BIG List of Foods That Move the Needle On Your Goals

With the holidays upon us, what is one simple way to eat healthfully despite all the treats, cakes, and pies around?

What if you made your go-to foods a little healthier over time, would that work?

For instance...

- Instead of a banana for breakfast...go with banana overnight oats

-Instead of a turkey wrap for lunch...go with turkey breast and veggies

-The goal is to make these go-to foods higher in protein, lower in calories, and more filling overall

Seems simple doesn't it?

Prioritizing foods that build muscle and boost your metabolism all while being low in calories and high in nutrients.

Needle Moving Foods.

Whatever your goal is, whether weight loss, muscle building, performance, these foods will move the needle forward on those.

You could also call them High Performance Foods.

Going back to the question at the start, you don't need to fully cut out the holiday treats, cakes, and pies; that's part of what this time of year is about.

Just eat more of these needle moving foods more often, and you can maintain your energy and a body you like, while still enjoying treats here and there.

Needle Moving Proteins

List of 30 proteins from highest protein to least protein. Per 200 calories you can see how many grams of protein each yields.

Protein: Grams Per 200 Calories

1. Chicken Breast: 44 grams of protein per 200 calories
2. Tuna: 44 grams
3. Egg Whites: 44 grams
4. Turkey Breast: 40 grams
5. Shrimp: 40 grams
6. Cod: 40 grams
7. Whey Protein: 40 grams
8. Lean Beef: 36 grams
9. Pork Loin: 34 grams
10. Non-Fat Greek Yogurt: 30 grams
11. Cottage Cheese: 28 grams
12. Low-Fat Cottage Cheese: 24 grams
13. Greek Yogurt: 20 grams
14. Tofu: 20 grams
15. Tempeh: 18 grams
16. Edamame: 16 grams
17. Lentils: 16 grams
18. Chickpeas: 14 grams
19. Black Beans: 14 grams
20. Soy Milk: 12 grams
21. Eggs: 12 grams
22. Mozzarella Cheese: 12 grams
23. Cheddar Cheese: 12 grams
24. Peas: 12 grams
25. Milk: 10 grams
26. Almonds: 8 grams
27. Peanut Butter: 8 grams
28. Quinoa: 8 grams
29. Whole Wheat Bread: 8 grams
30. Sunflower Seeds: 6 grams

Needle Moving Vegetables

List of 30 vegetables from least energy-dense to most energy-dense. Per 300 grams you can see how many calories each yields.

Vegetables: Calories Per 300 Grams

1. Cucumber: 45 calories per 300 grams
2. Lettuce: 45 calories
3. Celery: 45 calories
4. Radishes: 48 calories
5. Zucchini: 51 calories
6. Tomatoes: 54 calories
7. Asparagus: 60 calories
8. Mushrooms: 66 calories
9. Bell Peppers: 69 calories
10. Pumpkin: 69 calories
11. Spinach: 69 calories
12. Eggplant: 75 calories
13. Cabbage: 75 calories
14. Cauliflower: 75 calories
15. Green Beans: 93 calories
16. Fennel: 93 calories
17. Broccoli: 93 calories
18. Carrots: 123 calories
19. Brussels Sprouts: 126 calories
20. Beets: 129 calories
21. Onions: 132 calories
22. Kale: 147 calories
23. Leek: 180 calories
24. Artichoke: 192 calories
25. White Potato: 231 calories
26. Peas: 252 calories
27. Sweet Potato: 258 calories
28. Butternut Squash: 294 calories
29. Corn: 297 calories
30. Parsnips: 300 calories

Needle Moving Fruits

List of 30 fruits from least energy-dense to most energy-dense. Per 200 grams you can see how many calories each yields.

Fruits: Calories Per 200 Grams

1. Watermelon: 60 calories
2. Strawberries: 64 calories
3. Cantaloupe: 68 calories
4. Peach: 78 calories
5. Papaya: 86 calories
6. Plums: 92 calories
7. Oranges: 94 calories
8. Pineapple: 100 calories
9. Raspberries: 104 calories
10. Apples: 104 calories
11. Blueberries: 114 calories
12. Pears: 114 calories
13. Mango: 120 calories
14. Kiwi: 122 calories
15. Cherries: 126 calories
16. Grapes: 138 calories
17. Figs: 148 calories
18. Pomegranate: 166 calories
19. Bananas: 178 calories
20. Avocado: 320 calories

Needle Moving Starches

List of 15 starches from least energy-dense to most energy-dense. Per 200 grams you can see how many calories each yields.

Starches: Calories Per 200 Grams

1. Zucchini noodles: 40 calories
2. Spaghetti squash: 62 calories
3. Acorn squash: 80 calories
4. Butternut squash: 90 calories
5. Oatmeal: 142 calories
6. White potato: 154 calories
7. Sweet potato: 172 calories
8. Brown rice: 222 calories
9. Couscous: 224 calories
10. Quinoa: 240 calories
11. Whole wheat pasta: 248 calories
12. White rice: 260 calories
13. Regular pasta: 262 calories
14. Whole wheat bread: 494 calories
15. White bread: 532 calories

Upgrade Your Go-To Foods

Based on these lists and which foods to prioritize based on hierarchy, we can create our go-to foods list.

These go-to foods will be what you will eat 80% of the time each week.

So that leaves 20%, these will be the holiday treats, cakes, and pies that you can indulge in and go off plan.

To start with, take the top 5-10 from each list and create your go-to food list and use these to make your meals from on a weekly basis.

Proteins

Per 200 calories you can see how many grams of protein each yields.

1. Chicken Breast: 44 grams
2. Tuna: 44 grams
3. Egg Whites: 44 grams
4. Turkey Breast: 40 grams
5. Shrimp: 40 grams
6. Whey Protein: 40 grams
7. Lean Beef: 36 grams
8. Pork Loin: 34 grams
9. Non-Fat Greek Yogurt: 30 grams
10. Low-Fat Cottage Cheese: 24 grams

Vegetables

Per 300 grams you can see how many calories each one yields. The higher up the list you go, the fewer calories you will eat.

1. Cucumber: 45 calories
2. Lettuce: 45 calories
3. Celery: 45 calories
4. Radishes: 48 calories
5. Zucchini: 51 calories
6. Tomatoes: 54 calories
7. Asparagus: 60 calories
8. Mushrooms: 66 calories
9. Bell Peppers: 69 calories
10. Canned Pumpkin: 69 calories

Fruits

Per 200 grams you can see how many calories each one yields. The higher up the list you go, the fewer calories you will eat.

Starches

Per 200 grams you can see how many calories each one yields. The higher up the list you go, the fewer calories you will eat.

1. Zucchini noodles: 40 calories
2. Spaghetti squash: 62 calories
3. Butternut squash: 90 calories
4. Oatmeal: 142 calories
5. White potato: 154 calories

I’ll be back Wednesday with how to make simple, 5 ingredient meals quickly.

These simple plates of food are going to fill you up without giving you a ton of calories.

Lots of food, high nutrient density, tons of protein, and not the excess energy you don’t need.

Now go take action!!

Fat loss made simple,

Tyron