FitSugar

Your Healthy Food Swaps

FitSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:27 -0800

Since decadent foods like ice cream, baked treats, and fried foods tend to be high in the calorie department, it's good to have a few healthy food swap ideas up your sleeve. Here are some shared by fellow FitSugar readers.

"Avocado instead of mayo . . . sure it may have fat in it but it's healthy fat and tastes delicious. Hummus instead of cream in sauces and soups . . . adds a ton of flavor and protein." - mamasitamalita
"I use balsamic vinegar (not vinaigrette) on my salads without any oil. It gives the same powerful flavor kick but for a lot less calories." - laellavita
"Replace ranch dressing on my salad with cottage cheese." - genipher85

For more great ideas, keep reading

Don't Wait Until You're Starving to Eat

FitSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:30:18 -0700

I am just here to remind you that hunger pains, dizziness, lack of energy, and irritability are the body's way of letting us know it's time to refuel. Busy schedules can bump eating to the last item on the to-do list. If you ignore these symptoms chances are that when you can eat, you're beyond starving. This is a recipe for disaster because hunger makes you reach for anything quick (which is usually not the healthiest thing), and you end up devouring way more calories faster than you would if you were just slightly hungry.

No matter how busy you are, you want to eat before getting to that famished point, so you can prevent overeating or feasting on unhealthy foods. Plan ahead and pack healthy meals, or schedule times of the day to eat. Also keep snacks at work, in your purse, in your gym bag, and in your car, so if you're on the road or know it'll be a while till mealtime, you can have a little something in your stomach to tide you over.

6 Simple Diet Tips

FitSugar — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:30:39 -0700

There's no one secret technique when it comes to losing or maintaining your weight. I keep dozens of tips in my head that I've collected from friends, dietitians, magazines, and books to help me stay on track and stick to my goals. Here are some of the most effective tips I've learned.

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Build a Better Sandwich: Pepperoncini

FitSugar — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:00:07 -0700

A sandwich is a wonderful vehicle for a well-balanced meal, but the calories can add up. Lately I have been skipping the cheese, since two slices adds up to well over 200 calories. For taste, I have been covering my sammie with pepperoncinis, small, yellow, pickled Mediterranean peppers. These little peppers add crunch as well as a sweet tangy taste to almost any sandwich, and they're great on salads too. Calorically speaking, they bring little to the plate. Two of these peppers contain only 10 calories. The only downside to pepperoncinis is, being a pickled item, they are high in sodium. My go-to sandwich of late: turkey on whole wheat with avocado, tomato, lettuce, mustard, and pepperoncinis. It's tasty.

Source: Flickr User afiler

Diet Tip: Order Drink Straight Up or On the Rocks

FitSugar — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 11:00:58 -0700

One drink at happy hour can help you unwind after a tough day at work, but these liquid calories add up. Mixers and juices in many cocktails can be especially high in calories. This is an odd piece of dieting advice, but if you prefer hard liquor, order your drink straight up or on the rocks. Sip and savor a high-quality shot of tequila or a whiskey on the rocks, which is about 100 calories. Since the flavor of these alcohols are intense, it should take you a while to drain your glass. You'll end up milking it for the entire cocktail hour or over dinner, rather than kicking back a few rum and cokes. Remember, women should only drink one alcoholic beverage a day, more than that and you could be harming your health.

Diet Tip: Be Tardy For Office Treats

FitSugar — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:45:00 -0700

I don't know about you, but at least weekly in my office, someone sends out an email about some delicious food in the kitchen, whether it's freshly baked muffins or a box of See's candy. Getting instant food alerts can be very tempting, but indulging every time could sabotage your healthy eating efforts. One strategy is allowing yourself to give into just one temptation a week, but what if you're on the fence about whether to indulge in the latest treat?

Try this trick: when the email goes out, wait 30 minutes to an hour to go check out the smorgasbord. If the food is still there when you arrive, let that be your treat for the week. If it's all gone - and we all know that free food goes pretty fast in an office! - then you've just practiced some accidental willpower.

Healthy Eating Tip: Bed of Greens Instead of Carbs

FitSugar — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Going out for a nice dinner doesn't mean you can't have a healthy meal. Many restaurants are amenable to diners' needs, and you can make sure your plate is full of foods you want and need to eat.

Fish, chicken or meat dishes are usually served on an enormous portion or rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta. To avoid a starchy, buttery side dish, simply ask that your protein be placed on a bed of greens instead. Think steamed kale, chard, spinach, or a raw bed of spinach or salad greens. I'm not saying I avoid those carbs altogether, but eating large portions of them makes me feel grossly full. Not only are the greens less filling, but they offer fiber and so many vitamins and minerals. Plus they add and interesting texture and fresh flavor to the main dish. So the next time you're at a restaurant, as for greens instead of carbs. At the end of the meal, your stomach and waistline will be happy that you did.

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Diet Tip: Focus on What You Can Eat, Not What You Can't

FitSugar — Thu, 28 May 2009 03:30:00 -0700

When you're trying to lose weight, many people work on only eating healthy foods, and they say no to cakes, cookies, greasy foods, and the like. With diet restrictions, it's hard not to think about all the foods that are off-limits, but instead of mourning for cheesecake and cheese fries, focus on the foods you can eat. Take a glass-half-full attitude, and revel in all the luscious fruits, the savory vegetables, the chewy whole grains, and the creamy lowfat yogurt and cheese. Although it's true they're healthy for you, they're also deliciously satisfying. There are so many healthy foods that offer bold flavors and textures - especially with Summer coming - they're bound to satisfy your sweet, salty, or crunchy cravings.

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Healthy Eating Tip: Use Measuring Cups Every Time

FitSugar — Mon, 11 May 2009 03:00:00 -0700

You've made the switch to healthy cooking - olive oil instead of butter and whole grains instead of processed carbs - but you're not losing weight. Even if you're loading up on tons of healthy food choices, it won't matter if you are consuming tons of calories.

The best way to make sure you're eating appropriate serving sizes is to be scientific about it. Keep measuring cups and spoons handy when it comes to everything you prepare. Don't just eyeball a half a cup of granola or freely pour marinara sauce over your pasta. Chances are you'll overestimate and not even realize you're eating half a cup of almonds instead of a quarter cup serving. The same goes when you're cooking. Measure out two tablespoons of olive oil instead of just pouring it from the bottle. If you have items that are difficult to measure, such as meat, chicken, or fish, use a food scale instead. You don't have to be anal about it, just be aware. The extra small amounts of food you eat over time really add up, so if losing weight is on your mind, use measuring cups every time you eat.

Trying to Lose Weight? Be Consistent With Calories Each Day

FitSugar — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 04:30:00 -0700

You eat really well Monday through Friday, and once the weekend rolls around, you splurge a little (or a lot) to reward yourself for being so good all week. Eating the foods you crave is essential when it comes to eating healthy, but you don't want to overdo it on the weekends, undoing a week's hard work. According to a study in the International Journal of Obesity, those people who ate a consistent amount of calories all seven days of the week were 50 percent more likely to maintain their weight than those who followed strict diets only Monday through Friday. With that said, it's best to stick to consuming the same amount of calories each day, and allow yourself a few 100- to 200-calorie treats throughout the week. Then once Saturday comes, you won't feel the need to binge on foods you've missed out on.

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