Chris Powell's Choose More, Lose More for Life (47 page)
Read Chris Powell's Choose More, Lose More for Life Online
Authors: Chris Powell
Tags: #Health & Fitness / Diet & Nutrition / Weight Loss, #Self-Help / Motivational & Inspirational, #Health & Fitness / Exercise
Most sugar-free foods and diet drinks are sweetened with
artificial ingredients
such as saccharin (Sweet’N Low), sucralose (Splenda), and aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet). They can be useful while you’re cutting back on sugary processed food and getting used to eating whole, healthy food. But artificial sweeteners are chemicals, and the jury’s still out on whether they have any health impacts.
Natural sweeteners
like stevia (e.g., SweetLeaf, Truvia), xylitol (e.g., Xlear, XyloSweet), and sorbitol (used in many chewing gums, toothpastes, and other products) come from plant sources and are very low in calories. It may be a good idea to eventually switch from artificial sweeteners to natural sweeteners.
First off, you’re going to discover that eating healthy is actually less expensive than eating your old way. I keep my body full of healthy food for only a few dollars a day! How do I do it? Two words: bulk food. By purchasing healthy food in bulk online and at your local discount warehouse stores (Costco, Sam’s Club, etc.), you can enjoy big savings. To find your nearest warehouse store, or to find bulk-food websites, just do a quick online search. Then hop in the car or click on the URL, and you’ll be well on your
way to cheap, nutritious eating. Feed your body what it really wants! (Note: The quantities given below are for one person.)
Buy online:
Whole grains, beans, and lentils (you can buy either dried or canned beans and lentils, but the dried varieties are less expensive): A three-month supply runs about $25.
Protein powder (our main protein source): Three-months’ worth costs about $90. This comes out to about 20 cents per scoop, which means you get two to five shakes for only a dollar!
Buy at warehouse stores:
Frozen cruciferous vegetables (e.g., cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy, and broccoli): A two-week supply is around $15.
Poultry (especially chicken breasts; frozen is cheaper): You can get a week’s supply for about $15.
Root vegetables: Enough for two weeks = $10, more or less.
Frozen and fresh fruits and vegetables: For two weeks’ worth, you’ll pay around $20.
Flavors and seasonings (e.g., garlic, onions, spices, and dried herbs): The cost of these is just pennies per serving!
I’ve found these to be the most useful:
Blender
George Foreman electric grill
Japanese-style electric rice cooker
Shaker bottles for making protein shakes
Toaster oven
Veggie steamer
Food scale
Measuring cups and spoons
Food storage containers
