WLC – Snack and Meal Faux Pas & Ideas

Hello WLC Challengers (and whoever else reading this!)

Eating habits across the world are different for so many reasons: lifestyle challenges, diets, restrictions (gluten-free, dairy free, vegetarian, etc.) eating healthy etc . No matter what eating style you have,  there are some simple rules that we need to adhere to no matter what type of eating habits we have to stay healthy, happy, satisfied and “in the game”

Once you have been told “you can only eat this….” our brains do something funny and only eat certain foods we “think” we can eat and then forget about all the hundreds of options for us “to” eat.

  1. Eat Nutrient Dense Foods: Eat foods from all the colors of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, white), this will help you get all the nutrients that you need to stay alert and full. 
    1. Mushrooms, onions, red bell peper, squash, eggplant, carrots, oranges, leeks, cauliflower, broccoli etc.
  2. Eat “wet” foods: Choose foods that have water in them to help with your hydration level
    1. Leafy Greens: Spinach, kale, arugula etc
    2. Fruits: Berries, apples, pears, tangerines, oranges, pineapple,
    3. This will also help you stay away from dry foods (
  3. Combine Proteins/Fat with Veggies or whole grain carbohydrates to stay satisfied and FULL!
    1. Try a big leafy green salad with arugula, spinach, black or kidney beans, lentils, chicken, pomegranate seeds, sweet potato and mix it with olive oil and lemon for a great light dressing. You will feel full and satisfied! If you are not, add some quinoa or brown rice to the mix!
  4. Start your day with a BIG breakfast! Using the above rules, make a breakfast that will keep you satiated from the minute you start your day. There is nothing worse than “trying to eat healthy” first thing in the morning, and then losing all willpower by the end of the day because you have restricted your calories too much! Do yourself a favor and eat a good size breakfast!
  5. Become a Researcher of Labels and Recipes: Look at the back of labels to make sure there are NO processed ingredients. If you are willing to eat a processed ingredient like “high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)” make sure to look it up online and see what it is.
    1. Labels: High Fructose Corn Syrup: Highly refined artificial sweetener has become the #1 source of calories in Americans as it is in most processed foods, breads, flavored yogurt, salad dressings, canned veggies & candy . Help trigger your brain to hear the message “I am not full” therefore eating more HFCS and foods containing it. It helps to increase your weight and bad cholesterol (LDL), along with increasing the likelihood of developing diabetes. Too many other harmful effects to list here.
    2. Recipes: Bored of the same food? Ya me too….That’s why I am ALWAYS looking online for new recipes! Try:
      1. http://www.paleoplan.com/recipes/
      2. http://allrecipes.com/recipes/healthy-recipes/special-diets/paleo-diet/
      3. http://www.health-bent.com/
      4. http://www.thefoodee.com/
  6. Don’t allow NON-MEALS: What’s a non-meal? It’s a snack or meal that we have created because we were unprepared. Examples: big handful of nuts, big handful of berries, a donut, an apple, bag of chips etc. If you are going to allow a non-meal, use #3 above to turn it into a “real-meal”.
  7. Watch the “Claw Hand” of nuts: Don’t just grab a bunch of, nuts (small handful is 100 calories), measure them out. Yes they are high in good fats, yes they are also high in calories and yes combine them with veggies or other nutrient dense foods to keep you full and satisfied. A handful or bag of nuts is NOT a meal. Don’t get lazy and grab for a non-meal. Make a good choice and combine – use #3 above.
  8. Make Homemade Healthy Desert options so you feel like you have had a treat. Look on our Facebook for some great recipes!
  9. Limit Your Alcohol to 0-2 servings per week.
    1. The more you drink, the less you lose
  10. Watch Your Sodium Intake: Be careful that you are not adding salt to everything you are eating. Limit your sodium.
  11. Add Crunch in Your Life: Make some homemade kale chips, banana chips or go to the store and buy some simple truth Natural Exotic Vegetable Chips. Add something crunchy to any meal that is lacking a crunch. It will help with your crunch need and your sanity!
  12. Stay Hydrated – Drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces each day. If your urines isn’t pale pale yellow, you are dehydrated!
  13. Reduce your Caffeine: For every cup of caffeinated beverage you drink, take in twice as much water to replace it on top of your water intake from #12. This will help reduce your need for more caffeine (false energy). You will have more energy by eating healthy than caffeine will every give you!
  14. Got Sleep? Get Some! We need about 7-9 hours a night to be at our best. Create a routine and shut off the lights, turn off the electronics, stop face booking and create a “slow down” time. This will help your mind start to slow down and get ready for a peaceful nights sleep. Make sure to not have caffeine after noon as well!
  15. Create a Community: Get your friends, family, kids, co-workers and anyone who will listen on your plan with you! Become the team captain of your health and recruit your players. The more people you have on board with your healthy life, the more fun you will have, the healthier you will all be and the more likely your “TEAM” will have a much more amazing life!

Be the change you wish to see in the world! ~Mahatma Ghandi