Eating whole foods such as organic fruits and vegetables, whole grains and quality protein is essential for living a long, healthy life. Because of the struggles that can come with eating healthy all the time, it is so important to choose foods that complement your taste buds and that you enjoy! They should also be foods that are easy to prepare (for you). Don't forget to use spices and fresh herbs in place of salt. Find what you like and stick with it. Then, once a week, try adding something new and nutritious to your diet.
EATING PLAN
Eat 5 - 6 small meals a day, 2-3 hours apart. Each meal should range from 200-300 calories and you should consume no less than 1200 calories a day. Drink 64 oz of pure, filtered water every day, more if you are exercising.
At each meal, try to consume some protein, carbs and fats such as nuts and seeds, olive oil, and avocado. Eat 2-3 servings of fruits and 3-5 servings of vegetables a day. Look for whole grain products with high servings of fiber (2g or more). Only eat until your full.
Read labels. In order for a food to be a good source of fiber, it must say 100% whole wheat. If it only says wheat or whole wheat, it is a blend of refined white flour which we should not consume at all.
GOOD SOURCES OF PROTEIN
Chicken Breast
Wild Alaskan Salmon
Eggs (an egg yolk a day is not only okay, it's good for you!)
Fat Free Cottage Cheese
Low fat cheese
Lentils
Tofu
Edamame
Lean Beef (in moderation!)
GOOD SOURCES OF WHOLE GRAIN CARBOHYDRATES
100% Whole Wheat or whole grain bread or crackers
100% whole wheat or whole grain pasta
Slow cooking Oatmeal
100% Whole Wheat Couscous
Quinoa
Whole Grain Cereal such as Kashi Go Lean Crunch! (my favorite!)
GOOD SOURCES OF FATS
Nuts
Seeds
Avocado
Olive Oil
MENU PLAN IDEAS
Veggie Omlet with 1 egg, 2 egg whites, a your choice of quickly sauteed veggies and a spinkle of cheese. I like spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, onions and garlic with some lo-fat feta cheese.
Fat free cottage cheese, grapes or pineapple and chopped walnuts. YUM!
Whole grain crackers and low-fat swiss cheese
Tip: Buy 100% whole wheat pita bread or 100% whole wheat flour toritillas and cut them into triangles. Spray lightly with olive oil cooking spray and just a sprinkle of sea salt. Put them on a cookie sheet in a 450 degree preheated oven. They will crisp up in about 5-10 minutes. Eat with hummus or homemade guacamole. Or, top with cottage cheese and half a cherry tomato.
Bon Appetit!
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Words of Wisdom "We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make our world." ~ Buddha