How to Shop for Food When You’re on a Diet


Heading to the grocery store at the beginning of your diet program can be an overwhelming experience. With so many choices, how can you be sure you’re getting what you need?

Stay on the perimeter. The healthiest foods in the grocery store are found on the outside edges. This includes dairy, produce, and meats. They’re the unprocessed foods that are going to have the most nutrients for you.

Check the labels. When you’re shopping for food, make sure that you take a look at the labels. There you’ll find all kinds of information about each item including the calories, fat, cholesterol, sodium and fiber of each item.
             
Limit foods in the aisles. The foods that you find on the shelves in the grocery store often, though not always, include preservatives and other fillers such as sugar and fat. These are foods you want to limit in your diet because they have less nutrition and more artificial ingredients.

Look for whole grains. When choosing pastas and breads, look for products that have whole grains. These offer you more fiber and help you to lose weight faster. They also help to lower your cholesterol.

Avoid fat-free products. Before you throw every fat-free product into your cart, make sure you know what you’re really getting. Food manufacturers often add sugar and other fillers to food in order to replace the flavor of fat. It might be better to get a product that has more fat and fewer calories from sugar.

Go organic. More and more stores are carrying organic products. Especially when it comes to meat and dairy products, organic products are a good choice. They don’t have added preservatives, antibiotics, or hormones that could cause problems for your body.

Take a list. One of the best strategies for shopping is to plan ahead and have a list of ingredients that you need for your meal plan. Then stick to that list and avoid adding a lot of extra snack foods.

The Diet Solution Program