Want to lose weight? Change the way you shop for groceries
By Team Coach|
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If you’re trying to lose weight, but your trolley is filled to the brim with pre-packaged foods and diet soft drink, you may want to change the way you shop for groceries.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, more than two-thirds of Australians struggle with obesity and weight gain – and adult men face the biggest obstacles to health.
Eating a diet rich in fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean protein can help put you back on track – just make sure you ditch the diet products, which can be misleading.
A package of cookies might claim to be “low fat” or “reduced sugar”, but you’re likely not getting the nutrients you need, says Dr Lindsey Taillie, an assistant professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health.
“In fact, the data suggest that in some cases, products that tend to be high in calories, sodium, sugar or fat actually may be more likely to have low-, reduced- or no-content claims,” Taillie said in a statement about her landmark study on nutrition claims of packaged foods.
RELATED: Don't be fooled: why 'low fat' and 'reduced sugar' don't mean what you think they mean
Here are five more tips to follow in the grocery store if you want to lose weight – and keep it off.
Spend most of your money on whole foods
A diet rich in whole foods is not only better for weight loss, but it also ensures you’re not consuming chemical additives in packaged foods – even ones marked “low sugar” or “low fat”.
Balance your meals with lean sources of protein, like chicken, turkey, or fish, as well as vegetables and whole grains.
Whole-fat dairy – like grass-fed butter or yoghurt – is fine in moderation, as are other healthy fats, like olive oil, nuts, and avocados.
COACH: If you eat mostly packaged foods, there's a pretty good chance you eat mostly junk food
While some shoppers worry that switching to whole foods might be a strain on their budget, the truth is quite different, says dietitian Katrina Mills.
"It is by far and away cheaper to cook and eat your own healthy food than buy it out," Mills told Coach.
"You can save hundreds of dollars every month cooking your own food,” she added. “In my mind, you can’t afford not to eat healthy!"
Avoid the middle aisle
Grocery stores have a very specific design: whole foods, dairy, and whole grains often ring the perimeter of the store, while packaged foods take up the centre aisles.
If you venture into the centre aisles, you can do major damage to your wallet – and to your diet.
Prepackaged foods often contain plenty of salt, sugar, and other chemical additives that lead to weight gain – and they easily cost more than fruits and vegetables.
Need to purchase a packaged item? Make sure it has a short ingredients list, suggests nutritionist Dr Lisa Young.
“Choose foods that contain five ingredients or less and skip foods containing artificial ingredients, additives, and ingredients you can hardly pronounce,” Young writes at Huffington Post.
Understand food labels
In 2016, the Australian government introduced stricter food labelling laws for manufacturers, detailed by the Australian Institute of Food Safety.
The law required easy-to-read labels for all foods, which make it clear how many calories and nutrients are in each packaged serving, as well as where food is grown and produced.
These labels can come in handy when you’re shopping at the grocery store, especially if you’re trying to lose weight. By reading labels, you’re more likely to spot dangerous additives, like salt, sugar, or trans fats, and stick to the recommended serving size when you pop open a snack.
Reading labels also ensures that you’re not being duped by false claims on food packaging. For example, a trail mix might claim it has no added sugar or fat, but eat too many helpings of nuts and dried fruit, and you’ve likely exceeded the amount of healthy fats you should consume per day.
For more tips on how to decipher nutrition information panels at the grocery store, read our breakdown here.
Make a list
If you tend to shop without a plan, you could be purchasing more food than you need – or making impulse purchases that won’t help you lose weight.
In fact, a survey conducted by LiveLighter found that Australians have good intentions when they go to the grocery store – they just have difficulty saying no to their sweet tooth.
"The survey has found that most Australians go to the shops with healthy intentions – two in three usually pre-plan their meals and half compare products to see which is healthier," Alison McAleese, a dietitian and the campaign manager for LiveLighter, explained to HuffPost Australia.
"However, when people get there, three in five find it hard to resist cheap junk food and sugary drinks," she added.
Having a list – and sticking to it – can help you cut down on junk food. Simply commit to purchasing everything on your list – and treat yourself to a healthy reward when you head home without chips or soft drink in tow.
Whether you decide to go full-on meal prep, or stick to buying ingredients for a few low-fat meals, is up to you. But a list will help you prioritise your purchases – and your health.
Don’t shop hungry
Never go to the grocery store on an empty stomach.
A study from Cornell University demonstrated that shoppers bought more food – and food containing higher calories – if they were hungry while grocery shopping.
"Even short-term food deprivation can lead to a shift in choices,” explained the researchers in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. Their hungry subjects were more likely to pick less nutritious foods.
The best time to shop for groceries is after you’ve eaten a full meal – or a nutritious snack high in protein, to help you kick cravings.
Not only will it be easier to stick to your grocery list, but you’ll also be more likely to choose foods that can continue to help you lose weight.
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