Another empty calorie and sugar filled holiday is just around the corner, are you ready? The good news is that the bulk of the holiday season has come and gone. Valentine’s Day is usually the last major holiday of the season that revolves around food. Let me give you some tips on how to make it through Valentine’s Day without moving the notch out on your belt.
Tips to get you through Valentine’s Day:
1. If you are going to eat candy, try to eat dark chocolate. Try to avoid all of the sugary based and high fat calorie candies such as milk chocolate.
Unlike other candy, dark chocolate contains antioxidants, which have health benefits when eaten in the right amount. Antioxidants are different minerals, and vitamins that are found in a variety of foods that significantly slow and/or prevent one of the processes that damages our body and it’s DNA. This damaging, oxidative process forms free radicals, which are thought to contribute to the progression of disease states such as cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, diabetes and other diseases that are associated with an aging body. When you consume foods that are high in antioxidants, they counteract the damaging effects that the free radicals have on the body. In fact, it is thought that antioxidants actually convert free radicals to harmless waste, which is then removed from the body. There is still a lot that we need to research and learn about antioxidants and their health benefits before we start recommending that you add supplements of them to your diet.
2. If you are making desserts for that special someone, try to reduce the amount of fat and sugar in the recipe and increase the fiber.
To increase fiber, use whole wheat flour/pastas/bread and rice in recipes where these products are needed. You can also add in fiber supplements such as Benefiber, Metamucill and Konsol Psyllium fiber to increase fiber content. In some instances you can use products such as, Fiber One, All Bran or oatmeal to enhance your crust or breading in your recipes.
To reduce fat in recipes, lighten up the ingredients when there are lower fat options available (i.e skim milk/low fat sour cream/fat free condensed milk/2% cheese/light butter/light cream cheese). Try using pureed fruits, such as prunes, or applesauce as half of the needed oil/shortening/margarine/butter in the recipes. Instead of using fat in recipes to add flavor, try calorie free seasonings and herbs.
To reduce the sugar and keep the recipes sweet, use artificial sweeteners instead of sugar to reduce the overall calories in the recipe. Make sure that you are using the version of sweeteners that can be used in baked goods. Splenda and Equal both make a version of sugar and brown sugar that can be used in cooking.
3. Portion Control, Portion Control, Portion Control!
Every food can fit into a healthy, weight loss diet when eaten in the right quantity. Just remember that Valentine’s Day is only 1 day out of the year. No need to go overboard. Moderation is the key!
4. Try to think outside the box when it comes to Valentine’s Day gifts.
Communicate with your loved one or significant other. Explain to them that this year you are trying to improve your health, eat right and lose weight. Suggest getting each other Valentine’s Day gifts that do not involve junk food. Consider getting each other gifts that are outside the box yet still romantic, like gift cards or passes to a cooking class you both would enjoy or passes to a dance class that you can learn together or a private boat ride on a lake. Why has candy become the standard gift given at Valentine’s Day? What is romantic about candy? Show your loved one or significant other that you love them by helping them to get healthy and eat right too.
5. Throw any leftover candy/holiday food away within 2 to 3 days of the holiday.
Remember that the average American will usually gain over 5 pounds between October and March. How did you do? Many people are shocked when they realize that they have gained weight over the holidays. It seems like such a short period of time to increase your waist line. The scary thing is that it is not as hard to do as it might seem. As I have said before it takes 3500 extra calories on top of the normal amount of calories that you consume to gain 1 pound of weight. As a result consuming just 120 more calories a day over a 1 month time frame will easily put on 1 pound of weight. This could be the calorie equivalent of eating 2 regular pieces of candy per day. If you have gained some weight over the holidays, there is no time like the present to get rid of it. There is no need to add extra weight on over Valentine’s Day.
Happy Valentine’s Day to all!
XOXO! The Dietnista
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