First Posted: 1/27/2014
The fast-food, fast-paced, and sedentary lifestyle many Americans live is making them fatter and sicker than ever before. Being overweight is now accepted as the norm. Despite the potential for developing numerous health conditions, most people still aren’t getting the big picture.
We use every excuse to quit the gym and skip workouts. Choosing the path of least resistance only causes more reason to worry. We know that our bodies are built for movement and activity and, medical issues aside, we still choose being fat versus being fit.
Often, it takes a radical, and perhaps major, illness or ailment to push us to finally change our lifestyles. Sometimes this still isn’t enough to change our unhealthy ways. Fast food seems to be the rule, rather than the exception. Smoking and drinking is how we “decrease” our stress levels, and instead of hitting the gym, we hit the couch. Our healthcare providers are often out of shape and overweight. Our kids are more overweight than ever and prefer video game baseball rather than baseball in the park. We blame everyone else for our own decisions.
I still get asked questions regarding food and what people should eat. I must admit, I find this somewhat baffling. After all this time on Earth, we still don’t know what foods to eat and what foods to avoid. In my opinion, marketing is somewhat to blame. We hardly know what constitutes real food these days, but we still must take control of our own lives.
With that said, here is a short list of acceptable foods. Use this as a guide when deciding which healthy foods to eat. Combine these whole foods together to make meals and cook with spices and herbs rather than sauces and gravies. If you do decide to indulge, try to do so minimally and always stick to serving sizes.
PROTEIN SOURCES
Whole eggs (preferable Omega-3)
Egg whites
Lean cuts of beef
Chicken
Turkey
Wild game (venison, bison, boar, elk, etc.)
Lean cuts of pork
Greek yogurt (plain, and if dairy is well tolerated)
Cottage cheese (if dairy is well tolerated)
Whey protein powder (breakfast only on mod/high carb days)
*Meat sources should be natural, antibiotic free, and grass-fed whenever possible.
CARBOHYDRATE SOURCES
Sweet potatoes
Brown rice
Gluten-free oatmeal (100 percent rolled oats or Irish oats)
*Whether carb cycling or not, quality of food has a huge effect on overall health and body composition.
FAT SOURCES
Avocado
Raw or dry roasted nuts (except peanuts)
Natural (100 percent nuts) nut butters
Olive oil
Coconut oil
Macadamia nut oil
Walnut oil
Grass-fed butter
VEGETABLES
All vegetables are allowed.
*Vegetables should be organic whenever possible.
