Shopping for weight loss
I remember reading the packaging for a bag of two-bite brownies. The starburst read “Made with Real Ingredients”. I thought about that for a moment. Of course it is made with real ingredients. It is a real product I am putting into my mouth and eating. The advertising made the product seem healthy somehow when really it is not.
With this in mind it is hard to shop with the goal of losing weight. Packaging and advertising do not keep you away from unhealthly products or products that contain excess amounts of fat, sugar, or chemicals.
Here are some tips to use to help you be successful when you go to store and shop while you are on a diet.
1) Shop with a Purpose: You should only be buying items you are going to use in a specific meal or menu item.
2) Make a Menu: Make a menu of meals you are going to be shopping for. Get out your healthy cook book and prepare a couple of days of menus. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Check your cupboards to make sure you really don’t have what you are going to buy. ONLY BUY WHAT IS ON THE LIST.
3) EAT BEFORE YOU SHOP: Don’t go to the grocery store hungry. You need to prevent buying impulse items and the things you crave. Having a full stomach will allow your brain to choose and not your aching belly.
4) Fruits & Veggies: Make sure there are lots of fruits and veggies in your shopping cart. These are expensive so buy the seasonal products which are less expensive and value priced. Look for specials.
5) Read the Labels: Natural products are more expensive and they are often not that natural. Read the labels. If there are a lot of things you can’t pronounce put it back. The most natural you can get is in the produce isle.
When you get home you know you are going to love what you chose to buy. You have picked your favourite healthy meals so they will taste great as you make them over the next couple of days. A little planning will go a long way.
Enjoy!
