Foods For Weight Loss Part 6

I hope you are enjoying this series from Tim at
www.ettlt.com
It is a great resource and one of the best was to lose weight, net to a physical exercise regiment.

Part 6 is really about putting it all together. The first thing to note is that all of the things mentioned in the series (parts 1-5) are things to do for anyone. They are excellent food choices and will help to maintain a healthy body. Sure, they are especially for those who are trying to lose weight and therefore they must be stricter on some points. On the other hand, those who do not need to lose weight but want to maintain a healthy body should be doing the same things. Also if you are trying to gain weight, you would do the same things just with an altered eating pattern and amount.

So many people look to one thing… that is, they look to one pill, one area of nutrition, one doctor, and think they can have a miracle cure or weightloss. While results may vary they are not the kind of results that satisfy. Living healthy and being healthy is a lifestyle. It is the way you eat, the foods you eat, the exercise you get, the faith you have, the thoughts you think, and the relationships that you foster.

It takes time to put changes in place, but you can do it one step at a time. I know how overwhelming it can be to change so many things in your eating habits. Just start somewhere and each day or week or month add something new. So maybe you start increasing the amount of vegetables that you eat and the quality (local and/or organic)… and then you change where you buy your dairy from… and then what grains you buy and how you prepare them… and then where you buy your meat from… and then the products that you put on your skin… and then on and on… you grow.

Where To Find? Where to Find?

It can be frustrating when looking for many food items which you are not used to consuming. Especially since the typical grocery store has so many processed items in it. The internet can be a very valuable tool in connecting with other people who can provide high quality food. Also stores like Whole Foods Market, Wild Oats (which was bought by Whole Foods), and Trader Joes focus on Natural and Organic Foods. In addition, many other national grocers have small natural food sections and carry some organic produce. One of the best sources is to find a local farmers market and/or contact local farmers. Buying locally is good for the local economy and enables you to get fresher foods. (I am not against importing by any means either… it is nice to be able to get a wide variety of foods internationally as well).

So if you are looking for something like buckwheat flour, most likely you will not find it at a typical grocery store. You have a good chance of finding it freshly ground at a farmers market, and you most definitely will find it at a store like Whole Foods… which you hope it is not too old

I Don’t Know What To Do or Make With This Food!

What? Are you kidding me? The options are not that limited! There are a gazillion things you can do with all of the food items mentioned in this series. You should be creative and test all sorts of things. Something I frequently do is take random recipes and substitute almost all the ingredients in them for better (or the same but higher quality) ingredients and create something new but similar.

So one day you should make:

Breakfast:

Buckwheat pancakes (you can mix buckwheat flour with spelt or whole wheat)
Blueberries
Real Maple Syrup or Honey

Lunch:

Mexican Quinoa
Fruit

Dinner:

Wild Caught Alaskan (or Pacific) Salmon
Green Beans (fresh)
Faux potatos (cauliflower mashed potatos)
Salad (Use all different types of lettuces - romaine, green leaf, red leaf, arugola, spinach, endive, etc)

What Now?

Well, I hope that this series has helped you get an idea of the foods that you can learn about and change in your diet especially if you are looking to lose weight, but also for healthy living in general. I also hope that these foods have given you ideas for incorporating them together and creating simple dishes and meals that you can be thankful for. Fast food is out, slow food is in. Dig it.

If you have any questions feel free to contact me: tim (at) ettlt.com.
To view the other blogs Food For Weight Loss Part 1-5 go to
www.ettlt.com