MONDAY'S WITH MARCO
In today's 'Mondays with Marco' I want you guys to get practical!
This is something that I believe anyone can do every 3-6 months, I've done it, continue to and its something I try and get my nutrition clients to do, short of me physically doing it myself!
Its done in the comfort of your own home.... well kitchen actually.
Today I'm introducing you to the 'Kitchen Makeover' (more like a clean out!).
And i'll tell you how it can help you achieve your health and fitness goals ;)
OK so how does it work.
In everyone's kitchen there are 3 categories of foods that exist.
- RED light Foods (junk food, processed food, soft drinks, lollies etc)
- YELLOW Light Foods (cheese, breads, etc)
- GREEN Light Foods (meats, vegetables, fruits, seeds etc)
Red-light foods are foods that are just bad news for you. Maybe they make you feel sick, or they trigger
you to eat too much, or you know they're an unhealthy choice for you, etc. Red means "no go".
Yellow-light foods are foods that are sometimes OK, sometimes not. Maybe you can eat a little bit without feeling ill, or you can eat them sanely at a restaurant with others but not at home alone, or you can have them as an occasional treat, etc. Yellow means "approach with caution".
Green-light foods are foods that make you feel good mentally and physically, and that you can eat normally, in the right portion sizes for your goals. These are usually things like fruits and vegetables, lean protein, legumes, etc. Green means "go for it!"
Follow the steps below to begin your kitchen makeover - remember we are just getting practical. You don't have to "get it all" at once. You're just trying something new.
Good luck!
STEP 1 - THE EASY STUFF
Lets start by identifying and eliminating the red-light foods and any expired foods!
For most people, red-light foods are processed foods such as candy, chips, cookies, etc.
NOTE: Lets not have “rules” about “good” or “bad” foods.
Make informed, grown-up and honest choices.
So if you know or suspect certain foods make you feel crappy and/or trigger you into unhealthy behaviors: Get them out of easy reach.
Make that stuff go away... or at least hard to get to.
Safety first!
If you have alcohol in the house, it’s your call.
Past a certain point, alcohol will cut into your progress, testosterone levels, and recovery.
So you decide how much drinking is right for you, and what you’re prepared to trade off. (We recommend limiting drinking to 1–2 drinks per night, at most.)
And if the idea of cutting back on your booze freaks you out, stop and think about that for a minute.
Of course, also dump any food that’s expired, weird colors, and/or furry.
STEP - YELLOW LIGHT FOOD TRADE OFFS
Once you’ve eliminated some obvious triggers and foods full of industrial chemicals, now you get to the negotiation stage.
What are you willing to keep… with modifications?
What is an effective compromise for others in your household?
Is there a way to arrange things so everyone wins?
For instance:
Is there a way to “upgrade” familiar favorites to healthier versions?
Can you try making things like salad dressing from scratch?
Does having a small amount of yellow-light foods make it easier to have green-light foods? (For instance, does a sprinkle of croutons or splash of store-bought dressing make it easier for you to eat a salad? Then keep those things.)
Can you put red-light foods into a place that’s hard for you to get to, but relatively easy for others who aren’t willing to part with them?
Can you all agree to keep “treats” that others like, but you don’t find to be triggers? (e.g. if your spouse likes chips, but you find them “meh”, consider that a potential win-win situation.)
Be reasonable and mature.
STEP 3 - CONSIDER WHAT GREEN LIGHT FOODS TO ADD
Your fridge and pantry might look a little sad after getting rid of the unhealthy foods.
They won’t be empty for long because you’re going to fill them back up with healthy, muscle-building replacements for the garbage you just unloaded.
Take a moment to notice:
What could you add to make healthy eating easier and more convenient?
Do you need any more equipment? (For instance, good knives or Tupperware?)
Eating well isn't just about "taking stuff away". Mostly, it's about adding good stuff and enabling healthy routines.
(Kinda like living well — it's about adding value, rather than just making your world smaller.)
If you tried your hand at a kitchen makeover get in touch with me and let me know how it went!
I can't take the credit for this type of exercise, its something myself and all the coaches at creature were taught by Precision Nutrition, who lead nutrition coaching Globally. If you want to leanr more about nutrition coaching via Creature Fitness get in touch with me!
Happy to help.
Feel free to send this to your family, friends and colleagues and remember let me know what else you want me to write about, video blog or create content for - I am here to help!
Questions to marco@creaturefitness.com.au
