Don't be Scared...Be Smart!

Don't be SCARED! Be SMART!

I have never been a fan of the "scare-tactic" for anything...especially with food! It's not about being convinced fast food is going to kill you...it's about being educated on what can actually improve your health, enhance your appearance, increase your energy, and elevate your mood. 
Trust me, I would LOVE to convince everyone to stop eating crap..right NOW! (and there is enough info out there to throw at you to make you disgusted with most of the things we eat) But, it just doesn't work that way, and I understand that 100%.  I am human. I grew up eating Slim Jims and cheese sticks on a daily basis! My grandpa called me "the pepperoni kid"...because I was literally obsessed! I got Cheese-its as birthday presents up until I was about 25 years old. So it has been a gradual process for me...and honestly, that's the only way it is realistic for everyone to accomplish.

So here are a few of my favorite, AMAZING, yummy foods to incorporate/substitute into your daily routine to get you started...

Avocado:

Avocado is one of my favorite super foods! People have  misconception that if they are trying to lose weight, they shouldn't eat avocado because it is high in "fat". However, they are loaded with the exact kind of fat you need to lose weight! Healthy fats! (oleic acid, lutein, folate, vitamin E, monounsaturated fats and glutathione) These fats can help protect your body from heart disease, cancer, degenerative eye and brain diseases. They raise good cholesterol, and lower bad cholesterol. And here's the kicker...they help prevent belly fat but providing your body with the acids needed to burn fat!

So add some avocado to your meal... in a salad, with your eggs, in a wrap, sliced with your chicken! (I use it to mix in with my tuna instead of Mayo! It's delicious.) 

Blueberries:

Blueberries are amazing! I'll say it. They are so jam packed with disease fighting nutrients...they have the power to help prevent diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stomach ulcers, etc. They are another food that can help lower your "bad" cholesterol as well.  They also contain a high amount of manganese, which assists in bone development. Being rich in antioxidants means that blueberries can actually increase brain power and improve memory.
So, snack on them, eat a bowl at breakfast. If you've never liked them, give them a shot...maybe mix them in a fruit smoothie! They are definitely worth adding to your routine.

Beef (Lean and grass-fed):

I hear this a lot from clients and friends on a "diet": "I don't eat red meat, it's too fattening."  Beef is excellent for you, as long as you are eating the right kind.  No hormones or steroids, no antibiotics, no "grain" diets. When you eat red meat that has been given the proper grass/plant diet, you are loading your body with proteins, nutrients and fats that will do so much good! (Omega-3's, vitamin B, K, E, calcium, etc.) And yes there is a difference in the nutrition between grain and grass fed. The nutrients come from their diet.  
Beef also contains zinc...which is greatly responsible for strengthening your immune system. 

So get creative...sick of steaks and burgers? Make a healthy, homemade taco meal...or mix in your beef with some brown rice, veggies and spices - eat it alone, or make burritos! 

Leafy Greens: 

      Veggies such as spinach, kale, arugula, Swiss chard... all these leafy greens are incredibly high in nutrients and vitamins! Stocked with vitamin C, thiamine (which is often added to 'energy' supplements - helps turn carbs and fat into energy), iron, magnesium, potassium, even some omega fatty acids for your hearth health - These lower cholesterol and blood pressure. They are an excellent source of calcium as well! You can never have too much of these vegetables...and they come in so many varieties, you can always be creative. Salads, (obviously), atop your chicken, diced up and added to rice, alone as a meal side...


So if you don't already eat these things...try to add them! Make small substitutions here and there.  
Now, this is not meant to tell you that if you begin eating these things you will magically begin to lose weight. (I have no idea what else you are eating over there!) ;)

But, the hope is that once you transition into healthier habits, you become addicted to the energy, the younger looking skin... the new-found ability to fight off a cold a bit easier! 

Then my hope is that you'll start looking for more healthy options...reading more books and blogs...educating yourself on what purposes the foods you eat actually serve! 

It is so worth it!

Remember,
Good choices lead to better ones!

<3
Renee
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As always, email me with any questions!!
Fitmodmom@gmail.com