1. Hydration: Multiply your body weight (in lbs) by 0.66 and divide by 8. That will give you the minimum number of 8oz glasses of water that you should consume each day. For example, a 140 lb person (140 x 0.66 /8) should drink 11.5 eight ounce glasses of water each day. Your body will not function properly without adequate water.
2. Sleep: You need 7-9 hours of sleep every night. Your body uses that time to recover from your workouts, detoxify your body, and prepare for the challenges of the next day. Inadequate sleep leads to poor food choices, an increase in stress and, ultimately, weight gain.
3. Food: Whole food is the only way to go. Your food should be just that: food. Not full of hydrogenated oils, sulfites, artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, butylated hydroxyanisole (a preservative), and many other unpronounceable ingredients. Every single function of your body, all the way down to nerve activity, relies on nutrients found in the food you eat. Your hormones, DNA, muscles, brain, and the membranes that surround every single cell in your body depend on your food choices.
4. Don’t skip meals. Eat when you are hungry. Otherwise you face binging on unhealthy options and tricking your body into storing fat.
5. Eat fat. Good fats. Avocado, fish oils, coconut oil, nuts and seeds. They feed your brain, make you happier and will give you essential nutrients.
6. Avoid processed foods and white death! No white sugar, white flour, white rice, etc. All offer next to no nutritional value and spike your blood sugar causing weight gain.
7. Plan ahead. If you get the chance to prep meals for the week, do it! Freeze and package everything for quick healthy meals when your schedule gets super busy.
8. Artificial sweeteners. Just don’t do it. The list of reasons why not to is a mile long and ranges from tricking your body into storing fat and increased hunger , to impairing brain function and mimicking MS symptoms.
9. Refined carbs. Carbohydrates are good and necessary. Without carbohydrates you would not survive and have zero energy. Choose the correct carbs. If it was processed try to avoid it.
10. Sugar. I repeat myself on this point because sugar= weight gain and a plethora of other ailments.
11. Hidden ingredients. Just because it seems healthy doesn’t mean it actually is. Gluten free often means it has additional sugar or salt to compensate. Smoothies often contain frozen yogurt and tones of sugar. Dressings on restaurant salads can sometimes equal the same amount of calories as a greasy meal. Ask questions, look at labels, don’t be afraid to ask for substitutions. It’s your health.
12. Shop the perimeter. Do not be tempted by those centre aisles full of boxes, preservatives, and junk. If you must enter to buy beans, tea or other healthy options, move quickly before your drawn in by the fake-food.

Staple Grocery Items:

• Pre-washed, organic baby spinach and/or arugula
• Frozen fruit and vegetables- flash freezing makes them more nutritious than some fresh produce. Don’t have to worry about them going bad.
• Mary’s Organic Crackers (gluten free)
• Nut butters
• Quinoa
• Beans, lentils- be sure to buy organic and cans that are BPA free. Or cook a batch of dried beans/lentils at the beginning of the week.
• Eggs
• Raw nuts (keep refrigerated)
• Ezekiel wraps. Sprouted grains, although gluten containing, are often more digestible due to the sprouting.
• Lemon, ginger (peel and keep fresh ginger root in the freezer for easier grating)
• Herbs and spices! Skip the sauce and season your food with an abundance of spices and herbs.

Snacks to Go: Buy a small cooler bag to toss in your bag with an ice pack.

• Raw mixed nuts. Peanuts may contain mold and, improperly stored, nuts can easily go rancid so just be aware of where you are buying them and keep them in the fridge.
• Raw fruit- if you eat the skin try to get organic as much as possible.
• Hard boiled eggs
• Veggies with Hummus
• Brown rice cakes with nut butter or coconut oil/raw honey spread
• High quality protein bar
• Unsweetened apple sauce
• Mary’s Organic Crackers
• Overnight oats in a mason jar
• A large bottle of water. Thirst can mimic hunger pains. Drink up!

Substitution Ingredients:

• Replace pasta or rice with cauliflower- throw it in a food processor and pulse it until it’s in small pieces. Once there is sauce on it no one will know. Or mix half and half at first.
• Add black or white beans to ground beef or chicken dishes to cut down on the amount of animal products you’re eating.
• When baking, half the oil in any recipe can be replaced by unsweetened apple sauce
• Dehydrated fruit instead of dried. Dried fruit can often contain a lot of added sugar. Check the labels and look for one ingredient only. The fruit!
• Kelp noodles. Almost calorie free they are a great addition to pasta, pad thai, salad, etc.
• Coconut Sugar. Replace refined white or brown sugar. High in minerals and won’t spike your blood sugar. Tastes like brown sugar.
• Nutritional yeast tastes like cheddar cheese. Sprinkle on veggies, mashed potatoes or grains before serving. It is deactivated yeast. It’s a source of protein and vitamins, especially the B-complex vitamins, and is a complete protein (all essential amino acids). It is also naturally low in fat and sodium and is free of sugar, dairy, and gluten.