An Inspiration and Grocery Shopping Information

by Tami Newton


"If you don't know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else."- Yogi Berra

The following article was copied from MyCurves.com:

Grocery Shopping by Cassie Findley, M.S. Ed

The first step to a healthier lifestyle begins at the grocery store. Even though grocery shopping can be as enjoyable as a root canal, with a little planning you will soon be on your way to making better choices that will save you time, money and extra calories.Two things to remember before you go to the grocery store–

Make a list. Think about what recipes you will prepare for the week and what food you will need.

Eat a snack. If you're hungry when you shop you are more likely to pick up extra, more calorie dense foods that aren't on your list.

The key to smart grocery shopping is to start with the perimeter of the grocery store. This is where you will find the freshest foods. The majority of your purchases should come from the perimeter.

PERIMETER

Produce – Non starchy vegetables like broccoli, celery, carrots, cucumbers and bell peppers are free on the Curves Weight Management program. Aim for at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

Seafood Counter – A healthy diet can include just about anything from this area. Make sure that you bake, grill or broil the seafood. Seafood coated in butter or fried is no longer a healthy option.

Meat and Poultry – For beef, choose extra lean ground beef, or beef tenderloin or sirloin. As for chicken, skinless chicken breast is the best choice.

Dairy – Dairy products are an excellent source of bone-building calcium. Choose low-fat and fat-free varieties. It is safest to either buy organic or look for dairy products that don't use rBGH hormones.Next tackle the inner store with care. This is where you will especially have to pay attention to labels.

INNER STORE

Breads and Starches – Look for words "whole" in the title to find the whole grain bread. Whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, quinoa, bulgar and barley are also good ways to work whole grains into your diet.

Canned Goods – Fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables are best, but canned are a good option to keep on hand. Choose vegetables without added salt and fruit packed in juice rather than syrup.

Healthy Fats – Olive oil and canola oil are monounsaturated fats, or healthy fats. You should choose these over other vegetable oils in most cases.

Cereal – Look for whole grains. Avoid granola. It's healthy but it has a lot of calories. Oatmeal is an excellent breakfast choice.

Peanut Butter – Most traditional peanut butters have trans fat or partially hydrogenated oils in the ingredients. We should try to completely avoid trans fat. Natural peanut butter is the best choice.

Butter – Avoid margarines with partially hydrogenated oils. Look for spreads made from vegetable oil blends.

Frozen Foods – Frozen dinners are convenient to have on hand. Make sure to buy those with whole grains like brown rice.

Desserts – If you aren't good at portion control, prepackaged cream novelties are your best choice. There are quite a few 100 – 150 calorie treats available.

Now you have a cheat sheet to keep handy as you plan your next trip to the grocery store. Challenge yourself to make good choices. Your health is worth it!