If you have unhealthy food in your house, chances are pretty good that you are going to eat it. Our lives are full of temptations, making it easy to sabotage our own healthy intentions. From dinner parties, lunches out and midday work treats, to the ever-popular office birthday cake, it’s easy to fall off of your nutrition plan or diet.
To help set you up for success I though I’d share some tips with you to make it a little easier to stick with your nutrition plan while at home. It can take an enormous amount of willpower to avoid temptation, but with practice the urge to eat healthy will become stronger and stronger. For now however, let’s begin with an out of sight/out of mind approach. ????
Here’s what I want you to do: take a walk to your fridge/freezer, open it and take out then throw away the following items if you have them:
- Soda and concentrated fruit juice
- Processed dips and dressings
- Processed meat
- Frozen desserts and ice cream
I know that it’s going to be hard — especially in the case of the ice cream — but trust me, it will be worth it.
Now that your fridge is free of temptation, it’s time to fill that empty fridge space with some healthy things. Here are a some examples of foods that you can buy to get you started:
- Fresh meat poultry and fish
- Eggs and cheese (however make sure that you eat the cheese in moderation)
- Fresh fruits and veggies, like apples, pears, oranges, grapes, pineapple, banana, mangos, strawberries, blueberries, spinach, broccoli, peppers, asparagus, carrots, mushrooms, cucumber, onion, etc.
- Simple ingredient sauces and condiments, like guacamole, hummus, pesto, soy sauce, salsa, curry sauce, cooking wine, etc.
Now comes the hardest part of our kitchen makeover – your pantry. I’m going to ask you to go to your pantry and get rid of all those tempting crunchy, salty, sweet, savoury, decadent snacks that you don’t need calling your name. You know the one’s that I’m talking about.
I know I’m probably not your favourite person right now, but I know I will be high on your list of faves once you start dropping clothes sizes. And you will see a positive change in your body.
Getting back to your newly bare pantry, I want you to add in the following things:
- Whole grain foods and minimally processed snacks
- Nuts and seeds
- Dried fruit
- Beans and legumes
- Green Tea
- Spices
Here is a sample shopping list to help you fill your cleaned out fridge and pantry. Feel free to modify it based on what you are cooking each the week.
Fact: The best place to do your shopping is in the periphery of your grocery store because it contains the fresh, minimally processed food.
Meat and Dairy
- Lean ground beef
- Chicken breast
- Smoked turkey breast
- Salmon fillet
- Eggs
- Plain yogurt
- Cheese
Veggies and Fruit
- Spinach
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Tomatoes
- Cucumber
- Garlic
- Apples
- Frozen blueberries
- Lemons
- Fresh berries
Misc.
- Vanilla protein powder
- Canned chickpeas
- Steel-cut oats
- Quinoa
- Ground flax seeds
- Olive Oil
- Coconut Oil
- Nuts
- Pepper & Salt
- Garlic powder
- Chili powder
- Cinnamon
- Cumin
I know the idea of clearing all of the foods that you like to eat out of your house is a little hard to swallow. But trust me when I say that each day will become easier and easier, and eventually this way of eating and shopping with become a habit that you enjoy. Remember, the first step is always the hardest.
With that I’ll leave you with a few healthy snack ideas:
- Smoothies – this is always a great way to get lots of nutrients in a fast, easy and delicious way
- Veggies and guacamole or hummus – for those of you who like a crunchy snack, this is a great way to replace potato chips and still enjoy something savoury
- Small handful of nuts and a piece of fruit
- Yogurt (plain) with fruit (dried or fresh) and granola
- Homemade granola bars, power cookies or energy balls (eat in moderation)
- Popcorn – not microwaved or slathered in butter. Air-popped with some olive or coconut oil, garlic powder and a pinch of salt and pepper. Everyone needs popcorn when they watch a movie, right? However this should be eaten in moderation as well. Too much of anything isn’t good for you. Even if it feels right in the moment. ????
Happy (and healthy) eating!
Kelly
