If going to the grocery store derails you from your diet, this article is for you. Grazing around food stores can quickly turn your diet upside down. From becoming frustrated with what you should and shouldn't buy to sticking with your plan while pa…

How To Grocery Shop While Dieting

Are you wanting to lose weight, but can't keep self-control while at the grocery store? You go with such good intentions, but when you hit the checkout lane, you suddenly realize everything you're not supposed to have, has found its way into your cart. How in the world are you supposed to know what to get, with all the temptations screaming your name, as you aimlessly graze the store? Grocery shopping can either be fun or a dreaded task.

When you're dieting, learning how to juggle food can seem impossible. You want to lose weight, but you don't want to feel deprived and starving either. You have your favorite foods that you can't imagine going without, and keeping track of all the foods you're supposed to have, can feel like a full-time job at times. When you head to the grocery store, you feel overwhelmed by all of the choices. What's a "good" food choice? What's a "bad" food choice? When you're faced with all these options, most break and start buying all the foods that got them overweight in the first place.

I, myself, have had to struggle and learn ways to navigate around grocery shopping to avoid blowing all of my fitness goals. I've failed miserably at times and had to come up with a system to fool-proof myself from forever falling into the pitfalls of grocery shopping. I've struggled with binge eating, especially in my early years of dieting, and had to fight to learn how to balance life, fitness, and nutrition so that I could maintain all of my efforts on the gym floor. It's not easy in the beginning, but using my method of grocery shopping will help you ease into dieting while food shopping.

FUEL UP

I know you've heard this before, but I'm telling you again, eat BEFORE you head to the grocery store. If you want to blow your diet in a big way, go with an empty stomach and a foggy brain, and you will be like an out of control addict, grabbing everything in sight. There is no bigger danger with food then shopping in the state of starvation.

I know we go to the store, most of the time, in a hurry or on the way home to have a meal. You must recognize this and prepare for it. Put a snack in your car and eat it BEFORE you even walk through the door of a grocery store. If you have no food on hand, grab a bottle of water, and start chugging. You do not want to start adventuring around the store with your stomach on high alert for anything or everything you see.

When you're super hungry, your body craves and demands carbs. Now, carbs are not a bad thing, but when you're in a hurry, and you're starving, you'll choose all the "bad" carbs right away. Carbs that are loaded with sugar and require no prepping. You know, the worst of the worst kind. Candy, chips, cakes, whatever grabs your attention and you can eat quickly, without even thinking about it.

Avoid the after shopping guilt, when your stomach is nice and full, and you're looking at your pantry filled with doughnuts, cookies, and chips and wondering how you're going to avoid overindulging in these empty stomach food buying spree choices! Trust me; I've been there. You'll tell yourself that you won't eat any of it, but the minute you're starving again, you'll hit that pantry immediately, grabbing everything in sight.

Grab a protein bar, a bottle of water and hit the store, knowing your stomach and mind are now in alignment, and you're ready to make wise decisions based on your weight loss goals. This is the only way to keep yourself focused and on track with your diet plan.

NO RUSHING

Most of us dread the thought of having to go to the grocery store, buy all the food, pay for it, load it up in our car and head home, only to have to unload it and put it all away. If you're like me, you have dogs and kids dodging in and out of your way as you hurriedly put the food away, while trying to get dinner made and on the table. No wonder people eat out so much.

However, when you're determined to lose weight, and track all of your calories, eating food at home makes life a lot easier, and you'll reach your goals much quicker. By preparing your meals, you know exactly how much you're eating and how many calories you're consuming. Eating out is a lot of guesswork and can be pricey.

On the days of your grocery shopping trip, be sure to set aside enough time to allow yourself to carefully purchase all the foods you need to keep you within your daily diet. You need to have everything on hand to prepare your food, your families food and have enough to last you throughout the week. As I stated, when you're hungry and without your prepared meals, you'll grab the first thing you see, no matter how bad it is.

Giving yourself time will allow you to graze the store and look at the nutrition labels slowly. You also need time to look at different options. I am a creature of habit and can eat the same thing, every day, no matter what. However, many people fail with their diets because they become tired of the redundancy in the food. By taking your time at the store, you'll be able to try new things and keep yourself excited about dieting.

Look around at all the different sources of protein. Spend more time in the produce section to discover fruits and veggies that you may want to add to your daily diet. Check out all the different spices you could add to your meats and vegetables. Graze the frozen food section for foods that may help you on the days you don't have time to cook. Frozen foods have come along way, and if you do your research, you'll find some healthy options.

If you've started and quit diets more times than you can count, then you may be thinking that you're not capable of succeeding. As a personal trainer and gym owner for over a decade, I know how to simplify and teach you simple, practical tips and to…

ORGANIZED LIST

Going to the store without a list will only leave you returning to the store, more often than you want. Don't rely on memory when it comes to your grocery list, no matter how much you think you'll remember everything. Your brain needs to be focused on your diet and your food choices, not blundering around the store, wondering what all you had on your list.

Not only do you need a list, but you must organize it. Break your list down into proteins, carbs, and fats to be sure to cover all your nutritional needs. You don't want your diet to consist of only carbs or only proteins. You need a well-balanced diet to succeed at weight loss.

Organizing your list will allow you to see how much of everything you need for the entire week, keeping you from falling short on your prepped food and giving in on your diet, every week. There is nothing worse than eating well for breakfast, lunch, and dinner from Monday to Thursday and running out of your prepped food and blowing your entire diet, simply because you were unprepared when you did your grocery shopping earlier in the week.

Having your list updated and in front of you will ensure you get everything you need, right from the start. Running back and forth to the store will quickly exhaust you with the effort you're putting towards your diet. Dieting is hard enough, and feeling like it's a constant chore will not keep you motivated to stick with it. Get your list done, every week and have it with you so you can make dieting a breeze.

OUTER PERIMETER

As you begin your shopping, stay on the outer perimeter of the store. Here you'll find fresh produce, lean sources of protein and dairy products. You want to make the outskirt of the grocery isles your main priority, filling your cart with these high-quality items. You can't go wrong by choosing food from the protein and produce section.

Fill your cart up with fresh fruits, veggies, lean meats, greek yogurt, and almond milk. Feel inspired to take all of these items and create a delicious meal, knowing you're eating tons of high-end nutrients. Your body depends on nutrients to build and maintain healthy hair, skin, nails, organs and muscle tissue (just to name a few) and the outer perimeter of the grocery store is where you'll find it all.

After you shortened your list with your fresh items, you can fill the rest in with the items on the store shelves. Here you'll find higher-calorie foods, with more carbs and sugars, allowing it to have a longer shelf life. You don't need to avoid the shelves altogether but keep your choices there at a minimum. The more you stay on the outer perimeter of the store, the better your diet will be.

Purchasing fresh produce and lean proteins will require more prep time, but your body will thank you. Your calorie intake will be lower; you'll be able to create your own masterpiece meals and avoid redundant meals. By shopping for fresh foods, you're instilling great nutritional habits into your children, raising them with the knowledge of picking healthy foods without even giving it a second notice. What greater gift can you give a child then nourishing their bodies with healthy eating?

Sure, it's easier to dive into the shelves, grab what you need and go. These foods are always ready to eat, without prep or a thought. However, if you want to transform your body and give your family the highest nutritional value, you must stay on the outer rim of the store. It takes some thought and time, but it's well worth it when it comes to your diet and your health.

OPEN-MINDED

I know it can be frustrating when you're dieting, and you're hungry. You just want to run into the grocery store, grab something for dinner, and go home and sit down to eat. Life is hectic and rushed, and the worry over what to eat next can wear you completely down, leaving you tired of dieting and over the idea of reaching your goals. Here's where most fail on their diet plans.

Not you! You're going to take your time, buckle down, and use these tools to stick with your diet for the long haul. When you're at the store, avoid frustration by reminding yourself of your "why" you want to lose weight, your excitement of transforming your body and how determined you are to stick with it, once and for all. You can't allow yourself to look around at all the foods you're not supposed to have, you need to focus on the foods you need.

Keep yourself open-minded about all the different possibilities there are when it comes to the healthy food choices you're making. Don't hone in on the negative feelings of being deprived of the Oreos or bags of chips you used to indulge in. You can still have those, but not endless amounts that you used to. Open your mind to fresh fruits and veggies that are just as filling as your old choices.

The grocery store shouldn't be the place where you decide to throw in the towel on your diet. You should feel excited about having total control over your food and your body. It's up to you to transform your body, and the food around you will aid in the process. Let's face it; your best success comes from the food you eat. You can't out-exercise a bad diet, that's been proven, over and over again.

Your power is in your hand, heart, mind, and your cart. Make wise choices, and I promise you, your body will reward you. Getting in your head, while grocery shopping, will only hinder your power to succeed. Stay positive and encourage yourself to stick strictly to your list. Once you're home and preparing your food, you'll be so glad you stuck to your guns, kept a positive outlook and soldiered on, especially past those amazing looking doughnuts. I get it!

Heading out to the grocery store while dieting can become a pitfall to most that are trying to stick with a diet. You're not sure what to get, what not to get and you're tired of finding foods to eat while sticking to your weight loss goals. As a pe…

TREAT YOURSELF

Now, onto the best part. No matter what diet you're following, you need to allow yourself "treats" that you crave and enjoy. No diet is worth being miserable and always wanting something you love. That goes for anything in life. Life is short, and yes, health should be our top priority, but not at the cost of our happiness, especially if it's only for the sake of fat loss.

I can tell you, any diet that restricts you from foods you love will lead you to feel like a failure when you can't stick with it. You'll slowly burn out and eventually cave to all the cravings you've been trying to ignore. Restrictive diets tend to lead to binge eating and a vicious cycle you can't end. The more you can't have something, the more you want it. Know this right off the bat and find room in your diet to allow yourself to indulge in your favorite foods, once in a while.

Let's say you love doughnuts. Ok, so get a doughnut. Don't buy an entire box of doughnuts. Buy one, eat it, and move on. If you're stringent on your diet, log it. Allow room in your daily calorie intake to, once a day, have a treat. By doing so, you'll keep yourself motivated to continue with your diet, and stick with your plan, longer than a few weeks.

Be aware there are new items added daily to our local grocery stores. In the freezer section, you'll find delicious high protein ice cream, in a hundred different flavors. You'll still be able to enjoy your ice cream without all the added calories. Be creative with your diet, and find ways to enjoy your cravings more healthily. Reducing calories is the key to lowering your body weight, and there are thousands of ways to reduce your calories without feeling deprived or even feeling like you're on a diet at all.

When you go to the store, be sure to get all of your essential diet items, but allow some room for small treats that you can eat daily, without blowing your weight loss goals. Don't buy treats in bulk. Get just enough to enjoy it, but not have it staring you down daily, screaming at you to eat it! If you have no self-control, buy something that you will treat yourself to only on the weekend, after having a successful week of diet and exercise.

There's no reason why you can't have things you enjoy. It takes commitment to stay on track, but if you're willing to stay true to your goals, have your special foods on hand and enjoy them when you can and should. Make sure you're getting the "treats" that are worth it to you and not ones that you eat then think it was just so-so. Make it count. If you love brownies, get a good one, not one that's prepackaged and has a shelf life of six months.

Now you're ready to hit the store with the confidence and the knowledge to navigate around, getting the foods you need, to accomplish your goals and foods that will keep you happy and motivated. Take your grocery shopping seriously and always have your list, organized, and ready to go. Grab a snack, and walk in, ready to own your diet plan.

Fill up your cart with all of your top priority foods, and be sure to save time to get yourself your special "treat" foods. All of us like to be rewarded for our hard work and dedication. You don't need to feel guilty about wanting something delicious to snack on, but now that you know how to navigate the grocery store, you'll be less likely to fill your entire cart full of useless, high-calorie foods.

Learn how to make your diet more enjoyable. Take your time grazing around the store and have confidence that you're capable of whipping up a low-calorie, delicious meal. Try new things, look up healthy recipes on the internet, and make your list. You'll find that changing up your foods will keep you on track and excited to see where your new diet will take you.

Don’t forget to Pin this to your nutrition board on Pinterest! Sometimes we find ourselves a little lost and forget the tips we’ve learned along the way!

Do you struggle when you’re grocery shopping on a diet? What do you buy? What are you supposed to get and what should you avoid? Avoid the pitfalls of grocery shopping where most blow their entire diet. Go to the store prepared to stay on track with… — Do you struggle when you’re grocery shopping on a diet? What do you buy? What are you supposed to get and what should you avoid? Avoid the pitfalls of grocery shopping where most blow their entire diet. Go to the store prepared to stay on track with your diet, no matter what. Dive into this article to learn simple tricks to grocery shopping without blowing your weight loss goals!

If you'd like a simplified grocery list, to help you keep on track with your weight loss goals, download your copy below. You don't need a list with a hundred different items on it. Use this as a basis to know what to look for and ways to come up with different meals. You don't need to spend hours at the store. I've compiled main foods that will keep your diet balanced, and I've added the "fun" foods that everyone deserves.