When grocery shopping, be sure to include options from these four food groups: lean protein, green vegetables and salad, healthy snacks and condiments and healthy fats and oils. Ensure you refer to your OPTAVIA Guide for a list of acceptable foods, condiments and serving sizes before heading to the store.

Here are some additional eating strategies to consider when making these important purchases at the market:

• Lean protein. To keep fat content low, it’s best to grill, bake, broil, or poach your lean protein selections. Due to saturated fat, it’s important to moderate your consumption of red meat and eat more fish and white-meat poultry like chicken. If you’d like to eliminate or reduce the amount of meat you eat, try egg whites, liquid egg substitute, or tofu. Food for thought: Choosing fish as your protein one to three times per week can have a profound impact on your long-term wellbeing.
• Healthy fats and oils.Replace unhealthy fats with healthy omegas as part of your Lean & Green meals. Some healthy examples include walnut or olive oil, low-carbohydrate salad dressing, black or green olives, and avocado. Food for thought: Make marinades for meats, salad, or snacks at home so you are aware of every ingredient that is added.
• Green vegetables and salad.During fat-burn, it’s important to avoid fruit altogether, as it tends to be high in carbohydrates. Instead, focus on choosing nutrient-dense and low-glycemic green vegetables like iceberg lettuce, cucumber and celery. Food for thought: Prepare raw veggies in advance and store them in sealable bags for a green for your Lean & Green Meal!
• Healthy snacks and condiments.Use condiments to add some flavor to your meals, but keep in mind that they contribute to your carb intake. You can enjoy up to three condiments per Lean & Green meal. Each condiment serving should contain no more than one gram of carbohydrate. Food for thought: You may have up to one optional snack per day on the Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan^®. Optional snacks include OPTAVIA snacks, 3 celery stalks, 2 dill pickle spears, or up to 3 pieces of sugar-free gum.

Ask me, your independent OPTAVIA Coach, for other tips on eating strategies for lifelong healthy habits on your journey to Lifelong Transformation, One Healthy Habit at a Time.