Grocery Lists

Putting together a clean grocery list is hard when you're first starting out. I found ideas and inspiration through Pinterest, Lisa-Marie's (from bodyrock.tv) Facebook page, and a ton of blogs (I especially like the undressed skeleton on tumblr, that girl rocks!). I thought I'd share a few of the ones that I use regularly.

1.) This one is my favorites. As you can see there are a LOT of options.

2.) I know that a lot of the foods are repeated, but I like how they are broken down. I eat well over 50% of what's on this particular list.

3.) You want to make sure that you don't buy foods with these on the label:

4.) Got the munchies? Here's a quick reference for a healthier way to curb the need to nibble:

5.) Some general guidelines to help you stay true to your new diet:

6.) One of the best ways to stay on track is by keeping a food diary. It may seem silly at first, but it is an awesome way to track the changes in your body. So when you're wondering why you gained that extra pound or what you did to lose two pounds, this is an amazing point of reference! I definitely recommend keeping an exercise log as well. 

7.) A simpler grocery list:

8.) Relative measurements to make sure you're eating the proper portions. Eating healthier won't help if you're going overboard on portion sizes!

9.) Michi's Ladder is an awesome point of reference when you're trying to decide what to put on your grocery list. It's broken down into a Very Best/Good/Neutral/Bad/Very Bad system. I use this all the time to make sure I'm sticking to my healthy diet.

10.)  Nutrition Facts break down:

11.) Should I buy organic over conventional? I personally go with both. Produce that doesn't have an exterior shell protecting it from pesticides (like lettuce, tomatoes, grapes, strawberries, etc.) I buy organic ALWAYS. But the produce that you discard the peels or husks (oranges, bananas, avocado, corn, etc.) I buy conventionally.

12.) Remembering what fruits and veggies are in season can be a real pain, so I use these charts to make sure I'm buying things that are in season. It's cheaper and they taste so much better when they are in season!

13.) Learning the correct way to prepare veggies can make or break your taste for them. The cooking process alters their texture and taste. Like Asparagus, boiling it will make it mushy (same as buying it canned, which my mom did growing up and I absolutely hated it) but steaming, baking, or even grilling it is amazing!

14.) I drink a glass of water before every meal to make sure that I don't overeat, and after dinner to help my digestion. Water flushes your body of impurities that it picks up from the things that you consume. If you're like me and don't care for the blandness in water, try adding fruit and/or herbs to jazz it up a bit.

15.) YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT, SO MAKE IT HEALTHY!!!!

Getting Healthy

     We all want that fit, sexy figure. Whether our end goal is to look like a Victoria's Secret model or an IFBB Fitness competitor (I'm channeling my inner Dana Linn Bailey and Felicia Romero with a smidgen of Adriana Lima), the likelihood of our success is founded on what we bring into our bodies. Our diets. Yeah, I said it. 

     The foods that we eat can make or break our fitness goals. It makes a lot of sense when you think about it. If we're eating greasy, salty, sugary junk foods then we'll never really make any progress, even if we are working out. All of those calories that we burn will be spent working off whatever naughty food we've eaten. But, if we eat clean, healthy foods then we will not only see results faster but we will also improve our overall health! Because, honestly, we don't just want that amazing figure, we want the longevity to enjoy all of that hard work!

     So, do we just add more fruits and veggies to our diets? No, that would be like putting a band-aid on a burn. The best way to achieve optimum results is to revamp our diets completely. This is what I did:

1.      I itemized all of the food items in my kitchen (daunting, but definitely worth it). Growing up, I was that kid that actually liked eating her vegetables, so when I saw how few veggies we had in relation to all of the junk food I was shocked.
2.     The next step is to get rid of your "go-to" snacks. For me that was chips and sodas. I donated everything that I could and threw away the rest; they were my diet crutch. Whatever holds you back from a healthy diet, get rid of it. You don't need that kind of temptation when you're first starting out because this is the time that you are most vulnerable.
3.      Now that you've gotten rid of the temptation, set dietary goals. I no longer had chips and soda so I replaced them with healthy items: apple slices and baby carrots with all natural peanut butter and flavored water. It's all about taking out the bad and replacing it with good.

     It's really hard at first, I'm not going to sugar coat it, but if you truly want to be healthier and fitter then you will stick with it. For me, it took two weeks of clean eating to get adjusted to it. The first two to three days I had headaches and felt like I had less energy than before. THIS IS COMPLETELY NORMAL!!!! On DAY 4, I began to balance out. Throughout the next week the cravings really hit me. I REALLY wanted to go grab a Vanilla Coke and a bag of Cheetos, BUT I DIDN'T!!!! I chose to rough it out because I genuinely wanted to be healthier. By the end of the second week, the cravings were so slight that they really didn't even bother me. 

     If you really want to lead a healthier life, this is definitely where you will want to start. Make it fun, experiment with different foods (I used to HATE asparagus, but now I love it!), include your family (they will hold you accountable and might even jump on the wagon with you!), and don't be discouraged when you slip up. It's okay, just last week I had nachos and chili-dogs, and I'm several months into my lifestyle change. The funny thing is that it didn't taste nearly as good as it used to. So, your taste buds adjusts with your new lifestyle as much as your body and overall health does. 

     If you really want this then you've got it, believe me, if I can then anyone can! I will be posting pictures and recipes on my blog as I go. I LOVE to cook and I find it fun and challenging to find ways to make old favorites healthy! If you are just starting out, do what I did: RESEARCH!!!! You can never know too much when it concerns your health. Educate yourself and it truly will make achieving your goals easier! Good luck!!!!