The Best Detox For Your Health

FRESH SPACE, FRESH START

“The kitchen is the heart of the home.” You may have heard that phrase before. The kitchen is quite the hub for activity in most people’s houses. Just as heart health is critical to physical health, the heart of your homes helps you establish and maintain your healthy habits.

To be successful in your healthy habits, you have to design your environment to maximize success. So in the home, that starts with a Kitchen Detox.

Three ways a detoxed kitchen helps in your healthy habits:

1. You can think more clearly and make better decisions without the clutter. 
2. It provides a visual reminder of your new healthy mindset. 
3. Removing temptation eliminates challenges.

A kitchen detox is about clearing out the old and unhealthy, organizing for better use, planning what to have, stocking up on the good stuff, and setting your mind right as you start your new normal of a healthy lifestyle. A fresh space creates a fresh start. 

Depending on how large your kitchen is or how long you have lived in your home, tackling your kitchen may seem like an overwhelming task. Though, if you are struggling with healthy habits, you will find this purging to be quite rewarding when done.

5 STEP KITCHEN DETOX PLAN

I am always trying to figure out how to make being healthy this simple, so I’ve come up with a 5-step process to help make removing the old and unhealthy and replacing it with the fresh and healthy achievable.

Before you begin, you will need to gather a few items:

• Hard copy of these 5 steps
• Trash bags, bins, and boxes
• Notepad and pen/pencil
• Cleaning supplies
• A few hours 
• Some good music

STEP 1 - REMOVE

Toss, Keep, Recycle, & Donate/Sell

• Designate areas for Keep, Toss, Recycle, and Donate/Sell piles. 
• Start in the pantry and remove everything...yes, everything!! As you remove each item, put them in the appropriate area—Keep, Toss, Recycle, and Donate/Sale. 
• What to ask yourself: The first question to ask is whether or not to keep a food item- Is this real food or made from a real food? If the answer is no, toss it. 
• How do you know if it is a real food item? The easiest way to spot fake food is it contains ingredients made by man, not nature. Nature-made food doesn’t come with an ingredients label. Anything artificial, processed, and full of sugar needs to go. Insta-anything is insta-outta here. 
• The second question to ask- is this expired or moldy? If yes (or if you’re not sure how long you have had it), toss it. Typical shelf life: Spices- 3 years. Oils - 1-3 years. Frozen food - 6-12 months. Condiments - varies. 
• Also, go through kitchen items and remove any that are overused, misshaped, stained, rusted, missing parts, or rarely to never used. This ranges from cooking utensils to linens to small appliances.
• Recycle and donate or sell items at your discretion.
• Repeat for the refrigerator, freezer, cabinets, and any other kitchen storage areas. Go through everything! Even around and under the kitchen sink. 

For a full list of what to keep toss, recycle, and sell/donate, download the 7Core Wellness Kitchen Detox Downloadable.

STEP 2 - REORGANIZE

Deep Clean & Organize

• Now that your pantry, refrigerator, freezer, and cabinets are completely empty, it is a good time to deep clean these areas. Having a clear space gives you the opportunity to make things look nice and sparkling. 
• Place items from the Keep pile back in an organized fashion. 
• Take the Toss, Recycle, and Donate/Sell items out of the kitchen.

For tips on reorganizing your pantry, fridge, freezers, and cabinet, download the 7Core Wellness Kitchen Detox Downloadable.

STEP 3 - REPLACE

Make a list.

• Now that you have purged the unhealthy items, it is time to make a list of the healthy foods you will replace them with. 
• First, start by planning healthy meals for the rest of the week.
• Then make a list of items from food to kitchen supplies and organizational tools you need to replace, as well as any staple items you feel you need to have on hand.
• Remember quality matters! It doesn’t have to be organic...
• Top items to replace: 
  • Old spices for new. 
  • Bad oils for good. 
  • Fake food for real. 
  • Poor snacks for quality. 
  • Old kitchen items for new.

STEP 4 - RESTOCK

Shop.

• Now that you have your Replace list, it is time to shop and restock your kitchen! 
• Hit the store or order online for either groceries, kitchen tools, or organizational items.  
• When you are shopping--remember quality matters! Look at the ingredient labels for sugar, bad oils, and unrecognizable ingredients. 
• With the junk food gone, don’t be tempted to buy the stuff you can’t keep yourself from eating. You have planned your healthy substitute snacks.

For a quick list of my favorite food, kitchen, and organizational items, check out my affiliate Amazon store.

STEP 5 - RESET  

Mindset & Plan to Maintain.

• This is the most important piece—coming up with a maintenance strategy. 
• The first part is to shift your thinking to match the healthy lifestyle you now live. Don’t see it as removing things from your life, but enhancing your life by adding more nutritious things that benefit your body. 
• Some possible mindset shifts to own: I have a healthy lifestyle. My body and mind deserve only the good stuff. Food is medicine.
• To begin setting your mind right, answer these questions…
  1. Why did you do this kitchen detox?
  2. Why is it important to you to maintain a healthy lifestyle?'
  3. What shifts do you need to make in your thinking?
• The second step is to create a plan to implement your healthy habits and overcome any challenges.
• A written plan ensures the best success, so answer these questions…
  1. What healthy habits are you focusing on?
  2. What might keep you from being successful with these habits
  3. How will you plan and prep for success?

• The third step is coming up with an approach to keep you accountable for your healthy lifestyle. 

MAKING IT HAPPEN

Now that you have a detailed plan to detox your kitchen and set up your home environment for success, when will you make it happen? 

Prepare by scheduling a time and gathering your Kitchen Detox supplies.

For those that want to do this but struggle with how to do it when not everyone in the house is on board with a detox of the unhealthy, here is what I suggest in dealing with that challenge of having an environment you want yet keeping the peace of the rest of the household. Obviously, there is no question that the old, expired, and moldy have to go. When it comes to artificial and processed food items, only keep what they like most, and ideally what you don’t like. Remove all the rest. If it is something you particularly struggle with not eating, you will need to put a top-notch accountability plan in place.

While I believe we need to be good examples of healthy eating to those we love, I am not an advocate of nagging or forcing anyone to do anything. We don’t want people to be food bullies to us for our healthy living, nor to do we want to bully others. That is never beneficial. Some people will come around in their own time or sadly, not at all. We may not be able to make others want it, but we can stand up for our right to be victorious in our healthy lifestyle. 

Jen

10 Party Tips for Healthier Eating

Holiday gatherings, social events, life celebrations, sports parties, and special affairs can come with their challenges for maintaining healthy eating habits. While the infrequent  occasion may not be too disruptive for some, for others it can be a real struggle not to overindulge and have post-party food guilt.

To increase your chances for healthy party success, prepare ahead and come up with a game pla. To help you stay on track with your nutrition goals, check out these ten healthy party tips.

10 Party Tips for Healthier Eating

Click here for the accompanying infographic.

1. Before the special occasion, eat something healthy. Attending with a full stomach might help you eat less at the gathering..
2. If attending a party, bring a healthy dish. Then you know before arriving that you have something healthy to eat.⁣
3. If hosting a party, provide mostly healthy food.⁣ A simple way to promote healthy eating in others.
4.  Sparkling water is a light, fresh substitute for a sugary or alcoholic drink. If you choose to drink alcohol, have one glass of water for every cocktail of choice.⁣
5. Avoid hanging around the food to decrease the desire to nibble.⁣ When food is within arms reach, it becomes too easy to keep filling your plate or grabbing extra bites.
6. If you have the option, eat from a smaller plate.⁣ The larger the plate, the more likely you are to get more food than you need just to fill up the plate.
7. Fill your plate with mostly healthy items before adding treat items. For example, 80% healthy, 20% treats. Or for every 4 healthy servings, 1 treat serving.
8. Get extra support by selecting an accountability partner. If you both attend the same party, you can help each other stay on track.⁣
9. Be picky about what treats you do eat and make them good quality. Don’t waste the calories on something average tasting or, even worse, below average.⁣
10. If you want to make this a treat occasion, schedule this treat into your healthy weekly eating plan. Planning treat meals gives you something to look forward to and doesn’t leave the rest of the week up to chance.

Please share with us in the comments any tricks you use to keep you from overindulging at special events.

Cheers!

Jen

How to Enjoy But Not Overindulge During the Holidays

In the previous article, I discussed the holiday struggle. The struggle to enjoy the holidays and all the food experiences that come with them but resisting the temptation to overindulge. This may seem unachievable to those who want to fully enjoy and be present without feeling “yuck” over the holidays, but it is possible. It is possible when you have an incredible plan. 

This article is all about how to enjoy holiday treats but not overindulge, so your holidays can be both happy and healthy. 

The foundation of this plan for success is based on the three non-negotiables for creating sustainable healthy habits. However, the focus of the six weeks over the holidays (Thanksgiving through New Years) isn’t necessarily about creating sustainability. The focus is more about: 

• creating sanity during the craziness of the holidays 
• not gaining weight 
• controlling your eating rather than allowing your eating to control you, and 
• having no regrets while you enjoy a slice of grandma’s favorite cake. 

And as I stated in the previous article, this is isn’t about restriction. It is about balance. And we are going to use these three non-negotiables as the system to create what we desire.  

1. The Right Mindset
2. The Right Plan
3. The Right Accountability

I won’t break down what each of the non-negotiables means. If you want to read more, you can see my post on the Non-Negotiables for Reaching (Im)possible Goals. 

#1 THE RIGHT MINDSET: 

You have to prepare your mind and thoughts to take on the challenges and “buts” mentioned last week so you can have a successful and healthy holiday. 

THERE ARE TWO PARTS TO HAVING THE RIGHT MINDSET:

1. Reword the language you use to speak to yourself and others. This can help you mentally shift from a victim of the holidays to a holiday victor.
2. Know your true why. Understanding your clear intent, your deep reason for doing this will sustain your drive and commitment to this plan. 

HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR REWORDING YOUR LANGUAGE:

• I am not a victim of holiday overindulging. I am victorious in being healthy for the holidays.
• I can have balance and enjoy but not binge.
• I don’t have to say “yes” to all the treats. It is okay to say “no.” 
• My health is more important than whether someone's feelings get hurt because I don’t want to eat what they want me to eat.
• It is okay to want different things from my friends and family.
• Healthy food can bring family and friends together.
• Binging through the holidays, overloading on food and drinks, isn’t worth it. 
• To feel my best and be the most present, I need to keep healthy.
• It is okay for me to take time to do some exercise while visiting or hosting family.
• Holiday treats are okay to have, I am just picky about them.
• My body and mind deserve the best.

HERE ARE POSSIBLE WHYS:

• I am tired of feeling bloated over the holidays.
• I don’t want to gain any weight.
• I don’t want my New Years’ outfit to look or feel too tight.
• I want to end the cycle of not controlling my food through the holidays because it has made me feel yucky in the past. 
• I don’t want these treats and drinks to control me.
• I want to be a good example for my family. 
• I want to sleep better, even with all the activity going on. 

My holiday mindset: I am choosing to enjoy but not overindulge through the holidays so I can be my best physically and mentally during this time and not regret poor choices. Sweets and breads are not my boss. I do not have that “ugh,” “gross,” and “yuck” feeling. I want to be in a better mood more consistently and like how my body looks going into the New Year. I want to be a good example for my daughter and those around me.

#2 THE RIGHT PLAN:

It isn’t that you don’t know how to be healthier, it’s just that you haven’t used the right system to be successful. Part of the Right Plan is actually writing it down. So get out a pen and paper and start planning or the Healthy Habit Starter Guide. 

THE THREE MAIN STEPS TO CREATING THE RIGHT PLAN:

1. Focus on habits rather than goals. Pick 1-2 big habit(s) to focus on. 
2. Identify challenges and look for ways to overcome.
3. Create a plan and make a note of what you need to do to prep.

As we delve into each step I will give examples of how the steps might look for you, plus share what it looks like for me.

1. HABITS TO CONSIDER:

*These MUST have specific amounts, days, and/or times!

• Dessert limited to X times per week.
• No sugar and refined grains expect X times per week.
• Alcohol limit X glasses per week.
• Club soda in place of alcoholic drinks.
• Take something/make something healthy to all gatherings.
• Only one plate, rather than 2 or more, for any gathering.
• Half the plate or more of veggies for all gatherings.
• Don’t buy extra treats or keep them at home.

My 1 habits: Over the next 6 weeks (Nov 22 until Jan 2), no sugar or refined grains except for a maximum of 3 times per week at planned occasions/meals. I will make them of good quality and worth the taste.

2. CHALLENGES ARE:

• I love sweets, breads, and/or wine.
• So many parties and gatherings with food.
• I don’t want to hurt grandma’s feelings.
• Never ending treats given to me.
• It is colder and I want to eat more. 
• I am traveling during this time.

My challenges: Sweets and refined bread products tend to be my weakness and I can easily give into them at gatherings since I don’t have them that often. I frequently like to snack on a few tortilla chips in the afternoon and crave something sweet after dinner. Being at home so much, I have an increased desire to make and keep extra treats around the house.

3. PLAN & PREP SUGGESTIONS: 

*These MUST be specific. Success also lies in creating an environment to help you.

• Take something/make something healthy, veggie focused, to all gatherings.
• Make any treats I have not only planned but also good quality and good tasting.
• If offered something that doesn’t align with my habits, politely say, “Thank you, but no thanks.”
• I will pre-plan my travel meals as best I can.
• I will take healthy snacks with me as I travel.
• If I am staying at a hotel, I will ask for mini-fridge.
• If I am staying with family or friends, I will ask if it is okay to use their fridge for my healthy food. 
• I will substitute this healthy food/drink for this unhealthy food/drink I would have normally had in the past.
• Before eating out, I will look at the menu and plan the healthy meal I am having. 
• One plate maximum at all gatherings. 

My plan & prep: Eat only real food for all meals except the ones planned on the calendar over the next 6 weeks. No refined grains. Drink only water, club soda, or hot tea. On planned days, may enjoy 1-2 treats. I will commit to a predetermined treat intake before the event. Substitute nuts, veggies, or fruit for tortilla chips. If craving something sweet after dinner, I will have fruit. Enjoy Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Years Eve. Those are definitely planned treat days.

#3 THE RIGHT ACCOUNTABILITY

Setting up an accountability method seals the deal.

The minimal accountability commitment is using a calendar or planner to mark potential challenging events and days, days you plan to do your habits, and your successes. (Eh-hem...like the Healthy Habits Accountability Calendar).

The next step is to share what you are doing by getting an accountability partner and/or noting your journey on social media.

My accountability: Healthy Habits Accountability Calendar and the 7Core Wellness Facebook Page. 

In the end, you deserve to have a healthy, happy holiday time. It can be such a struggle, but you don’t have to do it alone. I am here to help.

To a happy, healthy holiday time!

Jen

The Holiday Healthy Habit Struggle

There are so many wonderful things about the holidays. Celebrating with friends and family. Time off from work. A break from school. Catching up with loved ones we haven’t seen in a while. A time of giving thanks and gifts. Cozy pajamas and beautiful lights.  Tasty food, drinks, and treats.

While there are many wonderful holiday pros, there are unfortunately cons, too. I am not talking about holiday traffic, fights with family, or battling the mall to get gifts (thank goodness for Amazon Prime!). One of the biggest challenges for many is the battle to balance enjoying the tasty treats with not over-doing it, not gaining a few extra pounds, or not feeling “blah” and “yuck.” Binge moments or consecutive holiday engagements can really diminish our ability to enjoy the holidays as much as we would like.

AFTER THANKSGIVING, TURN SOUTH WITH NO RETURN.

The downward spiral typically starts at Thanksgiving and goes through New Years. I say it can even start as early as Halloween with all the candy around.

Here are some scenarios when healthy habits go south during the holidays. Have you had any of these conversations with yourself?

Right after Thanksgiving weekend: “Whoa, I had so much at Thanksgiving and then ate out a lot with family, plus all the leftovers! I totally overdid it.” 

Early December until holiday time off: “Treats at work. Multiple holiday parties. Cookie exchanges. Treat gifts from family, friends, neighbors, clients, and coworkers. A little of each thing adds up. It all tastes good. I don’t want to hurt anyone's feelings. Oh, all the cocktails. Holiday Cheer, right?!?  And even though I feel kinda overstuffed and a little on the crappy side, hey, the new year is just around the corner. So this is temporary. After all, it is just impossible to be good through the holidays. So let’s eat, drink, and be merry, for January 2nd is only a couple of weeks away. Then, I’ll finally start eating better ...promise, this time I’ll do it and make it last.” 

Big holiday dinners to New Years Day: “So much good stuff and time with friends and family. I want it but I don’t want it. Remember January 2nd will be here soon. I am honestly feeling done with all this eating and drinking. I am not doing this again next year.”

January 2nd: “Whoa! I’m 5+ pounds heavier and have lots of bloating so I am now questioning whether the indulgence was really worth it. And although I want to change, know I need to change, where do I begin? I’ve blown it so much over the last month and a half. It seems like so much work to correct. Not only correct but then to maintain, too.” 

Does any of this sound vaguely familiar? I’ll admit, it has been my experience in the past.

HOLIDAY BALANCE? TOTALLY POSSIBLE.

I am not trying to be a Debbie Downer about the holidays, I just know from clients and even personal experience that the holidays make maintaining healthy habits a real struggle. The holidays are meant to be a joyous time, but can quickly flip to where you feel “blah” through it all and maybe don’t enjoy them as much as you would like. 

I am a deep believer in balance and not restriction. It is completely possible to enjoy the holidays and the treats that go with the season without either 1) going on a strict vegan diet and losing your mind because you aren’t having sugar or 2) continuously eating unhealthy and regretting most of your decisions to just have one more taste of something decadent.

No matter what time of the year, I typically follow these guidelines for enjoying treats: 

1. Plan them. It is something to look forward to because you know you do have a special treat to enjoy in the future.
2. Make them really good. Don’t waste the calories on something average tasting or, even worse, below average.

It is usually the unplanned or the mediocre tasting treats that cause the extra pounds. 

My three guidelines for hosting and/or going to gatherings are:

1. Eat something healthy beforehand. Attend more full so you might eat less at the gathering.
2. Make and take something healthy. You know you will have something healthy to eat.
3. Stay away from the chips and dessert table. Those are my weakest spots.

For other ideas on healthy eating at parties, check out this article and infographic.

ALL THE HOLIDAY “BUTS”

The above suggestions sound like great ideas and most people agree they should eat less, but then come the “buts”... Those “buts” are all the holiday challenges that make it seem impossible to maintain good eating. 

Now here is my “but” back…

But what if you could control your habits over the holidays so you: 

feel healthy, have more energy, feel better dressed up, don’t regret your poor eating or drinking choices the next day, enjoy the holidays more, feel better about going into the New Year, and don’t gain 5-10 pounds?

It is totally possible in a simple way and all the details are in our article How to Enjoy But Not Overindulge During the Holidays.

If you want some support and guidance this holiday season for staying on track with your healthy eating, schedule a call with me. 

To your achievable wellness!

Jen

Processed Foods Part 3: How To Make the Shift

This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please read my disclosure policy. 

In this three part series on processed food and sugar, we first discussed the impact of low quality foods and drinks on our bodies. Second, we categorized common healthy and unhealthy foods and drinks by what we should consume all the time, occasionally, and rarely.

All this information is great and most of it may not be a surprise to you. But you may be feeling uncertain about how to implement change and create a permanent healthy eating lifestyle to improve your health. So, let’s now discuss how to remove processed and sugary foods in a sustainable way. 

The key is to focus on the healthy stuff you want to add in while shifting away from the unhealthy. 

So if you currently consume mostly Red foods and drinks, shift away from them by focusing on adding Green foods and maybe some from the Yellow category. Even if you consume more Yellow foods and drinks daily than Green, you will need to make a shift to where Green foods and drinks are your primary source of nutrition.

But there is more to it in order to be successful in the long run. 

Your Roadmap to Long Term Success

Here we are going to implement the three non-negotiables needed to be successful at reaching health and wellness goals.

1. The right mindset
2. The right plan
3. The right accountability

The Right Mindset

Having the right mindset is the biggest factor in creating permanent change. You can be eating and drinking all the right things, but if your mind isn’t set on victory, success, and your reason for doing this, you are at high risk for not maintaining this lifestyle. And therefore, you are very likely to not reach the goals you aim to achieve for your health and wellness.

So, here are a few things you may need to do to shift your mindset in the right direction: 

• View food differently. Think differently about processed and sugary foods and drinks and how it is more harmful than good. How you and your body don’t deserve that harmful stuff. View what you eat as medicine that either heals or hurts the amazing and complex system of a body that was gifted to you.
• Be the boss. Often people find comfort in food because they feel it is something they can control when life is stressful and feels out of control. The truth is the food is controlling you. Processed and sugary foods and drinks set a desire in you to eat and overeat them. Rarely does anyone binge on vegetables. It is usually something processed and sugary. There is a reason for that. So you have to tell those foods who is boss, and it isn’t them.
• Self-control can be strengthened. We only have so much willpower in a day, so self-control cannot always be relied upon when tempted by those unhealthy foods. The good news is you can improve your self-control the more you practice it. Find your triggers, take a pause, remember the reasons or change, and you are less likely to give in. Next time it will be easier to say ‘no.’ 
• Seek progress. Aim to do a little better than the day before. If you are expecting yourself to go from eating mostly Red foods to only Green foods right away and be perfect every day, you are most likely going to fail and not get back up. But if you see this change as a process, you’ll continuously work on improving, even in those moments you take a step back. 
• Remember your why. Often remind yourself of the deep reason you need to make this change. Your reason to eat and drink healthier has to be stronger than your reason to stay the same. Temporary satisfaction often pushes away long-term desires. But you can overcome the immediate temptation by taking time to recall why you need to make a better choice. 

If making mindset shifts is the most challenging for you, check out this article for more information and download the mindset shift guide.

The Right Plan

No goal succeeds without a plan in place. Rarely do they just happen by thinking about them. This is true for successfully creating a lifestyle change to healthy eating. You have to strategize and plan the changes you will prioritize and how you will implement them. 

The struggle in planning for most people is the fact you have to take time to do this. Yes, it takes some time. But a little time spent planning can save you a lot of time later and help make your life healthier in the long term. 

What you need to have a successful plan with examples of how to start:

1. Write your plan down. There is power in writing things down. A visual reminder of your plan jogs your memory and increases your commitment. It will help you think things through and come up with a more achievable plan. So get out pen and paper or the Healthy Habits Starter Guide and physically create your plan.
2. Conquer one week at a time. Rather than thinking you have been successful over a long time period to get the healthy lifestyle you want, focus on being healthy one week at a time. When you consider conquering smaller chunks, the road ahead can look more doable to achieve. Before you know it, one week turns into two, a few weeks turn into a month, months turn into a year, and a year turns into a permanent lifestyle.
3. Start small and build. This goes back to ‘seek progress’ under mindset. Overhauling or changing everything at one time usually isn’t successful. So pick a meal that normally is highly processed or a very sugar beverage that you have regularly during the week and plan to replace it with a specific item on the Green or even the Yellow list. Write it down. For example, “Instead of a bowl of Cheerios for breakfast, I will have oatmeal.” Or, “Instead of coffee with flavored syrup, I will have coffee with heavy cream. Now if you pick to sub a Red for a Yellow, later on you will need to shift from a Yellow to a Green. 
4. Consider your roadblocks. Think about what is going to keep you from being successful with the change you just wrote down. For example, it will take extra time to make, it won’t’ taste the same, you may question your willpower, stress at work could trigger a bossy food craving, or a party this weekend might derail you.
5. Get specific on how you will do it. Not only how you will shift your food or drink consumption, but how you will eliminate roadblocks and challenges. For example, plan when you will get the food you need to have on hand, how you will find the time to prepare, what alternative will satisfy you when work gets stressful. Also, consider removing the tempting stuff from your house or desk drawer. 
6. Schedule your treats. As I mentioned in part one, this isn’t about never restricting yourself from enjoying a treat or foods and drink from the Red category. Just plan a time to have a treat you love. It gives you something to look forward to. Also, you won’t feel deprived and will be less likely to go on a binge. When you have that planned treat, savor and enjoy every bite. 
7. Take action. A plan isn’t worth anything until you do what you planned to do. Pick a start date and ‘just do it’ to borrow from Nike. Start making the change you have now committed to by creating a game plan for success.

If you need more help with planning, see this article.

Developing the best mindset and creating an amazing plan aren’t everything you need. You need a system to hold you accountable.

The Right Accountability

Setting up an accountability system is like the stamp of commitment to make a change. The right accountability helps keep you on track and can help you get back on track when you start to go sideways with your healthy eating changes.

There are several different forms of accountability so you have to pick which one/s will help you the most. And just FYI, the scale is not a good one.

For making sustainable changes in your eating, I find this combo the best to succeed:

A paper tracker and an accountability partner.

A Paper Tracker

There are plenty of ways to track your progress, such as a document on your computer or an app on your phone, but a paper tracker is one of the simplest and best. As stated earlier, there is something to be gained by writing goals and achievements on paper. So physically marking a sheet can give you more of a feeling of satisfaction than doing it digitally. With a paper tracker, you can more easily see your progress, not only because you can keep it out where you frequently view it but because you see your consistent star days and won’t want to break that chain. You can also mark your challenges, so you can better plan for them. Then, celebrate when you crush them. For a paper tracker, use the Accountability Calendar in the Healthy Habits Starter Guide.

An Accountability Partner

When you make your desires known to someone else, you will want to live up to what you say. But it’s more than just someone you can share your desires with. The best accountability partner will support you, check on you, and even call you out when you get sidetracked. For an accountability partner, you could join a group, make this change with a friend or family member, or hire a coach. Most people hire me whether for fitness training or nutrition coaching to be their accountability partner. I encourage and guide, support and challenge, follow up with and check in on, and give praise and grace. 

If you are looking for accountability like I just shared, set up a coaching call with me. 

By implementing these three critical parts, you can more confidently make a shift from consuming primarily unhealthy, highly processed, and sugary foods and drinks to fueling your body with the medicine of whole, real food and beverages. I promise you, you will feel so much better in so many ways. You won’t regret this change, you will only wish you had done it sooner. 

I wish you nothing but the best in your health and wellness,

Jen

Processed Foods Part 2: What to Eat and How Often

This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please read my disclosure policy.

We started this 3-part series on processed and sugary foods by discussing whether they were really that bad and how they impact our health and our bodies. What products those are exactly and whether some are better than others can be a source of confusion. So in this part of the series, let’s clear all that up.

Some people don’t like the idea of calling certain foods “good” and others foods “bad”. But we have to categorize food somehow so people have an idea of what is healthy to eat and what is not. You need to know what will cause you to gain weight and increase your risk for medical conditions versus foods and drinks that will help you maintain a healthy weight and greatly reduce your chance of premature death. 

When we think of items we consume that are highly processed and sugary, we must also consider the beverages because they are one of the biggest sources of artificial sugar we consume regularly.

I am dividing foods and drinks into three categories, which can also be known as green, yellow, and red foods. 

Eat daily = Green 

Eat occasionally = Yellow 

Eat rarely = Red

These go from least processed and sugary to most. Best quality to poorest.

Now, if you have done a food elimination diet before or have been tested for food allergies or sensitivities, what I might list as a Green food here could be a Yellow or Red food for you. So, these designations are not law. 

If you have a question about a food or beverage I have not listed here, email me. I’ll let you know where it stands and add it to the list. 

Green: Eat daily

This is a list of foods and beverages you can safely consume as often as you would like. They are the highest quality foods. The natural medicine your body needs. You will probably not be surprised by this list as they are the foundation for an awesome, healthy eating lifestyle. 

Carbs:

• Vegetables: fresh and frozen

• Fruits: fresh, frozen, or dried with no added sugar

• Legumes: beans and lentils

• Grains: whole oats, quinoa, barley, rice, and corn (especially organic)

Protein:

• Meat: chicken, pork, lean beef, bison, lamb, turkey, and wild game

• Seafood: fish, shellfish

• Other proteins: eggs, plain greek yogurt, tempeh, hummus

Fats:

• Oils and other cooking fats: extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, walnut oil, ghee, and real butter

• Dressing and marinades: with ‘Green’ oils

• Seeds: chia, flax, hemp, pumpkin, and sesame

• Nuts: walnut, cashews, pistachios, almonds, brazil nuts, pecans, pistachio, macadamia, and peanuts (technically not a nut)

• Nut butters: natural with no added oils or sugar

• Others: coconut, olives, avocados, guacamole

Beverages:

• Water

• Black coffee 

• Black and herbal teas

• Canned coconut milk

• Coconut water

Yellow: Eat Occasionally

When I say ‘eat occasionally’, I am talking about only having these foods once or twice a week. They are processed but either not as highly processed and/or made with better quality sugars and oils. They don’t need to be the primary part of your daily, even weekly, nutrition. Food in this section can be part of that good treat or two for the week.

Carbs:

• Sweeteners: honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, monk sugar, agave, molasses

• Bread products made from whole sprouted grains and seeds

• Breakfast foods: granola made from Green and Yellow foods, instant oatmeal

• Pastas: made from beans such as chickpeas or lentils

• Snacks: popcorn, crackers not made from refined wheat

• Flours: almond, coconut, whole wheat 

• Sauces: made with no sugar added

Protein:

• Meats: medium lean meats, minimally processed lean deli meat. Jerky, bacon, and sausage of good quality.

• Other proteins: tofu, edamame, cottage cheese, quality protein bars

Fats:

• Chocolate: dark chocolate made with quality sugars and fats

• Desserts: made from Green and Yellow foods

• Dairy: Sweetened greek yogurt, quality cheeses, sour cream

Beverages:

• Milk, whole preferably

• Heavy cream

• Milk alternatives: almond, coconut, soy

• Fruit juice made from 100% juice

• Alcohol, not made with artificial sweeteners

Red: Eat Rarely

For these red foods and drinks, consider consuming one to two times a month or better yet, rarely ever. They are the most processed, unhealthy, inflammatory things to have. Consider these foods this way--if you can find it or something similar in a gas station, your body wasn’t made to have it. To point out those few exceptions some of you might note to prove me wrong, yes sometimes you will find fresh fruit, plain nuts, and water at a gas station, but pretty much everything else is… I’ll be blunt about it...junk. And also, those “healthier” versions of junk food are still junk food. 

Carbs:

• Breads: loaf bread, rolls, buns, tortillas, and other bread products made from white grains

• Artificial sweeteners and syrups: pancake syrup, table sugar, high fructose corn syrup, sweeteners in packets  

• Vegetables: anything breaded or fried

• Fruit: canned or dried with added sweeteners

• Condiments: jellies, jams, sauces, spreads made with Red oils and sweeteners

• Desserts: cakes, pies, ice cream, cookies, pastries made with processed flour, oils listed, and sugar listed

• Snacks: candy, pretzels, chips, poor quality protein bars, crackers, snack mix, veggie straws

• Breakfast: donuts, bagels, non-greek sweetened yogurt, cereal, flavored instant oatmeal

• Boxed items: pastas, instant noodles, flavored rice, cake, cookie, and other dessert mixes

Proteins:

• Meats: fried meats, fast food burgers, hot dogs, processed deli meats

• Meatless: processed soy, soy burgers

• Other proteins: egg mix

Fats:

• Oils & “butters”: canola, vegetable, soybean, safflower, sunflower, shortening, corn, peanut, margarine, or any other fake ‘butter’ spread

• Bottled dressings and marinades: those made with Red oils

• Cheese: processed cheese, cheese dips, cheese sticks, 

• Nut butters: with added oils or sugar

• Chocolate: milk and white

• Poor quality pizza - most frozen and delivery brands

Beverages:

• Energy drinks, all sodas, juice not 100% juice, flavored milk and creamers, drink mixes, cocktails made with artificial sweeteners

How does your current nutrition compare?

What category do the foods you eat and drink come from? Be honest with yourself. 

Some of you may see this list and be thinking, I have a lot to work on and are uncertain where to start to make a change. Or maybe you have tried to make a change in the past, but it didn’t last. I won’t leave you hanging.

In the final part of this series, I’ll discuss how to make the changes necessary to create a sustainable healthy lifestyle. We’ll talk about how to shift your eating from mostly Red foods and drinks to Green foods and drinks so you can create a sustainable, healthy eating plan. 

I am excited to help you make the change,

Jen