The market can be your greatest friend (and enemy) when you are on

the road to healthy eating. It helps to have a plan and know what to

look for. Here is your YES list of things to buy…

YES - Food Shopping Checklist

Dairy – Look for organic, no hormone products. When possible, choose white cheese over yellow.

Cottage Cheese          Ricotta Cheese               Milk

Goat Cheese               Whole milk cheese          Muenster Cheese

Yogurt                     Kefir                    Feta Cheese

Lean Proteins (Meat, Fish, Poultry & Eggs) - (Hormone free, antibiotic free, range fed)

Tuna                    Halibut                    Tilapia

Salmon                    Shark                    Lean beef

White Meat Chicken          White Meat Pork          White Meat Turkey

Eggs

Fats & Oils – Use sparingly. These fats are safe to use while cooking. All are not.

Butter                     Extra virgin olive oil          Almond Oil

Avocado Oil               Canola Oil               Grapeseed Oil

Fruits - Best if Fresh & organic, preferably from local farms. Choose variety.

Apple               Dates               Mangos               Pineapples

Apricots          Figs               Melons               Persimmons

Avocados          Grapefruit          Nectarines          Pomegranates

Bananas          Grapes               Oranges          Plums

Blackberries          Guavas               Tangerines          Prunes

Blueberries          Kiwi               Papayas          Raisins

Boysenberries          Lemons               Peaches          Strawberries

Cherries          Limes               Pears                Watermelon

Vegetables – Best if Fresh & organic, preferably from local farms. Choose variety.

Bell Peppers          Eggplant          Onions               Broccoli

Fennel               Parsley               Brussels Sprouts     Garlic

Peppers          Cabbage          Green Beans          Radishes

Carrots               Hearts of palm          Snow peas          Cauliflower

Jicama               Spinach          Celery               Kale

Squash               Collard Greens          Lettuce               Sweet Potatoes

Cucumber          Mushrooms          Tomatoes

Nuts and Seeds – Good source of protein and fat. Do watch quantity.

Pecans               Cashews          Pine nuts           Almonds

Macadamia nuts     Walnuts          Sunflower seeds     Pumpkin seeds

Peanut butters          Other Nut & Seed butters

Grains & Legumes – Buy in natural state.

Organic dried beans     Barley               Lentils

Buckwheat          Brown rice          Couscous

Whole grains          Polenta               Whole grain breakfast cereals

Wild Rice          Whole Grain Pasta     Quinoa

Snack Foods

Whole grain pretzels          Rye crispbread

Whole grain rice cakes          Rye Wafters (wasa)

Baked corn tortilla chips          Wheat melba toast

My workout partner[ Farel|http://www.farelhruska.com] and I are often amazed at how good of shape people are in at our gym. We are, after all, fitness professionals. You would think that people would be watching us. They’re not. So we were watching these two amazing women doing pull ups. Another woman came up and commented on the strength of the gals. We told her that we’ve set a goal this month inspired by them. “Oh yeah, how many pull ups are you going to do?” she asked. “Just one”, we answered. She laughed. It’s not that we set the bar low. We are just realistic. Right now, neither of us can even do one pull up. If we train to do one this month, then maybe next time we can do two. My point is not to be overwhelmed by any goal. Cut it into the smallest bite size piece and go for it!

Farel

1) Keep a food diary.

Taking the time to write down exactly what you eat and drink everyday will allow you to get a better idea of why you may not be accomplishing your desired goals.  Estimate calories wherever you can. Maybe you’re eating too much, or possibly not enough.  Does your diary show multiply trips to Starbucks each day? Are you eating enough fruits and vegetables? A food diary will allow you to make an accurate analysis of your eating habits so that you can improve upon them, and then actually track your own progress. The food & exercise log that I use and recommend is FitBook- it is an excellent way to document everything you do, track your goals and see all of the things you've accomplished. 

2) Sit down for at least 3 meals a day.

This means no eating at your desk, in your car, at the playground, or in front of the television.  It also means that you don’t skip breakfast, lunch or dinner! Even more impressive is if you can sit down for two or three additional snacks as well, but that may be pushing it!  If your focus is on your computer, watching your children, talking on the phone, watching television, etc., you aren’t truly aware of the calories that you’re consuming.  Chances are that by not listening to your body, you won’t know when you feel full and should stop eating, and that is what leads to a quick extra 3,500 calories each week. 

3) Cut out junk food and take-out for one week. 

This might be really hard for some of us, and I understand the challenges.  But for a single week, eat as clean of a diet as you can.  Brown bag it to work, or pack a cooler each day with fresh fruits and vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and lean proteins.  You may be tired at the end of the day, but for one week, resist the urge to order out.  At the end of this week, review how you’re feeling overall. 

My guess is going to be that if you incorporate fresh organic choices into your diet and cut out the junk (which is usually packed with excess calories and sodium), you’ll find that both your body and mind perform at an improved level. And if you like the results after one week, keep it going!

Whether you want to lose weight, gain weight, or you just want to establish healthier eating habits, these tips will help you move in the right direction. There are more tips at www.strollerstrides.com.