Information is a Good Thing! Everyone needs a little help now and then to stay fit and healthy. Here are a few HEALTHY TACTICS to keep you focused on your goal of staying fit.
A. Start every day with a healthy and sensible breakfast.
Plan you meals ahead--it's too easy to make bad choices when you're hungry.
Include a first course with your lunch or dinner. Start with a high water-content food like salad or a broth-based soup, and then have a smaller main course.
When serving yourself, first fill half your plate with vegetables, then add the meat and starch.
Keep a big bowl of ripe seasonal fruit within easy reach.
When following a low saturated fat and cholesterol diet, enjoy an abundance of grains vegetables, and fruits, which are all naturally low in saturated fat and free of dietary cholesterol. Choose a variety of of lean meats, skinless poultry, low fat and nonfat dairy foods, and heart-healthy fats and oils. This chart can help you make food selections that are kind to your heart.
Food Groups
Enjoy Adequate Amounts of:
Limit
Grains
Breads, brown and regular rice, ready-to-eat flaky whole grain cereals, pasta, oats, tortillas, pita bread
Baked goods made with heart-unhealthy fat
Vegetables
All fresh, frozen, and canned vegetables
Vegetables topped with cream sauces, whole milk cheese, and butter
Fruits
All fresh, frozen, and canned fruits
Fruits topped with cream
Dairy Foods
Nonfat and low fat milk and yogurt, reduced low fat cheeses and light ice cream
Lean cuts of meats, such as tenderloin, sirloin, round, and lean or extra lean ground beef, turkey, or chicken, low fat luncheon meats, dried peas and beans, tofu, peanut butter, nuts, egg whites, and egg substitutes (Keep meat, poultry and fish to about 6 ounces daily)
Fatty cuts of meats, untrimmed meats, hot dogs, sausages, bacon, excessive egg yolks, organ meat (liver), and poultry with skin
Eating several small healthy snacks can help cub your appetite and actually help you loose weight. You curb your hunger so you won't stuff yourself during your meals. This is an excellent list of alternative snack food from the book 10 Habits That Mess Up a Woman's Diet by author, Elizabeth Somer, R.D.
CRAVING
BETTER OPTION
HEALTHIEST CHOICE
Potato Chips
Baked chips or tortilla chips with a aside of humus, chopped avocado or salsa
Baby carrots with fat-free ranch dressing. "The dressing has a savory kick, and you'll get in a serving of vegetables," says Somer.
Chocolate Candy Bar
2 Hershey's Kisses--you get the same sweet taste with fewer calories
Strawberries, bananas, or another fruit dipped in Hershey's Special Dark Syrup.
A Slice of Pepperoni Pizza
A slice of pizza made with low fat cheese
Pile on the veggies! Try a slice of grilled or fresh vegetables instead of the greasy version you're used to.
Soda
A V8 V.Fusion--each serving contains 1/2 cup of fruit
Mix 1/4 cup of cranberry juice with sparkling water for a fizz fix.
Ice Cream
Low fat yogurt or sherbet--they both still contain a fairly large amount of sugar, so pay attention to serving sizes
A Dole Frozen Fruit and Juice Bar, or a bowl of frozen fruit (Somer likes blueberries or cherries.)
This is just a short section from the article, "Burn, Baby, Burn!" from Woman's Day Magazine, July 10, 2007. It contains quotes from personal trainer, Teigh McDonough-Gibson, co-owner of Swerve Fitness, Dance and Yoga Studio in Los Angeles.
Try to eat a small healthy snack every couple of hours. "This keeps your metabolism cranking and prevents you from overeating at meals." some of her favorite snacks are: low fat yogurt, a handful of almonds, a celery stalk with a teaspoon of peanut butter or a mozzarella stick."
These items are from an article from USA WEEKEND magazine by Jean Carper. We use all these ingredients in various dishes from our menu. Ask for recommendations from our helpful catering specialists if you need assistance it choosing just the right dish for you.
Fat-free Half and Half. This naturally thickens nonfat milk adds "cream" to soup, mashed potatoes, and sauces.
No-Salt Added Canned Tomatoes, Tomato Sauce. Get the antioxidant lycopene without heart-damaging sodium.
No-Salt Added Canned Beans (Kidney, Pinto, etc...) Get high antioxidants and steady blood sugar without high salt.
Canned Salmon. Red and pink canned salmon have as much disease-fighting omego-3 as fresh wild salmon. Actually all canned salmon is wild. Eat bones for calcium; discard skin.
Balsamic Vinegar. Intense, sweet flavor means you'll use less oil on salad. Use vinegar of all kinds with abandon. The acid helps suppress blood-sugar spikes and curbs appetite.
Dried Cranberries. An antioxidant-packed alternative to raisins. Use a baked fruit topping; toss in salad, pilaf and stew.
Walnuts. High-antioxidant, good-type fat, excellent as a snack. Routinely toss a handful into a green salad. Refrigerate opened packages of nuts.
Oatmeal. Add a whole-grain fiber boost to cookies, baked fruit, stews and casseroles. It helps your heart, blood sugar, and immunity.
Canned Hot Peppers. My favorite: sliced jalapenos in vinegar. Add to sandwiches, salad, stew and casseroles. All peppers are antioxidant-rich. The hot bite helps lung function.
Frozen Spinach. It's loaded with antioxidants, such as lutein. Saute or microwave with olive oil and garlic. Or add to soups, stews and casseroles. may help aging brains and eyes.(Top)
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