Tuesday, November 18, 2014

How to grocery shop and food prep...LIKE A BOSS!

So, we have all heard what you are "supposed" to do to lose weight and stay healthy. Count carbs, calories, sugar, fat, sodium...blah blah blah. That's waaaay too much counting for me. AND, I think that a healthy diet starts before you even make the food. That's right. It's all in the prep work, people. I've got seven rules that I ALWAYS try to follow to ensure that I'm staying on the right path for my health. Wanna know what they are? :)


1. PLAN - I'm talking about planning those meals. Don't get scared, because it's really very simple! I make a couple of lists. The first is my list for dinner since I know that is the meal that I will definitely have time to cook. Make sure to write down the meal AND all the ingredients you need to make the meal. (That's the point of the list!) Then, I make separate lists for veggies, fruits, snacks, and other things that I know are staples in my house. This gives me flexibility in my day while still making sure that the pantry and fridge are getting cleared out each week. Wasting food is not cute.

2. CLEAN - Go ahead, and clean out that pantry and fridge before you leave the house. Get rid of things that have expired, and give away unhealthy options or things that you won't eat to someone who would be grateful to have them. You want to make room for the good stuff. Once you've cleared out some stuff, take the time to organize your pantry and fridge in a way that makes sense to you and makes things easy to find. That will make cooking more enjoyable, and less clutter in the kitchen has been shown to decrease the desire to graze.




3. FRESH FIRST - When I am planning my meals and gearing up to go to the grocery store, I always keep in mind the order of quality for the foods that I am getting. A good rule is to go for fresh fruits and veggies first, frozen second, and canned last. Of course, if canned is all you are able to get then that's fine! But always aim for fresh. Your body and long-term health are worth it!



4. PERIMETER - Now, you're at the grocery store. What do you do now?? My new favorite rule (it works, guys!) is to try to shop the perimeters of the store as exclusively as possible. MOST OF THE TIME, the freshest, good-for-you foods are around the edges of the store, while the processed, junk foods are in the center aisles. This isn't always true, but it's a good practice to follow and has done wonders for me!

5. INGREDIENTS - If you do find yourself in one of the center aisles, that's okay! Just make sure that you are reading the back of your food to make sure that the ingredients are simple and healthy. Forget the nutrition facts if you can, and start focusing on the actual ingredients. If you are putting whole good foods into your body, you won't have to worry so much about all the calorie counting.

6. CONTAINERS - Most people store their veggies and fruits in the crisper drawers. Let me tell you, that's just out of sight out of mind! If you're wanting to start reaching for healthier snacks, then you've got to put them where you can see them! As soon as I get my groceries home from the store, I wash all my veggies, cut them if I need to, and store them ready to eat or cook in clear containers. I make sure that those containers are at the front of the fridge and easily accessible. The same thing goes for the pantry. Make sure that all the healthier foods are front and center so that you are most likely to reach for those! Get creative with the containers and organization, if you want! This is supposed to be fun!



7. COOKBOOKS - Nothing gets me more excited to get in the kitchen than a new cookbook. I buy one just about every month! If you're not feeling motivated to play in the kitchen, I strongly suggest that you invest in a cookbook for some new and interesting ideas! You'll be a master chef in no time, and having new recipes will make healthy eating more fun! :)


I want to know what you thought of this! Did it give you some new great ideas? Do you want to be best friends now?? Me too!! Go ahead and leave me a comment to let me know what you think or add me on Facebook to get to know each other :) And if you want more content like this daily, head over here.... https://www.facebook.com/carisagillmorefit :)


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