Let's start out by making small changes that fit into your life
Learning quick tips about cooking and
healthy eating is the best way to get started on the right track towards
health. Complex diet plans can be impossible to follow and most diets just
don’t work. Let’s keep it simple and start out by making small changes that fit
into your life. They will make huge differences in your weight and
1 | Eating Healthy/ Fat - Friend Or Foe?
OK folks, fat is fat, period. I know it’s confusing with all the cooking oils and fats on the market to know which one to choose and how much to use. Listen, a little bit of fat isn’t bad for you, it’s necessary for many of your bodily functions and it actually makes you feel full! But choose the right kind of fat. As a general guideline, most people should stay under 60-70 grams of unsaturated fat per day, depending on their weight, health issues, age and how active they are. If you can do with less fat, even better.
Generally, fats that are liquid at room
temperature are better, for example olive oil vs. shortening. However, no
matter what fat you use in the kitchen, get out the measuring spoons before you
start cooking. Just to give you an idea of how much fat is in cooking oils:
just one tablespoon of olive oil is 14 grams of fat.
Take five minutes to find out what you’re
getting in your favorite restaurant or fast food meal - it might be hard to
swallow once you see. With some fast food meals, you could be eating more fat
than you should have in an entire day. Over time, that will build up to extra
pounds on your body.
2 | Serve It Up Right
I always think of rice pudding when I talk
about serving sizes! Late one evening, my husband was digging into his favorite
store-bought tub of rice pudding. I cautioned him on the calories since I knew
he’d already had seconds at dinner. As he spooned the last bite from a huge tub
into his mouth, he shrugged and said, “What’s the problem? There’s only 130
calories and 3 grams of fat!” I lifted the empty container to his eye level and
pointed out that a serving size was only 1/2 cup and there were 6 servings. He
had actually consumed 780 calories and 18 grams of fat in just one
snack! If you’re not sure about the measurements when you’re cooking or
snacking, buy yourself a cup measure or guestimate with half a large coffee
cup. Read the package when cooking with high-fat products like cheese, some
dairy, and pre-packed meats, the serving sizes are smaller. If you want to
know the perfect portion, buy an inexpensive set of measuring cups or a scale
until you get the hang of it and then you’ll know at a glance. Most serving
sizes are a lot smaller than you think!
3 | Veg Out
Granny wasn’t kidding when she told me
that vegetables are the healthiest thing you can put in your body. Every meal
should be centered around fresh vegetables. They are packed with vitamins and
minerals that everyone needs, they have high levels of anti-oxidants, and
happen to be low in calories, fat, and sodium. Want to stay young, shed a few
pounds, or improve your skin tone and color? Eat vegetables!
4 | Lighten Up
You can make a huge difference with your
daily fat intake when you substitute full fat products in your fridge with the
lighter alternative. Sometimes you can actually cut your daily fat by 50% if
it’s something that you eat on a regular basis.
For example, I just love cheese and I eat
it almost every day. I got tired of my jeans pinching that extra inch on my
waist so I opted for part-skim mozzarella instead of the high fat cheddar I
used to snack on. Find out how to give your refrigerator and grocery shopping
list a healthy make-over.
5 |
Eating Healthy/ Don’t Count Calories!
If you are looking to lose weight, of course
you have to watch your fat intake - but calories still count, even though it
takes tons of time to count them. How can you limit calories without
counting? Sadly, I am not equipped with a limitless metabolism and I don’t
burn tons of extra calories just because I’m in better shape now compared to in
my twenties. It’s tough to eat out with my husband when he orders high calories
killers like hot dogs, scoops of ice cream, whipped mashed potatoes with heavy
cream, sausage, and pasta - all things I avoided in the past, but I have
learned to enjoy now.
How do I do it? When I eat out, I order up
a plate of my secret weapon, vegetables! I enjoy my super low calorie raw
veggies, salad, steamed broccoli with soy, whatever is green and good minus the
greasy sauces. I fill up on my veggies first and then indulge in a small scoop
of the bad stuff. When I eat at home, I already know that I’ve shopped smart
and opted for the healthier versions of all my favorites including chicken
dogs, turkey pepperoni, low-fat frozen yogurt - all items that are up to a
third of the calories and up to 70% lower in fat!
