especially red blood cells.   B vitamins can also help in raising metabolism, and help our immune system become stronger.  Tahini also holds a surprising amount of calcium, zinc, and copper.  The high levels of calcium can help keep bones strong and healthy, and might be responsible in fighting some cancers. Tahini also holds an abundance of fiber, specifically sesamin and sesomolin, which can have positive effects in lowering cholesterol.
#5:  Avocado

This amazing fruit helps reduce inflammation through some of the carotenoids found in the green, fleshy part of the avocado. This vegetable also has a tremendous amount of fat, but the good fats that are beneficial to the body. The main source of fat is Oliec acid, which helps with fat absorption and also helps to lower the risk for developing heart disease. Avocados also have phytosterols, which keep inflammation in the body under control.

I absolutely love talking about fitness and nutrition and I do a lot of it on my facebook page.  I don’t always get to blog but I post motivating status updates and help people get fit and healthy!  Come join me!