Grocery shopping tips for weight loss

Which is the right grocery list for weight loss?

Writing a list before you go shopping is a great idea, especially when you’re trying to lose weight. A great weight loss grocery list is a fantastic tool. And there’s a plethora of reasons besides the fact that it’ll save you money and save you on the scales. So, before you go shopping, get your list on! We’re here to convince you.

Why write a grocery list if you’re trying to lose weight?

We’ve all played Hungry, Hungry Hippos in the supermarket before, grabbing everything and anything we can get our hungry hands on, but not only is it bad for us, it’s also not great on the bank balance either! That’s part of why a weight loss grocery list is such a good idea.

When you’re preparing for the week ahead, write a grocery shopping list! think about good wholesome food you can buy to keep your body and mind happy. We have so many amazing recipes to keep your SuperFastDiet going SuperWell.

Our top weight loss grocery list tips

Before you head to the shops; write a list of what you need!

Stop, and write a list of everything you need and try to leave off the wants (ok, no one’s going to judge if you sneak in that extra chocolate bar…we all need to treat ourselves sometimes!)

Writing a list keeps you on task and focussed and it’ll make your shop time so much quicker! You’ll be able to whip in and get the ingredients for our delicious ‘fish with parmesan and basil’, before you can even say fish, with parmesan and basil!

If you can manage to do the grocery shopping on your own, great! But, if you’ve got hubby in tow and the kids riding down the aisle in your trolley, don’t stress. Stick to your list and ignore the extra stuff that’s being thrown into the trolley (maybe you can test how sneaky you are at taking those items OUT of the trolley!).

Keep it simple, stupid!

When putting together your list, think about the KISS principle… Keep it Simple, Stupid!

Choose a grocery list with categories, or design your own. Write titles like fruit, vegetables, dairy, meats, frozen and pantry. (Keep the space for those ‘other extras’ small so you can’t add too many to the list). Write everything you need under the correct category. This method will help you stay on track in the supermarket, and make your shopping trip faster because you won’t be running from aisle to aisle and back again. Your credit card will also thank you too as you’ll be able to better stick to your weekly budget. Compare your receipts from week to week to figure out how much you’re spending and what you’re buying. Find areas where you might be able to cut back on the expensive items or replace the ice cream with a lower-calorie treat.

When you get home, unpack your groceries straight away, if they’re out of sight, they’ll be out of mind! You could however, also leave some of the ingredients on the bench, with the recipe page open. It’ll be a good reminder that if you wait a little longer, you’ll be rewarded with an amazing home cooked meal.

The more you can prepare and stick to your shopping plan, the more you’ll be able to resist temptation. And, when you allow yourself to enjoy a treat, that glass of bubbles will be all the more rewarding!

Eat BEFORE you write a grocery list and head to the shops

There’s also a nifty little trick for those who avoid the shops altogether and like to sort out their groceries online. Eat BEFORE you do your online shopping! (I wonder if it works the same way for clothes shopping?! Noooo don’t EAT your favourite shoes, just wear them as a ‘stop spending more money’ warning).

An article published by JAMA Internal Medicine details a study conducted with people who were hungry when shopping and those who were not.

Researchers told some of the participants (more than 70% were female) to avoid food for 5 hours before the experiment. They then gave another group of participants plain biscuits to eat until they were full before. Afterwards, all of the participants went shopping at a simulated online grocery store. The results? Researchers found that participants chose roughly the same number of items, but hungry participants bought more products that were higher in calories. (e.g. A big bag of chips instead of a bag of apples).

When participants were put into a real supermarket environment, the study revealed that those participants who shopped after lunch time were more likely to make better food choices. They put lower-calorie food in their trolley, compared to those who hit the shops while hungry, between 1pm and 4pm.

So there you have it, our top tips for writing a grocery list for successful weight loss. Try not to go shopping on a fast day, or if you can’t avoid it, go AFTER you’ve had a snack and the same goes for online shopping. Food deprivation means you’re more likely to make unhealthy food choices. You’ll pick up a pile of chocolate biscuits instead of fresh fruit and veg. Now, let’s test this theory out on those new shoes!