Stocking Your Pantry for Success

I know, I know. It's been awhile. Yet, I realized that I have some valuable lessons I am learning in this new "full-time" job, which includes being able to juggle better than ever before. But, I also have been learning how to teach people some great tricks to being healthy, being a military health educator and all.

One of the easiest things you can do to set yourself up for healthy success is to stock your pantry with the right things that make eating healthy easier.

Here are a few things that I cannot live without.

Olive oil. I cook pretty much everything in olive oil. It serves as a "healthy" fat and tastes fabulous. Not sure how to use it? Check out this link to see a list of great suggestion. There is nothing better than a raw or slightly steamed veggie salad drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Eggs. Whether you believe the hype or not, eggs are a great food to keep in the fridge. An egg a day keeps the doctor away? Endorsed by Dr. Oz, perhaps this on again, off again "good" food is here to stay. I like them because they taste good, have enough protein and fat to satisfy hunger, and are super easy to cook. You can also cook them a variety of ways, so you can switch things up (hard boiled and added to tuna salad, scrambled, or fried). This one gets bonus points for boosting high levels of choline, which is good for your brain.

Oatmeal. Aside from the heart health aspects of this nutritional powerhouse, you can use it as a vehicle for either sweet or savory. Add some cheese, nuts, raisins, a dash of cinnamon, a squeeze of honey or a spoon of peanut butter to boost flavor and add nutrients.

Chocolate milk. The true "recovery" drink. My brother has long been a proponent of this perfect, after work-out treat. Boasting the perfect ration for muscle recovery (4:1 carbs:protein). The sugar from the milk and the chocolate does something special, too. It adds the important insulin spike that promotes faster muscle recovery and growth. So, go ahead. Be a kid again and gulp down a icy, cold glass of chocolate milk after your next workout.

Anna Marie