DAYS 9 and 10

DAY 9

Happy Valentine's Day!  I hope y'all made time to look good for your significant others.  I know I couldn't thank my wife enough for the love and support she gives me.  I can honestly say I don't always enjoy lifting weights, but I am motivated each and every day by her.  I work hard to make sure that we will have a long, healthy, and happy life together.  I love you, Lee-Cassie.  I can't wait to see what the future holds for us!

Valentine's Day was no excuse to miss a day a training.  I squeezed a great workout into my busy schedule.  I feel like my body is starting to head in the right direction now that I have the right food to fuel me and the right schedule to get proper rest.  One set-back has been the crowds in my gym lately.  I workout in a shipyard, so when we have more Navy ships docked, there are more people in the gym. I plan on starting to workout early in the morning this Thursday. We'll see how that goes.

DAY 10

My sweet wife went grocery shopping for us this week after I compiled a list of the types of food I should be eating every week to fuel my workouts.  Below is my personal 7 day list if you're curious. I don't have too much time to write tonight.  I'm getting to bed early so I can get in the gym bright and early tomorrow morning.   

FRUIT
Apples
Bananas
2 Pineapples (precut)
Plums, Pears, or Oranges
Berries

VEGGIES
5 Bags Fresh Spinach
3 Bags Baby Carrots
7 Potatoes
1 Onion
4 Red Bell Peppers
Cucumbers

DAIRY
1 Dozen Eggs
2 Large Containers Plain Yogurt
4 Cartons Egg Whites
Sliced Sharp Cheddar
2 Gallons Milk

MEAT
3 Packs Chicken or Turkey Sausage
4 Pounds Extra Lean Ground Beef
Large Bag of Chicken Breasts
Fish

GRAINS+NUTS
Whole Grain English Muffins (NOT ENCRICHED)
1 Box High-Fiber Cereal
Walnuts
Cashews
Quinoa
Steel Cut Oats
Spaghetti Noodles

OTHER
Banana Cream Syntha-6 Protein Powder

Sports Drink Mix
Fish Oil Capsules (EPA + DHA = 300 to 600mg)
1 Bottle Flax Oil
Green Tea
Spaghetti Sauce

Let me know! How is your workout going? What does your grocery list usually look like?

Grocery List – Whole Grains

You should be eating 5 to 8 servings of whole grains every day.  How many do you eat?  If you are like the average person, you fall well short of the amount you should be eating every day.  I strongly suggest that you start finding ways to add the following grains into your diet, but first let me give you a quick shopping tip.

The best rule to follow when you are picking out grains is to avoid enriched or refined grains.  Grains that are enriched or refined are stripped of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.  When you are looking for grains you must look for whole grains!  When you’re looking at the ingredients of whole grain bread or pasta, make sure that the word ‘enriched’ is not on the label!  There are tons of ways to prepare raw whole grains.  

GRAINS

Amaranth

Barley

Brown Rice (Basmati, Long Grain, Medium Grain, Short Grain)

Buckwheat

Bulgur

Couscous

Flaxseed

Millet

Oats (Steel Cut/Rolled)

Quinoa (pr. keen-wah)

Rye

Spelt

Wheat (Bulgur, Durun, Hard Red, Soft Red, Kernels)

Wild Rice

FOODS CONTAINING WHOLE GRAINS

Whole Grain Bagel

Whole Grain Bread

Whole Grain Cereal

Whole Grain Crackers and Graham Crackers

Whole Grain English Muffin

Whole Grain Granola Bars

Whole Grain Oatmeal

Whole Grain Pasta

Whole Wheat Bread

BENEFITS OF EATING WHOLE GRAINS

Low in fat

Helps weight loss

Makes you feel full longer

Aids in digestion

Excellent source of fiber

Rich in vitamins, minerals, and plant enzymes

Prevents constipation

Reduces risk of heart disease

Protects you from some cancers

Prevents type 2 diabetes

Longer life expectancy

Make sure you are getting your 5 to 8 servings. Go shopping now if you have to! Whole grains are incredibly important for building a healthier you!

Let us know! What are your favorite whole grains? How many servings do you get each day?

Grocery List - Fruit

I always have a hard time to remember what fruits I should buy organic and what is safe to eat non-organic. I would buy all organic if I could, but sometimes the selection is low and the prices are just way too high. This is why I've split this list into conventional (aka non-organic) fruits I think are safe and ones I think we should buy organic. The ones in the list titled "Fruit Okay to Buy Non-Organic/ Conventional" are almost always considered 'clean fruits' and are free of pesticides.The fruits in the "Fruit to Buy Organic" list have at least a generous amount of those pesky pesticides when grown conventionally. In case you were wondering, no, you cannot wash all the pesticides off. They are treated throughout the growing process and a lot of it is absorbed.

I tried to alphabetize the list to help with looking things up. Fruits I consider to be highest in pesticides all have an asterisk * next to them. I would avoid conventional forms of these asterisked fruits as much as possible. I hope this helps you guys and gals out. I know I will be pulling this list up about every time I'm wandering around the produce aisle or making my grocery list.

Fruit Okay to Buy Non-Organic/Conventional 

Avocados
Bananas
Blueberries (local)

Cantaloupe (in season and domestic/avoid ones imported from Mexico)

Honeydew Melon
Kiwi

Mango

Papaya

Pineapple

Watermelon

Fruit to Buy Organic

Apples**
Blueberries (if  buying non-local)
Cantaloupe (if out of season/imported)

Cherries*

Grapefruit

Grapes*

Oranges

Lemons

Nectarines*

Peaches*** (conventional peaches usually have the highest amount of pesticides over any other fruit)

Pears*

Plums

Raspberries*

Strawberries**

Tangerines
Tomatoes (buy local)

*Fruits considered to be high in pesticides if non-organic.

**Very high in pesticides if non-organic

***Extremely high in pesticides if non-organic

Let Us Know! Do you have certain fruits that you only buy organic? Is your decision to buy organic fruit based on flavor, the lack or pesticides and other chemicals, or because you like to stick to locally grown crops? Is there anything missing from the lists? 

When to Eat Organic

 If you are just starting to eat healthier foods, I would not worry about eating organic at first. Your first priorities should be to eliminate junk food from your diet and start eating more fruits, vegetables, and healthy snacks. There are people who only buy organic foods, but guess what – they could still be filling their bodies with junk.

Organic foods, under the United States Department of Agriculture's definition, are free of synthetic substances; contain no antibiotics and hormones; have not been irradiated or fertilized with sewage sludge; were raised without the use of most conventional pesticides; and contain no genetically modified ingredients.

This is all fine and dandy but when you're eating organic cheese puffs you are still eating junk food!  I'm completely guilty of this, by the way, those organic cheese puffs are some of my all-time favorite snacks – but, like many of you out there, I have tried to begin changing my ways. My point is, there are tons of organic products that are just as horrible for you as their non-organic counterparts. 


Health expert, Jillian Michaels, talked about eating organic in one of her recent podcasts. She is a huge advocate for eating organic for, what I consider to be, all of the right reasons. She does not want to ingest all of those extra hormones, antibiotics, and other chemicals that are often found in conventional foods. But, you might ask, organic food is expensive, right? This is true in a lot of cases, so you have to find your balance. Jillian says if you have any expendable income, and you’re interested in being healthy and keeping chemicals out of your body, you should use it to buy organic foods. I think this is a great tip and it has stuck with me. I think what’s most important is that you find balance in your budget to include organics. In the end, it’s your prerogative – conventional foods with all the chemicals -or- organic, natural foods eaten the way God intended without any additives.

My wife and I have been trying to buy more organic fruits, vegetables, and meat lately and you can really tell the difference with some of them!  I think many of them taste better, sure,  every once in a while they don't, but I can rest assured that I'm not pumping my body full of all those man-made chemicals in conventional foods. I'm still not eating entirely organic foods yet and I’m having a hard time convincing my wife it’s worth the extra money that could be spent on books and clothes and other girly things, but it's a work in progress.

Here's a short list on why I think we should eat organic: (Remember, I’m only human and my reasons are  based on a lot of personal research and a passion for a healthier, better life.)

1) Free of pesticides (contain neurotoxins that damage brain and nerve cells)

2) Higher in nutrients like vitamins, antioxidants, and healthy minerals

3) Earth-supportive (a lot of modern agricultural practices are dangerous for the environment)

4) Support local/small farmers

5) Lower your cancer risk

6) Free of antibiotics, hormones, and other chemicals

Let us know! Are you eating a healthy diet? Do you avoid all of those processed foods in the middle aisles at the grocery store? Do you eat anything organic?

Grocery List - Vegetables

I am terrible about eating all of my vegetables. Growing up, the only servings of vegetables I got were in the form of pizza sauce or taco lettuce. Ever since I met my wife, she's been trying to get me on the right track.  If there is one thing I have learned in my research on nutrition, you should definitely consume more veggies than any other type of food. 

I am dividing my list into what I think is safe to eat non-organic and what should be bought organic. Vegetables in the organic list have been known to be covered in pesticides. I have alphabetized them to make the list a little easier to use. Vegetables especially high in pesticides have asterisks * next to them.  I would avoid the non-organic/conventional types of these asterisked veggies at all costs. The more asterisks, the worse. I hope this list helps and remember to keep eating your veggies!


Vegetables to Buy Non-Organic/Conventional
Asparagus
Avocados
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
Cauliflower
Cabbage
Corn, sweet (buy local)
Eggplant
Garlic
Okra
Onions
Radishes
Rhubarb
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes (buy local)
Winter Squash (if you don't eat the skin)
Zucchini


Vegetables to Buy Organic
Beets*
Bell Pepper**
Carrots*** (carrots are sometimes grown just to absorb heavy metals from soil)
Cauliflower
Celery*** (generally most pesticides of any other conventional vegetable)
Collard Greens
Cucumbers**
Green Beans*
Kale
Lettuce
Mushrooms (not a veggie, but you will probably find these in the vegetable aisle)
Pepper
Potatoes
Spinach*
Summer Squash
Winter Squash (if you eat the skin)


* Vegetables high in pesticides, heavy metals, and other contaminants
** Vegetables very high in pesticides, heavy metals, and other contaminants
*** Vegetables extremely high in pesticides, heavy metals, and other contaminants


If I'm missing any veggies from the list, let us know!

Grocery List - Meats, Poultry, and Fish

MEATS

Beef (organic, grass-fed) – Get lean cuts of grass-fed beef, 93/7 or better, to avoid high fat content. Grass fed beef will cost extra, but you’ll be avoiding all of the horrible chemicals and hormones that are pumped into most cows. Beef can have anywhere between 25 and 35 grams of protein  and 150 and 250 calories (in 4oz serving) depending on the type of cut.

Bison (organic, grass-fed) – This is a great alternative to beef. Fat content is generally lower and there is a ton of protein packed in (32g in 4oz). Get grass fed!

Lamb

Elk

Venison

Pork Tenderloin (organic)

POULTRY

Turkey (organic) – 34g of protein and 180 calories in 4 ounces. Turkey has to be the best poultry you can eat.

Chicken breast (organic) – It’s the leanest part of the chicken. You can also get it ground like beef and turkey. It’s another one of the best proteins you can buy with 190 calories, 35g of protein, and 5g of fat in a 4oz serving. I have a hard time finding organic chicken, but it is definitely worth the splurge. You avoid tons of synthetic chemicals, GMOs (genetically modified organisms), and all kinds of other bad stuff. Anyone who has seen Food Inc. knows what I’m talking about and if

you haven’t seen it, you should definitely add it to your Netflix queue!

Ostrich

FISH/SEAFOOD

Salmon (wild caught) – Salmon is probably the best fish you can eat. It’s full of fatty acids called Omega-3s that have tons of great benefits for your body including cardiovascular health, anti-inflammatory, better brain function, and protection from heart attacks and strokes (200 calories and 29g of protein in 4oz). Avoid farm raised at all costs, they are fed chemicals to give them color, fed things like chicken feces, and given antibiotics at higher levels than any other livestock.

Sardines and Herring – Both of these, like Salmon, are high in Omega-3s.

Trout (farm raised) – Farm raised trout is just fine (140 calories and 24g of protein in 4oz).

Lobster

Crab

Mussels

Clams

Oysters

Crawfish

Scallops

Shrimp

Squid
Tuna (limit mercury exposure! eat skipjack light canned tuna if you want to eat often, eat albacore or yellowfin if you just want to eat it once a month or so)


Let us know! Is there anything missing from these lists? Are there any meats you like to eat organic?