The Food Groups
We need to consume foods from the three main food groups for our bodies and brains to function properly, but in a balanced manner:
Carbohydrates
Fats
Proteins
Protein: needs to be low in fat -- lean meat, seafood, soy, poultry
*Steer clear of sausages/pepperoni/meat that has been pulled apart and put back together*
Complex carbohydrates: You want these to be high in fiber - whole grains, vegetables, and fruit
Simple carbohydrates: high in starch and/or sugar and low in fiber - refined breads, pasta's, rice, and sweets
Dairy: low-fat or nonfat products - milk (almond milk is a great alternative if you do not like milk), cheese, yogurt.
Fats: you want low in saturated fats, NO trans fat, and high in omega-3 fatty acids such as olive oil, canola oil, fish oil, nuts, and seeds.
You want your carbohydrates to be high in fiber/complex carbohydrates vs. simple carbohydrates. You want to only eat simple carbohydrates on a very limited basis, these are usually more fatty foods and are less satisfying.
Fiber: this helps improve digestion, cleanses the body of toxins, keeps our metabolism working like it should, and moves food through our system with ease. Fiber is the key ingredient to healthy eating and lasting weight loss!
Engrave this in your brain!!
Meal - snack - meal - snack - meal
You want to make sure to eat every 3 - 4 hours, seriously! You want to keep your metabolism going all day!
*** DO NOT SKIP BREAKFAST ***
Breakfast gets your metabolism going and also gets you going for the day! The last time you ate was dinner, the night before, your body needs fuel!! Running late for work? Keep something on hand that you can eat on the go such as Greek yogurt, fruit, or a protein bar. I always have an oatmeal packet in my purse ;)
Processed Foods
Stay away!!! This is one of the biggest
factors for national obesity and diabetes crises due to our
over-consumption of processed foods. They are full of additives, trans
fats, lots of sodium, and other ingredients that I cannot even
pronounce!
Portion sizes/control
Food Examples
Protein: Wild salmon, tuna, halibut,
swordfish, tilapia, red snapper, cod, turkey bacon, canadian bacon, egg
whites, whole eggs, protein powder, low-fat/non-fat milk, low-fat/nonfat
cottage cheese, low-fat/nonfat cheese, sea bass, canned tuna in water
(solid or chunk white), extra-lean ground beef, tofu, turkey breast,
lean ground turkey breast (make sure it says breast), skinless chicken
breast, low sodium deli slices (turkey, roast beef, etc. -- Boars Head
is a great brand!), laughing cow low-fat cheese triangles, lean fillet
of beef, top sirloin, soybeans (edamame), all-natural peanut butter,
all-natural almond butter, and raw or dry roasted nuts (almonds/walnuts)
Carbohydrates:
whole-wheat bread, whole-wheat English muffin, low-carb low-fat
tortillas, Wasa crackers (light rye, crisp & light multigrain),
whole wheat pasta, beans (dry or low sodium canned -- rinsed) (black,
white, pinto, kidney, black-eyed peas), brown rice pasta, brown rice,
lentils, lima beans, quiona, shredded wheat cereal, Weetabix cereal,
Kashi Go Lean cereal, oatmeal (Quaker has a great Weight Control brand
with low sugar and added fiber and protein), plain air-popped popcorn,
wild rice, and Nabisco 100 - calorie snacks
Vegetables:
spinach, broccoli, kale, collard greens, spaghetti squash, green beans,
asparagus, carrots, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, eggplant, yams, sweet
potatoes, garlic, ginger, onions, peppers (red, green, yellow,
jalapeno), celery, and zucchini
Fruits: blueberries,
raspberries, strawberries, Goji berries (these are usually dry),
grapefruit (ruby red), oranges, tangerines, mandarin oranges, apples,
bananas, avocado, kiwi, pear, peaches, nectarines, cherries, melons,
tropical fruits (mango, papaya, pineapple)
Condiments, Drinks and Dressings:
Nutrition App
If your goal is to lose weight, try not to consume more than 1200 calories a day (a little over is okay) but also make sure that you are actually eating at least 1200 calories!! Your body needs this many calories just to function properly, so eating less than this will affect it's performance. Also, not eating enough will cause your body to go into starvation mode, THUS storing what you are eating as fat because your body does not know when it will be fed again (your body is pretty smart isn't it?)
With that being said, tracking your calories can be pretty tough BUT I have found (and use) an app that is pretty amazing! It's called MyFitnessPal (www.MyFitnessPal.com)
It's also pretty awesome due to the fact is has a bar code scanner so you don't have to search for everything!
 |
| What it looks like in the app store for iTunes |
The only thing with this app (which if you ask someone else they will give you a different answer than another person) is that when you type in the calories you burn, it factors them in as if you can eat more calories that day. I was taught no, just eat the 1200 you're supposed to a day UNLESS you burn more than you ate that day then you should eat back the calories to breakeven.
For example, let's say I've eaten 500 of the 1200 calories one day (leaving 700 for the remainder of the day) and I exercise and burn 400 calories, the app will add the 400 to the remaining 700 saying you now need to consume 1100 calories. If you are trying to lose weight, don't eat those back. I've asked numerous personal trainers who say to not eat it back, SO there is that.
Water!
Make sure you drink lots and lots of it! Increase your intake to half of your body weight in ounces. Find opportunities to consume it as follows:
4-6 ounces when you wake up
4-6 ounces with breakfast
8 ounces with any meal or snack
2-4 ounces during each workout
a glass before bed
- It is one of the most important catalyst to losing weight and keeping it off
- It assists in naturally suppressing the appetite
- Helps the body metabolize stored fat
- Rids the body of waste and aids in relieving constipation
- Assists in maintaining muscle tone by preventing dehydration and firming skin
- One of the best treatments for fluid retention!! To get rid of excess water, drink more water!
Sodium
Try not to eat more than 1500 mg a day! Cut back on that processed food!
Soda
Kick it to the curb! Drop all soda consumption, unless you only occasionally have a diet soda
Food Labels
They're there for a reason, read them! Look for this when reading them:
- Fat less than 10 grams per serving
- Sodium less than 500 mg per serving
- Potassium count greater than sodium count
- Carbohydrates less than 25 grams per serving
- Fiber in any amount
- NO trans fat
Multivitamins
If you don't already take one, you should consider taking one! I personally take the gummy ones (Target brand), 2 a day and they taste delicious!
Make better choices
Drop all "whites": potatoes, flour (baked goods), rice, sugar
Find yourself stuck at a drive through? order the not fried whatever with no sauces (or get a mayo packet) and get fruit as your side!
Eat whole grain
Buy a food scale
Sounds silly, I know but I got one from Groupon and I love it! It helps me figure out how much grilled chicken to put on my plate (4 ounces) along with the Publix brand Tilapia because the actual serving of it is about 2/3 of the fillet! Eventually, once you have learned what the right amount looks like, you won't use it as much but it is very handy.
Find a buddy!
Sometimes finding the motivation to work out is hard, so find someone to do it with you! Accountability is the best thing out there, you don't want to let them down and they don't want to let you down, it's a win, win!!
Set Realistic Goals
Let's say your long term goal is to lose 50 pounds, that's awesome but remember, you did not put that weight on over night so it will not come off overnight either!
Set small goals from your long term goal, maybe say you want to lose 5 pounds, then once you do, treat yourself to a new pair of workout pants (just an idea!) But you do not have to reward yourself once you accomplish every goal you set, because let's be realistic.. we don't get rewarded when we successfully do things all the time!
**Also do not always deprive yourself from things, that will only make the desire stronger.**
If you want pizza, order it by the slice and go for thin crust with veggies on top!
Try to make healthier swaps/alterations!
Remember, it's your body so be mindful of what you put into it!
When Eating Out and on the Go
- Choose a restaurant that you know serve some fresh foods, such as salads, grilled meats, chicken, or fish
- Look up the nutrition before you go, pick out what you will eat beforehand and stick to it
- Don't be shy about asking the kitchen to prepare your food without oil, butter, or salt. Keep in mind that oil and butter adds fat calories and salt makes you want them!
- Get your sauces/dressings on the side
- Don't eat the bread! Tell the waiter you don't want it at the table
- Eat your salad before your meal, fill up on fiber-rich greens which will help you eat less carbs
- Most portions are huge, ask for a box when they bring your food! Only keep the correct portion on your plate
- Stay away from anything that has "creamy" in the title
- If you must have a dessert, choose fruit! You can eat this when you get home, saves money and calories
- Stay away from french fries!!! They are high in calories and almost always are filled with trans fat that practically blocks your arteries upon ingestion
- Avoid anything fried, chips, baked goods, or any other high-starch or high-sugar foods
I apologize for any typo's and misspellings! I definitely did not mean for this post to be this long! Credit is due to what I have learned from Hampton Hill Athletic Club's hhXtremeLoss in Columbia, SC and from the University of South Carolina where I obtained my degree in Exercise Science.
Good luck!
