Healthy Diet

"Healthy Breakfast" by Vera Kratochvil

Eating healthy makes up the largest portion in the equation of weight loss. Exercise is secondary, but helps significantly with health benefits. I worked with a trainer last winter who helped me understand how to eat to keep me full and energized. I am now going through a community weight loss program.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates give your body energy to run on. Low carb, or no carb diets are not healthy! There are healthier carbs than plain white sugar, corn syrup, white flour, and. White flour, white rice, and other more refined carbohydrates can be replaced with wheat flour, brown rice, and other whole grains. Whole grains have more protein and fiber that keep you fuller longer.

Protein

Protein builds and repairs muscles. Protein helps keep you full and tone your muscles. Toning is an important aspect of exercise too. When you have healthy muscles, your body burns more calories while resting. High protein diets can lead to ketosis and other health problems. You need a balanced diet! Too much muscle will turn into fat if you don't keep the muscles toned. Cottage cheese, milk, greek yogurt, cheese, and lean meats are good sources of protein.

Fats

Fats keep your skin, eyes, and other parts of the body healthy. Some vitamins are contained in fat and bodies need fat to absorb nutrients. The Formula recommends 1% milk over skim because 1% milk has the 40-30-30 ratio. Avoid trans fats (man-made). Choose unsaturated fats over saturated fats when you can. Avocados, nuts, olives, seeds, and healthy oils all contain unsaturated fats.

Fruits & Vegetables

We get many of our nutrients from fruits and vegetables. These are all high in fiber too. About half of our plate should be fruits and vegetables. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

Saving Money on Groceries

You don't need any fancy pre-portioned food or exotic ingredients to make healthy food. You can choose cheaper whole grains like barley, oats, or brown rice over the more expensive quinoa, and other "health" foods. Not that the expensive grains are bad--just expensive. You can save money by choosing fruits and vegetables in season or frozen. When you can, avoid canned fruit and vegetables because these usually contain more sodium and sugar. Try to eat in as often as possible. I spend way too much on eating out. You can still find easy to prepare foods that are healthy. 

Buy generic and not organic if you want to save more money. I believe organic is a hype. Many pesticides are so much safer than they were decades ago that it isn't imperative to have "organic" foods. If you want organic foods for cheap, grow your own garden! Gardens can save money too, but keep it simple. It's easy to go overboard with a garden.