Confession time…
I wish I had a chef, if you're with me, raise your hand!
You might have a list, but then you get to the store and boom,
You walk in, you see those big bright lights, and all of a sudden… your mind goes blank.
What were you here for again?
This is a great reminder of how the “magic” of a great shopping trip begins before you hit the store.
It may seem like a mindless chore, but grocery shopping is an important life skill.
It plays a HUGE role in your results, your health, AND your bank account!
That’s why I’ve put together a list of 9 Pro-Level Grocery Skills to help you make the most of your shopping trips.
9 Pro-Level Grocery Skills to Implement ASAP:
1. Plan first, then make your list
This one is obvious! Before you head to the store, scan your kitchen for what you have on hand. Make a meal plan for the week, using up any food that is about to expire. Then, make your grocery list, listing “like” items together for easier shopping. As easy as that sounds, there is a ton of room for error here.
I Just discovered the app MEALIME, and it's amazing. I scroll through and pick out the meals I want, let it create a grocery list based on the amount of servings I want for each meal, and then head to my online cart to fill the list. My kids have approved of all the meals so far, and it's free. I do feel like it's saving me money and my sanity, because making grocery lists off of recipes on pinterest is a pain in the butt! And you never come out with exactly what you need;)
2. Shop the perimeter – but make produce your last stop
Hit the frozen foods, dairy, and meat sections before you add the most fragile products to your chart – fresh fruits, veggies, and eggs.
3. Go seasonal + local
Choose fruits and veggies that are in season and are locally sourced – they usually are fresher and tastier. Plus, you’ll be supporting local farms.
4. Buy in bulk (but only if it makes sense)
For non-perishable items you buy a lot (like oatmeal or rice), buying in bulk can save you money. But if it’s something you don’t use often, it may expire before you have a chance to use it.
5. If your grocery store has an app, download it
Snag some great coupons based on your shopping history and store maps to help you find items. I absolutely love filling my online shopping cart in the days leading up to pick up day. The first time I had my groceries brought out to me without going into the store, I felt like it was Christmas morning. No Joke, online is definitely the way to go.
6. Try store brands & shop sales
Store brands are usually the same quality as name brands but less expensive. When it comes to sales, being flexible is the key – but like bulk items, don’t buy unless it’s something you’re going to use.
7. Read food labels
Most of the items in your cart may not have a label because real “whole” foods don’t need them. For the ones that do? Read your labels.
8. Unit pricing
Smart shoppers compare the unit price (e.g., per ounce or liter) of different items instead of the price per container. Sometimes those bigger boxes aren’t the deal they appear to be!
9. Know the staff
Get to know the store’s fishmonger, butcher, and produce manager. They can steer you to great deals on the freshest food or suggest new items to try.
🎁 And here’s a bonus tip: be flexible and prepared to “pivot” your meal plan (and grocery list) based on in-store deals or what the store has on the shelves.
Because… sometimes the store will surprise you with a sale on Bing cherries or wild-caught sockeye salmon… and you just HAVE to have it!
Committed to Your Health and Fitness,
Jo
Choosing Strength with Jo Curley
P.S. You’d be surprised at how the “little things” like changing how you grocery shop can add up to big results. In the choosing strength membership, we work on stacking these small changes week by week so you have the BEST chance of making them stick. Plus, we help you find a direction and stick to it so you can gain back your strength and energy in the quickest ways possible.
Want to see how it works? Check it out here!
When you wake up and can already tell you're going to have "one of those mornings" or you need a break already but aren't sure what to do. This is the perfect, quick 10 minute routine that gives your whole body a stretch and revival that just feels amazing! Talk about a reset to get on with the rest of the day...or do it at night before bed and let the day fade out.
Lots of front body stretching to open up a constricted chest and hips and get the flow, flowin' again:)
Check it out and while you're there, be sure to like and subscribe so you can get all the free content!
Are you Choosing Strength today?
How many times have you let your current conditions dictate what you do or don't do?
I hate to admit it, but I know for me personally, it's been way too often!!
I love to record, coach, and teach strength and fitness videos, yoga, healthy nutrition tips, and allllll the things. But I don't do it as often as I should. Yes, sometimes it's because I just feel overwhelmed and can't fit it in my day. Other times it's just because I know how I'll look on camera.
And yes, I know, love your body, be kind to yourself, do what you can....it's all the things I coach, but that doesn't make it easier.
I have put so much education and research into what's actually going on with my body, and I have been able to accomplish so much and make great strides, but it just doesn't make it easy to show up with confidence, when the outside of me, doesn't match the inside.
I am trying to trust that I'm on this particular journey for a reason, and there must be more I'm supposed to learn, before I see success where I want to see it:) But I also know that I am supposed to be on this journey, and when I hold myself back from doing what I feel like I'm supposed to be doing, I'm not only ignoring what I'm being called to do, but trying to do things my way instead of trusting that God has positioned me here, in his way and his timing for reasons that I don't understand and maybe never will.
I do know that this is what I love to do, I love to be strong, I love to be able to teach you how to get strong, get rid of painful areas and find joy in movement. I love to share in the love/hate relationship that some workouts bring. I love when my people tell me that my idea of fun isn't really "fun". lol I love when I get to see my people succeed and reach goals that they didn't even know they needed.
I love it all, and I've been hiding from it.
I don't know exactly why the weight won't go away yet, but I know I can be strong, and show up everyday so that you can be strong too. And I know I have a ton of education and experience that I can't wait to share with you!! Extra weight can't take that away from me.
So instead of waiting to record any more videos until the extra fluff is gone, I'm just going to go with it. The weight may or may not go anywhere, but I know that I will be strong, I will be doing what I'm supposed to be doing, and I can find joy in it. It's not ever going to be perfect or easy, but I'm guessing it doesn't feel that way for you either most days.
The newest series: Defined and Strong will be releasing this week into the membership. If you're ready, click the link and come along on the journey with us! Choose Strength today:)
So it's December 28th...I know you're trying not to think about resolutions, because let's face it, they don't work anyway right?
But I know you ARE thinking about it, because very few people I know are hitting their goals and feeling amazing when they wake up everyday!
So I've got a suggestion for you this year. Instead of focusing on one "bad thing" that you want to change (aka lose weight) how about focusing on all positive wellness actions and seeing what happens when your body is getting what it needs?
And the biggest thing you can do to enforce those positive wellness actions is to BE CONSISTENT!
Here are a few things you don't want to do this January:
*Try to find a new workout on you tube everyday... it's always random and half the time you finally get through the ads and get it started and then you hate it.
*Find the motivation to make changes on your own...this is HARD!!! You need a plan, not motivation.
*Jump around to the first thing someone tells you they do to see results...when you keep changing what you're doing you are starting all over again each time, instead of snowballing your results and keep progressing to see real change.
Here are a few things you SHOULD do this January:
*Get a goal and keep it, see it through for the long haul. Make that goal easy to fit into your life instead of making it be "one more thing" to add in.
*Find accountability! Set your goals with friends, get in a community with other like minded souls, have fun!
*Make it easy to incorporate! have all the workouts at your fingertips, so you don't waste time searching for the next thing, follow a proven program designed for strength, flexibility, functional movements, or pain.
*Stay consistent! When you put all three of the above into one action plan, it's so easy to stay consistent and that, my friends, is what drives results.
There are 11 different 7 day to 12 week programs inside the membership, including:
the 12 week transformation: a full 60 video workout progression that takes you from beginner to strong AF lifter
19 day yoga challenge: challenging but adaptable for beginners, short 15 minute yoga sessions for strength and flexibility
the your so lovely series: perfect for beginner movements, low impact combinations of cardio, gentle strength, yoga and pilates.
Steel Shoulders: a 7 week progressive program that teaches you how to use mobility, endurance, and then strength to banish your posture issues, shoulder pain, headaches, and neck tension.
6 part Health coaching series to give you all the tools you need to keep your journey simple, holistic, and finally get results!!
Keep it simple this year, don't go at it alone, pick a goal and see it through!
click the link to get in the membership today, because this is your year!
As I write this, the it's the day after Christmas, the kids are still tucked in sleeping, letting their bodies recover from the hustle and bustle of a fantastic holiday! Because let's face it, no matter how much you slow down and enjoy the moments, there is A LOT going on!
I wouldn't trade it for anything.
the laughing,
the games,
the food,
the family
the memories
So let's remember, and give a shout out, to who is responsible for making all that happen for you, your partner, your kids, your extended family? You are! (and hopefully you've learned by now to handle it all in a good way, and not an over compulsive, perfectionist, negative exhaustion kind of way, and get help from a partner when you can, which always makes it MORE fun) Because it does matter, and it's worth it to see everyone at their happiest.
So let me ask you this, why are we able to give that happiness to those around us, and give allllllllll that effort every year, or maybe even every day if you've got kiddos running around, to those we love????
Because we love them, they are important, they are WORTH IT!! It's so fun to sit back and watch the happiness explode, the joy, the excitement, the love everyone feels. There's no stress in those moments, just the one connected thought of this is who we are, and this is what we do.
Wouldn't it be nice to wake up everyday, and get ready and feel that same contentment, peace, happiness, and energy? Wouldn't it be nice to give yourself that same energy and effort that you are able to give the ones you love? Wouldn't it feel good to feel good again?
What ever you do, in this time of year end reflection and new year planning I just want to encourage you to approach it different this year. It's not about the scale, the clothing size, or the food restrictions...It needs to be about how much you love yourself, and how much more love you can give to those who are special to you, because you feel amazing.
Remember, you don't have to do it alone, join the membership today and follow along with me everyday, as you crush your strength goals, fix your posture, increase your mobility, decrease your stress...and get that Christmas morning feeling every day!
Click this link to see what's all included in your membership and to get signed up today
or click this one for a free trial of 5 workout videos AND get a 6 part health coaching series on how to optimize your health in 6 easy steps!
