November 25th, 2008 — Meals, healthy eating, trigger food
One of the main things that keeps people from trying low fat foods is the fact that a lot of them taste, well, pretty bad. It's all too easy to brush it off as "rabbit food," and convince yourself that you need real food. However, there are many low fat foods that are actually quite flavorful and there are methods that you can use that can enhance flavors without adding fat. Low fat food doesn't have to taste awful and we'll show you how you can actually start enjoying it with a few tips.
Let's look at a popular low fat food, skim cottage cheese, that is high in protein and very helpful for anyone that is on a diet. If you're used to eating regular cottage cheese, or none at all, the flavor in the skim or fat free variety can be a bit off. Try adding a little black pepper on top, or even some paprika. If you like it spicy, try adding a little shot of Tabasco sauce to it. Look for seasonings that are fat free and that will add to the flavor of your low fat cottage cheese.
Now, let's move onto low fat cereal. In some cases, it may be better to call it low fat cardboard. The same is true with low fat chips. They really can taste a little flat and pretty unappetizing. If you're eating low fat cereal and barely choking it down, try adding a little Splenda to it. This is a great calorie free sweetener that can really help and it doesn't affect your blood sugar as opposed to Nutrasweet or saccharin. You can also try using vanilla flavored soy milk instead of regular milk. You'll be getting the benefits of soy protein and the vanilla flavor helps mask the tastelessness of the cereal. For fat free chips, try dipping them in fat free salsa. Once again, you're tricking your tastebuds and it really does work.
Salsa is a great additive for a lot of foods that can spice things up without adding any fat. Use it on lean chicken to make it less boring, or add it to some celery for an extra kick. Anytime you would normally use high fat dip, replace it will fat free salsa. This gives you that feeling of being able to enjoy dipping foods without the guilt.
The main key is retraining your palette. Let's face it, high fat foods taste pretty good and that's why they are so hard to quit. However, here's an experiment you can try. Eat low fat foods for one month and then allow yourself a small sample of the foods you used to enjoy. Chances are, that high fat food is going to taste pretty awful. You'll be able to literally taste the oil and it may even make you a bit nauseous. The human palette is highly trainable and if you can convince it that low fat tastes better, you'll never be in danger of falling off the wagon again.
Photo Credits: 1
Related Articles
Related Stores
August 15th, 2008 — Book Review, calories, diet, exercise, fad diets, healthy eating, motivation, nutrition
Out of all the diet books we have ever seen, this one simply has the best cover. Nothing gets the point of the title across better than a pie-eyed dog staring at you over a bowl of what looks like very unappetizing cereal. The author of this book is the renowned Bradley Trevor Greive, who is a very big person in the gift book industry. It turns out that Greive is also a pretty big person in real life and he decided to write a book about his journey from 280 pounds to fit.
The sense of humor Greive has makes this one of the most entertaining books on the market. His chronicles of dieting and what he learned along the way will keep you enthralled and most likely, laughing quite a bit. His main premise is that dieting is pretty insane, especially when you're hungry, and he feels that he has found why so many diets just don't work - simply put - they're too mentally difficult to stick to.
As Greive found out, the best way to lose weight, and keep it off, is through an entire lifestyle change. It's not going to happen overnight, but if you keep at it, you will be successful. Our favorite piece of advice though was his best method of dieting - keep your mouth shut. As he put it, that's one of the best ways to reduce your caloric intake - even if it's not always going to work.
The tone of the book is very light but don't let that fool you. There is some really useful advice in here and it is definitely well worth the read. Through his engaging prose, Greive tries to open the reader's eyes to the fact that all of the diet fads and difficult diets in the world aren't going to help you until you make that step to get healthy first, and then lose weight.
Although technically there really was nothing new in this book - we all know how important it is to eat right and exercise - but the author managed to put all of these things into a fresh new perspective. He is a great motivator and we believe that this book has what it takes to actually change lives instead of offering false hope and a hefty cover price. Through Greive's mistakes and his humor, you may just find the inspiration you need to put his advice to good use.
Overall, we found this to be a fantastic read that was well worth our time. Entertaining books are just more fun to read and we were happy to report that we were indeed sad when it ended. This is the measure of a great book, and Greive hit all the right notes. If you're trying to lose weight or if you just want to get a bit healthier, we highly recommend this engaging book.
Related Articles
Related Stores
August 5th, 2008 — carbohydrates, fiber, healthy eating, nutrition
Out of every food on earth, in the past few years, there has been no other food as demonized as the ones that contain carbs. There are so many fad diets that focus on completely removing carbs from your life - but is this a smart solution? The simple answer is no - it's not smart. You do need some carbs in your life, it's just a matter of finding the right kind of carbs.
So, let's look at a few examples of bad carbs and good carbs and find ways to lose weight, eat healthy and not feel deprived. That is probably the worst part about a no carb diet, since many of those foods are so filling and low calorie. By replacing bad carbs with good carbs, you'll be able to feel full and you'll still lose weight.
Bad Carb -
White refined flour. This is a bad carb simply because the foods made with this are so high in sugar. Even if they are low in overall calories, those little sugar grams really add up. Americans especially eat so many foods that contain this flour that it is really hard to completely get rid of them. If you like sandwiches in particular, this can seem like a death sentence.
Good Carb -
Whole grain flour. The sugar content in whole grains is much lower and you'll get the benefit of having more fiber in your diet, which can help flush fat from your system. Instead of completely getting rid of bread, try replacing it with whole grain bread. It may take a little time to get used to, and the taste will be a little different. However, after a few weeks, you may find that you're actually starting to appreciate the taste and you'll be able to make more substitutions.
Bad Carb -
Breakfast cereals made with wheat and corn. Most of us don't think of cereal as fattening or bad for us, but it is highly processed and can be a big contributor in weight gain if you eat too much of it. In addition to the natural sugars present in the grains, you're dealing with the sugar added by the manufacturer. This is a bad combination.
Good Carb -
Oatmeal. This is by far one of the best foods you should be eating. Not only is it good for weight loss since oat fiber definitely does bind fat and flush it out of your body, you can also lower your cholesterol and your blood pressure. Oats are really the ultimate food and they taste good too. Try eating at least one bowl of oatmeal every day, but skip the sugar toppings. Instead, use fresh fruit or a small amount of honey. You'll feel a lot more full and you'll be doing your body a big favor.
Some carbs are very good for you and it is important to find that balance. With this, you can get on the path towards healthy weight loss.
Photo Credits: 1
Related Articles
Related Stores
May 27th, 2008 — Meals, healthy eating
We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but sometimes the siren call of the snooze alarm is too hard to ignore. We wake up, way behind schedule and there's simply no time to eat a healthy breakfast. Over time, this can lead to bad habits that can derail your healthy lifestyle. It's just easier to grab a donut than it is to sit down and eat a healthy bowl of cereal. However, you don't have to deny yourself a healthy breakfast, even if you are in a rush. Here are some tips to make sure that you don't avoid eating breakfast.
1. Time yourself -
The next Saturday morning you have free, keep track of the amount of time that it takes you to eat a healthy breakfast. Chances are, it's not as long as you think. It shouldn't take the average person more than 2 to 3 minutes to eat a quick bowl of well balanced cereal. You can easily fit that into your morning routine, even if you are running behind schedule. Ask yourself which is more important - being 2 to 3 minutes late, or gaining 2 to 3 pounds after you gorge yourself at lunch all week?
2. Make prep time a breeze -
We can't sit down to a three course breakfast every day and sometimes even pouring the milk takes too long. Set yourself up so that you don't have to spend so much time preparing your morning meal. For example, put out a bowl of your favorite cereal and a spoon the night before. All you'll have to do is splash a little milk in it. If you're worried about mice, stick the bowl in the fridge. You can preload your toast in the toaster, or simply just get your breakfast tools all lined up to make it easier.
3. Find healthy alternatives -
There are times when you simply do not have time to eat a good breakfast. Look for a healthy breakfast bar that contains a good balance of proteins, fats and carbs and grab one on your way out the door. It's fine to do this when you're pressed for time, but try not to make a habit out of it. If breakfast bars aren't your thing, look for small items, like yogurt, that are easy to carry and eat while you're on your way.
4. Make time for break time -
If you normally get a coffee break around 10 or 11, you can use this for breakfast time if all else fails. Try to bring a brown bag breakfast with you to avoid falling into the temptation of eating out. You can still get the benefits of a healthy breakfast this way, even if it is a little late.
Studies have shown that people who eat breakfast regularly are thinner and have a much easier time avoiding weight gain. Take that step towards healthy eating and try to make time every day for your breakfast.
Photo Credits: 1
Related Articles
Related Stores
