You have promised yourself that 2009 is the year that you finally reshape your body so it no longer resembles the Pillsbury Dough Boy. The chore for last Sunday was to clean everything out of your food storages that contained MSG, high fructose corn syrup or anything that even remotely resembled a trans-fatty acid. Now you seem to be staring at nothing but empty shelves and wonder what you possibly can throw together for a nutritious meal! Hey, if you have gotten this far then you should have a well prepared nutritional program made out. Grab that thing and head for the supermarket.
If your knowledge of the grocery store is limited to the location of beer, soda pop and saltine crackers then you are probably in for a surprise or two. Learn to divide your shopping store aisles into two categories. The first will be the danger zones of pre-packaged foods. If chocolate chip cookies and wavy potato chips have been your best friends it is time for a separation. The best way to not eat them is to not buy them so stay out of those aisles. The second aisle choice will be the safe zones and will consist of the produce section and <u>most</u> of the refrigerated aisles.
Once in the store make a bee-line to the vegetable and fruit areas. Pick out foods that resemble a rainbow in color. Spinach, tomatoes, asparagus, mushrooms and celery all have fantastic colors. Throw in a bell pepper or two (red, green or yellow they are all just about the same nutritionally) and you are off to a good start with your menu planning.
Don’t neglect the fruits in this area. Bananas, oranges, apples and grapes can all usually be had throughout the year thanks to worldwide marketing standards. Fill your refrigerator and counter tops with a variety of fruit and soon you will not miss those curly cheese crisps much at all!
Now is the time to take a stroll over to the meat section. Notice that when people speak of “meat” in a body building or weight lifting nutrition plan they generally do not mean a big chunk of prime rib roast. Your desires here should be high protein coupled with low fats so start looking at poultry and fish. There is a great selection so you can rotate sources of protein without becoming bored. Look for salmon and other fishes with high omega-3 oils, chicken and turkey sausages (be careful of salt!), chicken breasts and even stretch the limits to include some extra lean ground sirloin.
Prior to checkout you can include many other tasty treats to your shopping cart. Cheeses are fantastic, especially those with a stronger taste that denotes a higher protein level. Just remember that cheese is high in fat and should be limited in your diet. Grab some dried peas, beans or other legumes as these can be excellent sources of fiber for your dietary needs. Grains and mixed nuts are excellent choices to add variety and taste to your menus.
With experience you will be able to decrease the shopping time necessary to fill your larder with necessary nutrients. Your goal is to create food dishes that are attractive to the eye as well as nutritious and filling. These type meals will not only maintain your stamina levels to finish your daily workouts but will add color and beauty which helps keep your motivational levels high.
