How many times have you gone to the grocery store and been overwhelmed with all the health claims on product labels? Natural, low-calorie, and low-fat are all terms that I like to call red flags. When you see these words, you may automatically think you're looking at healthy food. But, be careful! 

● Natural doesn't necessarily mean that the product is healthy. As it relates to food products, the definition of the term is a bit murky. 

● Low-calorie versions of products don't always equal healthy choices. For example, the calories on one brand's low-calorie version may be the same as another brand's original version. Also, low-calorie versions may be full of artificial, harmful ingredients. 

● Low-fat can mean less fat but more sugar. So, read your nutrition labels carefully and look at the complete list of ingredients when making food choices. 

Here are four simple tips for selecting healthy food that will fuel your body and mind well:

1. Stick to whole, unprocessed, single-ingredient foods as much as possible.

2. Stick to the outer aisles of the grocery store (and the frozen section, in some cases).⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

3. When looking at ingredient lists, try choosing products that have whole foods (such as fruits or vegetables) listed as the first ingredients.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ 

4. In general, try to avoid products with ingredient lists that are longer than two to three lines; when you see this, it usually means that the products are highly processed and full of junk! Knowing how to interpret red flag words on food labels and quickly evaluate ingredient lists is key to reaching your health and wellness goals! 

*Nothing in the preceding article should be construed as medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider for individual recommendations.*

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Coach Beth Thomas discusses how you can shop smarter and better to meet your nutrition goals

Four Tips for a Healthy Grocery Cart

As a busy pharmacist with limited time and energy, here is what you need to know: When it
comes to weight loss, the power of food is much greater than the power of exercise. Thus, your
efforts need to be primarily focused on getting consistent with food choices that support your
weight loss goals and fit your lifestyle.

Exercise has many health benefits, but its ability to help you shed pounds is minimal, at best. In
fact, sometimes, you may get hungrier and eat more when you’re exercising excessively on your
weight loss journey. Depending on the quality and quantity of that extra food, you may end up
gaining weight (body fat), instead of losing it!

So, here are five things that you can do to start permanently transforming your weight without
stepping foot in the gym:

1. Check your records.
Do you know what you’re eating and drinking each day? Since nutrition is the biggest factor for weight loss, you’ve got to know what you’re consuming to figure out what’s working and what’s not working so you can get the results that you want. Trying to make decisions without data is a recipe for frustration! Keeping a food diary in an app, snapping pictures of your meals, and logging your meals in a voice note on your phone are just a few of the ways that you can keep a record of what you’re eating and drinking. It doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Takeaway: If you’re not currently doing this, commit to keeping a food log of what you eat and drink for at least one day this week. You can gradually increase the number of days you log each week.
2. Check your water intake.
How many ounces are you getting per day? Your recommended water target can vary; check with your personal healthcare provider for individual recommendations. Staying sufficiently hydrated each day may help you feel fuller longer and promote regular bowel movements. Takeaway: If you’re not drinking enough water, start gradually increasing your intake. Set a goal of increasing your water intake 8 ounces at a time, until you’re consistently hitting your recommended target. Every extra ounce of water is a win!
3. Check the quality of your food.
How many servings of fruits and vegetables are you eating every day? I tell my clients to aim for a fruit or vegetable (filler) with every meal or snack that they eat, even if they’re eating pizza or some other less-than-ideal choice. Many fruits and vegetables have high fiber and water content, along with brain-healthy nutrients. This means that focusing on fillers may promote feelings of fullness, regular bowel movements, and positive mental health. Takeaway: If you’re not including a filler (fruit or vegetable) in every meal, start working on that today. Set a goal of including one filler in at least one meal every day for the next week, and then gradually build up your filler intake, week by week.
4. Check the quantity of your food.
Do you know how much food that you’re eating every day? Even if you’re eating what you consider to be the “right” foods, portion size can affect your weight loss results. My clients all “track” their portion sizes in some way, either with my special BMT Portion Control Method (that just involves using your hand) or with kitchen tools like a measuring cup or food scale. We use that information about the amounts they’re eating to help them make tweaks so they can keep seeing results. Takeaway: If you’re not “tracking” your portions in some way, start today. Commit to recording the amount of food and drink you consume for every meal and snack for at least one day this week.
5. Check your mindset.
What words are you telling yourself on your weight loss journey? Your words and thoughts are just as important as what you eat and drink. Continued criticism of yourself will do nothing but hinder you! Recognize that consistency is not perfection. Being consistent means doing at least one thing every day, no matter how “small” it may seem, to move yourself forward. Takeaway: Start working on shifting your mindset to look for a win to celebrate each day, even if it seems minor or insignificant.

*Nothing in the preceding article should be construed as medical advice. Always consult your personal healthcare provider for individual recommendations.



Dr. Beth Thomas talks about the five weight loss tips that have nothing to do with exercise

Five Weight Loss Tips that have Nothing to do with Exercise

To say that being a pharmacist can be stressful is an understatement, especially in these current times. Anxiety is common and can take a toll on our bodies and minds.

Unfortunately, with all these challenges, staying consistent with healthy eating, as well as attaining and maintaining a healthy weight, can seem impossible. The good news is that fixing your food choices to manage your weight well and promote positive mental health does not have to be complicated or overwhelming.

By beginning to pay attention to one simple thing, you can turn the corner to improve your mental, physical, and emotional health. Start focusing on the connection between what you’re eating and how you feel after you eat it.

This sounds simple, but it is so powerful!

Instead of thinking “I’m so tired of eating this healthy food, and I just want to treat myself. I just want to eat regular or normal food. I just want to enjoy myself and not obsess about what I’m eating,” try thinking about how you feel when you eat those regular or normal not-so-healthy options or splurges.

Be honest with yourself in answering these questions:

How does my stomach feel after I eat that pizza, hamburger, ice cream, etc?

Am I energized or sluggish after eating this stuff?

Am I more or less stressed after I eat this?

Does it seem easier or harder to work after I eat this?

Usually, when people really pause to answer those questions, they realize that the food they consider regular or normal causes them to feel anything but regular or normal. The truth is that what you eat and drink directly affects how you work, think, feel, and interact with others. Nourishing your body with food that helps you function well can mean that you are able to cope better with the daily stressors that you face as a pharmacist.

Remember that you don’t have to be perfect to make progress, but you do have to start somewhere. Making even one healthier choice is a win to be celebrated! Below are four practical tweaks that busy pharmacists can try for better self-care through nutrition:

1. Replace a snack full of refined sugars, like a candy bar, with fruit (nature’s candy). Refined sugars can contribute to inflammation and negatively impact your mind and mood.

2. Replace a sugary drink, like a can of soda, with water.

3. Add at least one fiber-rich vegetable like broccoli or spinach to your plate, and eat the vegetable first before any other food. Fiber helps stabilize your blood sugar (which creates more stable moods) and promotes regular bowel movements.

4. When you're feeling the urge to eat junk food because stress levels are high, pause for a few minutes before reaching for chips or candy. While you're pausing, phone a friend or family member and talk to them. If you can't do that, find some space to take a quick breather and then pray, scream, cry, or whatever you need to do to express how you're feeling at that time. You may be surprised at how much better you feel after doing this!

Implementing these tips can result in positive changes in your physical, mental, and emotional state!

Coach Beth Thomas talks about how busy pharmacists can manage their diet through self care 

Self-Care Through Food: Four Simple Tweaks for Busy Pharmacists

As a nutritionist and weight loss expert, I often get the following questions at this time of

● What’s the best diet for weight loss?

● What do I need to eat for weight loss?

Here’s a pro tip from a nutritionist and weight loss expert: Start with the nutrition foundation first and then work on fine-tuning other things, based on your specific situation and any complicating issues.

Generally speaking, there are certain principles that will always hold true for weight loss,

● Water intake matters, and water is going to be a better beverage choice than

● The quality of your food matters, and whole foods as close to nature as possible

are going to be better choices than products with multiple artificial ingredients.

Filling your plate with premium fuel for your brain and body is key for dropping

● The quantity of food you eat is important. Listening to your body and being mindful of portion sizes and not overstuffing yourself to the point of discomfort or sickness are essential.

● Sodium intake can affect your waistline, and high-sodium foods full of processed

junk are not great choices for weight loss.

Unfortunately, most people don’t have the 4 basic nutrition game changers nailed down.

In trying to do “all the things”, making yourself stick to a workout routine, or trying to

figure out if keto or intermittent fasting is better, there are often some foundational things

Missing the foundational principles will most certainly hold you back from achieving

permanent weight loss transformation, meaning you may initially lose weight, but the chances of you keeping it off forever are slim.

My recommendation is to get a solid grasp on the 4 nutrition game changers before trying to do anything else.

Practicing consistent eating habits over time is what leads to permanent weight loss transformation.

You can have the weight loss surgery, and without nailing down the nutrition habits, you can regain the weight (plus more).

You can exercise every day, but without putting the nutrition habits in place, you will not get the lasting results that you want.

So, how do you begin tackling those nutrition game changers?

ONE at a time! This does not have to be overwhelming.

You can start with ONE simple step and celebrate a WIN this week!

Pick one area (water intake, quality of food, quantity of food, or sodium intake) and commit to ONE action you can take in that area to help your weight loss journey.

Water intake (which is where I like to start with my clients)- This week, I commit to replacing one soda with an 8 oz. glass of water each day.

Quality of food- This week, I commit to eating at least one vegetable per day.

Quantity of food- This week, I commit to taking a 10 to 15 minute pause to check in with

myself before I eat a second helping at dinner each night.

Sodium intake- This week, I commit to checking the sodium content on the food label for at least one of my favorite snacks.

Dr. Beth would love to connect with you on Instagram @bmtcoaching or via email at info@bmtcoaching.com! Send her a DM on Instagram with the word PHARMACIST to introduce yourself and share your biggest takeaways from this blog post.

Coach Beth Thomas discusses her best nutritional advice and tips for permanent weight loss transformation

Beth Thomas

Articles from author

Four Tips for a Healthy Grocery Cart

Five Weight Loss Tips that have Nothing to do with Exercise

Self-Care Through Food: Four Simple Tweaks for Busy Pharmacists

The Four Game Changers You Need to Know for Permanent Weight Loss Transformation