What exactly should I be eating???

What diet is best?

Well, I don't diet, but my nutrition is very important.  I want you to start using that word:  Nutrition.  When you use the word "Diet," people often associate that with whatever fad diet is in at the moment.  And we all know that fad diets, while they can offer results when followed, typically are not sustainable.  That's why people say, "Diets don't work."  Absolutely they do work.  And they can be beneficial.  The best thing about diets, no matter which one we're talking about, is that they make people aware of their bad habits and poor choices.  My main issue with dieting, though, is that the program is often not something you can successfully follow long-term.  They're typically designed to help you lose weight fast, and then when you come off of your diet, you tend to put that weight back on, and then some.  So, instead of thinking about what diet is the best, you have to look at if it is something you can sustain as a lifestyle.  Is it something you are willing to implement for the rest of your life?

Also, you need to eat for your goals.  Whether your goal is to lose weight, maintain your current weight, or increase (typically by building muscle), your nutrition and choices you make concerning it should reflect your goals.  I play with my nutrition often.  Earlier this year, I was focused on adding muscle mass, so my nutrition looked much differently compared to months later when I was eating and training to cut body fat.  When I track my nutrition, I do so by counting and watching my macros.  Learn more about following a macro-based nutrition plan by reading my post:  Why Eating Right Wasn't Enough...

Following a macros-based plan allows me more freedom in what I eat.  I don't have a diet guideline that says "You can't eat this...you can only eat at this time...carbs are bad...etc."  I'm simply watching numbers throughout the day, and making wise choices when it comes to what I consume.

Nutrition definitely outweighs exercise, and the saying, "You can't out-train a bad diet" is true.  Understanding nutrition doesn't have to be difficult.  If you're wanting to lose weight, you need to be burning more calories than taking in.  If you want to maintain weight, you need to have equal calories coming in as going out.  If you're wanting to increase your weight, you need to consume more calories than you are using.  And where you get those calories does play a factor in your health.

I personally haven't given up ALL processed food.  Just being honest...I still have my little indulgences.  If you come to my home, you'll find a package of Oreo's on the counter, or a box of cake mix in the cabinet. But the majority of what my family and I eat is something we have to prepare ourselves.  When I shop and plan our meals, I mainly shop the perimeter of the store, buying dairy, lean meat, fruits and vegetables, beans, and whole grains.

When I track my macros, I have to pay attention to the nutritional facts of the foods I eat.  What I'm mainly focusing on is the calories, carbs, protein, and fat content of each serving.  OMG...speaking of...PAY ATTENTION TO SERVING SIZE!!!  Just because I mentioned it, that package of Oreo's I have sitting on my counter top, guess what the serving size is???
It's 4 cookies!
Who eats only 4 cookies!?!
Well, that would be me because I looked at the serving size on the label.  When I can only eat a certain number of calories and fat grams for the day, those 4 (or more) cookies could negatively impact my day.

What do I eat to help me reach my goals?  Here's a list of what I do like to eat, and what I typically have in my kitchen (in no particular order):

Proteins:

Chicken Breast
Chicken Thighs
Chicken Tenderloins
Turkey Breast
Turkey Tenderloins
Lean cuts of Beef
Mahi mahi
Tilapa
Salmon
Pork chops
Trimmed Pork Roast
Canadian bacon
Edamame
Quinoa
Eggs
Egg Whites
Cottage Cheese
Nonfat Greek Yogurt
String Cheese
Protein Powder (choose what you prefer...whey, soy, pea, hemp, etc)
Whole-food Protein bars
PB-Fit peanut powder
Black Beans
Lentils
Peas
Fat-Free Milk
Almonds
Peanuts


Carbs:

Oatmeal
Brown Rice
Whole Grain bread
Whole Grain pasta
English muffins (refrigerated)
Bagels (refrigerated)
Quinoa
Couscous
Sweet potatoes
Apples
Berries
Oranges
Bananas
Zucchini and Squash
Eggplant
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Asparagus
Carrots
Peppers
Tomatoes
Onions
Corn
Peas
Green beans
Lima beans
Red Cabbage
Chickpeas
Frozen Fruit
Frozen Vegetables
Whole grain cereal
Whole grain pita bread
Dark Leafy greens: Spinach, Kale, Romaine, etc
Honey
Brown sugar
Fruit juice (100% juice, no sugar added, not from concentrate); limit to 8 oz a day
Low-sodium canned beans (kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, etc)
Canned tomatoes
Popcorn (skip the microwave and make this yourself to control the ingredients and fat content)


Fats:
Cheese
Unsalted butter
Avocado
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Light Salad dressing
Nuts and Seeds: peanuts, almonds, cashews, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, etc.
Nut butters
Dark Chocolate
Coconut oil
Eggs

There's probably more...that's just what I can think of off the top of my head.
Yes, some of these items are prepared (like the breads, canned foods, dressings, and such).  If you purchase something that is prepared (there is a difference when a food is prepared vs. processed), pay close attention to the list of ingredients.  Typically, if you can't understand the ingredients, your body probably can't either.  For example, I'm okay with buying canned beans because I buy a variety that the ingredients are: beans, water, salt.  That's how I'd typically prepare them at home, so I'm just using canned as a shortcut on days that I need to make dinner in a pinch.


How do I track my macros?

I love, use, and tell my clients about My Fitness Pal. It's available both online and as an app for your smartphone or tablet.  It's a great tool for logging your meals to help you reach your goals.
My tip is to LOG BEFORE YOU EAT.
If you log your food before you eat it,

1) you get in the habit of using this tool, and 

2) if something will negatively effect your macros for the day, you can simply choose not to eat it.  

It's so much easier to not eat something if you know it will have a negative effect on your numbers, then to eat 10 Oreos, feel regret, and fall into the "well, my day is shot" excuse and lose sight of your goals because of one splurge.   It's okay, and it's going to happen from time to time.  Because I was aware of it, I started logging and checking the numbers before I eat anything, especially if it's a food I don't normally eat.  That has made a big difference and helped keep me on track.  It also puts the power in my hands.  I am responsible.  I make the choice of what I eat at each meal.  I don't have a diet book telling me I can't have an Oreo when I want one.

I'm a real person.  I like to go out and eat sometimes.  I like to be able to order a beer with my meal and not feel guilty.  I like to go to the movies and eat popcorn.  I like to be able to eat birthday cake when it's one of my kids birthday's.  I don't like to feel like I just ruined my diet because of it.  That's why I don't diet.  That's why I track my macros vs. a specific diet plan.  I don't fear food and think that eating it will make me fat.  I simply learned how to look at it differently.  I used to hide behind the excuse that "I love food too much" to change my poor habits.  I actually eat more now that I eat a better quality and variety of food.  I still love food just as much.  Food and I have a new relationship now.

SEE my personal food diary HERE. 
My Fitness Pal is a free app. I am not affiliated with them at all...just love the app.  It's easy to use and has a huge database of foods.  Plus, you can add your own recipes and have it calculate the nutritional facts for you.

To use My Fitness Pal to track your macros, go to "Goals" and enter your info.
Need help getting your numbers?  Learn and scroll to HOW TO START and read my easy to follow breakdown on how to calculate your macros.