Successful Trip to the Grocery Store

As a Personal Trainer, the number one question my clients ask is what do I eat followed by how many hours a week do I workout.

You can workout as hard and long as you want but if you are not feeding your body the nutrients it needs you will not get the results you’re looking for.

I like to consider myself a wellness coach not only a Personal Trainer. I am not a nutritionist or dietician. Therefore I can advise but I will not put my clients on a “diet”. Instead I teach my clients about making good choices and provide them with knowledge. This in turn empowers the client enabling them to make better choices.

One of the services I provide is a grocery store tour. Did you ever notice the interior layout of your typical grocery store? What do you see around the perimeter of the store? Which products are located in the middle or center aisles? How about at the checkout?

That’s right. All of your food, produce, dairy, meats, fish, prepared foods are around the perimeter. These items are what I call food. They all come from plants (or animals) not made in plants.

Now let’s look at the middle aisles. Even health food stores fill the middle aisles with rows and rows of your packaged and boxed foods made and manufactured in plants.

With that in mind, and understanding that good nutrition is key to a balanced life, here are a few tips for a mindful trip to the grocery store:

  1. Never grocery shop when you are hungry. This is a recipe for bad impulse choices.

  2. Try not to spend too much time in the middle aisles. If you have to think about it, leave it on the shelf for someone else.

  3. Fill your cart with a variety of color in your produce. This will provide you with different vitamins and minerals.

  4. Create a colorful palate for mealtime.

  5. Try to cut down on cook time for your vegetables and substitute a bit of water and/or coconut oil. Doing so is better for you and will give your food a more distinctive flavor.

  6. Read nutritional labels. Look at sodium, sugar, fiber, serving size, Saturated vs. unsaturated fats. Note that serving sizes are much smaller than what the average American eats and try to stay in line with the daily recommended allowances. Consider vegetables free! It’s hard to eat too many vegetables.

Jody Trostler