Groceries...be my CRITICS!!!

karissastephens

Here's my groceries I bought today. Tell me HONESTLY if I did well! I want very hard critics because I spend an hour or more shopping trying to figure out whats best haha! Im trying to build lean muscle and lose some winter pounds!

- Double fiber whole grain bread
- Fiber One cereal
- Oats
- Organic Apples
- Sugar free jam
- Cottage cheese 1%
- 100 calorie pop corn
- Sweet potato
- Sugar Free Iced tea
- Waters
- Natural deli meats
- Western Alt. Bagel 110 calories each
- Low fat mozzarella cheese
- Laughing cow cheese
- Carrots
- Cucumber
- Lettuce (Romain, Spinach)
- Cran Grape Crystal Light
- Shrimp
- Turkey Burgers
- Chicken Breast
- Frozen Veggies
- Light salad dressings

Do I need anything else? hmmm.....

heathersmilez

How about some more fruit, just a little to add to protein smoothies so that you have at least 2 servings daily.

Avocados and nuts also good.

Beware the light salad dressing, super high in sodium (I have Great Value Light Italian, like 480 in sodium!) You are probably better off with oil and balsamic vinegar. Healthy fat, minimal sodium.

Katherine912

Where do you live and what store did you go to? I can never find alternative bagels!!!

kiuney

I agree... Beware of the reduced fat salad dressings. Lots of sodium and your body needs fat in order to absorb the fat soluble vitamins in greens.

NoAdditives

I'd add more fruits and vegetables and get rid of the sugar free stuff. Artificial sweeteners are interpreted by the brain as regular sugar, so insulin is released which causes the body to stop metabolizing fat. It also causes the liver and kidneys to use sugar from your blood, but if there isn't much sugar to begin with your brain will send hunger signals to make you eat so that you can replenish the blood sugar. Artificial sweeteners make you eat more and stop burning fat, which is the exact opposite of what you want!

bzmom

For the Bagel may I recomend Healthy Life light English muffins they are only 90 cals

jillybeanruns

Nix all the sugar free stuff and the Crystal Light. Fiber One isn't all that great for you, but better than some options

Pinoy_Pal

I'd lose the salad dressing as well. As far as gaining lean mass, try adding some egg whites and a good quality whey protein supplement. It will help keep some variety with regards to your proteins so you don't get bored with your meats, and it'll make things easier as far as meal preps are concerned. You're fine with your dairies and jam, but try to consume them for breakfast only or immediately after an intense workout. Overall, good job with the list!

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kristinlough

I agree, learn to make some of your own dressings, they're SO much better!! And if you're doing sugar free iced tea, why not just buy Luzianne and make it? I also agree with nixing sugar-free stuff, but I don't hate Crystal Light like Jill does

Also, an air popper and just plain popcorn is cheaper than the 100 calorie packs, and if you use a little bit of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray (which is watered-down buttermilk), you're saving a ton of chemicals and money!

Beyond that, I think you're doing well! Just don't forget that fat and protein make our skin, hair and muscles happy. We often forget that and forego them..

Good luck!!

anovasjo

I'd nix the deli meats, the salad dressing, and the sugar-free stuff.

Add more fruits, veggies, and legumes!

ourhearts4home

Not being able to read the labels here is my best guess...

Double fiber whole grain bread (check the label, what's in there, corn syrup? If ingredients are wholesome, great job!)
- Fiber One cereal (again, label label, what's in it...)
- Oats
- Organic Apples
- Sugar free jam (I do not like sugar free, probably it has aspartame or splenda... look for a real fruit jam.)
- Cottage cheese 1%
- 100 calorie pop corn (check label, popcorn is not bad, but try investing in an air popper and then you have control over what's in it...)
- Sweet potato (mmmmm!)
- Sugar Free Iced tea (again, does it have artificial sweeteners?)
- Waters
- Natural deli meats
- Western Alt. Bagel 110 calories each (I do love me a bagel, make sure it has minimum ingredients... no corn syrup... An good english muffin with wholesome ingredients is usually a better choice.)
- Low fat mozzarella cheese
- Laughing cow cheese
- Carrots
- Cucumber
- Lettuce (Romain, Spinach)
- Cran Grape Crystal Light (I believe this one does have artificial sweeteners in it, try some herbal teas and other drinks in the natural food sections.)
- Shrimp
- Turkey Burgers
- Chicken Breast
- Frozen Veggies
- Light salad dressings (check ingredients, light usually means it has something like sugars added.)

So in the end, I can't say a lot but just be aware of the labels.

karissastephens

Where do you live and what store did you go to? I can never find alternative bagels!!!

Walmart! They have a lot of things that most stores do not

karissastephens

I'd add more fruits and vegetables and get rid of the sugar free stuff. Artificial sweeteners are interpreted by the brain as regular sugar, so insulin is released which causes the body to stop metabolizing fat. It also causes the liver and kidneys to use sugar from your blood, but if there isn't much sugar to begin with your brain will send hunger signals to make you eat so that you can replenish the blood sugar. Artificial sweeteners make you eat more and stop burning fat, which is the exact opposite of what you want!

Wow! I had no idea that art. sweeteners were that horrible! Gooooood to know thank you

karissastephens

Thank you eveyone for your comments! All great!! Very appreciated

WEN575

you don't even need an air popper for healthy popcorn. Just do the kernels in the microwave. (you don't add anything to it just put it in a container with a lid and pop. Just be careful what you add after you've popped it! I also would lose the sugar free stuff and be careful with your cheese, even low fat can be high in calories, it just means its lower fat than the regular version. I'd probably lose the bagels too.

ourhearts4home

Oh yes, artificial sweeteners haven't shown any help in losing weight and in fact have lots of red flags on long term health problems. So I personally always stay clear from them. If the label reads sucralose, that is Splenda, and AminoSweet is Aspartame...

minervasp73

My advice (since you asked!)

Buy less, more fresh, more often.

Your health is important, so make time to spend chopping veggies and cooking meals that will be lower in salt (because they're fresher), and you'll enjoy them more.

You can make a big pot of something good, like chili and put all kinds of vegetables in it and then portion it out and freeze it. That way you're not depending on the "must have meat, side dish, omg am I eating enough veggies" merry-go-round.

It's been shown through all kinds of studies that JUST from home-cooking your meals you'll be healthier, but that won't happen if you're taking in chemicals and preservatives and did I mention chemicals by purchasing pre-cooked or artificial stuff.

Good luck and keep us posted !!

ourhearts4home

http://www.foodadditivesbook.com/foodaddbook.html
I was given a copy of that book and it is amazing. It is the right size to take shopping and tells you what ingredients to stay away from and what are healthy. ya know, all those ing. that you can't pronounce or you wonder what in the world it is but no one knows?

jdavis193

Not all light dressings are high in sodium I get light dressing I use light vidalia onion dressing the sodiums not bad at all. Ranch has the highest sodium in it that I have come across.

ShannonWinger

You got some good advice here. Rather than the deli meat try crockpotting your own sandwich meat (whole chicken or half a turkey breast). It's much healthier and tastes far better without the chemicals and processing of deli meat.

Yes, ditch the artificial sweetners. Those things are scary. I love the real fruit spreads rather than the sugar free jellies. They taste so much better.

You can invest in your own popcorn popper and make your own. It's so good. Sprinkle with nutritional yeast (you can get at a health food store) and it's a great butter replacement and very good for you. I LOVE my popcorn maker!!

sourapple99

Not all light dressings are high in sodium I get light dressing I use light vidalia onion dressing the sodiums not bad at all. Ranch has the highest sodium in it that I have come across.

best just to use balsamic vinegar and some olive oil

jdavis193

thats true but not everyone likes those types of dressing.

worthy16

Great info on the artificial sweeteners! If you like/need jam, but not much sugar - I go for Apple Butter - the natural kind. Half the sugar, but still tasty.