Feed Your Body: “The YES List”

Cold-pressed olive oil or coconut oil, avocado, sesame, or almond oil

Whole grains: millet, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat; Starches: sweet potato, yams (eliminate for faster weight loss)

Brown rice, wild  rice, basmati or jasmine rice-never instant (eliminate for faster weight  loss)

Real food-shop the perimeter of the grocery store

Water or herbal teas

Stevia (herbal with no effect on blood sugar), raw sugar, raw honey, coconut crystals

Coconut or Almond milk, Goat milk or Raw dairy milk

Butter

Sea salt (the darker the color, the healthier it is) or Real Salt

Dried herbs

Roasted chicken breast or other dinner leftovers

Natural spring water or highly filtered water

 

Eliminate completely: “The NO List”

Hydrogenated oils (Canola and Vegetable oils)

White flour or enriched wheat flour

White rice

Processed foods (anything in a can or a box)

Soda, carbonated beverages, and juice

White sugar, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners (Splenda, aspartame, maltitol, sorbitol, erythritol, sucralose, saccharin)

Pasteurized Milk

Margarine

Table salt

Condiments: mayonnaise, mustard ketchup

 Lunch meats (unless organic, sulfate and nitrate-free)

Tap water

Soy

MSG (monosodium glutamate)

 

Limit to 1-2 servings per week:

Corn

Potatoes

Pork

Shellfish

Alcohol

Caffeine (use organic coffee only)

Sweets

 

Water: drink half your body weight in ounces of water every single day! If you consume alcohol or caffeine or exercise, you need to add even more water.

ie: If you weigh 160 lbs, you need 80 ounces of water to stay hydrated.

 

Proteins: start your day with 20-30 grams of protein at breakfast to kick-start your metabolism and ensure level blood sugar levels throughout the day. Combining protein with carbohydrates will lower their glycemic index. A serving of protein should be consumed at every meal. Portion size is the size (and thickness) of the palm of your hand. Lean proteins such as poultry and fish are favored over red and fatty meats. Eat organic grass-fed meats when possible to limit exposure to growth hormones, inflammatory fats, and pesticides. 

Seafood: should be wild-caught rather than farm-raised for the same reasons. Limit fish high in mercury to every other week. Visit http://seafood.edf.org for the best and worst choices. Vegetarian sources of proteins are lentils and quinoa.

 

Fruits and Vegetables: you can have unlimited vegetables, organic when possible! Always eat twice as many veggies as fruits to keep sugar intake low. Fruits and veggies that are darker or more vibrant in color have more nutrients (ie: red grapes over green, dark leafy greens or spinach over iceberg lettuce, sweet potatoes over white). Berries have the highest antioxidant count and the lowest glycemic index (effect on blood sugar). Other low glycemic index choices are apples, oranges, and grapefruit. Limit fruit to 1-2 pieces per day. A serving size is a ½ cup.

 

Brands We Suggest:

Nu Naturals Stevia

Ezekiel bread (in the freezer section of Nature’s Market)

Real Salt

Mrs. Dash

Betty Lou’s nut balls

Kind bars

Isagenix meal replacement shakes and bars

Avoca spring water

Udi’s gluten-free bread

Tinkyada gluten-free pasta

Snack Suggestions:

½ to 1 cup of raw or roasted nuts and seeds: almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, macadamias, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds, and pumpkin seeds. Avoid peanuts.

1-2 cups sugar snap peas

2-3 celery stalks filled with almond butter

Apple slices spread with almond butter

Rice crackers spread with hummus

Trail mix (avoid mixes that have added oils, sugar, or preservatives)

Roasted chickpeas

Kale chips

Vegetable juices

½ cup berries