Does Your Pantry Need a Makeover
I often get asked:
“What should I eat?”
“How many calories are too much?”
“What do you think of keto, Paleo, Vegan etc….?”
At first you may not like my answer; I don’t know. We are all bio-individual and we all have different nutritional needs. One of the reasons I get these questions is that people want to lose weight. But can we rephrase this to mean you want to build lean muscle and lose excess body fat? If this is the case, can I share a few tips that prove to work and can work for you?*
Too many calories and too little movement will result in excess stored energy. This excess energy will most likely be stored as fat. Are you consistently consuming too many calories? If you are, can you pay attention to your body’s signals? Only eat when you are truly hungry and until you’re truly no longer hungry. Eating too often and too much can lead to fat storage as well as insulin resistance, pre-diabetes and diabetes.
Can you “crowd out” unhealthy food choices with foods high in nutrients? If your pantry and fridge have mostly foods in packages and you see a long list of ingredients on each one, chances are you’re eating too many processed foods. When buying packaged foods, read the ingredients. Look to see how many added sugars are in a serving. I recommend eating no more than 25 grams of added sugar a day. Added sugar is not the naturally occurring sugar in fruits and vegetables and other foods but it is sugars that are added into the foods. Start by just counting how many added sugars you are eating each day. If you find you are eating more than 25 grams, cutting that down is a great start.
Are you getting enough fiber, protein and quality fats? As a country, we tend to eat too many processed carbohydrates and too little protein, fiber and quality fats. When you’re hungry, what options do you have to replace the more processed versions? For example, if you are a salty and savory lover, you may grab for chips or crackers for a snack. Chips and crackers pack a lot of calories, have little to no nutritional value and will leave you wanting more. Cleaning out your pantry of these ultra-processed snacks and replacing them with raw or roasted veggies dipped in hummus or a homemade dip made from Greek yogurt, herbs and spices, seaweed snacks or a handful of unsalted nuts or seeds will leave you satisfied and give your body more of the nutrition it needs.
Do you cook most of your own meals or do you eat out or eat already prepared foods? This is a tough one for many people because of time. But here's the thing, learning to prepare healthy foods at home doesn’t have to be difficult or time consuming. In the summer months, grilling a piece of fish, chicken or steak and serving it alongside a big salad or grilled veggies can be quick, easy and hardly any clean up. Air fryers are another way to cook quickly. Meet yourself where you’re at. If you know you have a crazy day on Tuesday, maybe that’s the day you pick up prepared food. Choose as healthy as you can and then make it a point to prep your own meals for the other days.
These are some basic steps you can take now to make changes in your health, wellness and waistline for the future. Shoot for progress, not perfection.This is just a start and if you’re looking to have more guidance as well as learn all of The 6 Pillars of Wellness and how to incorporate them into your life for good, email back to set up a Free Discovery Call so we can see if my 12-week program is the right fit for you. This program is different from any other program out there. I only accept a maximum of 10 women. You’ll receive coaching and guidance in all of the Pillars to have a holistic approach to menopause and your second half. If you’re ready to sign up and save your spot now, click here.
*I am not a dietician or nutritionist and this is not meant to replace any information you would get from your healthcare provider. These are simply ideas and tips to help you to start paying attention to your diet.