Food Made Simple

          I have had so many people ask me what I eat and how much I eat since my body transformation.  I thought that I would help out by breaking down some very basic guidelines for eating properly as well as a list of healthy protein, fats, and carbohydrate sources.

Basic Guidelines for healthy eating:

1) Drink LOTS of water daily.  I recommend drinking about 64 oz of water per day.  Water from your protein shakes and unsweetened herbal teas can be included with the recommended 64 oz.

2) Eat  a balanced meal about every 3-4 hours.  A balanced meal consists of a protein,carbohydrate,and fat source.  Eating frequently throughout the day will help you to maintain a balanced insulin level as well as rev up your metabolism to burn off that stubborn fat!  You will also experience less energy crashes throughout the day.

3) Avoid the following foods: 

 Processed

 Labels with ingredients you can not pronounce

 If the first 3 ingredients are enriched flour, High fructose corn syrup, or sugar

 Fried and greasy

4) Plan ahead. Try prepping your foods in advance for your work week. This will in the long run save time, money, and reduce the risk of  impulsive or desperate decision making.

5) Spice it up!  Don't be afraid to explore in the kitchen with different seasonings and spices.  This will help prevent boredom and please your palate.

6) Enjoy a weekly fun meal with your friends and/or family.  It is a great reward system as well as a way to trick your body into working harder to burn off fat.

 Here is an example grocery list of products that are good and fit within the criteria of healthy eating.

Protein: Chicken, fish, lean red meats like beef and steaks, ground turkey, tuna, turkey bacon, egg whites, and protein powders from vegan or animal based sources.  Cottage cheese greek yogurt are also great protein options and easy for a snack.

Fats: Nuts and nut butters, avocado, olive oil, flax seed oil, and coconut oil.

Carbohydrates will be broken down into 2 categories. Simple and Complex:

Simple Carbohydrates: Fruits, processed crackers, breads, and pasta.  These carbs will break down very quickly in your body so it is suggested to eat fruit only in the morning or right after your workout and eat more complex carb sources with your other meals.

Complex Carbohydrates: Brown rice, quinoa, couscous, potatoes, and oatmeal.  These take longer to break down in your body therefore you will not feel hungry so soon after eating as you would with just simple carbs.

The deal on veggies:  All rich colored veggies are great fiber sources and don't really effect your body as much because they pass right through your system unlike other carbs because they are so high in fiber.  So you can really enjoy veggies all day long! Steamed,raw,baked, etc are all great ways to prepare your veggies.

           After purchasing all of your healthy foods take a few hours on a Sunday afternoon and prep your foods like cooking your meats and baking your sweet potato so that you don't have to labor in the kitchen every day or have the excuse of not having your food when you go to work so you end up going through the Arby's drive through.  Always be prepared and you will avoid consuming bad foods.

XOXO,

 Abby