FitSugar

Healthy Eating Tip: Find Healthier Alternatives

FitSugar — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 02:30:00 PDT

Even if you're trying to lose a few pounds or stick to your health kick, I don't recommend ever giving up the foods you love. Moderation works for me (most of the time), but when I can't hold myself back from devouring more than just a few tasty bites, I try to make or find healthier alternatives. Here are some of my favorites. If you have healthy alternatives to the foods you crave, please share them in the comment section below.

Craving This?	Try this Instead
Ice cream	Frozen yogurt, soy ice cream, or chocolate sorbet
Candy bar (Snickers, Kit Kat)	A piece of dark chocolate with a handful of almonds
Pizza	Choose ones made with thin crust (for less carbs) or make your own using lowfat cheese and grilled veggies. Or try a pizza salad.
Chewy candy (skittles, sour patch kids)	Dried Fruit or trail mix
Peanut butter cookie	Peanut butter on a whole grain cracker, topped with a drizzle of honey
Chocolate mousse or fudge	Make your own chocolate pudding with nonfat milk
Apple pie	Baked apple
Banana cream pie	Halve a banana lengthwise and top with 1 tbsp chocolate chips
French Fries with ketchup	Bake or grill regular or sweet potatoes instead, and flavor with fresh rosemary

Do you have a healthy alternative you rely on when craving something crazy? Share it in the comments section below.

Source

A Healthier Easter Basket

FitSugar — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 07:30:00 PDT

You've seen the Easter Candy breakdown. You cast your vote for your favorite Easter Candy over on YumSugar...and now you're thinking maybe I should make a healthy Easter Basket. Well you know I am going to second that option. I am going to go so far as to give you some suggestions.

Carrots - The Easter Bunny likes to share
Fresh fruit
Homemade cookies that are filled with healthy ingredients like oats, raisins, dried cranberries, walnuts, and dark chocolate chips

Bars of Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate covered peanuts, pretzels, or raisins
Mini banana bread muffins
An exercise DVD
A scented candle
Hand soap shaped like bird's eggs (my girls love these)
A jar of all fruit jam
Granola bars
A potted plant
Small picture frames
Herbal teas and a mug
A CD of relaxing music
Silly Putty - it comes in its own egg
For kids: a coloring book, colored pencils, puzzles, small toys, stuffed bunnies, stickers, play-doh, magnets, disposable cameras, packets of seeds and gardening tools, plastic eggs filled with coins, beads, and books about Easter.

Fit's Tips: I don't believe in denying yourself anything, especially during special family and holiday times. Make sure you do enjoy yourself (and the treats), and try the things you love, just don't go overboard and eat the ENTIRE 12 inch chocolate bunny in one sitting.

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Concession Stand Concessions

FitSugar — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 13:02:17 PST

We now know how high in calories the food we buy at the movie theater concession stand really is, so we need to find an alternative because watching a movie and snacking go hand in hand.

I have yet to really figure out how frowned upon it really is to sneak snacks into the movie theater, but as far as I'm concerned if they aren't offering healthy alternatives, it is the only option.

Healthier alternatives for snacking at the movies:

Air popped popcorn with no butter or salt added
Fruit that you can pop in your mouth (as you would Starburst) such as grapes or berries
Nutrition/energy bars like nectar bars from Cliff
High Fiber Cereal such as Kashi that you can pop in your mouth

The key is to bring items that are easy to bring in and easy to eat that won't be super distracting to you (or the other movie goers).

Fit's Tip: Make sure that the food you bring is not too messy and/or sticky.

Have you own tricks of the trade? Share them below!

Healthy Ice Cream Alternatives You'll Scream For

Leta Shy — Sun, 29 May 2011 09:21:38 PDT

The unofficial kickoff to Summer is this holiday weekend, and while it may not be sizzling yet, nothing says holiday celebration quite like a healthy barbecue. But if you're in need of a creamy cold treat, you don't have to sabotage all the bikini prep you've been doing. Here are five delicious alternatives to regular old ice cream!

Fat-Proof Your Life

Health — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:06:06 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site.

By Maridel Reyes

It's true that there are certain times in your life when extra poundage seems to appear out of nowhere . . . and settle on you. In fact, experts have honed in on the exact moments when you're most vulnerable to weight gain.

"Life transitions, having a baby, and going through menopause cause many women to pile on pounds," says Susan Albers, PsyD, author of But I Deserve This Chocolate!: The 50 Most Common Diet-Derailing Excuses and How to Outwit Them. "But with planning and prep, you can stay thin."

We asked top experts for their strategies to help you ward off weight creep - and even shed pounds - at these tricky stages. Solutions ahead.

Getting married

Heavier ever after? It can be the flip side of wedded bliss: "Six out of 10 of my clients come back heavier after the honeymoon," says celebrity fitness and wellness guru David Kirsch.

Health.com: 25 Diet-Busting Foods You Should Never Eat

Young newlyweds pack on an extra six to nine pounds in the five years after getting hitched compared to singletons, according to research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. And most of that gain happens in the first year of marriage.

"Couples start to mirror each other's eating habits," explains Albers. "You might be matching him calorie for calorie without realizing it."

Learn how to keep the pounds down postmarriage and in the mommy years, after the break.

A Reader Recipe: Chunky Cherry-Chocolate Granola Bites

Fit Community — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:28:09 PST

FitSugar reader JuicyNoelle came up with this special cookie for Valentine's Day; she posted the recipe in our Healthy Recipe group.

Tied with a festive pink ribbon and a little love, I’m hoping these cookies will be perfect for Valentine's Day. The whole-grain oats, nuts, and cherries in these cookies add heartiness, while the melted dark-chocolate chunks deliver bursts of richness. The chia seeds pack a nutty punch, and they are rich in fiber and omega-3s, too - perfect for supporting vibrant hair and skin during these cold weeks of February.

Learn more about the recipe after the break!

How to Make Your Favorite Snacks Healthier

Leta Shy — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:34:32 PST

When you're craving a salty, crunchy snack, there are many to choose from - but they're not always healthy. Here's how to make your favorite snacks that much better for you with just a few tweaks.

Popcorn: It's one of the lower-calorie snacks to choose from already, but watch out for toppings - that's where you can get carried away with fat and calories if you're not careful (just look at movie theater popcorn). Air-popped popcorn has the fewest calories - 31 calories per cup - but even using a little bit of oil will only add about 14 calories. Keep calories low by skipping the butter and salt, not to mention the prepackaged popcorn. Instead, use healthier popcorn toppings like extra virgin coconut oil, Indian spices, or "cheesy" nutritional yeast. Read more healthy popcorn topping ideas here.

Nuts: A handful of nuts can keep you satisfied and energized far longer than a carb-filled snack, and not only that, the unsaturated fats in them do you good. But if you want to get the most benefit out of the healthy fats of certain nuts (like walnuts), don't roast them, since their antioxidants may be damaged when baked at a high temperature, as most commercial nuts are. If you don't like the taste of raw nuts, roast your own at 165° Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes.

Read on for ways to healthify more of your favorite snacks.

5 Surprising Ways to Eat Nut Butter

FitSugar — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:49:49 PST

Nut butters are good for more than just sandwiches. As a source of healthy fats and plant-based protein, nut butters can be a nutritional powerhouse. Whether you prefer classic peanut butter or one of the healthy peanut butter alternatives, here are five unexpected ways to incorporate nut butter into your diet:

Blend it into your smoothie: Make your breakfast sip a bit creamier - and more satisfying - by adding some nut butter to the mix. For a bit of indulgence, try a chocolate strawberry banana smoothie. The healthy fats and dose of protein will help you to stay full and get your day off to an energized start.
Add it to your soups: Boost pureed soups with a spoonful of nut butter. Not only will it create a thicker texture, but it will also add rich, unexpected flavor to standard recipes. Surprise your taste buds by adding almond butter to butternut squash and or blending walnut butter into a beet soup.
Turn it into a dipping sauce: Marinate meats in your favorite nut butter before grilling, or use it as a dipping sauce for fruits and vegetables. Get creative with your combinations: try jicama dipped in cashew butter for a fresh twist on peanut butter apples.
Toss it into Greek yogurt. Get double the protein punch by mixing nut butter into your serving of Greek yogurt. For extra energy and nutrients, add fresh berries and rolled oats to the bowl.
Use it in your salad dressing. Blend nut butter with other oils and spices to create a smooth, rich salad dressing. Not sure where to start? Try a Thai dish, like this kale slaw with peanut dressing recipe.

Source: Flickr User Rusvaplauke

5 Easy Ways to Eat More Fruit

Jenny Sugar — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:57:13 PST

Luscious, juicy, sweet-as-candy fruit is one of the healthiest foods you can eat. It's full of vitamins, fiber to keep you full, water to keep you hydrated, and the natural sugars make it a healthier alternative to sugary treats. You should aim to eat three to six servings of fruit each day, but if that seems like a lot, here are some ways to sneak fruit into your diet.

Add fruit slices to sandwiches. Sliced pear, apple, and watermelon add a unique texture and unexpected flavor to run-of-the-mill sammies.
Mix pureed fruit into plain yogurt. When comparing six-ounce containers of Greek yogurt, plain offers 18 grams of protein for 100 calories, and strawberry is 140 calories with 14 grams of protein. Instead of buying the premade flavors, make your own by adding pureed fruit to plain yogurt. You'll save money, avoid added sugars, and be able to customize the flavor to wow your taste buds with distinct combos like blackberry peach or strawberry pear.
Add fruit to baked goods. We've all made banana bread, but that's not the only fruit-based treat you can whip up. Lower the fat in just about any recipe by replacing oil with applesauce, or get creative with muffin recipes by adding diced strawberries, or mix bits of dried apricots into cookie dough.
Cut up fruit and store it in the fridge. It takes effort to wash and cut fruit, enough to make you reach for something easier (and less healthy) instead. Make fruit as accessible as a bag of chips by storing cut up fruit in containers in the fridge.
Eat fruit for dessert. Save calories and skip the refined sugars by enjoying nature's dessert. Here are ways to make fruit even more decadent and enticing - the almond butter and granola filled dates are one of my faves.

Satisfy Your Pizza Craving With These Scrumptious Substitutes

Angelica Marden — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:54:04 PST

If your idea of the perfect night at home includes a couple of slices of pizza, a glass of wine, and a blockbuster, you aren't alone. What's not to love about cheesy, saucy goodness, right? Delicious though it may be, most pizza is loaded with calories and fat.

Enjoying your favorite foods in moderation is a smart attitude, but if you still want another slice (or two!), try adopting that taste in another form. Cook up a lighter substitute that will satisfy your taste for everyone's favorite food. Here are some scrumptious suggestions to get you started.