Easy Eats Check List

With so much "nutrition" advice out there, it can be frustrating to know what to eat. Should I count points, calories, carbs, fat grams? While every eating program has pros and cons, I do like the fact that they can help us get focused and thinking about what we are eating. I think the "miss" is that sometimes we forget that we need to pay attention to what our body is telling us.

Here's my "easy" eats checklist:

1. Will this food make me FEEL good after I eat it? (light, energized, happy, balanced)
2. Will this food make me LOOK good after I eat it? (doesn't lead to bloat, weight gain, etc)
3. Does this food taste good to me? 

My goals is to have everything I eat meet each of these criteria.

Here's an example of a day's worth of meals that meets all three criteria for ME:

Breakfast:
2 eggs with sauteed red peppers and spinach or kale and 1 oz cheese and some cherry tomatoes

Snack1:
1 cup frozen berries, 1 scoop vanilla whey  protein powder, 1tsp chia seeds mixed for a smoothie

Lunch:
Large green salad with lots of veggies topped with 4-5 oz grilled chicken and homemade dressing with olive oil, lemon juice and spices

Snack 2:
1 oz almonds and 1 sliced apple

Dinner:
4 oz fish broiled or baked, 1 small sweet potato with tsp butter, fresh steamed broccoli or green beans


Ok, here's a sample of  day's meals that don't meet my criteria. They might taste good, but they do not make me LOOK or FEEL good. 

Breakfast:
Cereal with milk

Snack1:
mm's

Lunch:
burrito with chips and salsa

Snack 2:
cookies

Dinner:
burger and fries and soda

So before you eat, try the checklist! If you can't answer "YES" to all three, think again about your choices. It will give you confidence and help you get to know your body better. :)