Fitness with Flavor

Trying to lose weight and get healthy means making different choices, most of which after time become second nature but at first take conscious thought.  Here are some changes you can embrace now that will be easy choices to make down the road…a ‘no brainer’ if you will.

1 Choose Whole Grain every time. Whole grain pastas, whole grain bread choices, wheat over white every time!  You will find these choices have more texture, they are more filling, satisfying and certainly better for your body.  Avoid any product with Enriched White Flour.  Some favorites:  Quinoa (a grain, available at Costco, cooks like rice), Whole Wheat Tortillas for those Mexican nights, Whole Grain Sandwich Thins and Whole Grain Israeli Cous Cous.  These are all great alternatives to white rice, white bread and flour tortillas and it’s a quick, easy change.

2 Lose the sugar! Sodas are terrible for us, full of sugars and other chemicals our bodies don’t need and can’t fully process.  If you must have a soda with your lunch limit it to just that one time a day and make it a sugar-free version.  Cutting back on these slowly will allow your blood sugar levels to adjust and you will crave them less and less.  It may even save you a few dollars to choose water over soda!  For coffee lovers, try a sweetener alternative like Splenda or Liquid Blue Agave (Costco carries this too) is a nice, natural alternative that also tastes great.

3 Increase your protein intake. Filling up on chips, fries, noodles, candy or any other snack takes a while to satisfy and is not going to keep you full for long.  Add protein to fill you up, give your body something ‘real’ to process and satisfy the hunger craving.  Add Peanut Butter to celery or an apple in the afternoon for a filling snack.  Add chicken or shrimp to whole grain tortillas with a little bit of melted cheese for a mid-day nacho feast.  (skip the sour cream and go easy on the cheese) A cool slice of fresh Avacado would make this creamy and add some good fats to your day.  When in doubt or lacking time and space, grab a protein bar (watch the labels for high sugar content on some).  Protein bars are a good way to curb hunger until you can get to a time/place for a real meal.  Don’t replace actual meals with bars, your body deserves more!

4 Keep it FRESH! Getting away from processed foods can be tricky.  We think they are so convenient, they save us time, they are cheaper than fresh.  Realistically, they may save a few minutes but what else are you sacrificing?  It’s very quick and easy to grill a breast of chicken, chop it up on a bed of fresh greens and top it with nuts, goat cheese, cucumber, tomato, onion, peppers or anything else you love.  Plus, if you make extra you can put it in a container and have a quick lunch or snack the next day.  Check out our vinaigrette recipes for healthy salad dressing alternatives, these can double as marinates for your meats and vegetables, the grill loves them!