Nutrition plays a very important role in the amount of success we experience in our workout plans. One way to make sure your nutrition house is in order is to keep your fridge  and pantry stocked with plenty of healthy options. After all, if you only keep health food around, it’s harder to veer off track. Here are 4 tips for shopping healthy.

1. Avoid the Middle Aisles

This one might seem like a bit of a shocker….after all, you have to shop in the middle isles to pick up your canned soup, granola bars, and “Lean Cuisines”! However, most of what is found in the middle aisles is processed and preserved in some way. Not that you can’t ever purchase this type of food, but the goal should be to purchase food in it’s natural form and make it into the soup or granola bar to cut out those unhealthy additives.

2. Read the Labels

It’s so important to make educated decisions when shopping for groceries. Often food that we assume is healthy (likely because it is brilliantly marketed as such) is actually loaded with sugar, salt, or empty calories. For example, unless you study the label on that fruit juice you could actually end up with 2 liters of sugar water.

3. Stick to the List

Take some time to write out your grocery list before making the trek to the store. Plan out your meals for the week and buy the ingredients needed to make those meals. Add to the list healthy snack foods and beverages. If you have your meals planned out and you stick to the list, you won’t be tempted to take advantage of that 3 for $10 special on frozen pizzas. You already know your list dictates your meals for the week, eliminating the need for the emergency pizza night. Stick to the list and you won’t get hurt.

4. Never Shop Hungry

If you’ve ever tried to do the grocery shopping on an empty stomach, you know what I’m talking about. You want to buy everything in sight because it all looks so good! Try to make trips to the grocery store after you’ve eaten to avoid this nutrition blunder. You’ll be able to think clearly and make good choices.

Shopping for nutritious food is easier the more you do it. Each time you turn down that bag of “Doritos” the easier it becomes. Shop healthy to be healthy.