Grocery Shopping takes planning!

I went grocery shopping today and as I was browsing the aisles, I realized, "most of this stuff is JUNK!" We have aisles upon aisles that are filled with foods that are processed, prepared, "enriched", sodium loaded and sugar coated! Its awful!

From watching videos and reading about grocery shopping on http://www.bodybuilding.com/, I learned about perimeter shopping. Basically, avoid the middle of the store if at all possible. The good foods that you need should be all along the walls. That makes sense, right? You need fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh meats/lean proteins, dairy. You may have to step in an aisle or two to get things like pastas and of course your household cleaners and such, but when it comes to your basic "clean" foods, stay along the perimeter!

Keep your food basic! Lean Proteins, Carbohydrates, Non-Impact Carbohydrates (vegetables) and fruits!

Lean Proteins:
fish (I prefer tilapia or salmon)
Chicken (boneless/skinless breasts or tenderloins)
shrimp
eggs
lean pork
turkey
beans

Carbohydrates:
sweet potatoes
oatmeal (organic and old fashioned; NOTHING in little individualized bags!)
whole wheat pastas/breads
brown rice
quinoa (one of my favorites!)
bananas
lentils

Non-Impact Carbohydrates: These foods will add tremendous flavor and color to all your dishes and they are soooo good for you!

broccoli
green beans
spinach
mushrooms
onions
tomatoes
cucumbers
celery
cauliflower (i have a great mashed cauliflower recipe!)
peppers
brussels sprouts
radishes
lettuce
beets
cabbage

Fruit:
berries
grapefruit
apples
pears
plums/nectarines

Dairy:
skim milk
greek yogurt (love Fage!)
low-fat cottage cheese

Good fats:
natural peanut butter/almond butter
avocados
olive oil

You can make great meals, just from all the items above! Get the "Green" bags or tupperware to store your fruits and veggies; they'll last MUCH MUCH MUCH longer! Buy veggies and meats frozen if you can. Canned veggies are a BIG no-no! Prepare your meals ahead of time (Sundays are my "prep" day and I cook/prepare everything and then just label it and have it ready to reheat throughout the week.)

Stay away from:
bagels
pastries
biscuits
white rice/bread
candy
nachos
ice cream
pancakes
muffins
chips/fries
instant mashed potatoes

Planning your menu, entering a grocery store with a list (and sticking to it!), then meal prep and storage are imperative to the success of your nutrition and diet! When you're not prepared, you'll grab what's easy and convenient and that usually means your diet will suffer.