The Fitness Coach Diet for Optimum Health

Yesterday I introduced readers to Bonni, an executive fitness coach.

B advocates a diet high in essential fatty acids and phytonutrients.

In other words, she eats, and recommends that her clients eat, lots of veggies (particularly leafy greens), fish, lean protein, and good-fat foods.

The advantage to a diet like this is that it's highly affordable.

If you need to spend less on groceries and you like the sound of Bonni's dietary program for health and fitness, one thing you can do is cut back your consumption of meat.

Think of it this way:

1. A plateful of veggies and pulses with a little bit of meat is a lot cheaper than a plate of meat with a little veg and a lentil.
   
2. Striking a balance is better for your pocket and for your overall health. Make fish, chicken and meat go further by adding beans, lentils, chickpeas.
   
3. Turn your meal-planning around so that the most expensive ingredient is the ‘flavoring’ rather than the main event.
   
4. Use eggs, nuts and seeds for protein, fiber, and crunch.
   
5. And return something as beautiful as a great steak-and-red-wine meal to the special status it deserves…crave it, look forward to it, then really enjoy it -- just not every second day.

The above 5 tips are modified from Table Talk: 10 ways to save money in the Kitchen. A blog article worth keeping on hand!

Once Bonni had pointed out her favorite fresh produce, leafy greens, beets, celery, avocado, and apples, I had an opportunity to introduce her to the great value of picking and paying for only what you need in Whole Foods bulk section.

Keep in mind that if you use WFs containers to collect your oil and or nut / seed butters, you'll pay something minimal, but if you bring your own container you'll pay only for what you put in it.

In the pics above, B is enjoying the bulk almond butter $3.99 lb and the bulk olive oil $5.99 lb, great buys on two healthy fats.

Because B eats a diet rich in essential fatty acids, and recommends the same to her clients, her preference is the DHA Omega 3 eggs, which are are about $1 more than other brands.

But if you're not spending on expensive cuts of meat, you could spend what you save at the meat counter on eggs high in omega 3's, and essential fatty acids found in deep-sea oily fish, like salmon, which B buys fresh, fresh frozen or tinned.

I suggested that if she consumed several tins of sardines, tuna, and or salmon a week, she might consider buying a mixed case of tinned fish and receive WFs 10% case discount.

Because B eats as many as eight small meals throughout the day, she gravitates toward lean-protein snacks like Tofurky, a baked tofu product that's sliced like deli turkey. It's about a $1 more than the 365-brand tinned salmon, but still at $3.29, B's choice of protein items are significantly less than butchered meats.

And like everyone, B has one self-professed weakness: expensive cheese. She and her boyfriend love a well-aged, yellow cheese and she says they easily spend around $8 a week on their favorites.

But rather than consider it a weakness, I think anyone who diligently tends their health, working out and consuming healthy, unprocessed food needs a treat, and for Bonni that's cheese!

So an average grocery shop for executive fitness coach, Bonni Doherty consists of the following:

• leafy greens, celery, carrots, some fruit
  
• eggs, nuts, seeds, olive oil,
  
• deep-sea fish, fresh and tinned
• organic chicken, tofurky, tofu,
  
• sprouted-grain bread like Ezekiel, and cheese

Note there are no packaged items like chips, chocolate, cereals, frozen foods etc. -- it's all whole, unprocessed food!