Lets talk about the weekly food shop!

How much thought do you put into your food shop per week/two weeks?

Are you an impulse buyer? Do you buy as you go? Do you prepare a shopping list and know exactly what you’re going to buy? Have you got an amazing memory that can memorise 46 items no problem?

The food shop shows us a representation and a snippet of our overall diet when we take a look down into our trollies. What many don’t know is how food outlets are arranged to influence our buying habits. Ever go into your local shop for a loaf of bread and a carton of milk, and come out with your arms full up with intended items, you can barely see where you’re going as you walk out the door?? Me too.

Planning your food shop can be a very important factor in not only saving you money on items you had no intention of buying, but keeping on track with your intended meal plans/planning and prevent you from buying the tempting food/drink items you are trying to avoid.

Some tips on planning the food shop:

  1. Making a shopping list/plan of exactly what you need to buy
  2. Make a budget on how much you will spend to prevent overspending and prevent you from buying items you don’t need
  3. Make sure to go when you have already eaten, this will prevent you from buying sugary/fatty foods you would crave when you’re hungry
  4. Make a plan of the meals you will be preparing for the week ahead making it easier to go in and know what you’re buying
  5. Consider the location of where you’re shopping – some people shop for quality, convenience or low-cost
  6. Become aware of impulse buying (if you are an impulse buyer) ask yourself if you really need that item – it may prevent you from buying a high sugar/fat food or drink you are trying to avoid

In many situations like these, awareness is important. Food outlets are designed to have a significant influence on your decision-making. This awareness makes it easier to have that choice on whether to give into the temporary temptations you pass by on the weekly basis.

Taking this into consideration may be a great way to start planning your diet/lifestyle based on the foods you buy on a weekly/two-week basis. It plays a substantial role in your overall diet and can influence other positive behaviours into your life. Give it a try and see if you notice any changes!

Are you feeling fatigued/lacking in energy?

Are you someone who often feels tired or can’t seem to concentrate during the day?

Trying to juggle work/school/kids etc. on top of other lifestyle factors can be very challenging. For that reason, we often feel like ongoing zombies trying to get through the day sometimes. That being said, it is important we are managing our most important priorities and being able to accomplish tasks without that constant feeling of tiredness. There can be many reasons for this.

Why are you so tired during the day?

In order for us humans to keep functioning efficiently, it is important we are prioritizing our health. I’m going to ask some questions. I want you to answer these for yourself in your head now.

Are you drinking enough water during the day? How many fruit and vegetables are you eating per day? What time are you going to sleep and waking up? Do you feel full after your meals? Are you getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day? Lastly, do you get cravings in the evening/night time?

Think about those questions and picture your day. What can you do or what can you add to your schedule to increase your energy levels?

Subconsciously, we are all out here trying to release those ”feel-good” chemicals in our brains which are called endorphins. They boost our happiness and they leave us feeling great. They are released when we are adhering to healthy behaviours particularly exercise. Wouldn’t it be amazing to feel great more often? Isn’t that what we all want?

The questions above may help you figure out what is causing your fatigue or causing a lack of concentration throughout the day. Increasing your awareness to this and implementing one of these healthy behaviours into your lifestyle can help the feelings of tiredness and improve your mentality overall. As humans, our happiness relies on us being able to achieve the small tasks we have set out to do during the day, right? Otherwise, the feelings of guilt can follow if we’re too tired to complete them. We need to be giving our bodies the fuel it needs to do this. Whether it means having a beaker of water beside you at all times, or choosing a greek yoghurt for your midday snack instead of a redbull. It may be the small adaptions that can help avoid the midday slump.

What’s one thing you could do today to help increase your energy levels?

How do you feel about Restrictive Diets?

A restrictive diet is any diet that limits your calories below your everyday recommended calorie intakes. An example of this could be a ketogenic diet. A ketogenic diets consists of high fat, adequate amounts of protein and low carbohydrates. Essentially, what is happening is that the body is burning fat instead of carbohydrates.

If you are someone who has adhered to a restrictive diet this post might be of interest to you. Firstly, ask yourself why you are ‘restricting’ yourself? Secondly, what is your ultimate goal?

People that I have spoken to previously mostly perceive these diets as a short-term fix. There is nothing wrong with that if a short-term goal is what you’re aiming for. The problems surrounding these type of diets most of the time are not necessarily what is included in them, but the feelings that are associated with them.

Overly restrictive diets promote feelings of deprivation. This encourages a preoccupation with food and causes an increase in craving intensity. Naturally, we enjoy foods a lot better when they are off-limits.

In some cases, this can create a feeling of loss of control whilst eating. This is known as binge eating. Binge eating disorder causes a person to eat significantly large portions of food regularly until they reach a state of being uncomfortably full. This leaves the person feeling ashamed, disappointed and/or guilty.

However, a lack of willpower is not the reason for weight gain or a main reason as to why you’re off track with your goal.

An important point to remember when trying to diet is to look more towards including nutritious foods to add to your meals instead of becoming obsessed with foods you should be avoiding. This only creates negative feelings towards some types of foods.

I am someone who previously began a diet knowingly aware it was for the short-term. Why? Because I wanted quick and easy results. The difference now is, I am essentially ‘on a diet’ but this diet will last me a lifetime because I love the food that I eat and I see them for what they can do for me rather than what they do to me.

Food is there to be enjoyed and it is important for us as humans to love the meals that we eat. Don’t get me wrong, it can be great to eliminate your bad habits surrounding food. But like any other skill you develop, it is important to take it step by step and in this case, one meal at a time. Become aware of all the great foods you can add to your meals. This will allow you to develop a good relationship with food and increase your understanding of healthy eating.

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