The latest research, published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behaviour, showed that people who shopped to a list weighed less than those in the same community who didn’t.
“When individuals worked with detailed meal plans and a grocery list to make the meals it could have a meaningful impact on weight loss and long-term health among overweight and obese individuals.” Lead researcher, Dr Nicole Au from the Monash Centre for Health Economics said.
For those who want to lose weight, a list represents a pre-commitment – how you would like to eat next week. Remember, healthy grocery shopping doesn’t have to break the bank, as many sometimes suggest. Shop in season, and shop around, in order to find your healthy favorites at a reasonable price.
Follow this ideal grocery list for weight loss and good health:
Whole, unprocessed grains
• Quinoa
• Whole wheat pasta
• Steel cut oats
• Couscous
• Brown Rice
Produce & Whole Foods
Fruits – Apples, oranges, bananas, strawberries, cantaloupe, watermelon, cherries, grapes, blueberries, avocado, raspberries, nectarines, peaches, apricots, tomatoes, pineapple, honeydew melon…
Vegetables – Onions, mushrooms, carrots, peppers, zucchini, broccoli, celery, asparagus, beets, cauliflower, spinach, cabbage, squash, cucumbers, romaine lettuce, kale, brussels sprouts, radish…
Beans – black, pinto, kidney, navy, and/or garbonzo. These are easy to toss into the slow cooker or crock pot with a little salt and pepper; buy large bulk bags for the cheapest and lowest sodium options.
Nuts – Almonds, walnuts, cashews, etc
Meat
• Chicken Breast
• Lean Pork Chops
• Fish & Seafood (salmon, halibut, cod, etc.)
Dairy
• Low fat milk
• Eggs
• Plain yogurt – This can also be used as sour cream. Pick up some honey to sweeten it if you can’t stand the thought of eating plain yogurt.
• Cottage cheese
• Butter – no imitations or zero calorie sprays, you’ll just end up hungrier and pumping your body full of chemicals
• Cheese – as little processed as possible; avoid cheese “products”, imitation cheeses, or anything that’s insanely low calorie as it’s probably nutritionally null and void, at best.
For flavoring dishes & cooking
• Spices, buy or grow fresh when possible for best taste – cinnamon, oregano, cilantro, black pepper, garlic cloves, cumin, cayenne pepper, ginger, parsley, red pepper flakes, coriander, pure vanilla extract (not imitation) …
• Pure Honey – Best organic & unpasterized, great for naturally sweetening things up
• Cooking oils – Sesame oil, vegetable oil, olive oil (do not cook with high heat when using olive oil)…
Other, miscellaneous
• Canned tomatoes
• Nut butters
• Whole wheat flour – try making your own bread and tortillas, if you can’t live without “toast”, bread sandwiches or traditional burritos and quesadillas.
What to avoid at the grocery store
Any food or food product posing as a health food with a laundry list of ingredients that is loaded with sugars, artificial sugars, preservatives, sodium and more; always read both the nutrition information and the ingredients if you’re buying something that comes in a package.
The usual suspects are: meal replacement shakes & meals/health/energy/protein/nutrition bars, veggie burgers, low fat or low calorie meals in the frozen section, cereals, canned soups, bread products, juices, “skinny” versions of things, etc.
Tip: Don’t go shopping when you’re hungry – the healthiest list in the world won’t save you from the sights and smells of the supermarket on an empty stomach!
Article Source: http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/