Fit Tip: Shop for Groceries Wisely
Happy Sunday!
How was your weekend? I hope you had a great time and are preparing for a happy and successful week.
Are you trying to become more fit and healthy but not making the progress you would like to make? It’s possible that your eating habits might be standing in the way of your success. Healthy eating starts with healthy food choices, and those choices are made in the grocery store.
Shop For Groceries Wisely
Ask yourself these questions: Do you tend to go to the grocery store tired, hungry or without a plan? Do you often shop for groceries several days during the week, picking up only a few items at a time? Do you regularly choose highly processed “convenience” foods rather than fresh foods? If so, you might be sabotaging your efforts to improve your overall fitness and health. Consider these shopping tips for better results:
· Plan ahead. If you plan healthy meals for the week and create a shopping list of ingredients for those meals, you will be one step closer to your goal of becoming more fit and healthy.
· Shop the perimeter of the grocery store. You will generally find fresh produce, meat and seafood, and dairy products around the perimeter of the store. If you spend most of your shopping time in the middle aisles, you will find more processed foods that are higher in sodium and fat - i.e., foods that are less healthy.
· Choose lots of fresh vegetables and lean protein, as well as some fruits and whole grains. When you choose meats, make sure they are 95% or more lean. When you choose fruits and vegetables, chose a wide array of colors and shop on delivery day when they are the most nutritious. When you buy cheese, choose string or shredded rather than block cheese to avoid consuming excess calories and fat.
· Don’t shop hungry. If you go to the grocery store hungry, you are more likely to impulsively buy food that tends not to be healthy. You are also more likely to buy too much food of all types.
Incorporating these healthy grocery shopping tips will help you to meet your health and fitness goals. Have a healthy, active and productive week.
Leslye