Barre Fitness and Nourished Whole Food Challenge.
Congrats. Your results will be spectacular. Consistent exercise and conscious food
choices are THE proven method for weight lose, toning, mental clarity and more energy.
Eating and living healthy and enjoying life can be simultaneously. It isnʼt as hard as the
media and we make it to be. This isnʼt about deprivation; it is about being mindful of
everything you take in. Think about eating to Fuel yourself, not just to Fill yourself. Even
if it is for just this month only, make your health the priority by choosing foods that help
not hinder. You will see results. After the month, you will wonder how you ate half the
ʻstuffʼ you used to eat.
What are whole foods anyway? Whole Foods are foods in their most natural state with
the least amount of processing with the fewest ingredients added.
Examples: An apple instead of apple bars; carrot sticks not carrot cake; kale chips
instead of potato chips; plain non-fat Greek yogurt not Activia. Flavor yourself.
So how do we do kick the packaged foods and crowd in more of the whole foods?
1. THINK ABOUT YOUR FOOD INTAKE
- What % is packaged processed food? Excluding canned beans, packaged whole grains like rice, quinoa and pasta. Think about your usual go to choices. What can you substitute?
- Are the carbs you are eating complex whole grains? Whole grains mean all 3 parts of grain are intact—endosperm, bran and the germ. This will be listed on the label. Look for products that say %100 whole grains. Refined carbs like white bread, white pasta, white bread, packaged crackers made from enriched wheat flour are not whole foods. They are processed food-like products stripped of nourishment (empty calories.)
- Where are you getting most of your meals? Envelope experiment.
2. READ LABELS
- Watch out for packaged nutritional claims. The truth is found only on nutritional label. Not on front. Skip what the product is boasting, it means nothing.
- Try to keep to 5 ingredients or less. When reading label, you should know what everything listed is. If you cant pronounce it, donʼt buy it. The less ingredients, the less processed.
3. SHOP PERIPHERIES OF MARKETS. STAY OUT OF MIDDLE
- Processed foods dominate center aisles. Except for bulk grains, nuts, dried fruit and legumes. Careful high fructose corn syrup pops up in yogurts, even cheeses all the time.
4. CAN YOU PICTURE IT GROWING?
- Frito lays are not a potato. This trick will keep chemicals and weird preservatives out of your diet.
5. SAY NO DELI MEATS
- They are filled with nitrates and fillers. If you want a meat sandwich prepare a chicken or turkey and then take leftovers for sandwich meat. But why not try a hummus and veggie; peanut butter and banana; avocado and arugula.
6. PLANTS VS PLANTS
- If it came from a plant eat it; if it was made in a plant, donʼt.
7. GREENS, GREENS, GREENS
- Leafy vegetables are the healthiest food out there. They contain a slew of antioxidants, omegas, protein, and vitamins. Eat them at every meal. Make them a staple.
8. FILL YOUR PLATE WITH THE RAINBOW
- The colors reflect different antioxidants, phytonutrients, polyphenols, carotenoids. These all protect against the diseases of this era, each in a slightly different way. Best protection comes a diet containing as many as possible.
9. DONʼT DRINK YOUR CALORIES
- There is nothing whole about juice. Eat apples instead of drinking apple juice. Avoid energy drinks and remember organic soda is still soda. There is nothing healthy about it.
10. SOY PRODUCTS
- Unsweetend soy milk, soy beans (edamame are good) and tofu = OK. Flavored soy milks, soy isoflavones, textured vegetable protein, soy proteins, partially hydrogenated soy oils are not. Do they seem like a whole food to YOU?
11. TRY NEW SPICES FOR FLAVOR
- Cumin, tumeric, curry all add flavor, not fat and are super healthy and even healing.
12. DIG THE RIGHT DIPS
- Homemade hummus, guacamole, plain low fat Greek yogurt mixed with your favorite spice and veggies, artichoke spread, roasted tomatoes or olive tapenade are just a few examples.
For more info on Certified Holistic Nutritionist, Alyssa Bauman, click here.
Email Alyssa: info@nourished.ca
