WELCOME TO WEEK 1!

IN THIS MODULE WE LEARN:

WEEK 1:

WHAT IS HEALTHY UNPROCESSED FOOD?

FOR SOME, THIS MAY SEEM LIKE A VERY "DUH" QUESTION. HOWEVER, IT ISN'T AS OBVIOUS FOR THOSE STARTING THEIR JOURNEY TOWARD HEALTH WHO'VE NEVER COOKED, WHO HAVEN'T BEEN EXPOSED TO A WIDE VARIETY OF HEALTHY FOODS, OR WHO JUST DIDN'T GROW UP IN A HEALTH-ORIENTED FAMILY. BEFORE YOU JUDGE, WE ALL START SOMEWHERE.

I OFTEN DESCRIBE HEALTHY FOODS AS THOSE WHICH HAVE VERY FEW ADDED INGREDIENTS, ARE MINIMALLY PROCESSED, AND DO NOT HAVE ADDED SUGARS.

A FEW EXAMPLES:

APPLE: AN APPLE HAS ONE INGREDIENT: APPLE.
PEANUT BUTTER: SOME PEANUT BUTTERS HAVE ADDED OILS, SUGAR, SALT, OR PRESERVATIVES. OTHER PEANUT BUTTERS ONLY HAVE PEANUTS. A HEALTHY VERSION OF PEANUT BUTTER WOULD HAVE FEWER INGREDIENTS.
GUMMY BEARS: CORN SYRUP, SUGAR, GELATIN, DEXTROSE, CITRIC ACID, STARCH, ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL FLAVORS, FRACTIONATED COCNUT OIL, CARNAUBA WAX, BEESWAX COATING, ARTIFICIAL COLORS (YELLOW 5, RED 40, AND BLUE 1). THAT TICKS ALL THE MARKERS FOR AN UNHEALTHY FOOD. IT'S GOT A TON OF INGREDIENTS, IT'S PROCESSED, AND IT HAS ADDED SUGARS.
PROTEIN BAR: PROTEIN BLEND (MILK PROTEIN ISOLATE, WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE), SOLUBLE CORN FIBER, WATER, ALMONDS, ERYTHRITOL, NATURAL FLAVORS, PALM KERNEL OIL, UNSWEETENED CHOCOLATE. CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF THE FOLLOWING: SODIUM CASEINATE, COCOA BUTTER, BUTTER (CREAM, SALT), COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI, SEA SALT, BAKING SODA, ANNATTO EXTRACT (COLOR), BETA CAROTENE (COLOR), SUNFLOWER AND/OR LECITHIN, STEVIOL GLYCOSIDES (STEVIA), SUCRALOSE.

WHICH PRODUCTS HAVE THE LEAST INGREDIENTS? WHICH SEEM THE HEALTHIEST?

THE FOODS THAT YOU WILL FOCUS ON EATING 2 SERVINGS PER MEAL THROUGHOUT THE RESET INCLUDE:

FRESH PROTEINS
FRESH OR FROZEN VEGETABLES

THE FOODS THAT YOU WILL FOCUS ON EATING 1 SERVING PER MEAL THROUGHOUT THE RESET INCLUDE:

FRESH OR FROZEN FRUIT
ROOT VEGETABLES (POTATOES, BEETS, ETC.)
DAIRY (NO SUGAR ADDED)
GRAINS
CONDIMENTS
DARK CHOCOLATE (72% AND UP)
CURED MEATS (BACON, SAUSAGE, SALAMI, ETC.)
PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS (BARS, POWDERS, SNACKS, ETC.)
PRESERVED PRODUCE (OLIVES, PICKLES, SAUERKRAUT)

THE FOODS THAT YOU WILL FOCUS ON EATING LESS THAN 4 SERVINGS PER WEEK THROUGHOUT THE RESET INCLUDE:

LEGUMES (CHICKPEAS, BEANS, PEANUTS)
NUTS AND SEEDS
UNSWEETENED ALCOHOLIC DRINKS (CLEAR LIQUOR, DRY WINE, CHAMPAGNE, ETC.)**

FOODS THAT ARE CONSIDERED DISCRETIONARY AND SHOULD BE EATEN ONLY AS A “TREAT” INCLUDE:

FAST FOOD
PRE-PREPARED FOOD FROM A RESTAURANT
PRE-MADE OR PROCESSED FROZEN FOODS
SODA (DIET OR REGULAR)
GRAINS (BREAD, CEREAL, PASTA, OATS, RICE, ETC.)
PRE-MADE OR PROCESSED SNACK FOODS
SWEET ALCOHOLIC DRINKS**
PASTRIES OR BAKED GOODS
DESSERTS OR CANDY
ADDED SUGARS

**UNSWEETENED ALCOHOL, IN EXTREME MODERATION (LESS THAN 2 DRINKS PER WEEK). IS ACCEPTABLE. HOWEVER, SWEET MIXED DRINKS SHOULD BE ELIMINATED EXCEPT WHEN USED AS A DISCRETIONARY FOOD.

I’VE INCLUDED A DOWNLOADABLE GROCERY FOR YOU LIST BELOW!

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD!

HOW TO GROCERY SHOP!

1. SHOP THE PERIMETER OF THE STORE

TYPICALLY, THE HEALTHIEST FOODS WILL BE LOCATED IN THE PERIMETER OF THE STORE. PLACES LIKE:

THE PRODUCE SECTION
THE MEAT/SEAFOOD COUNTER
FRESH MEAT/SEAFOOD
THE DAIRY CASES
THE BULK BINS

2. READ THE INGREDIENTS

THE FRONT OF THE PACKAGE MIGHT BE PRETTY AND MAKE A FOOD LOOK HEALTHY, BUT THE INGREDIENTS LABEL TELLS THE WHOLE STORY. BEFORE YOU BUY, MAKE SURE OF THE FOLLOWING:

NO ADDED SUGARS (COMPANIES OFTEN HIDE SUGAR UNDER OTHER NAMES, SO MAKE SURE YOU READ CAREFULLY.)
NO PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED OILS OR TRANS FATS
NO EXCESSIVE SODIUM CONTENT (CANNED BEANS, CANNED VEGETABLES, AND CONDIMENTS OFTEN HAVE VERY HIGH SODIUM CONTENTS. BE WARY.)
NO "NATURAL OR ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS"
NO DYES
NO CHEMICAL PRESERVATIVES
NO M.S.G.

KEEP IN MIND THAT IF YOU STICK TO THE "HEALTHIEST FOODS" LIST ABOVE YOU WON'T RUN INTO THESE INGREDIENTS.

3. WHEN IN DOUBT, GOOGLE IT!

SOMETIMES INGREDIENTS POP UP UNDER UNDER CHEMICAL-SOUNDING NAMES THAT ARE ACTUALLY JUST ADDED VITAMINS, OR ARE BENIGN. IF YOU'RE NOT SURE WHAT SOMETHING IS, JUST GOOGLE IT AND LEARN SOMETHING NEW!

4. GO IN WITH A PLAN OF ATTACK

MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR BEFORE YOU ENTER THE GROCERY STORE. THEY SAY THAT "FAILING TO PLAN IS PLANNING TO FAIL" AND I AGREE.

HAVE A LIST, OR A CLEAR IDEA OF WHAT YOU NEED TO MINIMIZE THE TEMPTATION OF GOING OFF TRACK.

I WOULD SUGGEST WRITING A ROUGH MEAL PLAN FOR THE WEEK TO GET A SHOPPING LIST. ONCE YOU HAVE A SHOPPING LIST, GO DIRECTLY TO THOSE ITEMS AND DO NOT DEVIATE.

IT'S EASY TO SIDE TRACKED BY ALL THE STIMULI. GROCERY STORES ARE DESIGNED AND LAID OUT IN WAYS TO MAKE YOU BUY MORE. DON'T FALL INTO THE TRAP. FOCUS!!

5. AVOID SHOPPING HUNGRY OR TIRED

SHOPPING WHEN YOUR HUNGRY OR TIRED CAN LEAD YOU TO MAKE IMPULSIVE OFF-PLAN PURCHASES.

A STATE OF HUNGER CAN LEAD TO DECREASED BLOOD SUGAR, WHICH CREATES A DEPRESSED MOOD AND CAN LEAD YOU TOWARDS HYPER-PALATABLE DOPAMINE-INDUCING FOODS.
A STATE OF FATIGUE (MENTAL OR PHYSICAL) CAN ALSO LEAD TO A DEPRESSED MOOD AND/OR DECISION FATIGUE; THEREBY MAKING IT HARDER TO STICK TO YOUR PLAN AND MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES.

ADDITIONALLY, SHOPPING HUNGRY CAN LEAD YOU TO PURCHASE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN YOU WOULD OTHERWISE, SO DO YOUR BEST TO PLAN AHEAD AND AVOID SHOPPING IN THESE STATES.

6. IF IT’S IN YOUR HOUSE, IT’S IN YOUR STOMACH!

WILLPOWER, DISCIPLINE, SELF-ACCOUNTABILITY, REASON, AND RATIONALITY ALL GO OUT THE WINDOW WHEN WE'RE REALLY HUNGRY (SEE THE SECTION ABOVE).

WHEN WE GET HUNGRY OUR ENERGY-SEEKING BEHAVIORS INCREASE AS OUR BLOOD SUGAR AND MOOD DECREASE. SIMILARLY TO THE SECTION ABOVE, NOT ONLY WILL WE SEEK OUT ENERGY DENSE FOODS, WE WILL SEEK HYPER PALATABLE FOODS.

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE THESE FOODS IN THE HOUSE AND NOT ULTIMATELY CONSUME THEM!

ONLINE COOKING RESOURCES

JUST A FEW RESOURCES THAT HAVE HELPED ME OVER THE YEARS....

GOOGLE....

IT SEEMS PRETTY OBVIOUS IN THIS DAY AND AGE, BUT GOOGLE IS OFTEN AN OVERLOOKED AND VALUABLE RESOURCE. I USE IT FOR COOK TIMES ON MEATS, MEASUREMENT CONVERSIONS, AND SUBSTITUTIONS OF ALL KINDS.

GO TO GOOGLE

EAT THIS MUCH

E.T.M. WILL POPULATE A DIET PLAN FOR YOU! IT TAKES THE GUESSWORK OUT OF PLANNING MEALS. THEY INCLUDE RECIPES, MACROS, CALORIES, AND OFFER SUBSTITUTIONS FOR MEALS THAT DON’T FIT YOUR TASTE, OR PLAN.

VISIT E.T.M.

PINTEREST

PINTEREST IS AN AWESOME PLACE TO WHILE AWAY AN AFTERNOON SEARCHING FOR RECIPES AND ALL KINDS OF STUFF. I USE PINTEREST FREQUENTLY TO FIND HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES TO THE LESS-THAN-HEALTHY FOODS I CRAVE.

PINTERESTING...

3 MEALS PER DAY... AND NO SNACKING

WHY CAN’T I SNACK?

WHEN WE EAT IN A STRUCTURED MEAL, WE:

CAN EAT TO SATIETY
CAN KEEP BETTER TRACK OF THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF THE FOODS WE'RE CONSUMING
AREN'T AS LIKELY TO EAT CONVENIENCE FOODS
LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF INSULIN SPIKES WE'RE EXPOSED TO EACH DAY
CREATE STRUCTURE AROUND OUR DESIGNATED EATING TIMES (MORE REST AND DIGEST)
AREN'T AS LIKELY TO OVER-CONSUME CALORIES

WHEN WE SNACK, WE:

TEND TO LEAN TOWARD "QUICK FIXES", LIKE SUGARY TREATS AND CONVENIENCE FOODS
GRAZING OFTEN LEADS TO CONSUMING MORE CALORIES THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE DAY THAN EATING FULL MEALS
SNACKING REDUCES IMPULSE CONTROL AND CAN LEAD TO DISORDERED EATING BEHAVIORS
CREATES ROOM TO ALTER MOOD STATES WITH FOOD.

JOURNALING IN WEEK 1

WHAT SHOULD I BE JOURNALING ABOUT IN WEEK 1?

YOU SHOULD BE TRACKING:

WHAT YOU'RE EATING IN YOUR MEALS

SETBACKS, AND WHAT YOU THINK TRIGGERED THEM

EMOTIONAL RESPONSES TO YOUR CHANGE IN EATING PATTERNS

HOW YOUR SLEEP PATTERNS CHANGE AS YOUR EATING SCHEDULE CHANGES

IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS FROM WEEK 1

CONTINUE TO WEEK 2