Making good choices starts here: stores and markets.

Walking into Fred Meyer, I realize that 85% of the store is simply irrelevant to my life — because highly processed food is NOT nutrition. But, the other 15% of the store holds many of the answers to health, healing, and weight loss.

The produce section is vibrant, with the colors of fruits and vegetables glistening from the light above. My eye for deals seeks out quality and fair-priced products.

I ask myself….What fruits/vegetables have I NOT had recently? These are the ones that need to be cycled back into my diet.

I pick up some fresh apples, a couple pears, avocados and two English cucumbers (I only have one left now). Next, it’s off to the bulk food section…

Careful to avoid any internal conflict, I simply avert my eyes from any of the chocolate, sugary treats. Instead, I see that oatmeal is on sale for a mere 76 cents per pound. I filled up my bag with six large scoops of oatmeal, which rang up at $1.75. In terms of nutrition, that gives me hundreds of grams of fiber, slow carbs, protein, and weeks of hot breakfeasts.

Next, I had a desire for lentils, but I already ate many lentils last week. Instead, I opt for the green split peas, which brings back happy childhood memories. Maybe I’ll make a soup with this green, slow carb, high fiber, high protein food.

Very low glycemic index

Now it’s on to the refrigerated section of the health aisle. I pick up two bulk Nancy’s low-fat yogurt at about $10 total, which should last me two weeks. Actually, Yogurt is a fantastic addition to smoothies and protein shakes. The amount of sugars listed on the label does not reflect how it works in your body. In fact, since yogurt is a fermented food, much of the sugar has been altered by the living cultures — meaning that there is actually LESS real sugar than what you see on the label. Eat up, my friends.

As I returned home tonight, I ate an entire cucumber — if not for the nutrition, then for the fact that it fills me up due to high water content. Before I go to bed, I will drink more Kefir to get the healthy probiotics, vitamins, minerals, and protein so that when I wake up in the morning, I will be my balanced, optimistic, and handsome self.

Food is my friend

…and I intend to keep it that way. Be a part of the movement, and find yourself in the OUTER aisles of the grocery store — that is where the TRUE nutrition resides.