Whenever I go to the store, I pick up low-fat instead of fat-free, when it comes to dairy products (except Greek yogurt--the brand I buy just happens to be fat-free). I used to buy nonfat milk, but now I go with 1% or 2% after seeing an interesting segment on Dr. Oz's show and doing my own reading on the subject.
When all of the fat is removed from milk, all its fat-soluble vitamins go with it. That's why it says Vitamin A- and D-fortified or "added" on those jugs. There is a process used where the vitamins have to be put back into the milk. Dr. Oz compared nonfat milk to "sugar water" on his show. I don't consider him the 'be-all end-all,' so I found other articles online that basically say the same thing.
So 1% or 2% on the milk. Stay away from whole milk! Whole milk is high in fat content as well as bad cholesterol!
Back to Greek yogurt: Since I'm trying to pack on mass, I've begun eating it. It's low in fat, calories, and loaded with protein. I also find it tasty. Some brands are more expensive than others. I buy the Nostimo brand at Brookshires for only about $1.05 per six-ounce container. I like it, and you'll pay less than for Oikos and some of the other brands. Despite all the talk, eating healthy doesn't have to break the bank.
One more thing about Greek yogurt, before I move on. The plain stuff tastes surprisingly similar to sour cream. That makes it a great substitute for sour cream on a baked potato. Oh yeah, when it comes to baked potatoes, I bake sweet potatoes, but that's another post! :)
Your mama always told you to eat your vegetables. Shopping for produce is also very important, when it comes to balancing your food choices out. Where you buy your vegetables or produce is equally important. Sometimes paying just a little bit more is worth it. After a truly disgusting experience, there is one big-name grocery retailer where I absolutely stay away from the produce aisle (rhymes with Call Smart). There are times when it's safer to stick your hand in the fire twice with an ex rather than give a product a second chance after a bad shopping experience.
I buy a lot of chicken and salmon at the store, and occasionally red meat. I still haven't mastered the whole thing about which days are best for good deals on meat and all of that stuff. Feel free to educate me and offer your own suggestions. For someone who's single 98% of the time, my shopping skills aren't always up to par, and what little I have learned has taken time and a lot of trial and error.
I've talked about backing down from breads, pastas, and other bad carbs in previous posts. I also gave up white rice, too. (Except on cheat days when I'm at someone's house eating jambalaya or gumbo--you can't not have white rice in those, sorry, it is Louisiana, people.) Brown rice is an acquired taste, but it's full of the nutritional qualities missing from white rice.
All rice begins the same way. Have you ever read about the process of turning brown rice to white rice? Google it sometime.
Usually on Sunday night or on Monday morning after the gym, I make a 1/2 cup of brown rice, bake a pack of chicken breast tenderloins and chop up an onion. I then throw the onion and some mushrooms into the rice when it's almost cooked. After the chicken is done baking, I dice it up into small pieces. This usually makes up to four meals I can take to work for lunch and spread out for four days during the week. It saves a ton of money over time that would otherwise be spent on eating out.
There is a can of Tony Chachere's in our break room at work that I sprinkle in to add a little flavor at lunchtime. Tony's is packed with sodium, though, so I suggest using it sparingly.
I eat ridiculously healthy, especially now that the "Kurt 3.0" project is underway. Also, as a spin instructor and an (almost) certified personal trainer, I feel like I have to lead by example. I give myself a "cheat day" once every week or two where I indulge in something really good. My "cheat day" is usually a Saturday or a Sunday. Going to work during the week actually makes it easier for me to eat the way that I do.
Below is a rundown of basically what I eat every day, throughout the day at work. I explained breakfast time in a previous post. Here are my other "meals" broken down during the afternoon/evening. I eat something every two to three hours in small portions.
The brown rice and chicken with the onions and mushrooms is the big meal around 7 P.M. Leading up to that during the course of the day, I have a bag of carrot sticks, a handful of raw almonds (RAW--not roasted or salted!), another small portion of oatmeal (I include a small scoop of MusclePharm Combat powder to mix in), and a six-ounce container of the Greek yogurt mentioned above.
As I try to bulk up, there may be more added to that list along the way.
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