iPhone vs. iEatLikeCrap

Check out this awesome guest post, written by my friend and most awesome fitness trainer, Lindsay Vastola. I’ve spent a lot of time with Lindsay at industry events in Orlando and Las Vegas and know that she knows her stuff. She’s got a huge following in New Jersey and her Board Room Babe Blog is kicking butt! Enjoy…

I was in the grocery store earlier this week and there was a woman with two small children standing in the checkout line in front of me.

Her cart was filled to the brim with junk. Not one fresh vegetable that I could see and I think the only fresh fruit I caught a glimpse of was green grapes. When the cashier finished ringing her up, her total came to around $175 or so. The woman replied, “I can’t believe how much money I spend on food! It’s crazy!”

Here’s the kicker, she was talking on her iPhone, carrying a Louis Vuiton handbag, and her nails were perfectly manicured. And she was complaining about how much it costs to feed her family.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about looking great and I love new technology and pretty handbags…but what bothers me is where our priorities seem to be trending. We feed our families pre-made and processed foods and eat out on an average of 1-2 times per week (according to a recent Gallup poll, this number excludes those who never eat out). We complain about how expensive it is to eat healthy, fresh foods, yet we’ll pay upwards of $300+ for a cell phone, $200 for a Nintendo DS for our kids, $200+++ for a designer handbag or shoes….you get my drift.

“The average monthly dollar estimate for eating dinner out is $121, or a third of the total amount Americans say they typically spend on groceries for the entire month ($364).” -Gallup

Though it may be “cheaper” to buy Costco-bulk processed foods or packaged snacks, think about the long-term costs:

Many attention-deficit and lack of concentration-related issues in children and adults are linked to improper diet and lack of exercise. Consider the long-term costs of doctors, time out of school/work, medication, and not to mention the emotional effects on you and your family.

If you eat whole, natural foods you and your family are less likely to overeat. In fact, it’s almost impossible to overeat when you eat whole foods. So you might spend less on packaged foods, but most processed foods actually physiologically trigger you to eat more because of the deadly combination of fat, sugar, chemicals, and lack of real nutrients to satisfy you.

6 foods to get the most bang for your buck:

• Nuts (buy in bulk and freeze what you’re not going to eat over the next week)
  
• Beans (canned or dry) – cheapest form of the perfect combo of energy-filled carbohydrates, protein, and filling-fiber
  
• Fruits and Vegetables that are in-season – if you try to buy anything out of season, you’ll pay upwards of 2-3 times as much
  
• Frozen fruits and vegetables - for “veggie-emergencies.” Green beans, spinach, edamame, and other greens are great frozen options. I love using frozen fruit for my protein shakes.
  
• Eat less meat. If you pay $1.99-$4.99+/pound for meat, you can easily substitute your protein with a meal of beans and fresh vegetables for roughly the same price. It might take a little work to find some new recipes, but worth it in the end!
  
• Grains - whole oats, barley, quinoa, brown rice…these are easier to cook with than you realize
  

Money WASTERS:

• Bars (of any kind…granola bars, “health” bars, snack bars, kids bars). These should be down to “Plan E” food options
  
• Chips & crackers - don’t believe the “whole grain” hype on most chips and crackers, most still contain a primary ingredient of processed refined flour and often have heart-clogging fats.
  
• Most Boxed Cereals - most cereals (even the ‘healthy’ ones) do not carry enough full nutrition to really start your day the right way. Many are loaded with sugar and processed flours. Make your own granola with your whole oats, make oatmeal…look to add some new breakfast foods to your recipe rolodex.
  
• There’s a whole lot more…mostly what you’re buying from the “center” of your grocery store. Stick to the perimeter of the store, and you’re usually in better shape to make good choices!
  

So, moral of the story? Absolutely enjoy your technology, nice handbags, and manicures…revel in giving your children fun new toys, but make sure you’re spending your money in the right places when it comes to what you’re feeding you and your family…this way you can enjoy your handbags and manicures for a lot longer and enjoy those crazy new tech gadgets they keep thinking up!

Lindsay Vastola, CFT is corporate manager-turned-fitness professional specializing in designing fitness programs for the success-driven career woman. Updated frequently, you can find information on Lindsay’s latest transformation programs, online workouts, and nutrition tips on her blog at http://www.BeABoardroomBabe.com. She is also the founder of Body Project Fitness located in Central New Jersey. Her goal is to help the ambitious career woman get to the top and look damn good while she’s at it!