As a nutritionist, it seems that I answer the same questions and offer tons of simple advice. For years I believed that these tidbits were common knowledge for any person seeking fitness and striving to lean up.
But I must say – it blows my mind how many surprised faces and raised eyebrows I get when I talk about these small food tweaks that produce dramatic results. So without further ado, here are 5 simple things you can begin implementing today – at home – at the grocery store – and at restaurants.
1 – Do NOT eat yogurt!
Well.. don’t eat certain yogurts, because they’re the nutritional equivalent of dessert!
Don’t fall for the “Light” variety. Often light yogurts have reduced fat, but have been loaded down with added sugar. Most flavored options are similar – just dessert in disguise. So, what’s a person to do?
Your best option is reduced fat or fat-free non-flavored/plain Greek yogurt. Add your favorite fruit, raw nuts, and a sprinkle of Stevia if you want it a bit sweeter.
2 – Don’t be fooled by milks that aren’t really milk.
It’s very trendy right now to make “milk” out of everything … except a cow!
Almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, hemp milk, the list goes on and on. All of these options are perfectly fine – as long as – you opt for the unsweetened variety. The sweetened versions aren’t terribly different than drinking old school Kool-Aid!
Quick side note – unless you have a digestive intolerance, don’t be afraid of good ole’ cow’s milk. The smartest nutritionists in the world (the ones doing hardcore research at Harvard and the National Institute of Health) typically recommend reduced fat (1%) dairy milk.
And if it’s good enough for them, then … well, you know.
3 – Whole grains lie.
Whole grains are good, right? Yes. But food manufacturers aren’t.
If an item doesn’t specifically say “100% whole” on it, then you have no idea what percentage of the grain is whole versus highly processed. The bad part – your body often sees and handles processed grains much like sugar. Not good.
So, be sure to only purchase products that proudly state 100% Whole!
4 – Ground turkey is NOT better than ground beef.
Just like with yogurt, there are good and terrible versions of ground turkey. Some is truly no better than ground beef nutritionally. As a consumer, you must pay attention to the percentages.
Look closely on the package to make sure you’re purchasing at least 93% lean, if not 99% lean. Otherwise, your ground turkey is probably only 75% to 85% lean, which is like basic hamburger meat!
5 – Throw away your juicer and buy a blender.
Juicing has been super popular off and on for decades. Some people make it sound like a nutritional miracle. It’s not. In case you haven’t noticed, America’s got a weight problem. Drinking calories, regardless of what it’s from (juice, soda, etc), is one of the primary causes. If you’re looking for a quick, compact way to get in some fruits and veggies, toss them in a blender rather than a juicer. And, for goodness sakes, don’t drink any basic store bought juices either.
The only possible exception to this – if you regularly maintain a healthy bodyweight and are consistently active, then juice away. For the other 75% of America, go get a blender.
Five down, five to go!
Check out part 2 here where we lay out five more simple but powerful food tweaks to help you get some dramatically awesome results!
The “what” versus the “how” …
I’ve told hundreds of people “what” to do to lean up, lose weight, and get fit. Do you know how many of them actually succeed? Not many.
I’ve come to realize that information is useless. Information used to have value, but with the advent of Google, every answer to EVERY question is a nanosecond away.
In my 15+ years of experience, I’ve come to realize that the truly successful people in life hire coaches. CEOs hire business coaches. Professional athletes have team coaches, individual coaches, strength coaches, nutrition coaches, and mindset coaches.
The general poplulation is no different, gang. If you truly want to WIN in fitness and attain the body you’ve always dreamt about, hiring a coach is essential.
We’ve started a private Nutrition Coaching group and it’s been getting some fantastic results for our participants.
Here’s the catch… this group is a *CLOSED* group and is only available to our “Challenge 2 Rise” graduates. If you’re interested in learning more about the challenge, click here for more info.
Here’s what Gail has to say about the challenge…
“This program has given me a much better way to think about food. Before the challenge, I snacked too much, and thought it was only a small amount. (Mindless eating). Also I did not eat enough protein. I am not where I want to be in my weight and inches, but I will continue to use what I am learning. Your book is very helpful, encouraging, and informative. This is a program I can continue in my life. Corey made me feel I can do this and use it every day. The meals are great and give a better idea about size of portions I should eat. Thank you!” -Gail W. “Challenge2Rise” participant
If you want us to notify you when our next Challenge 2 Rise is beginning, fill out the info below!
-Coach Corey
