nuts — Blog — Fit Foodie Le

'i want to be healthier.'

you do? ok, read!

first off, breathe. don't over-complicate things. this process does not go from 0-60 in 3 seconds and you won't either. it's a gradual thing. a lifestyle thing. one that you will see and feel the effects of if you just stick with it. little by little, a little becomes a lot. we know by now that proper nutrition and physical fitness is a package deal. can't have one without the other. i will be focusing on the nutrition part of the equation for now as this is where your journey begins:

here is a staple starter grocery list to save, print out, and take with you to the grocery store. i go into detail about each section below and provide some of my favorite brands and where to get'em. keep reading.

key:

WF = Whole Foods

SFM = Sprouts Farmers Market

WM = Walmart

TG = Target

TJ = Trader Joes

HEB = HEB Pantry (local)

K = Kroger (local)

ALL = available at all listed stores

grains / cereals / breads

Ezekiel brand breads and tortillas WF, SP
Ezekiel cereal varieties WF, SP, WM, K, HEB
Alvarado Street Bakery brand bread WF, SP
La Tortilla Factory tortillas & wraps WF, SP, WM, K, HEB
Nature's Own Double Fiber Wheat Bread WM, K, HEB, TG
Sara Lee 45 Calories & Delightful brand bread HEB, WM, K, TG
Trader Joe's whole grain breads TJ
Sprouts Farmers Market whole grain breads SFM

i find that rolled, quick oats, oat bran, rice, quinoa, and couscous are cheapest when bought in bulk. whip out your calculator and do the math if you must and compare the price per lb to whatever way you previously purchased these items. yeah, those Uncle Ben's single serving rice pouches are DELICIOUSLY easy to prepare and taste so good, but they just aren't cost-effective and you know it! buy your rice in bulk and season it yourself.

flours / nuts / oils

Bob's Red Mill flour varieties WF, SP, HEB, K, WM, TG
flours & nuts from the bulk bins of WF, HEB, or SP
choose unrefined, virgin, and cold-pressed oils ALL
roasted & unsalted mixed nuts (almonds, pistachios, cashews, pecans) in bulk WF, SP, HEB

starchy veggies

fresh & frozen are best. if you must do canned, look for a low/no sodium option. these are veggies that are carbohydrate rich, higher in sugar content, have an adverse affect on blood glucose levels, and load you with energy. any on the list above will do; pick your fave. if unsure about how to classify a particular veggie, use this helpful list of starchy veggies. ALL

non-starchy veggies

fresh & frozen are best. if you must do canned, look for a low/no sodium option. these are veggies that contain fewer calories and carbs, lower sugar content, and have little to no effect on blood glucose levels and are loaded with essential vitamins, minerals. any on the list above will do; pick your fave. if unsure how to classify a particular veggie use this helpful list of non-starchy veggies. ALL

fruit

fresh & frozen are best. beware of packaged and canned fruit which can contain crazy high amounts of sugar. read your labels! don't forget avocado is a fruit and high and good fat. we know fruit is an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and natural sugar, but the sugar content does vary per fruit, so choose wisely. here's a chart of some of the most popular and available fruit choices that gives you an accurate depiction of the sugar content for a 1 cup serving. ALL

here's a more detailed list:

dairy

Lactaid brand milk & cottage cheese ALL
Greek yogurt brands: Fage, Chiobani, Oikos, Trader Joes ALL
Laughing Cow Spreadable Cheese Wedges ALL
Mini Babybel light cheese ALL

non-dairy

Blue Diamond, Silk unsweetened vanilla and original almond milk ALL
Lisanatti Almond Cheese (cheddar, pepper jack, mozzarella) WF, SFM
Tofutti non-dairy cream cheese spread WFM, TJ, SFM, HEB, K
Trader Joe's canned light coconut milk TJ

meat / seafood / protein

boneless & skinless turkey and chicken breast ALL
97-99% extra lean ground turkey, chicken, and beef ALL
choose cuts of beef with the least marbling
leanest beef cuts: eye of round, sirloin tip and steak, top & bottom round roast & steak ALL
shellfish: scallops, mussels, lobster, shrimp, crab ALL
choose low sodium canned beans and rinse beans under cold water before cooking: navy, kidney, black, lima, chick peas, pinto, black-eyed peas. ALL
HEB & Crystal Farms egg whites ALL, HEB
fish: cod, salmon, tilapia, flounder, trout, halibut, mahi mahi, perch, snapper, sole, tuna (canned and packed in water) ALL

seasonings / sauces / sweeteners

Bragg's Liquid Aminos WM, WFM, SFM, K, HEB
Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar WM, WFM, SFM, K, HEB
all fresh herbs (sage, cilantro, oregano, basil, dill) ALL
any salt-free standalone spice or seasoning blend (Mrs. Dash, McCormick, Trader Joes, Generic brands ALL
use fresh lemon / lime just for natural seasoning, flavoring & marinating ALL
liquid smoke WM, TG, K, HEB
Heinz low carb ketchup ALL

so do you just go buy the entire list at once? no! remember, i spoke with Tiara in HEB the other day and here's that grocery shopping advice i gave her in a nutshell: 'depending on how ambitious you feel, pick 2, or 3 recipes you know you'll be making in the next 2 weeks or so and do your grocery shopping based on those ingredients. else, there's a good chance you may not use everything you purchased and have to throw it away. we know some items have longer shelf lives of course, but the majority of what is thrown away is spoiled produce.' i try to limit my store visits to 2-3 times a month. i make large batches of a recipe at a time, and we have those meals/leftovers for the next 2-3 days before switching to something new. sometimes i'll cook two large batches of two different recipes at a time and alternate those meals for more variety.

grocery shopping tips:

buy fresh AND frozen produce
only buy produce in-season and on sale to save $
make a list first and stick to it
don't shop when you're hungry
set a monthly or bi-weekly budget and don't go over it
buy meat in bulk and freeze what you don't use immediately
buy generic brands whenever possible
shop the perimeter of the store (fresh meat, bread, produce, dairy). processed foods tend to rule those isles.

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Q: questions? FIRE AWAY! what would you like to see MORE of? what wasn't covered or covered in enough detail? i need your feedback. email me or comment below.

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my featured FITzee meal of the week:

Paleo Pork Roast with Apple Chutney and Butternut Squash

all natural, dairy-free, gluten-free, Paleo friendly & smells and tastes like FALL.

place your FITzee Foods order to be shipped right to your doorstep now.

saturday i did an all day (and i do mean aaaaalll day- 9am-6pm) re-certification class for Lifetime, you know, so i can keep my job. only the best job EVER!!! the day went by super fast though. the trainer was pretty amazing and super easy to listen to. plus, she was funny. that always helps. i went through the training with my fav gym buddies Anna & Julie- we all used to teach/workout together at 24 HF a few years ago and have stayed in contact with each other ever since. this was my first time meeting Kris (far right), but i love him just the same! we all teach Total Conditioning (among other things) part-time for Lifetime and absolutely LOVE IT.

refueling on our lunch break in the Lifetime Cafe.

quick pic with our trainer for the day, Abrea.

i brought my gigantic, obnoxious lunch kit with me filled with snacks and food for the day. (cell phone pics, blech!!!!)

i dined (lol) on humus with sugar snap peas, carrots, cherry tomatoes, pistachios, strawberries, and chicken breasts cutlets w/ roasted vegetables ( entrée courtesy of My Fit Foods).

i'm also super excited to announce that i'll be getting certified in Turbo Kickboxing by the end of this month, whoop, WHOOP! i have always been a hug fan of TKB and i'm elated to add it to my instructor repertoire. two thumbs up for cardioooooooo.

alright, now. you asked for snack ideas between meals, so here are a few to get you started. preparation is KEY, so go get you some baggies, buy your snacks in bulk, and ration them out for the week. i don't mind several trips to the grocery store, but some people do!

go to your nearest warehouse club and stock up. Sam's is closest to me.

cherry tomatoes and sugar snap peas. i'm so hooked on these peas- looks like edamame but you eat the whole thing. they're sweet and crispy. great eaten raw or dipped in you know what- hummus! i do carrots too.

fresh fruits- buy whatever's on sale at the time. natural sugars trump processed foods/sugars EVERY TIME!

unsweetened apple sauce. 50 calorie, naturally sweetened snack. great for baking- i'll get to that though;)

1 serving (1/2 cup) of 2% cottage cheese (90 cals) with fresh blackberries.

or strawberries!

pistachio nuts! sam's. 8 bucks for this big ol 24 oz bag.

grab some sandwich baggies and ration out your mixed nuts. they are high in good fat and great for you- but don't go overboard. 1/4 cup of either a day fine.

0% or 2% greek yogurt

keep it plain and add your own toppings. the flavored varieties usually have way too much sugar. try it with pistachios, flax-seed, and honey,

or pecans and blueberries.

cheese! babybel and string. perfectly portioned protein. 50-60 cals each.

there are also the laughing cow cheese wedges- perfect for spreading on crackers or fruit. '35 cals a wedge!'

deli meat. you can roll some string cheese up with the turkey/chicken/ham/roast beef, etc. for a lean, protein snack.

these two ingredients are great separate...but together? unfortunately, i don't care if they aren't considered healthy at this point LOL. this is one snack i'm keeping.

air popped popcorn! 4 cups for 100 cals. i bought this air popper on amazon a few days ago and i am still waiting for it to arrive *taps foot impatiently*

sliced apples with PB2.

La Tortilla Factory tortillas- tons of flavors and varieties of low calorie, low carb tortillas! make a wrap using your deli meat and babybel/string cheese. (also great for breakfast tacos, enchiladas, and homemade tortilla chips).impressive, huh! but they taste good too.

you remember ants on a log- celery, pb2, and raisins! also take one of those wraps, add some pb2, then microwave for a warm, healthy 'pb sandwich'.

whole, hard-boiled egg. 70 cals, 7 grams protein. exclude the yolk for a fat-free, 20 calorie egg.

freeze-dried fruit, all kinds! i order mine from Brothers All Natural for around 20 bucks for a 24 pack. they have sales frequently, so use those coupon codes when you see them! i really like the bananas though and so does my little one. 1 bag = 1.5 bananas. the sugar is lower in the freeze-dried bananas vs. fresh!

a few readers expressed to me how much they hate the taste of green tea lol, and if i had any flavor recommendations i sure do! try making a quick and easy green chai tea using:

a shot of torani sugar-free vanilla syrup and 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk.

steep the tea as normal, and add those two ingredients, and stir! if you like it as much as i do, LET ME KNOW! and sorry, i don't have a cool cinnamon stick or garnish, yet.

i do hope you found a few snacks you'd like to try or are already eating!