How To Grocery Shop For Health

November 5, 2014 / ktbuchs87

If you are the regular grocery shopper for your family, you probably have your routine down pat. You know exactly where to go, what to get, and what aisle everything is in. I know for me, I can pretty much grocery shop on autopilot and get everything I need in less than 30 minutes. But when you decide to make a big change in the way you eat, the grocery store suddenly turns into unknown territory. You’re now hunting the aisle for foreign ingredients and wondering whether lacinato kale and curly kale are all that different from each other. It can be frustrating to try and navigate your store and have no clue what to buy. I thought that I would share a few tips from my own grocery shopping routine to help you get in and out quickly and healthfully!

Plan Meals First

I always start my grocery list with a menu. During the week, I stick to simple meals that stay generally the same, I just change the flavors/seasonings based on what I have on hand. I save my new or more complicated meals for the weekend when I have more time. Once I have a menu written out, I can add the ingredients I don’t have in my kitchen to my list. This way you aren’t left wondering what ingredients that meatloaf dish needs while your standing in the grocery aisle. Meal planning is also a great way to start eating better. When you have a plan, you can stick to what you need and steer clear of the impulse buy in the chip aisle.

Use this template to plan and write out your list. Or find another one you like better online!

Change Your Route

Speaking of the chip aisle, wave good-bye. You probably have a specific route you take through your store and probably include a few less than healthy aisles. If you want to start eating better, I suggest changing your route. I personally like to start in the produce aisle. I fill my cart with all of the fruits and vegetables I will need for the week and then I move on to the other items I need in the store. I also don’t wander up and down each aisle, I go to the specific ones I need and avoid the temptation of the less than stellar aisles. For me this includes the aisles for tea/coffee, canned goods for diced tomatoes/tomato paste/tomato sauce, dried goods like rice and beans, and the frozen foods section for fruits and vegetables. While there are healthy things in the aisles of your store, your best bet is the produce section and the frozen food aisles. However you choose to eat, make sure you are shopping for those things and try to avoid the food aisles that have nothing you need.

Consider Multiple Trips

I know this might not be a popular tip for everyone, but consider making more than one trip to your grocery store or going to multiple stores. I do this for two reasons. One, I am fairly frugal with my grocery budget and I want to make sure that I am getting the most for my money. There are some stores that have better deals on food that I buy regularly and it is worth it to me to go to a few different places. My rotation of stores right now is Jewel, Aldi, and Whole Foods. Between those three I am able to get good prices on all of my food and eat healthy on a budget. The second reason I suggest multiple trips is that stores stock their products at different times of the day/week. I try to get to the store on the days/times that they restock the produce so I can get the best pick. Also multiple trips tend to save you money because you can buy only what you need instead of overstocking because you only go once. Again, I know that some of you are too busy for multiple trips during the week, but give it a try and see if it works for you.

Just Ask

If you’re totally changing the way you eat, chances are there are going to be some food items that you are unfamiliar with. Rather than just wandering around and getting frustrated, ask a worker. I have found that most of the time they are happy to help and it cuts down on wasted time to just ask someone for help. Plus if you get a really great employee, they can help you with how to prepare and eat that ingredient. So don’t be afraid to ask!

Grocery shopping is a vital part of eating well and it is disheartening when you feel lost. It can feel easier to just give up and go back to your old habits because you know what to do. Don’t give into the temptation and slip back to your old ways, try these tips and give yourself some time to get used to your new way of eating. Soon you will be flying through the store with ease and will be on your way to eating a healthy meal!

Our Food

November 3, 2014 / ktbuchs87

I came across this post about a woman from Nigeria coming to the United States for school and trying to learn how to eat well. I found it fascinating because it really shows how different our food system is compared to the rest of the world. While the whole post is really good, there were a few points that stuck out that I wanted to address here on my blog.

The first was how she learned to view food in Nigeria. In her house, they called junk food simply junk because that is exactly what it was. This is a simple idea but I feel like it is really substantial. Food is meant to nourish our bodies and give us fuel. It provides necessary nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that allow us to function properly. Therefore anything that doesn’t meet those standards shouldn’t even be called food. Just what are we teaching young kids when we call candy, chips, soda, or any packaged product food when we qualify it as junk? We are telling them that it is in some way allowing our bodies to work the way they should and that isn’t what happens with Pop-Tarts and Oreos. It should be no surprise that we are confused about what food is healthy when we teach them that packaged and processed food can be part of a “balanced” diet.

We are spending more money on eating out than cooking at home.

The other reason that so many of us have a hard time eating well is that we are constantly sold on food advertising. We love our buzzwords like ‘all natural’ ‘organic’ ‘gluten-free’ and ‘locally sourced’. These words mean virtually nothing when it comes to whether we should eat something or not. Yes, organic and gluten-free are regulated terms but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s healthy. Organic candy is still candy. In the article, the author writes about being confused by all these words stating, “Wasn’t food by definition healthy? If the food wasn’t healthy, then why call it food?” Great question! It’s so simple, yet we have complicated it so much by relying on convenience foods. We need a package to tell us what is healthy to eat instead of just eating food that needs no advertising. You don’t have to wonder if a bunch of broccoli or a bushel of apples is good for you. Real food will always trump processed food.

When she came to the United States, the author was in good health. She never worried about her weight and had no other complaints. After awhile, she started to experience so many of the complications that come with a Western diet, even though she was trying to eat as close to what she grew up with as she could. After going to her doctor and doing some searching they realized all the pesticides and chemicals used to treat the food we normally eat, was causing her ailments. Her doctor stated that it was really common for immigrants to experience these problems when they come here. This made me realize two things. One, we really need to work on growing food that doesn’t need to be treated so much just to reach our tables. I won’t claim to have the answer to that problem, but I do think it starts with us as the consumer. Our money talks and by placing our money in food systems that are sustainably and thoughtfully grown, we can start to change the tides. I know that this won’t happen overnight and that it is tough to buy all organic all the time (I don’t have the money to do that either), but we have to start somewhere. The second thing it made me realize is that we shouldn’t all eat the exact same diet. I am a firm believer in what works for me might not work for you when it comes to eating. The microbes that digest our food are all different. Hence, an immigrant from Nigeria is going to have a hard time digesting the food we eat here just like I would probably have a difficult time digesting the food they regularly eat in Nigeria. It’s ok to not have a cookie cutter diet and eat what “everyone else is eating”. You need to find what works for you and stick with that no matter what your neighbor is eating. Respect your body and it will serve you well.

There are a lot of great talking/thinking points in this article, like the fact that in most other countries packaged food is way more expensive than regular food and only the really wealthy can afford to purchase it. Yet it is the exact opposite here. Packaged food is cheap and easily accessible while it costs a fortune to buy organic food. While it is still possible to eat well on a budget, it is a little more difficult. I also really like the authors simple rules to eating well here in the states. Buy food that you know where it came from, avoid packaged food as much as possible, and cook your own food. We don’t have to make being healthy a complicated process, simple steps such as these can make a huge difference in your health.

Try changing some things in your diet and see how much better you can feel. Check out some of my other posts on eating well or making small changes, and start making a difference today. You can do it!

How To Start

October 23, 2014 / ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

You’ve decided to be healthier, now what? Obviously you need to totally overhaul your life and daily routine, because what you have been doing isn’t working. But changing everything seems like a huge and daunting task and you’re feeling overwhelmed. Maybe you’ll start next week… Sound familiar? This is a really common problem. People want to be healthier but they get stuck on the getting started part. It feels like their whole life has to change and that is a lot of hard work. So how do you get started? Small. Yup. Start really, really small. That might seem counterintuitive to being healthier, but it is actually a lot more successful than you might think. When you change small things in your life over a longer period of time you have a higher chance of actually sticking with those changes. What are some small changes you can make to be healthier? I’m glad you asked! Here is a list of ideas on little changes you can make to your eating, exercising, and daily life that will help you on the road to being healthier!

Food/Drink

Eat out less. Do eat out more than three times a week? Are you always getting fast food for your lunch? Try cutting back just a little. If you eat out four times a week, cut down to three. If you are always buying your lunch, try making and bringing your own just a few days a week. By making just a small change you will be saving not only calories, but money as well. Plus you will be able to control exactly what you eat when you make it.
Eat slower. Many of us are really busy and tend to eat either really fast or on the go. This tends to make us eat more because our body isn’t really registering that we’re eating a meal. Try and slow down when you’re eating. Really taste the food, take small bites, and enjoy the meal. The slower you eat the chances are greater that you will feel fuller sooner. This little trick can help you stop eating more food than you need.
Eat less. Try eating a smaller portion of food. If you normally make and eat a big pot of spaghetti, try eating half and saving the other half for lunch the next day. You don’t have to do this for every meal, just start with one and then keep adding more meals. You’ll eat less and be able to have leftovers for lunches and dinners during the week
Make one healthy swap. If you normally eat white rice, try brown rice or quinoa. If you usually eat white bread, try whole grain. If you usually eat flavored yogurt, try plain greek yogurt with cut up fruit. Try a lettuce wrap instead of sandwich bread or adding an extra serving of vegetables. Little food swaps like this can save you calories and get you used to eating better quality food. Again, you don’t have to change everything you eat. Start slowly and over time change more and more things.
Add a glass of water. Try drinking one more glass of water than you normally do each day. Switch one of your sodas/juices/lattes with a glass of water. Water is super important and most of us could be better at drinking more.
Keep a food journal for one day. You don’t have to obsessively write down everything you eat every single day, but pick a day and write what goes in your mouth that day. At the end of the day, see what you’ve eaten. Having it all in front of you can help you see where you need to improve your eating habits. Maybe you snack way too much in the afternoon because you don’t have enough to eat for lunch.

Exercise

Walk. If you have never exercised or haven’t exercised in a very long time, walking is a great place to start. Add just 10 minutes of walking to your day and work your way up from there. Once you’re able to walk for a good distance, start adding other exercises. Maybe jog for a few minutes or do some crunches. Keep building from there and soon you will have a pretty decent workout routine.
Move more in general. Little things can really add up throughout the day. Park your car farther away from the building. Take the stairs instead of the escalator. Walk over and talk to your co-workers instead of sending them an email. Maybe you can’t fit in a 30 minute workout everyday, but you can move more and every little thing helps
Enlist a buddy. Find a friend to take walks with you or try a new class together. Having someone else to keep you accountable makes working out more of a priority and can make it more fun.

Daily Changes

Get enough sleep. Sleep is really important for good health. It is when your body is able to shut down and recover from the day. Muscles are repaired during sleep along with other tissues and brain functions. Try going to sleep a little bit earlier at night, even just fifteen minutes can make a big difference.
Stop negative talk. Talking bad about yourself will get you nowhere fast. Putting yourself down won’t make you healthier, it will just beat you down. Try saying one good thing about yourself everyday. Yes, you might feel silly at first but it can really have a positive effect on your mind and attitude.
Limit TV time. If you normally spend your entire evening in front of the boob tube, try and cut down. Instead of four hours of TV a night, try two and go read a book, exercise, mediate, take a bath, anything but sitting on the couch. I get that watching TV is a relaxing and brainless activity many people enjoy after a long day, but there are better more productive things you can do that will help you unwind even better.

All these things might seem like insignificant ideas that won’t amount to much. But doing a lot of little things like this will add up over time. As you start to get used to each new habit, add in another and then another. Soon you will realize that you have changed all of your unhealthy habits for healthier ones and that it seemed like you did so without much effort. You can’t just magically get healthier overnight, it takes time and dedication. Start small, go slow, and you will get there before you know it!

Friday Favorites

October 17, 2014 / ktbuchs87

Hello everyone! I thought it would be a good day to update you on some of my favorite things lately, mostly because I don’t have a new recipe for you this Friday. But don’t you worry, I have plenty of new and delicious fall meals coming your way! Now onto things that I’m enjoying because I know you’re all dying to find out.

Fall-Flavored Tea

Yes, this is the season of Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Everyone goes gaga over them this time of year, and while I do enjoy a good pumpkin drink just like the rest of the country, I also like the tea that comes out this time of year. The change of seasons from warm to cold is generally also the time to change from cold drinks to warm drinks and I love sipping tea on chilly drizzly fall days. Right now my two teas of choice are Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Spice Rooibos and Teekanne’s Cinnamon Apple Spice tea. Both have that fall spice blend going on and they make me think of crunchy leaves and other fall things. Plus the pumpkin tea comes in this awesome tin that will forever smell like pumpkin spice and what could be better than that?

All the Squash

I mentioned in my post on Wednesday that a great way to enjoy fall was to eat squash. Obviously that means I’m gorging myself on all the squash. I think that my two favorites are butternut and delicata, but I am no squash snob and I will gladly eat any squash put in front of me. The best way to eat them in my humble opinion is to roast them. Preheat your oven to 425, peel, deseed, and dice whatever squash you choose, then toss with some oil (I like to use coconut oil), sprinkle with your favorite seasoning (I like to go savory with garlic and chili powder or smoked paprika) and spread in an even layer on a baking sheet. Cook for 30 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the squash starts to get golden on the edges. Then eat as is, put on top of salads, or puree for soup or a mashed potato substitute.

Fitness Blender

While running will always be my first fitness love, I do also like to lift weights. It’s important to cross-train to prevent injuries and to add some variety to your workout routine. For the past few months I have been doing the workouts provided by the couple behind Fitness Blender. There are a ton of different workouts to choose from, whether you want to tone, strengthen, do cardio or HIIT. They have yoga and pilates and tabata style workouts. Pretty much anything your heart desires fitness wise, they provide. Their videos are simple to follow and they make sure to teach you how to properly do each exercise so you don’t hurt yourself. Plus they’re workouts are free! What could be better than free fitness? Go check them out at fitnessblender.com and do one of their videos. I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Pretending to be a Model

I don’t look awkward at all….

So, I’m pretty much a professional model now don’t ya know? A few weeks back, I was asked if I wanted to start writing a health column for a local magazine. I said, uhhhh YES and I am really excited to be contributing and reaching a bigger audience. The first issue that I’ll be writing in is their Nov/Dec issue, and along with the article I included two holiday recipes. They also had me come out so they could get a headshot for the magazine and thus I am now a professional model. But not really because I had to have my sister help me pick out my clothes and do my makeup since I really have no fashion sense at all. Good thing I have her around so I don’t look like a two year old playing dress up!

Those are the things captivating my attention these days. Sometimes it’s really the simple things in life that make me happy, like tea and squash. I hope you all are having a fabulous Friday and that your weekend is awesome! I’ll see you back here on Monday!

How To Enjoy Fall

October 15, 2014 / ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

Fall is the best. I don’t just think that because my birthday is in the fall or I got married in the fall or one of my favorite holidays, Thanksgiving, is in the fall. Sure, all those things further my love of fall but they aren’t the main reasons. There is a change in the air and the scenery and it inspires change in daily life too, at least for me. While many people think of spring as the time of renewal and things coming to life, I feel like fall is the same way. The leaves turn to beautiful shades of gold, orange, and red, there is a certain crispness to the air, and the seasonal offerings at the market are warm and hearty. It’s just a great time of year and I think we should all take some time to enjoy it! These are some of my favorite things to do come fall time.

Apple Picking

My family has always gone apple picking during the fall. Whether it was on a school field trip or a day off on our own, I have many memories of picking apples. This Monday, I got the chance to go apple picking with my parents and my sister and her fiance. I haven’t been apple picking with my family in a few years and it was great to relive some fond memories of my childhood. There is nothing better than walking up and down row after row of apple trees, sampling as many apples as your stomach can hold, and loading up bags with your favorites. Anyone who has been apple picking can tell you, fresh picked apples are just better. And tons of apples can only lead to good things like apple pie, apple crisp, apple sauce, and apple butter. Plus, what would apple picking be without a stop at the country store for fresh apple donuts and homemade fudge? Go find an orchard near you and enjoy this fall favorite activity.

Pumpkins

You know I love pumpkins and it’s no secret that the rest of the population goes pumpkin crazy this time of year. I like eating them, baking with them, decorating with them, picking them, and just being around them. Pumpkins are great and when I see the first few pumpkins hit the stands, I know fall is pretty much here.

Squash in General

I like zucchini and summer squash just as much as the next person, but there is something so satisfying about winter squashes. They’re creamy, filling, versatile, and so tasty. There are so many varieties out there, butternut, kabocha, delicata, acorn, kuri…. The list goes on and on. You can eat them in pretty much every dish during the fall. Add them to soups, salads, stuff them full of delicious things, bake with them, or my personal favorite, roast them. You can make them sweet, savory, or spicy. They might look intimidating, but once you know how to handle them you’ll be eating them all the time. Go get some from your local farmer’s market and enjoy immediately!

The Scenery

I can’t begin to tell you how beautiful I think fall is. I feel like the leaves change from day to day providing new and even more gorgeous scenery than the day before. And the smell of fallen leaves, raked leaves, and burning leaves are some of the best scents I can think of. I also love fall weather. It’s usually fairly mild, chilly in the mornings and evenings but with that golden sunshine the afternoons are pleasantly warm. This is the best time of the year to get outside with your workouts before the harsh weather of winter comes. I love running in the brisk weather in the morning and then taking a long stroll in the afternoon, crunching leaves underfoot along the way. Fall is when I soak up that last bit of sunshine before I’m stuck indoors during the winter. Find a way to get outside during this time of year. Whether it’s for a workout, a walk a football game, or just sitting out in your backyard, enjoy that fall air.

I could keep writing on and on about all the things I love during the fall. Watching football games, band competitions, being around family and food at Thanksgiving, celebrating my anniversary with my husband, sipping warm tea and reading while it’s raining outside, smelling my mom’s hot apple cider simmering on the stove are all things that I love about this season. While you might not be as passionate about fall as I am, you can definitely find something to enjoy about this time of year. Get out there and make the most of fall!