4 REMINDERS BEFORE YOU GO SHOPPING:
1. Never shop when you're hungry - you'll make bad choices.
2. Pull up this grocery list every time you enter the grocery store. This will keep you focused and help you avoid impulse purchases.
3. Shopping the outer aisles is usually where the "real food" is. This isn't always true but be aware of it.
The middle is where you can get into trouble so stick to the perimeter.
4. Human beings are creatures of habit.
If at all possible, choose your 1 or 2 days a week that you will go shopping and stick with the plan as best you can.
Be flexible, but most of my clients seem to do better when they know what DAY & TIME they are going grocery shopping.
Put it in your calendar on "repeat" weekly just like you would a personal training appointment or an important zoom meeting.
Popular days for shopping are Saturday or Sunday morning for the "major shop" and the middle of the week for the "mini" shop (if necessary) in case you run low or run out of a few staple items you need to finish the week strong.
NOTE: If a food, beverage, protein bar or shake is NOT on this list...ASK ME before you make the purchase!
If you see a ** symbol next to any food, it's a personal favorite I always have in my grocery cart!
THE GROCERY LIST:
Best Protein Sources: (Buy what works for you.)
NOTE: Try to purchase meats void of hormones, look for grass-fed and and wild caught fish vs farm raised fish makes a big difference on your health!
- Chicken breast **
- Chicken tenderloin **
- Chicken thighs (skin is optional but has more calories) **
- Chicken drumsticks
- Chicken (canned in water)
- Eggs **
- Egg whites **
- Egg substitutes
- Turkey breast
- Fresh or frozen fish (salmon, red snapper, halibut, shrimp, lobster, scallops, cod, tilapia etc.) **
- Tuna (canned in water)
- Venison
- Round steak
- NY strip steak **
- Sirloin steak
- Lamb (chops, leg or roast) **
- Lean ground turkey (97% fat free) **
- Lean ground chicken (90/10)...85/15 is ok too.
- Lean ground beef (90/10)...85/15 is ok too
- Frozen Turkey burgers **
- Frozen Salmon burgers
- Lean turkey bacon, Canadian bacon
- Ready-to-drink protein shakes: Premier Protein or Muscle Milk. **
- Ready-to-drink "plant based" protein shakes: No Cow, Owyn, Orgain and Vega are good options.
- Protein bars like Pure Protein, Quest or Fit Crunch. **
- "Plant based" protein bars: No Cow, Owyn, Orgain and Vega are good options.
- Protein powder (whey and/or casein) **
- Protein powder for vegetarians (look for pea, hemp or rice protein)
- Cold cuts like chicken, turkey and ham are ok but I'm not a huge fan of deli meats)
- If you're a vegetarian look for companies like... Morning Star, Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, Gardein, Tofurky, Field Roast and Lightlife:
They have options like plant-based burgers, sausages, and ground beef made from pea protein or from soy and potato proteins. You can also find fishless fillets, chickenless chicken nuggets and tenders, etc..
- Low-Fat or 0% Fat Plain Cottage Cheese (dairy)
- Lower fat cheeses ( grated parmesan, ricotta, part-skim mozzarella, reduced fat cheddar or colby, reduced fat feta cheese) (dairy) **
Milk Sources: (Buy what works for you.)
- Low-Fat or 0% Fat Plain Greek Yogurt (dairy) - a staple in my refrigerator and a great source of protein! Top 5 for me! **
- Skim milk
- 1/2 % or 1% or 2% milk
Best Smart Carb Sources: This list will also include fruit. (Buy what works for you.)
- Sweet potatoes **
- Yams **
- Jasmine rice **
- Basmati rice
- NOTE: (Cauliflower rice in the frozen section is a great alternative to "rice" in general if you want to lower your daily calories.)
- Pasta (avoid pasta "fortified or enriched with folic acid)...Rao's makes one that is void of that. This is not my favorite carb but it's still a good choice.
- Dave's Killer Bread or Buns. They make a few varieties. All are great. Look for the slices that has either 70 or 110 calories per slice. **
- Ezekiel bread or Ezekiel English muffins.
- 647 Bread (6 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber and 7 net carbs) - another good bread option for sure.
- Any berry (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries) **
- Bananas (great for shakes) **
- Apples (great for salads, I like green apples) **
- Cherries
- Pears (great for salads)
- Grapefruit
- Oranges
- Lemons and limes (will also be under "seasonings") **
Best Healthy Fat Sources: (Buy what works for you.)
- Avocados (technically a fruit but contains 30-35 grams of fat so I'm putting here) **
- Extra virgin olive oil (great for marinades, dips and dressings on salads) **
- Avocado oil - great for cooking in high temperatures. This should be the oil of choice for cooking. **
- Coconut oil (another great cooking oil but prefer avocado oil)
- Grass-fed butter (great for cooking) **
- Ghee butter (clarified butter free of lactose and casein - also used for cooking)
- Almonds **
- Walnuts **
- Pistachios
- Brazil Nuts
- Hazelnuts
- Cashews **
- Macadamia Nuts
- Pecans **
- All natural peanut or almond butter **
- PB2 (powdered peanut butter) - this saves you calories and you can mix 1-2 tablespoons in with your protein shakes, smoothies or Greek yogurt. **
Fresh or Frozen Veggies (Buy what works for you.)
- Spinach **
- Asparagus **
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Bell peppers (various colors) **
- Tomatoes **
- Cucumbers **
- Zucchini
- Green beans **
- Brussel sprouts
- Kale
- Mushrooms **
- Edamame **
- Mixed veggies blends (frozen) **
- Arugula (I love salads with arugula) **
Seasonings (I use of all these spices but buy what works for you.)
- Sea salt or Himalayan pink salt
- Black pepper
- Lemons or lemon zest
- Limes or lime zest
- Garlic powder or minced garlic
- Onion powder or minced onions
- Fresh herbs like basil, cilantro, parsley, thyme, rosemary and dill
- Ground cumin
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground ginger
- Turmeric
- Mustard powder
- Chili powder or crushed red pepper flakes
- Vinegar (apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar)
- Low-sodium soy sauce
- Hot sauce or sriracha (without added sugars)
- Italian seasoning blend
Drinks (Buy what works for you.)
- Water **
- Coffee (yes you can halve 1/2 & half or light cream with your coffee) I also use STEVIA. **
- Tea **
- Crystal light **
- Sparkling water **
- Seltzer **
- Diet soda (as long as it's diet, it won't ruin your diet or goals but don't consume more than ONE 12 oz. can per day if you must)
Kitchen Essentials For Meal Prepping & Organization (Buy what works for you.)
- 1/2 Gallon water bottle: To encourage staying hydrated throughout the day which supports weight loss, and overall health. Buy on Amazon HERE
- Gallon freezer bags: For storing batch cooked meals or portions of food in the freezer. Buy on Amazon HERE
- Portion-controlled plastic bags: Ideal for dividing snacks or ingredients into single servings to prevent overheating. Traveling to work with a portion of walnuts would be great usage of these plastic bags. Buy on Amazon HERE
- Meal prep containers: These are reusable containers of various sizes for storing prepped meals, snacks, and ingredients. Get the good ones! Buy on Amazon HERE
- Glass jars: Great for storing, homemade sauces, dressings and snacks. I use mason jars. Buy on Amazon HERE
- Heavy duty aluminum foil. Buy on Amazon HERE
- Cling 'N Seal clear plastic food wrap. Buy on Amazon HERE
- Oil mister: You can purchase this one time for like $10 on Amazon. They are less expensive than constantly buying nonstick cooking spray in the store. These are used for coating pans and trays with minimal oil during cooking or baking saving you a ton of calories. Buy on Amazon HERE
- Measuring spoons & cups: For precise measurements of spices, oils, sauces, and other ingredients in recipes. You won't have to do this forever, but it's important the first 2-4 weeks to understand portion control to train the naked eye on what the proper serving size looks like. Buy on Amazon HERE
- Digital kitchen scale: To accurately measure food, portions and ingredients. Perfect for foods like uncooked pasta, potatoes, rice and uncooked meats. Buy on Amazon HERE
- Blender: Useful for preparing proteins shakes, sauces, dips, and chopping vegetables. Buy on Amazon HERE
- Insulated lunch bag or cooler. Perfect for carrying meals and snacks on-the-go while keeping them cool and fresh. Perfect to travel to work with or on a long weekend road trip in the car or on a hot summer day at the beach. Buy on Amazon HERE
- Salad spinner: For washing and drying leafy greens and herbs before storing or using and salads. Buy on Amazon HERE
- Herb & Spice Rack: Essential for adding flavor to meals without excess salt or calories. Great for giving yourself more countertop space in the kitchen. Buy on Amazon HERE