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…Low Calorie Alcoholic Drinks…

As the warmer months are quickly approaching, this is the perfect time of year to meet up with new and old pals and grab some drinks. Making good food decisions during these times are very important and one way to help out your festive food/drink  decisions is to make your favorite  cocktails but in a  healthier way! Let’s be honest…everyone will want to enjoy a few treats throughout their weight loss journey to just relax and let loose.  But there is a way to still enjoy a few of your favorite drink and still stay on track with your healthy eating!

Thanks to Fitness Magazine here are some great low cal drink recipes

Pomegranate Martinis

Flavored martinis have gone the way of the pom’. Pomegranate syrup can be found in the coffee or baking aisle of well-stocked supermarkets.

Start to Finish: 10 minutes
Makes: 8 servings

1/2 of a medium orange, cut into wedges
Sugar
1 1/2 cups vodka or gin
1/3 cup pomegranate syrup (grenadine)
3 tablespoons dry vermouth
Ice cubes
Small pomegranates (optional)

1. Rub orange wedges around rims of 8 martini glasses. Invert glasses into a dish of sugar to coat rims; set glasses aside. In a small pitcher, combine the vodka, pomegranate syrup, and vermouth. Place ice cubes in a martini shaker. For each drink, add 1/4 cup of the syrup mixture; shake. Strain into one of the prepared martini glasses. Garnish with a small pomegranate, if desired.

Nutrition Information per serving: 146 calories, 0g protein, 11g carbohydrate, 0g fat (0g saturated), 0g fiber

Orange Martinis: Prepare as above, except use 3 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed, in place of the syrup. Omit garnish.

Apple Martinis: Prepare as above except use 1/3 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed, in place of the syrup. Garnish with fresh orange peel curls.

 

Tangy Citrus Lemonade

Prep: 25 minutes
Chill: 2 hours
Makes: 10 servings

6 large lemons (1 1/2 cups juice)
3 medium limes (1/3 cup juice)
3/4 to 1 cup honey
6 cups water
2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
Ice cubes
Lemon and/or lime slices (optional)

1. In a 2-1/2-quart pitcher, combine lemon juice, lime juice, and 3/4 to 1 cup honey. Add water and raspberries. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

2. Just before serving, gently stir to combine. Pour into ice-filled glasses. Add lemon and/or lime slices, if desired.

Nutrition Information per serving: 101 calories, 1g protein, 28g carbohydrate, 0g fat (0g saturated), 2g fiber

Lemonade Tea: Add equal parts freshly brewed iced tea and Tangy Citrus Lemonade to ice-filled glasses. Sweeten to taste with additional honey, if desired.

 

Frozen Lime Margaritas

Start to Finish: 10 minutes
Makes: 10 servings

12-ounce can frozen limeade concentrate
2/3 cup tequila
1/2 cup light orange juice or orange liqueur
4 cups ice cubes
1/2 of a medium lime
Coarse salt
Orange slices (optional)

1. In a blender container combine limeade concentrate, tequila, and orange juice. Cover and blend until combined. With blender running, add ice cubes, one at a time, through opening in lid, blending until mixture becomes slushy.

2. Cut a thick lime slice; cut slice in half. Rub slices around rims of eight glasses. Dip rims into a dish of coarse salt to coat rims. Pour mixture into prepared glasses. Garnish glasses with orange slices, if desired.

Nutrition Information per serving: 122 calories, 0g protein, 22g carbohydrate, 0g fat (0g saturated), 0g fiber

Strawberry Margaritas: Prepare as above, except blend half of the mixture at a time adding 1 cup frozen unsweetened whole strawberries along with 2 cups of the ice cubes. Repeat with remaining mixture, 1 cup additional frozen strawberries, and remaining 2 cups ice cubes. Continue as directed, substituting coarse sugar for the salt on the glasses. If desired, garnish each glass with a whole strawberry.

Make-ahead directions: Prepare as above through Step 1. Pour into a 1-1/2-quart freezer container. Cover and freeze overnight. To serve, use a large spoon to scrape across frozen surface and pile into salt-rimmed glasses.

 

White Wine Spritzer:
Try diluting your drink with club soda or sparkling water.  This in the end means that you get more glasses for fewer calories.  These are about 100 calories per serving. Dry wines are better because they usually contain fewer calories.

 

Vodka Cranberry:
It has about 65 calories, but the cranberry juice also helps to flush the alcohol you consume out of your system. Try to request the light cranberry juice for the lower calories. For an extra zesty flavor (without adding calories) squeeze a lime wedge in your drink.

 

Vodka and Diet Red Bull:
Request to have it made with the sugar-free Red Bull. It’s only about 75 calories.

 

Here are some more mixers that you can choose at the bar that carry small calorie content (Thanks to WebMB):

  • Diet soda or diet tonic: 0 calories
  • Orange juice (6 oz): 84 calories
  • Cranberry juice cocktail (8 oz): 136 calories
  • Light orange juice (8 oz): 50 calories
  • Light cranberry juice (8 oz): 40 calories
  • Light lemonade (8 oz): 5 calories
  • Coffee, tea: 0 calories
  • Lemon or lime juice (1/2 oz): 10 calories

Consider mixing up a pitcher of your favorite crystal light  drink and use that to mix in with your hard alcohol!  This option adds zero extra calories, taste great, and will keep you from racking up the extra calories and sugar for the day.

So feel free to treat yourself EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE to a nice cocktail with your friends or just at home after a long day.  The key is to be smart and to enjoy these things in moderation!

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…MORE Healthy Snacks Part 4…

Tired of trying the same quick snacks that you have gotten accustomed to eating? Well no worries! There is a WIDE variety of snacks that you can try that are not expensive, quick to grab, and yummy that will satisfy your cravings until your next meal!

These are some good snacks that you can keep in your purse, desk, or lunchbox that you can snack on to help keep you on track with your healthy eating habits.

1. Watermelon (serving size is about 1 cup cut into cubes or balls that can be created by scooping out with an ice cream scoop)

2. Cubed Apples and Cubed Cheese (suggested serving size is 1 cup)

3. Craisins (suggested serving size 1 cup. Also great to have on a salad or in yogurt!)

4. Goldfish Crackers (suggested serving size about 55 pieces)

5. Roasted Asparagus (you can also try four spears spritzed with olive-oil spray and topped with 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, baked for 10 minutes at 400°)

6. Turkey Roll-Ups (Four slices smoked turkey rolled up and dipped in 2 teaspoons honey mustard you can also add low fat swiss cheese to add a little more taste)

7. Strawberry Salad (1 cup raw spinach with ½ cup sliced strawberries and 1 tablespoon balsamic dressing)

8. Oatmeal (try to stay away from the flavored oatmeal those add a lot of sugar. you can get plain oatmeal and add brown sugar or honey to add some flavor.  you can even add fruit or yogurt!)

9. Banana Smoothie (½ cup sliced banana, ¼ cup nonfat vanilla yogurt, and a handful of ice blended until smooth)

10. Lime Sherbet (1/2 cup suggested serving size ) with sliced kiwi or any other fruit

11. Apple Chips (dehydrated apples! My favorite are Fiji apples or honey crisp because those retain the best flavor and sweetness)

12. Black Beans (mix 1/4 cup black beans with 1 tablespoon salsa and 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt for an added twist! Can eat this plan or on ONE piece of whole wheat bread)

13. Lettuce wrap (try two slices honey-baked ham with 2 teaspoons honey mustard rolled in a lettuce leaf)

14. Pecans (try five pecans roasted with 2 teaspoons maple syrup and 1 teaspoon cinnamon this could also go great on a salad!)

15. Chocolate Covered Strawberries (dip 5 strawberries in 2 squares of dark chocolate)

16. Honeyed Yogurt (½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt with a dash of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon honey)

17. Tropical Juice Smoothie (¼ cup pineapple juice, orange juice, and apple juice, blended with ice)

18. Turkey and cheese wrap made with a whole wheat tortilla (Add mustard for flavor and don’t be afraid to add lettuce and other veggies)

19. Fruit and Cheese Kabobs ( You can alternate chunks of fresh fruit and cheese cubes and thread them on a bamboo skewer for a fun and healthy snack)

20. A couple of hard-boiled eggs with carrot, celery sticks, and hummus (roasted red pepper hummus of a low-fat cream cheese or peanut butter)

You can also check out past post for more snack options:

http://infinitelifefitness.com/2011/11/02/healthy-foods-that-are-unhealthy-part-1/

http://infinitelifefitness.com/2012/01/17/more-healthy-snack-ideas/

http://infinitelifefitness.com/2012/02/02/more-healthy-snacks-part-3/

So there should be No excuse as to why you can not snack on HEALTHY things during the day as opposed to a bag of chips of your favorite candy bar.  Those are good to have every once in a while BUT if you want to reach your health and fitness goals you have to dedicate yourself to eating things that are beneficial to your body.

Any day is a great day to start obtaining your own health and fitness goals!!

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…MORE Healthy Snacks Part 3…

Its about to be the start of a new month and some of you may have plans to do some grocery shopping. When you look at your grocery list do you ever wonder what are some healthier snack options that you can pick up at the store to help start to eat healthier? Well you are in luck because today’s post will have MORE healthy, QUICK, and AFFORDABLE options that you can pick up on your next trip to the store.

Having low calorie healthy snacks during your day will help you to lower the calorie intake you have for that day.  The ultimate goal is to manage how many calories you are eating so that you can balance that with a great workout.  The key to shedding those extra pounds is to eat things that will be beneficial to your body, fill you up until your next meal, and knowing the right portion sizes so that you are not overeating and consuming extra calories.  If you do these things plus incorporate a great calorie burning workout several times a week you should be bikini ready just in time for the summer!

Don’t forget, you would like to make your snacks about 300 calories.  You don’t want to use most of your calorie intake on your snacks! A snack is suppose to be a filler to help you in between meals when you feel that you are hungry.

Here are some more great healthy snack ideas that are easy, quick, and not expensive! Thanks to SixSistersStuff.com for sharing some of these amazing ideas of snacks that you can grab on the go!

1. 1 cup of Cherry Tomatoes (can mix these with one serving size of crackers to make a great filling afternoon snack!)

2.  Small Green Salad with light dressing (suggested serving size is about a handful of lettuce. Try a light vinaigrette dressing.  Try to stay away from the creamy thick dressings. Those carry the most calories)

3. Mango smoothie (frozen mango, mango Greek Yogurt or plain Greek yogurt, and a small amount of orange juice or any other juice that you like.  Try to use no more than one serving size of juice and make sure that it is 100% fruit juice)

4. Kabobs (thread low-fat meat, low-fat cheese, pineapple and cherry tomatoes onto a stick.  You can always substitute other fruit/veggie options)

5.one slice of WHOLE WHEAT bread topped with peanut butter and banana slices (make sure it is whole wheat bread. this is one of the best options when consuming bread products)

5. Grilled Pineapple (throw them on the grill or a skillet on med. heat for two minutes or until golden. The best option for these is the whole round cuts and not the chuncks)

6. Baked Apples (one tennis ball-sized apple, cored, filled with 1 teaspoon brown sugar and cinnamon, and baked until tender.  You can also cut the apple into desired sizes and sprinkle the toppings onto the slices. Makes for a less messy version)

7. Strawberries dipped in fat-free Cool Whip (suggested serving size is 1 to 2 cups of strawberries and 2 tablespoons of the Cool Whip)

8. Low-fat tortilla (or whole wheat tortilla) topped with egg salad, shredded carrots and cucumber slices (you can also top is with egg whites, feta cheese, cottage cheese, or any other type of low fat topping that you like)

9. Parfait (build your own with Greek yogurt or plain yogurt, fruit, and granola.  Make sure to not use to much granola! some granola can pack a lot of sugar)

10. Bowl of bran flakes with 1/2 cup skim milk and berries

11. Guacamole with you choice of veggies (suggested serving size is 1/4 cup of guacamole)

10. Triscuit’s Thin Crisps dipped in cottage cheese or hummus (this is MY personal favorite afternoon snack. i spread low fat laughing cow Swiss cheese on my crisps which is also just as good!)

11. Cashews (suggested serving size is 1 ounce. It is also good to mix this in with cottage cheese, low fat yogurt, or anything else)

12. Pretzels (suggested serving size is about 17 pretzels)

13. Sun Chips (don’t forget portion control! Read the serving amount on the side of the bag but it is usually about 1 ounce which is usually about a handful of chips)

14. Cheesy Breaded Tomatoes (Two roasted plum tomatoes sliced and topped with 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese)

15. Sugar Snap Peas (a great snack if you sprinkle your own spices on it.  If you dip it into a veggie dip make sure it is low in calories and stick to the portion size)

16. Steamed Veggies (steam non-starchy vegetables in a microwave safe bag and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese or 1/4 cup pasta sauce)

17. Laughing Cow Light Cheese Wedges ( you can spread this on crackers, veggies, or even fruit)

18. Snack/Granola bar (around 150 calories or less, like Kellogg’s All-Bran, Kashi TLC Trail Mix, or Fiber one Bar)

19. Baked chips (about 7-10) with salsa (you can make your OWN healthier version of baked chips by toasting whole wheat tortillas! Check out THIS post for the recipe)

20. Protein Bar (great snack after your workout.  Make sure to get a bar with low sugar.  Be careful to get a bar that is also tasty.  Some bars do not taste very well and can leave a bad taste in your mouth.)

21. Sweet Potato Fries (one light-bulb sized sweet potato sliced, tossed with 1 teaspoon olive oil, and baked at 400° for 10 minutes)

22. Snack Wrap (I like a slice of turkey, Swiss cheese, baby spinach leaves, and cranberry relish wrapped up in a tortilla)

23. Pumpkin Seeds (2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, sprayed with oil (just a spritz!) and baked at for 400° for 15 minutes or until brown. Sprinkle a tiny amount of salt on top)

24. Bean Salad (a handful of lettuce, 1/2 cup of your fav beans, top with feta cheese or some other topping makes the perfect pre-lunch snack!)

25. Peaches and Cottage Cheese

26. Chopped Red, Green, or Yellow Peppers (dipped in fat free dipping sauce or sprinkle with spices for a lower calorie snack)

27. Tuna with Triscuit crackers (yes DRY tuna is a great option but i always like to add a little relish or mustard to give it more of a taste)

28. Cooked and Cubed Chicken Breast (you can season it or toss it into a salad for a great snack or healthy meal option!)

29. Homemade Popsicles (puree watermelon, strawberries, mango, banana, etc and freeze in popsicle molds or use your ice cube tray as an alternative.  You can also use small disposable cups and peel off the cup and enjoy the frozen treat!)

30. Quesadilla (whole wheat (or corn) tortillas w/cheese (or not) melted in microwave – adding on tomatoes, beans, corn, olives, avocado or guacamole or whatever sounds good. This can be a great snack or a great meal option depending on how much you add to the quesadilla!)

So keep these options in mind when making your grocery list and getting ready to make your next grocery purchase.  The key to reaching your health and fitness goals is sticking with a consistent healthy diet AND working out.  You will need to do both in order to see the results that you want!  If you fail to do one or the other it will hinder your progress (or you will not see any progress at all!!)  Work hard…and you will start to see the hard work pay off!

Stay tuned for even MORE healthy, quick, and affordable options!

 

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…So you thought this was healthy!?…

Today, I would like to go over the foods that you THOUGHT were healthy food options….when in reality they are not!

There are so many gimmicks and advertisements that try to get you to think that some food products are healthy food options for you to choose from.   But, in reality they are not a healthy option for you at all!

Here are some foods that may have been tricking you:

1. Reduced-Fat Peanut Butter:

The one good quality about peanuts…it contains monounsaturated fats which are indeed good for you. BUT…most regular peanut butter you find on the shelf is made of the exact same sugar that can be found in the fattening and high sugar cake frosting! When they slap on the “Reduced Fat” label to peanut butter they have to add even MORE of that kind of sugar to help supplement the fat that was taken out of the original recipe.

SOLUTION: Purchase organic peanut butter OR almond OR any other kind of nut butter (which is a lot thicker and does indeed look different from the other stuff.  It will also have an oil layer which is OK! That is suppose to be there! You will just have to stir up your peanut butter when you do decide to use it if you see that the peanut butter and oil has separated.  Also, this may be a little more expensive BUT it is by far the healthier option!)

2.Fruit Juices

Example…have you ever had freshly squeezed Orange Juice? If you have you know that it is NOT as sweet as the store bought stuff.  It does have a sweetness to it but it is also a little more tart and tangy.  Some store bought juices usually have a TON of sugar added to them.  These kind of juices also can have preservatives or thick sugar syrup added to them to create its color and consistency.

SOLUTION: Try to get juices that are all natural.  Look at the food label to see exactly what is in the product.  The best option is always to make your own or to just drink water…But if you do choose juices try to find the one that has the less sugar that is added.

3. Fat-Free or Reduced Fat Salad Dressing

Hmmm…to be honest there is not much good in this stuff at all! Like with the peanut butter, when they try to make the product less in fat they throw more sugar in!  oh…not to mention they may sprinkle in some artificial sweeteners, colors, or other flavors to try to make it taste better.

SOLUTION: Stick to the salad dressing made with vinegar or olive oils.  There are TONS of recipes for home made salad dressings that are healthier options than what you can buy at the store and sometimes it also may be cheaper to make your own!

4. Yogurt cups (with granola, chocolate pieces, or fruit on the bottom)

Yogurt is on the “Healthy foods list”.  So is fruit…BUT only if the fruit is fresh fruit!

The yogurt that contains all those sweet options have twice as much sugar as the plain yogurt.  This in the end makes yogurt NOT a healthy option for a snack anymore.

SOLUTION: Try to get plain yogurt and add your own fruit to them.  You can also add NATURAL sweeteners to your yogurt like a spoon of honey or naturally sweet fruits.  You can also consider eating the “Light” versions of your favorite yogurt brand.  BUT it is still healthier to get the plain stuff and add your own things.

5. Diet Carbonated Beverages

I can not think of one good healthy quality about diet carbonated drinks.  The Diet version of the original drink is packed with artificial sweeteners, artificial colors, and other artificial flavors to help make the diet version taste somewhat like the original version.   I am sure all of you have heard about the science projects of little kids dissolving metal objects by soaking it in a carbonated drink…or how you can get rid of battery acid by pouring a carbonated beverage onto the batter to dissolve the residue.  I don’t know about you…but I would not like to regularly consume something that can dissolve or break down metal objects.

SOLUTION: Do not drink them.  Stick to water or fresh fruit juices.  You have to also be careful of sports drinks because some of those contain a lot of sugar as well.

These are just a few items that people have asked how healthy they actually are when they are used regularly in their diet.  It is OK to consume some bad things but not regularly! To achieve your desired health and fitness goals you must be mindful of the things you are consuming on a regular basis and try to choose the healthiest options.

 

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…Do you know what is on YOUR food Labels?…

There are so many products on the shelves at your local grocery store that want you to think or believe that is it the best healthy option for you when you are doing your usual grocery shopping.  In fact, some of the “Low Fat” options can be more UNHEALTHY for you than the regular options!

The key to picking out the right foods is reading the label and knowing what is in the food you are eating.

The 100% fool-proof way to consume healthy, non processed, no sugar added or artificially enhanced foods is to stick with your fresh produce and fresh meats.  Eating fresh foods will allow you to get the most nutrients you can out of the food you consume.  But, being realistic, you will also buy other things when you go to the supermarket.

The first thing you should look at…The Nutritional Facts on the side of the package/box/food item:

This label will tell you all that you need to know about the food that you want to purchase.  Yes, you want to have food low in sugar, sodium, fat, and cholesterol!

You also want to take a look at the ingredient list

What is the ingredient list? as defined by the FDA:

The ingredient list on a food label is the listing of each ingredient in descending order of predominance.  Listing ingredients in descending order of predominance by weight means that the ingredient that weighs the most is listed first, and the ingredient that weighs the least is listed las

Source: http://www.fda.gov/food/guidancecomplianceregulatoryinformation/guidancedocuments/foodlabelingnutrition/foodlabelingguide/ucm064880.htm

This means that the first things listed on the ingredient list of the label have a higher presence in that product compared to the last item on the label.

Word of advice…if you can not pronounce what is in that product, that is a good sign that it is not as healthy as you thought it was.

The healthy food options will have ingredient list that you can read and understand.  They should consist of products such as: whole wheat, nuts, fruits, vegetables, or other healthy foods that you can read and recognize.  You want to be aware of the bad oils, over processed ingredients, and high sugar or salt content that may be in some products you like to eat.

Eating healthy is not rocket science, but it can be tricky and confusing.  You just have to start reading the fine print and figuring out what are the best food options to have in your diet.

Like I stated before, the best options are to stick with your fresh meats, fruits, veggies, beans, and etc.  The fresher it is the healthier it is for you!

So, start looking at the labels on the foods you already have in your cabinet! And remember, if you do decide to do some spring cleaning in your food pantry DO NOT throw the food away (unless it is expired or not good anymore).  There are tons of food pantries and charities you can donate your unwanted food!

Stay focused…stay fit! Dig deep and do work in the gym!

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…MORE Healthy Snack Ideas…

Ever wonder down the grocery store isles wracking your brain on what kind of new and healthy snacks you can buy to add to your diet? Well I have decided to share a list of items that are sure to satisfy your appetite without packing on  to many calories, or without hurting your pocket-book!

You may be trying to get back in the groove of work and things may be busy and hectic.  But that should never be an excuse to NOT sneak in some healthy snacks during your every day routine.  Just think, if you substitute a few of these items for you usually snack of chips or a candy bar just image how many calories you will be cutting per week! And in the long run, it will help you shed those extra unwanted calories!

Don’t forget, you would like to make your snacks no more than around 300 calories.  You don’t want to use most of your calorie intake on your snacks! A snack is supposed to be a filler to help you in between meals when you feel that you are hungry.

Here are some more great healthy snack ideas that are easy, quick, and not expensive! Thanks to SixSistersStuff.com for sharing some of these amazing ideas for this list of snacks that you can grab on the go!

1. Frozen Grapes (or any type of your frozen fruit! Suggested serving size is 1 – 1.5 cups)

2. String Cheese (preferably the low-fat sting cheese)

3. Banana (Also try a  Frozen Banana.  Make sure to peel it first, stick in the freezer overnight it’s like a popsicle!)

4. Low-fat Yogurt (there are several options…Yoplait…Greek Yogurt…and Dannon even has some yummy options)

5. Sugar-free or fat-free pudding

6. Apple slices dipped in Peanut Butter (or spread peanut butter on top of apple slice and top with pecans or another favorite nut. Organic peanut butter is a little more expensive but it is usually the better option)

7. bag of popcorn (not the movie extra butter popcorn.  Try the popcorn with little to no salt and butter.  Try using spices to add the extra flavor to your popcorn for a healthier option)

8. Applesauce

9. Raw veggies with hummus or any other type of low-calorie veggie dip

10. Almonds (or any other type of nuts.  Suggested serving size is 1 cup)

11. Skinny S’more (two graham crackers with one roasted marshmallow and one small square dark chocolate)

12. Smoked Beef Jerky (about 1 oz- look for the  low-sodium! options)

13. Chocolate Milk (try to get the 2% option if available!)

14. Hard Boiled Egg (suggester to have one…maybe 2 if you are having a big craving between meals!)

15. Sunflower Seeds (suggested serving size about 1 cup)

16. Cottage Cheese (suggested serving size 1 cup…also try to add fruit on top or sprinkle some nuts on top for added flavor)

17. Sliced Cantaloupe

18. Raisins (suggested serving size about 1 cup)

19. Pita Bread and Hummus (suggested a few slices of pita bread with about 1/4 cup of hummus to equal about 275 calories)

20. Rice Cakes (try also having these with a banana and about 1-2 table spoons of peanut butter for added flavor to equal about 220  calories

21. Jello (try not to add the whip cream and other high sugar extras on top of it. Try it with nuts or fresh fruit for a healthier option)

22. Dried Fruits

23. Frozen Yoplait Whips Yogurt (these seriously taste like ice cream when they are frozen!)

 24. Pistachios (suggested serving size is about 1 oz which is about 149 calories)

25. Clementines (the “Cuties” you may find at the grocery store)

26. Fruit Smoothie (make sure to make the smoothie with low-calorie options…not ice cream or whip cream…or any type of cream. Stick to 100% fruit juices and real/frozen fruit. Try adding in yogurt into the smoothie to add flavor and thickness)

27. Handful of olives

28. Pickles

29. Handful of blueberries with 2 tablespoons fat-free Cool-Whip

30. Ants on a Log (celery with peanut butter and raisins)

31. 1 cup mixed berry salad (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and/or blackberries) tossed with one tablespoon fresh-squeezed orange juice.

32. Peanut Butter and 1 whole  Banana on whole wheat bread

33. Trail Mix (make your own! Throw in dried fruit, sunflower seeds, nuts, low-sugar cereals, and even the occasional piece of candy for something sweet.)

34. Plain Yogurt with fresh berries (with 8 oz of regular plain yogurt and 1/2 cup of fresh fruit or veggies to make a 180 calorie snack)

35. Tuna on 1 slice of whole wheat bread ( you can have 4 oz of plain tuna on 1 slice of break to equal about 250 calories. Add condiments sparingly to help keep the calorie intake down!)

The Key to reaching your health and fitness goals is having the right diet! YES what you eat really matters!  If you are not eating the right things it will be hard for you to get the maximum results and it may take you longer to reach your goals.  The key is to stay consistent with your physical activity and healthy eating and with time you will start to see progress!

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…Give Up Fast Food?…

Over 4 years ago I made a pledge to myself to give up ALL fast food.

This means no McDonald’s, No Burger King, No Taco Bell, No Sonic….No place that was a “fast food” chain.  And to this day that had been one of my best choices.  I did it for several reasons…

1) To save money! After calculating how much I spent each month on fast food that was DOUBLE my budget for my grocery bill!  I learned to plan out my meals, make a menu, and stick to my monthly budget and it has helped me save HUNDREDS of dollars each year.

2)To eat healthier.  I am not saying that fast food places do not have healthy options for you.  Now they have done a great job at having alternative to offer families instead of the usual menu items.  Like offering fruit instead of fries.  Or having milk or juice instead of carbonated beverages.  They have done a great job over the years to add some healthier options to their menus.  But, for me, I felt that the variety of things that the grocery store was better and most cost-effective for me than going to grab something at my local fast food place.

3) To help me learn what I need to eat and to be more mindful of the things that I put in my body.  Since then I have gotten leaner and gotten better results physically.  Not having the luxury of just driving up someplace and getting food has made me actually think about what I want and what I need to eat on a daily basis.  I have adopted a much healthier eating habit not to mention I have saved money!

 

There are tons of articles and studies on how “healthy” some of the items fast food places sale to you.  And yes most of them are true.  Hence why it is better to take your own pledge to limit or cut out fast food from your diet.

You do not have to quit cold turkey! And like I said before, they do have some healthier options on the menu. But make sure that the healthy option is not tainted with double ranch dressing or with other things that will help diminish its healthy intentions.  You have to learn what is on the menu, how much of it you can have, and what to add/take away to keep that healthy meal within the “healthy meal” range.

One of the most important things about starting on a new health journey is know what is the right and wrong things to eat.  And the things in the image above are the WRONG things to consume on a regular basis.  I am not going to lie to you and say that I do not enjoy a nice burger.  But I enjoy that burger every once in a while.  You have to learn what you need on a regular basis and what you can have in moderation.

Each fast food restaurant should have a “Nutritional Facts” guide posted in their store or on their website (and to be honest most regular restaurants are starting to have them as well).  It would be smart to look at them before you go to get your food so you can have in mind what are the best things and the worst things they have on their menus.

It is wise to NOT super size/enlarge your meals when asked.  Also, limit the kind of condiments that you use on your meal. Even though Buffets are good for your pocket-book it is best to stay away from them! This is just a sure way for you to overeat, or eat several plate full of items that should be eaten in moderation. If you do go to a buffet try not to go up for seconds.  Try to know what is a good portion size and make sure to get those portion sizes when you go up for your first entrée. And if you are still hungry, drink some water and wait a bit until you make your second trip.  Sometimes it takes a little bit for your brain to realize that you are full so waiting will allow your food/drink to settle and for you to realize if you are truly full or not.

There are some more great tips in THIS article that will help you when making your fast food decisions.

Hope that this was a great tip to get your guys through the weekend! Happy Friday! And do not forget…ANY DAY is a GREAT DAY to start being healthy!

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…When is enough food enough?…

When you go out to eat at almost ANY restaurant, the plate of food that you order is almost ALWAYS more than the suggested serving size.  As a culture we are all wanting to get the best and the most we can out of our money.  But is that necessarily the healthiest thing for you?

One of the things you can do to help you start learning what is enough is learning what the correct portion sizes are! You can look at my post HERE to get a sense of what is the correct portion size for most meals.

Learning what your body NEEDS and not what you want (or what you are craving) is a hard thing to do!  Some people crave food because food can be a comfort for them.  Emotional eating is one of the top listed reasons as to why most people gain the unwanted weight that they do.  To get over this, it helps to plan out your meals, try to have a variety of items when you do eat meals and snacks, and learn your biological food clock.  This “clock” is the indication of when you should eat food to nourish and replenish the body.  Not just because it is 3:00 and you want a candy bar.

Example…here is my biological food clock…

I usually get up around 7AM. When I wake up in the morning I usually eat within 1 hour of waking up.  If not, my stomach will be sure to let me know.

I always have a mid morning snack around 10 AM. This snack is a SMALL snack (which is about 300 calories).  It is only a filler until lunch time which is around 12:30.

After lunch I usually have a mid afternoon snack around 3.  This is an important snack for me because I usually work out around 5 so this snack usually has a few more calories to help me through the day and to help me through my workout.

After my work out I usually have dinner.  Depending on how heavy or light my lunch was will depend on how heavy or light my dinner is.  When I refer to how “heavy or light” it is I am speaking of if I have a meal with a lot of meat and starches for one meal I will try to refrain from having those things again with the next meal.

 

Learning your clock will take some time and you will have to learn what it feels like to eat until you are satisfied.  If you feel full or over embellished with your meal you have eaten more than you should have.

Another thing to be mindful of is what your body is telling you…not necessarily how full or empty your plate it.

Example:

If I have prepared a meal with correct portion sizes and I get done, I usually have something to drink to make sure that I am satisfied.  If I still have an unsatisfying feeling I will add a few more veggies or something not so “heavy” to my plate.  I am NOT a big fan or advocate of starving yourself if you have reached your daily calorie intake.  But if you do consume those extra calories you have to be mindful to eat healthy things that will not make you regret eating the extra food.

It is also suggested that if you start to get on a regular eating schedule it will be easier for you to know how to handle your cravings and how to consume your meal portions correctly.  Also, DRINK WATER!! It may be a form of cheating…but it has also been found that if you consume water regularly through your meal it will help you to realize that your stomach is full and to help limit the probability that you will overeat during your meal.

Here is an important tip for those who go out to eat regularly…when you order your meal, as soon as it comes to the table split the meal in HALF! Only eat HALF of your meal.  If it is hard for you to stick with that ask your waiter for a to go box before you start to eat and put half of the meal in the to go box so you do not have to see it on your plate.  This will not only help you stick to your portion sizes but it will also help you to have another meal for the next day!

Hope that some of these tips helped you to get a better understanding what kind of eating habits you have.  It is about eating food that will satisfy and nourish your body.  Consuming excessive amounts of food helps to account for gained weight.  Embarking on your own health and fitness journey will take a lot of work until you get use to your body and what you need!

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…100 Calorie Snacks…

Those new “100 calorie” snacks are becoming so popular where days! But, today I would like to share a tip with you that might help you save money and some calories…

 

 

MAKE YOUR OWN 100 CALORIE SNACKS!

What does it take? Measuring cups, sandwich bags (or reusable bags/Tupperware that you may want to use), and some snack options!

Most of these companies that sale the 100 calorie snack packs are charging you extra for putting the correct portion size in sealed packages for you.  You can save money by measuring out your own portions of your favorite snack.  Buy a box (or two or three if they are on sale) and portion them out when you get home.  Put the bags in your fridge, cabinet, or whatever storage space you want to use and grab them when you are on the go.

This will allow you to have low-calorie snacks available to you when you are in a hurry!

This trick is something I learned when I was a kid.  My mom was a professional at not letting us over indulge on snack foods or sweets.  She would portion them out in small sandwich bags and only allow us to grab just one! So this is also something you can do with your children to help them to learn portion control.  A great thing to learn young so it will help them to realize what is not enough or what is too much when it comes to eating snacks or preparing meals.

Here are some great options for you to consider to make your own “Grab and Go” snacks for you and your family!

Here are some great HEALTHY and cost friendly 100 calorie snacks you can make on your own! Thanks to Greatist.com for these great suggestions!

Everyday Snacks: 

Oats n’ Berries:  ⅓ cup rolled oats (cooked with water), topped with cinnamon and ¼ cup fresh berries.

Citrus-Berry Salad: 1 cup mixed berry salad (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and/or blackberries) tossed with one tablespoon fresh-squeezed orange juice

Frozen grapes (any color): 1 cup (about 28 grapes), stuck in the freezer for 2+ hours

Honeyed Yogurt: ½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt with a dash of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon honey

Spiced Orange: One orange— about the size of a tennis ball— sprinkled with cinnamon

Maple-Pumpkin Yogurt: ½ cup non-fat regular yogurt with 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree and 1 teaspoon maple syrup

Make Your Own: Banana Chips: One sliced banana dipped in lemon juice and baked (CLICK HERE FOR INSTRUCTIONS).

Cereal and Milk: ½ cup rice krispies with ½ cup skim milk

Cheese n’ Crackers: Five Kashi 7-grain crackers with 1 stick reduced-fat string cheese

Grilled Spinach and Feta Polenta: 3 oz polenta (about the size of a deck of cards) cooked with 1 ½ cups water and topped with 1 teaspoon feta cheese and a handful spinach

Crunchy Curried Tuna Salad: ½ cup canned tuna with 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1 tablespoon chopped red onion, and two ribs celery (chopped)

Shrimp Cocktail: Eight medium-sized shrimp boiled and served with 2 tablespoons classic cocktail sauce

Cheddar and Tomato Soup: ½ cup tomato soup with 1 tablespoon shredded low-fat cheddar cheese

Sweet Potato Fries: One light-bulb sized sweet potato sliced, tossed with 1 teaspoon olive oil, and baked at 400° for 10 minutes

Cucumber Sandwich: ½ English muffin with 2 tablespoons cottage cheese and three slices of cucumber

Turkey Roll-Ups: Four slices smoked turkey rolled up and dipped in 2 teaspoons honey mustard

Spinach and Feta Egg-White Scramble: Three egg whites scrambled and mixed with ½ cup raw spinach and 1 tbsp feta cheese. Cook in frying pan or zap in microwave until egg whites are no longer runny (about 1-2 minutes)

Pretzels & Cream Cheese: 15 mini pretzel sticks with 2 tablespoons fat-free cream cheese

Rosemary Potatoes:  ⅓ cup thinly sliced potato tossed with 1 teaspoons olive oil and a teaspoon of chopped rosemary

Spicy Black Beans: ¼ cup black beans with 1 tablespoon salsa and 1 tablespoon non-fat Greek yogurt

Goldfish: About 40 fishies

Apples and Cheese: 1 non-fat mozzarella cheese stick with half of a baseball-sized apple (any variety), sliced

PB & Celery: 1 medium celery stalk with 1 tablespoon peanut butter

Strawberry Salad: 1 cup raw spinach with ½ cup sliced strawberries and 1 tablespoon balsamic

Sugary Treats: 

Chocolate Covered Strawberries: Five strawberries dipped in two squares melted dark chocolate

Grilled Pineapple: 2 ¼-inch thick pineapple rounds (about 1 cup), grilled (or sautéed) for two minutes or until golden

Berries n’ Cream: 1 cup blueberries with 2 tablespoons whipped topping

Chocolate Pudding: One 4oz package. Try a fat/sugar-free version or a homemade one

Skinny S’more: Two graham crackers with one roasted marshmallow and one small square dark chocolate

Cinnamon Graham Crackers & Peanut butter: Two graham cracker squares with 1 teaspoon peanut butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon

Citrus Sherbet: ½ cup lime sherbet (about one standard-sized ice-cream scoop) with ½ sliced kiwi

Make Your Own: Popsicle: 8 ounces lemonade frozen in an mold, or use a small paper cup as a mold.

Smoothies/Drinks:

Tropical Juice Smoothie: ¼ cup pineapple juice, orange juice, and apple juice, blended with ice

Chocolate Milk: 6 ounces skim milk mixed with 2 teaspoons chocolate syrup

Vanilla and Banana Smoothie: ½ cup sliced banana, ¼ cup nonfat vanilla yogurt, and a handful of ice blended until smooth

 

So the next time you are at the store, try to notice the price difference between the “100 calorie” packs and the regular packages of your favorite treats.  It seems like they make “grab and go” packs for almost all snacks (nuts, chips, even yogurt!)  With a little time, planning, and preparation you can create your own that will hopefully save you some money!

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…Non-Gym Workouts…

You do not have to own a gym membership to get a good workout.  There are many different things that you can do in your home, in your neighborhood, or in what ever space you can find!

Before you start please keep in mind that it is always a good idea to warm up and stretch before you start your routine. This can be done by jogging in place, jogging a short distance, or even run up and down some stairs to help get the blood pumping through your body.

Thanks to Men’s Health Magazine, they have some great routines and pictures to show some great things men and women can do to exercise! I will share a few with you from their website:

Here is the suggested workout:

The Workout

1. Prisoner squats (30 reps)

2. Pushups (30 reps)

3. Jumps (10 reps)

4. Swiss-ball leg curls (10 reps)

5. Swiss-ball pikes (10 reps)

6. Stepups (20 reps)

7. Forward lunges (30 reps)

8. Tucked-elbow pushups (20 reps)

9. Prisoner squats (15 reps)

 

Directions: Do this workout 3 times a week — Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, for example. Perform the exercises as a circuit, doing 1 set of each movement for the prescribed number of repetitions. Complete them in the order shown, without resting between exercises. Too easy? Rest 1 minute and repeat the circuit.

 

Prisoner Squat

Stand with your hands behind your head, chest out, and elbows back [A]. Sit back at your hips and bend your knees to lower your body as far as you can without losing the natural arch of your spine [B]. Squeeze your glutes (aka your butt!) and push yourself back to the starting position.

Your toes should be angled slightly outward. Don’t raise your heels as you drop into a squat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pushup
Assume a classic pushup position, with your back and legs straight and your hands beneath your shoulders [A]. Brace your abs and keep your body rigid. Now lower yourself until your chest almost touches the floor [B]. Then push yourself up until your arms are extended.

Keep your back flat and lower your body until you’re about an inch off the floor.

 

Jump
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Now dip down at your hips and knees [A] and explode up [B], jumping as high as you can. Land as softly as you can, and then lower yourself and repeat.

Drop your hips back to generate power, and land on your toes before sinking into your heels.

 

 

Swiss-Ball Leg Curl

Lie on the floor with your calves resting on a Swiss ball and your arms outstretched. Squeeze your glutes to raise your hips off the floor until your body is in a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles [A]. Pause for a second, and then bend your legs to roll the ball toward your butt [B]. Straighten your legs to roll the ball away from you, and then lower your body to the floor.

Drive your heels into the ball to lift your body and activate your hamstrings.


***NOTE*** You do not have to use a ball (if you do not have one or you can’t afford one…but you can find some at a reasonable cost if you look online or maybe on eBay) You can use  a bench, a bed, or anything that will elevate your legs and will not topple over (we don’t want you to hurt yourself while you are trying to workout!)

 

 

Swiss-Ball Pike

Assume a pushup position with your feet resting on a Swiss ball, your body in a straight line from toes to shoulders [A]. Keep your back straight as you contract your abs, raise your hips as high as you can, and roll the ball toward you [B]. For an easier version, pull your knees up to your chest without raising your hips.

Your toes should be on the top-center of the ball to help maintain your balance.

***NOTE*** This move is def needed with a balance ball and is a more advanced move.  To start out you can use a bed or bench (or anything stable as talked about before) and do an elevated push up. This will allow you to build up your balance and get more comfortable until you are ready to try this move. 

 

Stepup
Holding your arms straight out in front of you, place one foot on a step or bench that’s about 2 feet off the floor [A]. Push down through your heel to lift your other leg [B], and then return to the starting position. Complete all your reps with one leg before switching legs and repeating the movement.

Your entire foot should be on the bench, with your toes pointed forward.

 

Forward Lunge 
From a standing position [A], take a large step forward with one leg. When your front thigh is parallel to the floor and your back knee is off the floor [B], hold for 1 second. Then return to the starting position and repeat with your other leg. Make it harder by holding the lowered position for 5 seconds.

Make it harder by holding the lowered position for 5 seconds.


 

Tucked-Elbow Pushup 

Assume a standard pushup position [A], but keep your elbows tucked in against your sides as you lower yourself until your chest is about an inch off the floor [B] and then push yourself up. To aid your form, place your hands closer than shoulder width, about 6 inches apart.

To aid your form, place your hands closer than shoulder width, about 6 inches apart.

***NOTE***This too is an advanced move. So do not get discouraged if you can not complete a full set the first few times.  

There are several different things that you can change in your day that will help you shed those extra pounds throughout the day. Here are some ideas for some non gym type “exercises” that you can do (or add to your day) that may help you optimize the amount of calories you burn a day.

  • You know that elevator you wait 5-10 minutes on each morning on your way to your office? Take the stairs instead!
  • Try walking more! If you need to run to the corner store to grab some milk or bread walk! Not only will this be beneficial to you, but this can also help you save gas money!
  • You can animals on a walk or jog with you. You will complete 2 tasks that way (walking the animal and getting your exercise!!)
There are MANY different things that you can do to get your workout completed during the day.  Even if you can not complete a full workout for some reason you can change little things during your day to help you burn a few extra calories while completing task at work or at home!
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