If your goal is to break down body fat, increase metabolism and feel your best now and in the future, it’s important to understand how the quality of your food choices impact your results.  One of my “tricks” as a Nutrition Coach to help my clients get their body to the next level or break out of a plateau, is to slowly make changes to increase the quality of their food on a daily basis.  And the results are never short of amazing!

Of course, the most important step in stabilizing blood sugar is to eat a meal balanced in protein, carbohydrates and fat (according to your personal nutritional parameters) every three to four hours.   This is the basis of a solid nutrition plan, and creates balance within your body to allow for released fat storage.
 
The next step is to choose protein, carbohydrates and fats that are higher up on the quality of food chart.  High quality foods are less processed, more natural and take longer to break down in your system.  These choices are lower on the Glycemic Index (a gauging device that measures how quickly carbohydrate containing food items are digested in your system).  This keeps your blood sugar stable longer, and allows for faster and more consistent results!   From my own experience and what I have witnessed in my clients, higher quality of foods lead to more muscle tone and definition, flatter abs, leaner or more muscular limbs (depending on your goals) and shapelier physiques. 

Here is a great example of increasing your quality of foods in a meal:
If you currently have a deli turkey sandwich with mayo on wheat bread for lunch, try looking at each component in the meal (the protein, carbohydrate and fat) to see how you can improve the quality.  Instead of deli turkey (which is processed) , try real chicken breast for a natural protein.  Swap out man-made bread for a natural salad of greens and veggies.  Instead of mayonnaise as your fat (which again is man-made, processed, and loaded with poor fats), aim for avocado or a dressing made of natural olive oil and balsamic vinegar for a heart healthy alternative. 

If switching out every component in a meal seems overwhelming, it may be best to slowly improve one component at a time.  For example, perhaps your goal should be to work on improving your quality of carbohydrates throughout the day.  Try switching out bread and crackers for more natural carbohydrate choices like oatmeal, sweet potatoes, and vegetables.
 
So where do your favorite foods fall on the quality of food scale?  Below is a handy chart that will help you to make more natural and healthy choices when preparing your meals.

HIGHEST QUALITY FOODS  (you’ll notice that these items are completely natural, the least processed and will yield you the best   results)

PROTEINS

• Beef
• Chicken
• Eggs
• Fish
• Turkey
• Soy Beans

CARBOHYDRATES

• Beans (fresh)
• Brown Rice
• Fruit
• Hot Cereals
• Vegetables
• Yams/Sweet Potatoes

FATS

• Avocado
• Flax Seed Oil
• Nuts (dry roasted or raw)
• Natural Nut Butters

MEDIUM QUALITY FOODS (these items are processed to some degree)

PROTEINS

• Cottage Cheese
• Deli Meat
• Canned Meat
• Garden Burgers
• Yogurt
• Soy Meat- packaged

CARBOHYDRATES

• Bread
• Beans - canned
• Cold Cereals
• Crackers
• Pasta
• Potatoes
• Pretzels

FATS

• Canola Oil
• Olives - canned
• Processed Nut Butters

LOW QUALITY FOODS (these items are the most processed)

PROTEINS

• Protein Powder
• Protein Bars

CARBOHYDRATES

• Chips
• White Rice
• Rice Cakes

FATS

• Mayonnaise
• Margarine
• Salad Dressings
• Sour Cream

Eat well!

My best,

Valerie Cogswell - Lead Nutrition Coach and Head Chef