Nutrition / Diet / Food related
Written By Ashley Quarles

My Grocery List

First, you should know this is an example list, it’s not a requirement or suggestion. This is just what I like to eat 90% of the time when I’m actively monitoring my weight. I enjoy high volume, low calorie options with tons of micronutrient dense, healthy foods to keep a well-rounded diet!! And of course I indulge in a sweet treat or two.

I’m a very flexible dieter typically, but this lately I’ve been on a more strict ~1,500 - 1,700 calorie range. So my meals will be very high volume, lots of eggs, protein and veggies. I’m very happy to share my meals, my daily intake and this grocery list, but again - this is just an example of what I like to do. There are no requirements, suggestions or expectations for your own personal diet whatsoever.

Protein

Hitting Protein:

  • Chicken breast –pre marinated chicken breast that are low in fat and carbs, taste great and can save you cooking time.

  • Ground Turkey / Diced Turkey - Makes great turkey burgers and is a nice change if you’e eating chicken all the time.

  • Fish! (Tuna, Salmon, Sea Bass, canned sardines)

  • Pork Loin

  • Lean beef

  • Bacon/ Turkey bacon

  • Egg whites – ideal protein source, no fat or carbs. Mix it in with veggies for a high volume meal.

  • Tofu/Tempeh

  • Eggs – have a good amount of fat, but in moderation taste great and give a great amount of protein! Try mixing 1 egg with several egg whites to add in more volume and get even more protein in.

  • Whey or Casein Protein Powder- I love Womens Best, Alani Nu, BEAM and the MyProtein protein powders. Good taste with great macros.

  • Yogurt – almost all yogurt is pretty high in protein! Try to find a low fat, lower carb one. I use Fage Greek Yogurt for sweet dishes or breakfast, and Tzatziki (cucumber yogurt) on my protein and veggies.

  • Cheese – That’s right! Cheese is an excellent form of protein. Adding it to your egg whites will deliver a hugely protein packed meal! I love cheese but I always have to keep an eye on my fat intake…its always rising more than I’d like it too… lol.

  • Cottage Cheese – Great protein source. Easy to add to waffles, pancakes, (makes them fluffy and moist), or to toast and as a pasta base. If you saw my cottage cheese video, then you already know :)

  • Beans/Lentils/Green Peas/Chickpeas/Edamame/Hemp/Chia Seeds, Sprouted Grain Bread, and Quinoa – all of these are going to be high in carbs but you’ll get a good amount of protein also!! Good vegetarian sources and good sources of fiber.

  • Nut butters/Nuts –High, HIGH in fat—but you’ll get many grams of protein also. Try these if you’re trying to hit a little bit of every macro.

Carbs

Carbohydrate Sources:

  • Strawberries – these are the best fruit for getting more volume for per gram ofcarb. You get a lot for a very small amount of carbs! And they’re delicious.

  • Blueberries / Raspberries/Blackberries – high in antioxidants and also prettycarb friendly.

  • Bananas – carb DENSE! You don’t get as much for your carbs, but they have tons of positive vitamins and are great if you have a lot of carbs left over and are trying to hit them! Great pre-workout meal also.

  • Leafy Greens – Spinach, Kale, Cabbage, Collards, Turnip Greens,

  • Broccoli—all great micronutrient sources and you can pretty much just eat tons of it for virtually very, very little macros!! I’ve been eating a serving of broccoli at least once a day.

  • Asparagus, Bell Peppers, Onions, Garlic, Tomatoes, Zucchini- All great low carb veggie sources that add flavor and volume to meals!

  • Potatoes (White, Red, Sweet, Yellow)

  • Oatmeal/Oats

  • Rice Cakes

  • Pita breads/Tortillas

  • Rice – White rice is very easy and quick to digest on your body and tastes great, brown rice will help you hit your fiber and is a little more filling

  • Pasta – Whole wheat pasta is a great source of carbs, and great for hitting high carb demands if you have a lot of carbs to handle!

  • Fruit/Veggie Juices –These are almost always PURELY carbs, so easy to drink and get some micronutrients and hit your carb targets.

  • Skinny Cow Sandwiches/ Halo Top/ Ben & Jerry’s Froyo (green lid) – These are high in carbs!! But so yummy and will help curve cravings when you’re on your time of the month or just have chocolate/sweet cravings in general. Feel free to enjoy in moderation! Be sure to measure it out when eating it though… or you might end up eating more than you planned.

  • Candy Kitten Vegan Gummies/ Sour Patch Kids/Other sour candies – These are only carbs, sugary carbs, but carbs nonetheless-great for pre/intra workout energy or curing a craving. Enjoy in moderation.

  • Cereal/ Granola – Take your pick!! Most cereals are quite low in fat and protein. I’d look for one that has the lowest carbs, and less sugar, but most grams of weight per serving, that way you get more volume.

Fats

Fat Sources:

  • Coconut Oil/Olive Oil/Butter—easy to add to meals, carbs and protein if you’re trying to hit your fat!

  • Avocado

  • Hummus

  • Whipped Feta Dip

  • Nuts/nut Butters—heavy on other macros too so watch out

  • Flaxseed/Flaxseed Oil – great for digestion

  • Cream –For your coffee, for cooking, high in fat

  • Chocolate – high in other macros also but yum

  • Coconut – top things with shredded coconut

  • Cheese – full fat versions are good for hitting fats, proteins, and a bit of carbs also

Ashley Quarles
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