Sharpen your grocery shopping skills and aim to stay healthy too!

Reading Food Labels

1. Food labels must be checked for Sodium values to be less than Potassium values. (Sodium values low, under 200 mg and Potassium levels, above 300 mg.)
2. Food must be low in saturated fats, that is to say any product that is animal or comes from animal: Beef, Poultry, Chicken, Fish, Cheese, Milk, Butter, Ice Cream, etc..  However, foods with Mono/Poly unsaturated fats which are plant based: Olive Oil, Canola and Vegetable Oil, Nuts Tofu, Soy etc. can taken in controlled larger amounts.
3. Aim for low sugar content.
4. Check fiber content, some prepared foods (boxed) have fiber content ranging from 1g-6g. The more fiber the better!  Fiber is needed for carrying out unused fats, food products and waste.

Fluids are equally important to a successful diet. Add 1-2 glasses of water with 1/2 to 1 whole lemon each day. Also drink 1-2 cups of Oolong tea each day. Oolong tea burns over 157% more fat than Green Tea and has become the most popular tea designed to accelerate weigh loss. 

A variety of foods must be eaten in order to achieve good health and reasonable weightloss.

Carbohydrates from fruits. Vegetables and whole grains. Fats should be healthy oils. Protein must be lean avg. of 4-6 oz., card deck in size.

Plan for Weightloss

1. You must eat 5-6 small meals to lose weight.
2. Between 1200-1400 calorie diet
3. Consume a eight 8 oz glasses of fluids a day.
4. Exercise: Aerobic 30 minutes a day (walking, jogging, running, swimming, roller bladding, bikeriding, spinning, stairs.)

Strengthening 10 minutes a day (weights, push-ups, sit-ups)http://www.niapublications.org/exercisebook/chapter4_strength.htm (Results: Weightloss may reflect 2 lb’s or more a week. May be less if you are breastfeeding, taking medication, fighting an infection, sick, or recently had surgery.)*

Begin
1 glass warm water (or green tea) with juice of 1/2 lemon and tsp of honey.
(1/2 lemon for under 150 lb’s. 1 whole lemon if over 150 lb’s)

Breakfast
2-6 oz coffee (optional)
Milk…. (choices: 8 oz. skim or 1% milk, 4-6 oz low or nonfat yogurt)
Fruit
Bread….Bran Cereal or Oatmeal (low Sodium high Potassium)

Water

Snack am
Fruit**Water or tea

Lunch
Vegetable….Pepper, Carrot or Celery sticks (1/2 cup)
Bread…. (Aunt Millies multi- grain 2 slices = 1 serving)*
Protein…2 slices turkey
Fruit…….3 slices tomato
Vegetable…..1 lettuce leaf
condiment….mustard
Milk….1 oz cheese (optional. May trade for serving of skim milk)
Fresh Fruit Choice (not canned)
Lemon with water or tea
* may avoid bread and have a chicken breast or filet of fish (3 oz)

Water

Snack pm
Protein and Fat…1 oz nuts (28 pieces= Almonds, Walnuts, Hazelnuts, Peanuts, Soy)
Vegetable of choice**

Water

Dinner
Bread… 1/2 cup cooked whole grain pasta, multi grain dinner roll
3 Vegetables** (baked or steamed)
condiments for cooked vegetables= Mrs Dash salt substitute, drizzled **EVOO, pepper, herbs
Fat…for salad = low sodium vinagrette **
Protein…3 oz lean meat, chicken breast or fish filet baked, broiled or grilled
Fruit of choice
Fluid…water or skim-1% milk 8 oz glass

wine or beer 5 oz only 3 days in the week otherwise they contain 90+ calories each. Opt for water. 0 calories!

Dessets no more than 3 in the week.

Water or Tea

By Kimberly Crocker