Phil Parham (13 page)

In the next chapter, we're going to talk about the major steps you need to take to change your family into a healthy and fit one. Through reading this next chapter, you'll be put at ease knowing that change is not only possible, but something that will happen if you follow the process we've taken ourselves.

As two full-time working parents raising a family of three boys, one of whom has a disability, we know it can be tough to maintain healthy habits in the home. But we are living proof that it can be done, and we know very well the awesome benefits that can be reaped from making better choices.

7

A Word from Amy

It's time to take the next steps to permanent, healthy change in your new lifestyle!

When it comes to being healthy, I believe your primary concern needs to be your diet. You are what you eat, after all. Your first course of action is to clean out your refrigerator and pantry of unhealthy foods, snacks, and drinks. This may be a hard task for you, but it will be especially traumatic for your children if they have been addicted to sugar, salt, and fatty foods. You must be prepared for the backlash. Stand strong, parents, I know you can do this!

Have you ever seen an old war movie where a soldier gets shot in the leg and gangrene sets in? What do the medics do to his leg? They cut it off. If they didn't, the poison would affect the whole body and he would likely die. Amputation is the only way to keep the rest of the body healthy. Cleaning out your pantry and kitchen has a similar effect. You are cutting out the “gangrene” in your home so that your family can be healthy.

When we did this after we got back from the ranch, our kids were not happy campers. This was one task we didn't do gradually. We threw all the bad stuff away and replaced it with healthy food the same day. The boys didn't stand a chance. There was no time to beg Mom and Dad to keep the Little Debbie cakes. Before they knew what happened, Little Debbie was long gone. This was part of our healthy-healing process. The quicker your family realizes that you are serious about making a change, the faster they will adjust to the idea.

You might think this is extreme. Isn't moderation the key? Shouldn't we be able to have just a bite of chocolate cake? Or a serving of nacho chips? Or a little bowl every now and then of sugary cereal? While we believe self-control is essential and deprivation is not the way to go for the long-term, we also know how critical the start of your transformation is. At this point you need to take some drastic steps to get on the fast track to a healthier you. This is especially true if you have spent most of your life eating junk food and processed meals.

If you don't have unhealthy foods in the house, you will be less tempted to eat them. And temptation is a big deal when you start making major changes in your eating habits. So, is this an extreme action? Perhaps. But it worked for our family, and I'm confident it will work for yours.

Let's get started. Go through your refrigerator, drawers, pantry, closets—anyplace where food is stored—and throw out the following items. If you feel guilty about throwing food away, you can donate it to a local food pantry or shelter.

• Anything that is processed, including processed lunch meats, margarine, processed cheese, white rice, white pasta, white breads, instant foods (canned soups, macaroni and cheese, boxed meals), sweets (cookies, cakes, ice cream), and snacks (crackers and chips)

• Anything that has a long shelf life

• Anything that has refined or high-fructose sugar or has ingredients that you cannot pronounce

• Anything that is
not
natural or minimally processed

• All sugary drinks and sodas

When you're done, you may find that you don't have any food left in the house. This is a good sign that you're on the right track! The less bad stuff you have, the more room you have to replace it with good stuff.

Now it's time to go shopping. You have a clean slate in your kitchen, and this is your opportunity to make a fresh start. Below is a list of what Phil and I consider our staple foods, and we always keep plenty around to whip up meals and snacks. You can also pull from the comprehensive shopping list in appendix A. This list includes items we used on
The Biggest Loser
as well as a few favorites of our own.

Copy this list and take it with you to the grocery store. Obviously, you don't have to purchase everything on the list nor is this list meant to be comprehensive. You can add healthy items that you and your family enjoy eating. For example, kiwi fruit is not on the list, but if you and your family like it, buy it. These lists are merely a guide for healthy choices you can use to stock your kitchen and pantry.

• Old-fashioned oatmeal. Use this instead of the instant varieties. Oatmeal is easy to make and one of the best foods you can eat in the morning. It's packed with fiber, and you can mix it with honey, cinnamon, fruit, flaxseed, or nuts.

• Canned beans (pinto, red, chickpeas, kidney, black, take your pick). Beans are low in fat and high in fiber, calcium, and iron.

• Fresh and frozen vegetables. They are easy to make steamed or cooked in a little bit of extra virgin olive oil. We especially love spinach.

• Fresh fruit. We always have fresh fruit available because it's the perfect snack. It's prepackaged by God in a perfect size.

• Brown rice. We love the kind that you boil in a bag. We mix our rice with salsa and hummus and vegetables. It is filling and delicious.

• Mustard and salsa. These are two great condiments we always use. I love fresh salsa and make it myself when I can. I switched from mayo to mustard and have never looked back.

• Tuna. If I'm in a hurry, I can put a package of tuna in my lunch sack and head out the door. I mix it with mustard, olive oil, and chickpeas when I put it in a salad. It has tons of protein.

• Eggs. We always have eggs around. They are great scrambled or boiled and chopped up into salads.

• Hummus. We make our own hummus, but it's just as easy to buy premade hummus, especially when you're just getting started. It's great to use as a spread or in a dip.

• Lean protein such as chicken, turkey, and fish. Buy frozen or put fresh in your freezer if you don't plan to use it right away.

• Olive oil. This is the best kind for cooking and sautéing.

As I mentioned in chapter 6, we make our meals two weeks in advance. I highly recommend you do the same, especially when you begin the “Challenge.” This is another strategy to help jump-start your health transformation.

In the following pages, I'll provide you with two weeks' worth of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack ideas that you can use in planning your menu. If you prefer, you can create your own plan…as long as it's healthy.

Include your kids in making the menus. I know my kids love spaghetti, tacos, and meat loaf, so I try to include those items (healthy versions, of course) on the menu almost every week. It beats hearing “Oh, no. Chicken again?” at dinnertime.

If you need some help planning your menu, here are some great cookbooks and additional resources we have used that might be helpful to you:

•
Cooking Light: The Essential Dinner Tonight Cookbook
by Editors of
Cooking Light
magazine

•
The Weeknight Survival Cookbook: How to Make Healthy Meals in 10 Minutes
by Dena Irwin

•
The Biggest Loser Family Cookbook: Budget-Friendly Meals Your Whole Family Will Love
by Devin Alexander and
The Biggest Loser
Experts and Cast with Melissa Roberson

•
Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World
by Lisa Lillien

The following books are great tools for determining the calorie content of various foods:
The Biggest Loser Complete Calorie Counter: The Quick and Easy Guide to Thousands of Foods from Grocery Stores and Popular Restaurants
by Cheryl Forberg and
The Biggest Loser
Experts and Cast, and
The Calorie King Calorie, Fat, and Carbohydrate Counter
by Allan Borushek.

Keep in mind that we are not dieticians. The meals and snacks below are based on what our nutritionists suggested that we eat and what we know works for us. Whatever you decide to eat throughout the day, remember the three keys to determining healthy food choices:

• Make sure 90 percent of your food choices are whole, fresh, and natural (fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains).

• Stick with the correct portion sizes.

• Eat the right balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fats.

Breakfast Ideas

• Ezekiel-bread French toast (Ezekiel bread dipped in egg whites and cooked on a skillet) topped with fresh berries and sugar-free syrup (we like the
Smuckers
brand)

• Old-fashioned (whole oat) oatmeal (you can add diced apples, nuts, cinnamon, xylitol, sugar-free syrup, raisins) and scrambled egg whites

• Veggie omelet (with egg whites, mushrooms, spinach, onions, tomatoes, bell peppers) and whole-wheat toast

• Scrambled egg whites with turkey sausage, mozzarella cheese, red peppers, and onions and a Kashi GOLEAN waffle with sugar-free syrup

• Turkey bacon or sausage and cereal (All-Bran, Kashi GOLEAN Crunch, Cheerios, and Shredded Wheat are some of our favorites) with skim milk, almond milk, or soy milk

• Egg-white sandwich with turkey bacon on light wheat bread with a tomato or salsa (or both)

• Turkey bacon, egg whites, and wheat toast with sugar-free jelly or fruit

Lunch Ideas

• Tomatoes stuffed with tuna that has been mixed with three-pepper mustard

• Grilled chicken, sweet potato, and asparagus or cauliflower

• Grilled-chicken tortillas with salsa, spinach, and Laughing Cow cheese

• Spinach salad made with spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, turkey-bacon pieces, and topped with raspberry vinaigrette

• Whole-wheat pasta salad tossed with cherry tomatoes, balsamic vinaigrette dressing, spinach, and kidney beans

• Chicken sandwich with light wheat bread and mustard with carrots and broccoli

Dinner Ideas

• Salmon salad with spring-mix greens, almonds, raisins or dried cranberries, mandarin oranges, tomatoes, mushrooms, and cranberry mustard

• Grilled tilapia with salsa, steamed carrots and broccoli, and brown rice

• Chicken taco salad with chicken, lettuce, blue corn tortilla chips, tomatoes, corn, black beans, and light cheddar cheese with salsa

• Turkey burger with mustard and sweet-potato fries (spray slices of sweet potato with Pam, brush them with honey, and sprinkle a dash of cayenne pepper; bake)

• Chicken salad (chicken-breast chunks, kidney beans, red peppers, and spinach mixed together with a little parmesan cheese)

• Spinach salad with mushrooms and balsamic vinaigrette

• Ground-turkey taco salad (ground turkey, low-sodium taco seasoning, lettuce, salsa, tomatoes, and light cheddar cheese)

• Chicken noodle soup (chicken broth, carrots, celery, and chicken seasoned to taste) and side green salad

Breakfast Ideas