Always shop the perimeter for the healthiest food.

Myth.  While I’m certainly not disagreeing that fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, and low-fat dairy can be found on the outside of the supermarket, there are some healthy options found in the aisles that don’t deserve to be neglected.  Ingredients like dried beans, whole grain pasta, canned tomatoes (make your own pizza OR pasta sauces!) and oats for morning oatmeal are found in the aisles.  Also, food manufacturers and grocery stores have caught on to the “shop the perimeter” message and are adding in unhealthy options in those areas to entice you to shop more.  Always, always, read ingredient lists – or better yet, choose lots of whole foods like fruits and vegetables that don’t need ingredient lists!

Diets are not always the best way to get healthy.

Truth.  A typical “fad” diet will usually emphasize the restriction of certain foods or entire food groups as the best way to lose weight.  Anytime that you restrict your calorie intake so drastically you will certainly lose weight, but this is not a long-term result!  As soon as you stop following the diet and return to your previous eating habits, it is very likely that any weight you lost will be put back on.  The best, and most effective way to lose weight and keep it off for the long-term is to follow a healthy lifestyle plan instead of a diet – plan to eat a variety of delicious, nutritious foods, and plan to be active every day or at least 4-5 days a week.  Implement changes to your entire lifestyle and you will begin to see the benefits!

Going vegetarian or vegan is a great way to lose weight.

Myth… sort of.  Some studies do report vegetarians and vegans having lower body weights and/or fat mass, but this should not be your motivation for trying out these types of diets.  Simply put, vegetarian and vegan diets can be done very poorly if you choose less-than-ideal foods.  Think about it – cookies and chips can be vegetarian, right?!  It’s important to make sure that you’re getting all of the protein and calories you need on these diets, not to mention certain important vitamins like iron and vitamin B12.  Again, speak to an R.D. if you have questions about these kinds of diets – they’re the nutrition experts!

Assistance provided by Megan Skinner

They’re all going meatless on Mondays!

Meatless Monday is a non-profit initiative, in association with the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, which encourages people to have one meat-free day a week.

Did you know . . .

-our modern food system contributes approximately 1/3 of all greenhouse gases to the atmosphere?
-our diets are bigger offenders to our carbon footprint than gas-guzzling cars?
-the climate cost of food production is worse than the distance traveled for food transportation?
-that reducing your meat intake also reduces your risk of preventable diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease?
-that eating less meat can improve the quality of your diet and help you maintain a healthy weight? Plant-based foods are full of fiber, which helps to keep you full so you’ll consume fewer calories throughout the day. Beans and legumes are also full of protein, without the saturated fat and cholesterol found in meat.
-that the meat industry produces 1/5 of manmade greenhouse gas emissions?
-that 1,800 to 2,500 gallons of water are needed to produce just one pound of beef?

In other words, cutting meat out of your diet just once a week will improve both your health and the health of the environment!

Now I know you’re just about sold, but maybe you’re wondering how to replace the meat in your Monday diet with other protein sources. Here are some ideas:

Breakfast: oatmeal with honey and slivered almonds, fruit salad, and a hardboiled egg.
Lunch: Hummus, sundried tomatoes, romaine lettuce, red onion, and yellow bell pepper on multigrain bread with tomato soups on the side.
Snack: apple with peanut butter
Dinner: whole wheat linguine tossed in olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice with spinach, yellow squash, and navy beans.
Dessert: mango sorbet

For a bonus meatless recipe try my family’s favorite spinach lasagna.

I want to hear from YOU! Leave a comment on this post with your favorite meatless meal.