Simplify, Clarify, Economize.

It is not very exciting, but it is super powerful if you think about it. This quote is not really attributed to anyone in particular. I heard it in a mediocre movie about young entrepreneurs developing a new product. But I made note of it at the time as it can apply to so many areas in life.

But for my purposes, I will focus on how you can use these three powerful words to improve your dietary choices. That way you can lose that extra weight and improve your health.

SIMPLIFY

Simplify your diet: Go for unprocessed foods. Focus on the foods that our species was meant to eat. This includes fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.

Every day eat:

• 2 pounds of non-starchy vegetables
• 1 pound of fresh fruit
• 1-2 pounds of starchy vegetables, whole grains or legumes.

Eliminate sugar, oil and salt:

• Sugar - get your sweetness from whole fruit. Use apples, pears and bananas in your baking.
• Oil – learn to steam fry using water instead of oil. Use parchment paper or silicon bakeware for baking foods.
• Salt - eliminate salt from your cooking and buy products with no added salt. Substitute salt free seasonings and spices. Check out my recipes on the website for ideas: www.karenwarwickrhn.com

CLARIFY

Get really clear on your goals. Make the goals attainable and break down what you need to do on your daily target sheet. There are 3 things you need to do every day to improve your health and waistline:

1. Get 7-9 hours of good quality sleep.
2. Eat your vegetable, fruit and starch targets.
3. Incorporate some movement into your day.

Remember that food and eating is part of a healthy lifestyle, but it is not all of it. So set up your daily target sheet chart and check off these boxes every day. 

ECONOMIZE

This is not only for money, but also for time.

To save money:

• Bulk buy products you use all the time. I buy 10-pound bags of rice, a case of diced tomatoes, big bags of quinoa, big bottles of balsamic vinegar. Find a wholesale store (like Costco) for these items and shop with a list.
• Bulk Stores are particularly good for buying beans, grains, and also spices and herbs. If you are trying out a new recipe and only need a small amount of a new spice or herb, get it at a bulk store for pennies.
• Grow your own garden or get some potted plants for your deck.
• Shop farmers' markets. 
• Shop the sales for vegetables that are in season. For example, the price of cauliflower can range from $2.50-$6.50, Obviously, I will buy and use or freeze as much as I can when the price is low. When the price is high, I will choose another recipe or substitute something else in a recipe.
• Freeze scraps and ends for broths. Let no vegetable or fruit die in your fridge. Prep and freeze it for future use.
• Use up what you have that is fresh before you replenish your fridge. Imagine if the power were to go out for 3 days.

To save time:

• Make a menu plan and shop with a list. Buy for the whole week.
• Bulk cook soups or stews and divide into servings and freeze.
• Prepare your vegetables and store in containers in the fridge. That way you just have to combine them to make salads and steam-frys in minutes.
• Prepare a big pot of rice for the week and freeze.
• Bake a bunch of potatoes or sweet potatoes for the week and store in Ziploc bags in the fridge.
• Make overnight oatmeal in glass jars for individual servings for a quick breakfast.

Losing weight permanently is not easy, but it is worth it. Use Simplify, Clarify and Economize as your new mantra to get you going.