Coming into the 'holiday season' can also mean we pack on a few extra pounds. What's a health conscious person to do?!? You're going to eat. A lot. What you can do is modify the ingredients in your courses, shaving 10's, if not 100's of calories and fat off the final tally.
It's a lot easier that you think~
Mashed potatoes: halve the butter and add garlic. Use milk instead of cream.
Stuffing: use whole grain bread. Use olive oil. Use one egg and additional egg whites. Use Mrs Dash seasoning (they are ALL salt-free!)
Gravy: halve the butter and add olive oil. Use whole grain flour as the thickening agent. Go very light on the salt. Or... replace the salt with a little white wine (yum!)
Sweet potatoes: halve the butter. Instead of brown sugar, try real maple syrup - just a couple tablespoons (measure it out.) Cut the marshmallows! You're an adult now. ;-)
Green bean casserole: halve the butter (getting the idea by now?) Use half condensed milk and half whole milk. Make your own crispy onions using olive oil. Use low-sodium broth. Use fresh or frozen green beans (avoid canned). Use low-sodium creme of mushroom soup of make your own!
Turkey: buy organic or heritage and free-range if you can. It's sustainable, free of antibiotics and other nasty additives, humane, and they taste better!
Desserts: It's hard to replace sugar, creme, etc and get a good consistency, so it's best here to watch your portions. You can enjoy a thin slice and still feel satisfied!
Buon appitito!
Friday, November 22, 2013
Friday, November 8, 2013
Some helpful links
WIth so many apps and websites related to fitness and nutrition, it's hard to sift through the good ones. Well, friends, here's my list. I've done the vetting for you!
To know calories and nutrition content, try www.calorieking.com
To track your food intake progress, try this app~ my fitness pal (available FREE at google play store and apple)
More tracking app~ fooducate
To track your bike or walk miles, try the site MapMyRide.com
One of the best pedometers out there is from www.fitbit.com (try one of the wrist ones!)
Get yourself set up for success with these very helpful websites and apps!
To your good health, Linda
To know calories and nutrition content, try www.calorieking.com
To track your food intake progress, try this app~ my fitness pal (available FREE at google play store and apple)
More tracking app~ fooducate
To track your bike or walk miles, try the site MapMyRide.com
One of the best pedometers out there is from www.fitbit.com (try one of the wrist ones!)
Get yourself set up for success with these very helpful websites and apps!
To your good health, Linda
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Friday, October 25, 2013
Sofa workout
Are you the quintessential couch potato? Here are a few things you can do while sitting!
1. sit and twist. Great for the thoracic spine (middle of your back). Reach your left arms either behind you or up and over the back of the sofa (or chair).
Take you right hand and grab your left shoulder. Now you should be really twisted. Keep your butt on the cushion. Take a deep breath, and as you exhale, try twisting a little further.
Repeat on your right side.
Do a few of these between commercials.
2. While seated, slowly bend forward. You might feel a little pull in your lower back. If it's too much, put a pillow on your lap, then lean forward. Stay there and slowly inhale; as you exhale, try to lean forward even more. Use your hands to lift yourself back up to a seated position.
Repeat a couple times. Work with your breathing.
How do you feel?
1. sit and twist. Great for the thoracic spine (middle of your back). Reach your left arms either behind you or up and over the back of the sofa (or chair).
Take you right hand and grab your left shoulder. Now you should be really twisted. Keep your butt on the cushion. Take a deep breath, and as you exhale, try twisting a little further.
Repeat on your right side.
Do a few of these between commercials.
2. While seated, slowly bend forward. You might feel a little pull in your lower back. If it's too much, put a pillow on your lap, then lean forward. Stay there and slowly inhale; as you exhale, try to lean forward even more. Use your hands to lift yourself back up to a seated position.
Repeat a couple times. Work with your breathing.
How do you feel?
Friday, September 20, 2013
Thursday, August 22, 2013
What to drink?!?
Water, soda, juice, electrolytes, sodium, sugar, etc., etc., etc. It's enough to make your head spin! Here's the simple ~ water is the best liquid to drink. Period. We are mostly water. Water runs through our blood, our muscles, our soft tissue, our brains.... it's everywhere in our bodies! Coke don't cut it. Nor does juice. Would you eat 5 oranges at one time? Of course not. And juice (unless made in a vita mix), loses it's fiber. Drink water.
Conventional wisdom says start with half your body weight in ounces. So if you weigh 150 pounds, drink 75 ounces. That sounds like a lot, I know. But if you break it into 8 oz servings throughout the day, it's easy to do. Drink your first glass as soon as you rise in the morning, yes, even before coffee! Only 8 glasses to go! One caveat, it's not good to drink water (or other beverages) with meals, as it dilutes your digestive liquids making digestion less effective.
You will find, after a week or so, it's not as hard to drink that much water as you thought. Also, you might find that you're less achy, and even have more energy! Keep water in a thermos in your car if you're on the road a lot. Keep a glass at your desk. Don't think you can keep track of trips to the drinking fountain. Measure the water out into a glass. That's the only way you'll know you're getting enough.
Conventional wisdom says start with half your body weight in ounces. So if you weigh 150 pounds, drink 75 ounces. That sounds like a lot, I know. But if you break it into 8 oz servings throughout the day, it's easy to do. Drink your first glass as soon as you rise in the morning, yes, even before coffee! Only 8 glasses to go! One caveat, it's not good to drink water (or other beverages) with meals, as it dilutes your digestive liquids making digestion less effective.
You will find, after a week or so, it's not as hard to drink that much water as you thought. Also, you might find that you're less achy, and even have more energy! Keep water in a thermos in your car if you're on the road a lot. Keep a glass at your desk. Don't think you can keep track of trips to the drinking fountain. Measure the water out into a glass. That's the only way you'll know you're getting enough.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
The Great Kale/ Chard Debate!
You know about kale. You know about swiss chard. Well, did you know that there's a huge debate going on in the food industry about these two SuperGreens? Really? No? Well, I lied. There is no big debate about these veggies. But now that I have your attention, read on.
Dark greens are packed with good stuff for your body. Go here to read about kale. Go here to read about chard.
Now that you know a little about these two power houses, check out these recipes for some inspiration for kale.
And look here for some great chard recipes.
The key when cooking with these greens, is to keep it simple. As I write this, I'm making a kale and egg white omelet. Very easy to make -- chop the kale into 1/2" bites, steam in a fry pan until browned, add a little olive oil, fresh lemon, Mrs Dash Onion, and sriracha (if you like heat), then 3 oz of egg white (or an egg, but just the white makes a really light meal.
Dark greens are packed with good stuff for your body. Go here to read about kale. Go here to read about chard.
Now that you know a little about these two power houses, check out these recipes for some inspiration for kale.
And look here for some great chard recipes.
The key when cooking with these greens, is to keep it simple. As I write this, I'm making a kale and egg white omelet. Very easy to make -- chop the kale into 1/2" bites, steam in a fry pan until browned, add a little olive oil, fresh lemon, Mrs Dash Onion, and sriracha (if you like heat), then 3 oz of egg white (or an egg, but just the white makes a really light meal.
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