My Top 5 Nutrition Staples

”Hey Morgan, can I out exercise a bad diet?” You guys, I wish, but for the average person weight loss, at minimum, is 70% diet and 30% exercise. If you think about it, we spend WAY more of our day eating than we do working out. 9/10 times when I coach a client, they are fabulous at crushing their workouts, but struggle to control what they consume the other 23 hours of the day. Nutrition is a HUGE part of the wellness journey… but that doesn’t mean we can’t ENJOY healthy food. I am a big believer in a eating plan that minimizes deprivation and focuses on overall wellbeing. I have listed below my 5 favorite health foods that I enjoy pretty much every day. Check them out and let me know if you add them to your grocery list this week!

Nut Butter

I am obsessed with all, almond butter, peanut butter, cashew butter, even tahini butter in my sauces! My favorite ways to eat them are a scoop on my morning oatmeal, a spoonful with my banana as a pre-workout or as my night snack with bread dipped in milk- my husband got me hooked on this, apparently it‘s an Italian thing, but don’t knock it until you try it. Nut butter is full of healthy mono and poly unsaturated fats which are good for hormone regulation and our hair, skin and nails! Just stick to a scoop or two at a time as it is calorie dense. Be sure the only ingredients are nuts and salt. My current favorite linked here:https://www.instacart.com/products/16961637

Eggs

Every week I prep a case of hard boiled eggs, so I have a quick and easy protein option to grab from the fridge. For breakfast, I will eat 3 egg whites and 1 whole egg mashed over avocado toast or I will throw a few hard boiled eggs on my nightly salad. The average egg runs at about 70 calories, contains healthy fats, are a complete source of protein and are incredibly easy to make. I buy free range or organic which tend to be a bit pricier, but worth it IMO!

Sweet potatoes

Hands down my favorite healthy carb. I eat sweet potatoes everyday, partially because I have a 1 year old who is also obsessed, but still. Not only are they DELICIOUS, but they are full of Vitamin C (immunity & skin health), Vitamin B6 (brain and nervous system health), fiber, potassium and antioxidants. My favorite snack is a warm sweet potato drizzled with nut butter and cinnamon YUM

Spinach, Arugula, Kale & other Leafy Greens

Almost every night, I enjoy a large bowl of greens topped with a protein option and a healthy fat. If you want specifics on my “salad bowls” comment or message me and I would be happy to share! If you aren’t crazy about how they taste, buy them frozen and throw them into a smoothie. I would recommend buying organic, especially spinach, as it is one of the worst pesticide offenders. Check out below why greens are one of the biggest nutrition powerhouses to exist:

• Fight belly bloat

• Improve brain function

• Support bone health (hello women- eat your greens)

• Balance blood sugars

• Promote gut health

• Improve skin quality and SO much more

Oatmeal & Berries

I know this is two, BUT they are both so good, especially when eaten together. My personal favorite is an overnight oat concotion made with

• 1 cup unsweetened almond

• 1/2 blueberries

• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats

• 1-2 TBS flax seeds

Just mix them together in a glass jar and leave in the fridge overnight for an easy & nutritious breakfast. Berries have SO many antioxidants, help protect our brain & memory, assist in fat burning & are nature’s candy this time of year! Oatmeal helps keep blood sugar stable as it is a slow digesting carb and keeps us full. It protects us from heart disease, helps to manage diabetes and assist in weight loss. Plus, its easy to make, cheap and SO versatile! Try out my favorite overnight oat recipe above or click the picture to go to my instagram for our favorite toddler approved breakfast cookie!