Reading food labels can be easier than you think -- you don't even need to know how many calories something should have. "With any new product, I look at the nutrition facts -- calories, fat, and sodium," says House. Then, she compares the labels to similar products around it. "Like with soup -- I'll pick the one with the lowest sodium," she says.
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Slim women check the expiration date
While House avoids most packaged foods, she has a rule for when she buys anything in a can or a box: Look at the expiration dates on food. "If it's going to expire in two years, it's probably packed with sodium and preservatives." And both House and McGee prefer to buy certain foods, like beans, in Tetra Paks (those silver pouches) to avoid bisphenol-A (BPA), a cancer-causing chemical that can be found in the lining of some cans.
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Slim women don't get suckered by sales
When your favorite cookies are half off, it feels wrong not to buy them, but slim shoppers don't get lured in by a good deal. "I only buy sale items if it's something on my list," says House. "If I'm buying Greek yogurt, I may try a new brand if it's on sale -- but I'm not going to deviate from my list." If you really love a bargain, McGee suggests trying sale produce. "In-season fruits and vegetables will often be discounted," she says. Use sales as an excuse to try something new -- like mustard greens or avocado squash -- not to stock up on junk.
Now that you know how to navigate the grocery store aisles, pick up these surprisingly healthy snacks next time you shop.
You're standing in line at the grocery store, and there she is: A woman with an amazing body (she's undoubtedly wearing yoga clothes -- maybe she even has a mat strapped to her back), glowing skin, and a cart full of vegetables. You contemplate hiding your pint of Ben & Jerry's behind an "Us Weekly" as you're overcome with guilt and the realization that healthy grocery shopping has never been your forté.
Sound familiar? Whether you're on a diet or just trying to eat healthier, the grocery store can be an intimidating place, rife with temptations. However, there are certain women -- namely slim women -- who seem to float through the aisles picking up the ripest fruits and most pristine-looking vegetables. They grab a piece of wild salmon, maybe a jar of almond butter, and they're on their way.
These superhuman shoppers have a secret: a set of healthy grocery shopping guidelines they follow no matter what. While the key rule used to be "focus on the perimeter" (meaning you should shop the produce, meat, fish, and dairy sections to get the healthiest, freshest ingredients), that's no longer the ultimate rule to shop by. "I love grocery shopping," says celebrity yoga and fitness instructor Kristin McGee (who epitomizes the gorgeous shopper described above). "But it's important to go with a plan -- supermarkets are getting so tricky."
McGee and women like her have mastered the art of healthy grocery shopping. Follow their rules and you won't even want to pick up the Chunky Monkey.
