Unfortunately, we don’t all have the luxury of time to make meals at home, which sounds kind of crazy.

However, that’s the reality for a lot of people holding jobs with long commutes or someone who attends college during the day and has a job in the evenings. Sometimes there are a lot of barriers to doing even the simplest stuff.

Buying and making your own meals, and using as fresh as possible ingredients, is the best nutrition choice you can make. You should try to do it as often as you can.

For the purposes of this exercise, we decided to try and to save time by doing that shopping online. In this instance, we tried Thrive Market, launched in 2014 out of Southern California, which promises to deliver products that are good for you directly to your doorstep.

Thrive Market Delivers

Thrive Market is more like an online Costco crossed with a Whole Foods. It has a range of organic products and aims to provide a one-stop solution for people looking for a reliable source of natural and sustainable groceries.

It’s targeted at people who probably find Whole Foods (now owned by Amazon) a great place to find what they’re looking for, but they’re also looking to save money and probably like the convenience of shopping online.

To be frank, Thrive is never going to give you the breadth of offerings you’d find on a site like Amazon, but they have tried to take the guesswork out of deciding what you can trust to put in your grocery bag.

Thrive likes to promote itself as a company that can make a healthy food lifestyle accessible to a broad range of people with varying incomes, meaning they’re not going to empty your bank account, but you have to do it Thrive’s way.

However, becoming a member of Thrive is not going to stand in your way because they have deals going on all the time to try and get new members. You’ll probably find that your first experience with Thrive will be pretty easy on the credit card.

When you take into consideration the need to be a Thrive Market member, your membership fee should get you anywhere from 25-50 percent off typical retail prices for Thrive’s branded products. You can also feel pretty good knowing that Thrive has a commitment to offer a free membership to families in need.

My taste test was limited to Thrive’s tuna and sardines. These are pretty much basics in my meal plans. Sure, I can get them from the local store, but I have two criteria: it needs to be fish that is caught in the wild and it needs to be clean, which can mean a lot of things. Also because I eat a lot of it, price is important.

The website experience and order processing on Thrive Market is very easy and efficient. The site is modern, designed well, and everything works. The packaging on the order that I received was above average, and it was a good experience overall.

Sardines are not to everyone’s taste, but I like them. Thrive’s sardines were were a little lighter on the palate than some others I have experienced, meaning I felt like the taste was not overwhelming and the fish were not greasy. The sardines were packed in olive oil, in case you were wondering.

For the tuna (packed in water), I gave a can to one of my friends who has kids that like a particular brand. I asked her to try it out on them because I was curious to see whether the very fussy palate of a child would notice anything different.

The kids loved it and ate it all up. You might think that all tuna fish tastes the same when it’s mixed in with mayonnaise, but kids have a tendency to notice minuscule changes in texture, smell, or taste. There was, obviously, no problem for me.

*Thrive has a number of offers in place that could help you reduce or lose the cost of membership if you order through them this holiday season. You can try these Thrive Market exclusive deals for the Breaking Muscle community. The company, obviously, is interested in getting more members and if you see they have enough stuff that you want to buy, it pays off the membership fee pretty quickly.

I will admit to being skeptical at first when I was given the assignment to test these products, mostly because I didn’t really know what to think about trying fish from a start-up company that was kind of new to the grocery world.

I wondered if they have everything figured out like companies who only specialize in deliverable groceries and have been doing it for years. I think it’s safe to say that Thrive branded groceries don’t have to be considered newbies to online shopping. They held up really well compared to what I am comfortable with and used to.

The Price of Delivery

Pricing is a trickier issue. I don’t think the recommended retail price of the tuna or the sardines available for purchase at Thrive Market is much different to what is available at a local store.

However, you have to factor in that with discounts and special offers Thrive is competing pretty nicely. On the plus side, if I can latch on to a good price, I can buy up a bunch of cans and get them shipped to me directly.

Okay, that’s not any different than doing the same thing on Amazon but, frankly, I am intrigued by Thrive because if they can continue to offer more lines of groceries that consistently meet the requirements of a shopper like me—people who read food labels and know what they should be putting in their bodies—it makes it a lot easier to fill that cart with Thrive products and save yourself the hassle of shopping around or heading out to the store.

Online Grocer Shopping Works on All Levels

Ultimately, I think Amazon buying Whole Foods is going to make it easier for consumers to find healthy alternatives to the traditional grocery shopping list.

Whereas Whole Foods had the goods in the past, it was always a bear when it came to pricing. Amazon seems to want to change that. That can only mean that companies like Thrive Market will also grow because, some day, everyone will shop and eat this way, not just a select few.

So, yeah, grocery shopping is a fitness frontier. There’s obviously big changes happening in the market and we, the consumers, should benefit. Non-GMO, organic, clean food is not a fringe market anymore. It’s going mainstream. The more competition, the better it should get in terms of availability and pricing.

You can train yourself to prepare and plan clean eating at home and one of the best ways is to take up the 28 Day Clean Eating Challenge. In addition, here are a few recipes you can try for yourself with your Thrive Market tuna and sardines:

• Fast Fuel: Open Faced Tuna Sandwich
• Easy Triple Protein Tuna Salad
• Sardines and Adrenal Fatigue

The post Groceries: The Final Frontier in Fitness appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

• Paleo: Only “caveman” food. Nuts, meat, berries, vegetables, etc.
• Vegetarian: no meat
• Vegan: no meat, eggs, dairy
• Holistics: no processed food

Based off these examples, clean food is vastly different to each group. But the problems with “clean eating” are more than semantic. Let’s move onto the more sinister aspects of this nutritional misconception.

Missing Elements of Nutrition

Let’s take look at the staples in many fitness enthusiasts’ diets: chicken, rice, broccoli, oatmeal, eggs, nuts, fish, olive oil, etc. For many, things such as fruit, dairy, and bread are a no-go. What’s unfortunate about the exclusion of certain food groups is the lack of variety, which creates a lack of essential nutrients. A wide, varied diet allows for the diversity of vitamins and minerals necessary to keep your body healthy.

Another issue that can develop from a severely limited diet is the potential for too much or too little fiber. Since some “clean eaters” don’t track what they eat, it’s entirely possible to be out of a reasonable fiber range. There are negative effects associated with both too much and too little. Too much fiber can lead to cramping, diarrhea, constipation, gas, and malabsorption. The issue with malabsorption is that fiber binds to nutrients. With the influx of too much fiber, this raises the potential to pull essential nutrients out of the body and not allow for absorption. The issue with too little fiber is the potential for constipation, weight gain, and blood sugar fluctuations. Both extremes are clearly not optimal for a healthy body. A basic formula to follow is about .2g of fiber per pound of bodyweight.

The Mind Games of Clean Eating

One of the most damning aspects of “clean eating” is the negative mental effect. It’s very easy to fall into an all-or-nothing mindset. While eating healthy, nutritious food is important, the question of mental balance comes into play.

Have you seen those women at the gym marching in place in between their sets? I have. It’s obsessive and strange; trying to burn as many extra calories as possible. Being “healthy” is such a relative term. Some people try so hard to be healthy, they in turn become extremely unhealthy in their actions and obsessive mannerisms. Healthy is a term used for physical health, but just as important (perhaps even more so) is mental health. Clean eating is becoming a disorder in itself. You can call it health and wellness all you want, but when taken to extremes, it actually is a disorder.

There’s even a new term for it within the health industry these days; orthorexia. This disorder revolves around the concept of eating only “pure” or “clean” foods. This can become problematic because of the obsessive, addictive components. The individual may avoid any foods thought to be dirty, easily become extremely anxious about food, and even cancel plans with family and friends, due to being unable to control the food being consumed. Obviously, the severity of disordered thinking can vary, but it can become all-consuming; especially for females.

Another tough reality of strict “clean eating” is that in the long run, for most, it is not sustainable. As humans, as much as we’d like to think we have unfailing willpower, we do not. Cookies, chips, pasta—it’s all delicious. When using an all-or-nothing approach, odds are, instead of floating somewhere in a happy middle ground, the pendulum swings from one extreme to the next. Absolute clean, pure eating; over to full-blown binge eating. This binge eating is usually dished up with a side of shame and guilt. Not a great way to live.

Clean Eating Your Way Into a Disorder

Here’s a scenario I have seen quite often in the fitness community:

A woman discovers physique competitions, and wants to prove to herself that she can put on a swimsuit, get on-stage, and strut her stuff, showing off her hard work to the world! But where to begin? An online coach suggests she cut out gluten, dairy, sugar, and fruit. She is allowed to treat herself to one cheat meal a week. The aspiring competitor restrains herself all week; avoiding plans with friends, bringing her Tupperware everywhere she goes, scouring food labels to ensure there’s no sugar or gluten contaminating her “clean” food plan. But once Saturday hits, it’s time to give in to her cravings. She orders an appetizer, followed by an entrée, and of course, dessert, fitting as many treats into her meal as possible. Before you know it, she’s consumed 3,350 calories for dinner (total taken from a popular chain restaurant).

Fast forward to after her show. The competitor has successfully made it to the stage! Now what? Post-show blues settle in, and there’s no goal on the horizon. Inevitably, abstaining from treats becomes difficult, and the competitor starts to give in, binging on chips and pizza, and afterward, feeling horrible shame and guilt. Plus, after this intense dieting phase, these massive binges lead to unwanted weight gain, which send the competitor into another diet phase through “clean eating.” Thus starts the yo-yo of dieting, binging and an unhealthy relationship with food. I’ve seen it happen far too often.

There’s a Better Way

Here’s another scenario:

A new competitor decides to hit the stage. They hire a coach who follows flexible dieting principles and macro counting. They manage to fit a treat in here and there throughout the week, and maybe even a little more on a weekly refeed day. No restrictions, no binging. The competitor can go out with family and friends, ordering mindfully from the menu.

Fast forward to post-show. The competitor increases calories, while still enjoying the food she loves. No need to binge, no need to feel shame. There’s no massive weight gain, and no pit of shame she needs to climb out of.

Obviously, these scenarios can vary from one extreme to the other. But it’s definitely a reality. Looking at each scenario, it’s pretty obvious which competitor had an overall healthier experience. For some, yes, it’s possible to eat only nutritious, healthy foods while avoiding excessive sugar, salt, etc. But for the majority of individuals, it makes much more sense both mentally and physically to follow a mostly healthy, widely varied, nutrient-dense diet, peppered with a treat here and there.

The post Deprivation: Purity in Dieting Can Lead to Eating Disorders appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

In this recipe, I use fresh caught walleye pike, though any mild white fish will work. Most freshwater fish are low in fat and high in protein making it an ideal and easy choice for athletes looking to maintain lean muscle. Fish contain a powerhouse of B vitamins as well as a number of other nourishing minerals to keep you well, including omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3’s are present in all fish though there are lower levels of omega 3’s in lean fish, like walleye, than in fatty fish, like salmon. The consumption of omega 3’s can speed your exercise recovery and is a necessary nutrient to maintain proper brain, cardiovascular, eye, and skin health.

Top this delicious and easy to prepare fish with a kale bruschetta. Adding kale to a traditional bruschetta mixture adds calcium and fiber. The lycopene contained in tomatoes is a natural antioxidant that when cooked, is even more effective. Garden green beans cooked to a beautiful tender crisp crunch add dietary fiber and a marginal amount of protein. Green beans are also a great source of folic acid, an important nutrient for pregnant women to have in their diets for a happy healthy baby.

Walleye with Kale Bruschetta and Garlic Green Beans

[Photo credit: Kari Lund]

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 20 min

Yeld: Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 walleye pike filets (or any other mild white fish – bass, northern pike, perch, cod, trout, etc.)
• 6 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 2 stems kale, stem removed and leaves chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 6-8 basil leaves, chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

Preparation Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place fish filets in a lightly greased baking dish.
3. In a bowl, combine tomato, kale, olive oil, garlic, vinegar, basil, salt and pepper.
4. Spoon tomato mixture over top of fish.
5. Bake about 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Garlic Green Beans Ingredients:

• 2 large handfuls of whole green beans, ends trimmed
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• Sprinkle of olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Garlic Green Beans Preparation Instructions:

1. While fish is baking, heat water in a medium saucepan to boiling.
2. Add green beans and boil four minutes until tender crisp.
3. Remove beans from water and toss with garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Love seafood? Try this:

Blackened Atlantic Cod with Root Vegetable Mash

The post Green Fuel: Walleye with Kale Bruschetta appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Often we think our diet is healthy because it is full of fruits, veggies, and lean meats. And yet the scale isn’t moving the way you would like it to. What could the problem be? Here are a few tips to clean up an already healthy diet and achieve your weight loss goals.

Tip #1: Snack Smart

Snack on raw foods. Snacking can get out of control quickly. We’re all guilty of sitting down to watch TV with a bag of “healthy” rice cakes and devouring the whole thing. If we snack on raw foods, we automatically have to pay more attention. Raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds are some options. For example, raw cucumbers are my favorite snack. But in order to snack on cucumber slices, you have to cut them up. I like to eat them with hummus or soaked in apple cider vinegar (Sounds kind of gross. It was a thing my dad used to do).

Raw almonds are another great choice. Here, the extra attention is the chewing. Raw almonds require more chewing than roasted almonds. Many fruits require slicing, peeling, or other prep work.

Tip #2: Cook With Coconut Oil

Don’t cook at high heat with olive oil. Olive oil is a healthy fat straight out of the bottle, but cooking changes it. High heat transforms the fat molecules in olive oil and causes many of its healthy benefits to disappear. When olive oil smokes and oxidizes under high heat, it becomes like any other cooking oil. If you need to use cooking methods that require high temperatures, such as roasting or sautéing, choose coconut oil instead.

Tip #3: Control Your Carbs

Keep track of carbohydrates. Yes, quinoa is good for you, but having a heaping bowl at every meal is not. Healthy carbohydrates have a place in everyone’s diet. Sweet potatoes, oatmeal, fruits, and whole grain pasta can all be part of healthy diet, but they shouldn’t be consumed in excess. Having oatmeal for breakfast, pasta for lunch, and quinoa for dinner will not help you reach your fitness goals. Have a few small portions throughout the day, not three or four large servings.

Tip #4: Pay Attention to Your Gut Health

Locate food sensitivities and don’t ignore them. Sensitivities may be caused by fruit, gluten, or dairy. I even have a friend who is allergic to red meat. Both major and minor food sensitivities can disrupt digestion and cause stomach aches, so pay attention to the symptoms. When your stomach is uncomfortable, reach for what is comfortable. (In my case, ice cream.) Avoiding discomfort altogether is the way to go.

Tip #5: Spice Things Up

Explore spices. There are so many available, and experimenting with them can keep you from getting bored with your food. Cumin is delicious, as well as curry and garam masala. Experiment, but don’t forget the last tip, since spices can also give you tummy troubles.

Tip #6: Stay Local

Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). They often deliver fresh produce, dairy, and meat to a location near you. This is a great way to experiment with fruits or vegetables you may have never tried, like kohlrabi or jackfruit. You also support local farms and gain access to fresh, clean food.

Experiment with new foods like jackfruit (left) or kohlrabi (right) to make clean eating fun.

Tip #7: Try Canning

Learn how to can food, or make friends with someone who cans. Canning your own food has loads of benefits like longevity, better taste than store-bought, and no mystery chemicals or additives. You can also can food in Mason jars instead of aluminum cans, which gets rid of the metallic taste of grocery store canned foods.

Have Fun Experimenting With Your Diet

These tips have definitely cleaned up my clean eating plan. There are plenty of other ways to clean up your eating, so try them all and see what works for you.

You’ll Also Enjoy:

• Clean Eating On the Go: It’s All In the Planning
• Tips and Tricks for Healthy Shopping on a Budget
• Creative Dieting: Clean Eating Doesn’t Have to Be Boring
• What’s New on Breaking Muscle Today

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post Is Your Diet Dirty? 7 Tips To Clean It Up appeared first on Breaking Muscle.