Eating Healthy Without Breaking the Bank

One of the many excuses I hear when talking to people about their choice of foods is "It is too expensive to eat healthy". Granted some things are more expensive - especially when it comes to organic foods and grass fed beef. However, if you know where to cut back and where to spend a little more you can have all of your healthy foods and not feel like you are breaking the bank. Here are a few quick tips I have picked up along the way..

1. Be prepared: Coming to the store with a set list of the things you need - and sticking to that list - can make or break you. If you spend a few minutes planning out your meals ahead of time you can save yourself from picking up a bunch of unnecessary items. 

2. Do not shop hungry: I have fallen victim to this many times. You get in the store and all of the sudden the growling in your stomach has taken over the elevator music being piped through the store. Suddenly everything around you looks good and you start craving things you haven't craved in months! You find yourself grabbing this and that and before you know it you are leaving the store and loading bags of extra groceries in your car that you later look at with regret. If you are going to be hungry by the time to get to the store throw a quick healthy snack in your car or purse to curb that hunger while you are shopping.

3. Eat less meat: I never realized how much of our grocery bill was taken up by meat purchases. We were eating red meat a few times a week (which that in itself is not healthy). We have cut way back on red meat and try to get more chicken and fish in our diets. Even going vegetarian a night a week can make a difference. You can opt into the "meatless Monday" craze that so many people do. Also, if you eat less meat when you do purchase it you can opt for the higher quality meats. 

4. Grains and Beans: Grains and beans are a great meat substitute that help you feel full and pack a powerful nutritional punch. 

5. Buy in bulk: You can get grains, pasta, beans and nuts in bulk. I love the bulk section at Whole Foods because it allows you to save money (you are not paying for packaging) and you can get the amount of a product you need without having a bunch left over. You can also use the bulk section to try new things when you don't want to get a whole package and worry about wasting it if you don't like it. 

6. When going organic - stick to the "Dirty Dozen": Don't feel like you have to buy organic in everything you purchase. The "Dirty Dozen" is the list of fruits and vegetables with the highest amount of pesticides. 

- Peaches
- Apples
- Sweet Bell Peppers
- Celery
- Nectarines
- Strawberries
- Cherries
- Pears
- Grapes
- Imported Spinach
- Lettuce
- Potatoes

I also use a vegetable/fruit wash to pre-wash both my organic and non-organic vegetables and fruit.

7. Buy locally: the Farmer's Market or local produce stand can be a great place to get quality fruits and vegetables for a lower price than your big box grocery stores. 

These are just some of the tips that I have collected over the years that help me to eat better and stay within my budget. I would love to hear some of your tips and tricks and add them to the list. Feel free to leave a comment and let me know what your tips are! 

Country Style Beef and Green Pepper Soup

Fall is definitely here. The temperatures are falling, the leaves are changing and the stores are full of holiday meal displays. When it starts to get cold outside I crave soups and warm comfort foods. I would love to start utilizing my crock pot more. I know there are tons of recipes out there - I just always forget about it when I am doing my meal planning. While on my quest for new soup recipes I ran across this recipe from Clean Eating Magazine. I love this magazine and all the recipes and tips it has inside. I have this recipe on my list to try. Every time I run across it I think it looks amazing! 

Country- Style Beef and Green Pepper Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 12 oz extra-lean ground beef
• 2 medium green bell peppers, diced
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1 lb fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 4 oz fresh green beans, trimmed and broken into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed and patted dry
• 2 cups coarsely chopped green cabbage
• 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat 1 tsp oil in a Dutch oven on medium-high, tilting Dutch oven to coat bottom lightly. Add beef and cook for 3 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Drain beef on paper towels; set aside.
2. Heat 1 tsp oil in Dutch oven on medium-high. Add bell peppers and onion and cook for 6 minutes or until edges begin to brown, stirring occasionally. Add beef back to Dutch oven along with tomatoes, beans, corn, cabbage, broth and oregano. Bring mixture to a boil over same heat, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until beans are tender-crisp.
3. Remove Dutch oven from heat, stir in remaining ingredients, including remaining oil, and let stand for 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld. 

Nutrients per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 182, Total Fat: 5.5 g, Sat. Fat: 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g, Carbs: 17 g, Fiber: 3.5 g, Sugars: 5 g, Protein: 16 g, Sodium: 413 mg, Cholesterol: 30 mg 

 

You can find this and other recipes courtesy of Clean Eating Magazine HERE

Reasons You Are Not Losing Weight

I get a lot of messages from people wanting to know why they aren't losing weight when they are working out and eating right. I can say a good percentage of those messages come from people who "think" they are eating right when really their nutrition is way out of control. One of the first things I tell people to do is to keep a food journal for a few days - write down EVERY SINGLE thing you put in your mouth - send it back to me and we will discuss it and see where things can be changed up. Some people don't even do that much.. they just give up and I never hear from them again. For those people who are SERIOUS about making some changes - it works. We get so caught up with work, taking care of the kids, running errands and doing a million other things we don't realize sometimes that we are snacking here and there, stealing food off our kids plates or eating while we are cooking. When I did the Ultimate Reset I found out I was one of those people who liked to eat while they cooked. As I cut up vegetables and fruits I would be constantly snacking. On the Reset I wasn't allowed to eat while I was prepping my food. It was a hard habit for me to break but I was so glad that it was brought to my attention because there is no telling how many extra calories I was taking in with that one small habit.

Don't forget...

All of that brings me to this. I found a great article that breaks down 25 reasons why you may not being losing weight. I am going to bullet point them here. If you want to see the entire article click here. 

1. You overeat healthy foods
2. You don't eat breakfast
3. You don't practice portion control
4. You eat while standing up
5. You don't sleep enough
6. You over-indulge in low fat foods
7. You don't eat enough vegetables
8. You think walking your dog is enough
9. You don't cut your food
10. You still drink soda
11. Your partner isn't on the same healthy road
12. You are addicted to condiments and toppings
13. You don't drink water
14. You don't leave time for fun
15. You are on a diet.. well, sort of..
16. You are always dining out
17. You don't keep a food journal
18. You exercise with an empty stomach
19. You only do cardio
20. You eat without thinking
21. You wear clothes that are too big
22. You don't eat enough
23. You leave out entire food groups
24. You never indulge
25. You eat the wrong post-workout snacks

Now I can tell you I am guilty of more than one of these from time to time.. nobody is perfect! Check out the article here  for more information on each of the 25 reasons and what you can do to change it. Thanks to fitsugar.com for such a great informative article!      

 


 


 


 

Shakeology 3 Day Cleanse

Do you ever have those days where you wake up regretting all of the food you ate the day before? Did you just return from vacation where you made some not so great choices in food? You have that sluggish feeling that just won't go away, you feel bloated, and just plain "yucky"? If you are just starting a fitness journey, trying to lose a few quick pounds or are needing to bust through a plateau - a 3 day Shakeology cleanse may just be what you need!

The Shakeology cleanse will help you cleanse your body of the chemicals and toxins that are bogging down your system. The cleanse will help get your body running at optimal performance. What this cleanse is not is some magic potion. It consists of drinking Shakeology three times a day, drinking green tea, eating snacks of fruit and having a salad with a white protein for dinner, and of course, drinking a lot of water.

 If you are super healthy and an athlete you will probably not see a lot by means of weight loss. However, the average amount of weight loss is 3-5 lbs in the 3 days. I have seen more and I have seen less.

The Shakeology cleanse is calorie restricted but nutrient dense. You will be taking in anywhere from 800-1200 calories a day. Below is instructions on how to do the cleanse..

If you are interested in trying the Shakeology cleanse contact me for the cleanse kit. I have them available in Chocolate, Greenberry, Vegan Chocolate and Vegan Tropical Strawberry. For more information e-mail me at bbcoachkaren@yahoo.com.

Have a great weekend!