How Many Calories Are You Eating?

Are you following a rigid diet plan; ie, low carb or vegetarian?  And you aren’t losing weight?  The main reason is you are consuming too many calories.

The bottom line — to lose weight you need to eat fewer calories than your body uses.  Maybe you are eating more calories than you realize.

The best way to know what you are really eating is by tracking or keeping a food diary. There are numerous free apps available to track calories and keep you motivated on your weight loss journey.

2019 New Year New Diet

With the new year comes new resolutions.  A new diet seems to be the top contender every year.  The trending diets for 2019 are as follows:

1. The Keto Diet — This is a low carbohydrate, high fat diet.  The diet restricts carbohydrates by replacing them with fats, forcing the body into a state of ketosis — when you burn fat instead of carbohydrates for energy.
2. Pegan (Paleo + vegan) Diet — This diet is a combination of a vegan diet, which avoids all animal products, and the Paleo diet, which focuses on consuming the types of foods our ancient ancestors supposedly ate during the Paleolithic era.
3. Intermittent Fasting — The most common intermittent fasting plan is eating as you would for 5 days and fasting for 2 days. On fasting days, you would abstain from eating except for one small meal of just 400 to 500 calories for women and 500 to 600 calories for men.
4. A Plant Based Diet — This diet incorporates consuming more fruits and vegetables and less meat where half your plate should be vegetables, a quarter of your plate should be grains, and a quarter should be protein.
5. Mindful Eating — The concept is not a specific diet, instead;  you listen to your body and eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full.

After reviewing these popular diets, let us reflect on the definition of the word diet according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary :

~diet –  1 : food and drink regularly provided or consumed. 2 : habitual nourishment. 3 : the kind and amount of food prescribed for a person or animal for a special reason. 4 : a regimen of eating and drinking sparingly so as to reduce one’s weight going on a diet.

Therefore, the way we eat or our diet is a habit which we have developed over our lifetime.  The changes we make to our diet need to become a habit not a quick fix.  Yes, you can lose weight on any diet trend; but, if it doesn’t  become a habit you will not sustain your weight loss.

In summary, the best diet choice is the diet you can live with and fits your lifestyle.  The ultimate goal is to replace an unhealthy habit with a healthy one.  Happy 2019!

Pineapple Fun Facts

Pineapple Fun Facts:

• In 1493, explorer Christopher Columbus found pineapples on Guadeloupe Island in the Caribbean.
• Pineapples are in peak season from March to July.
• Pineapples contain bromelain, an enzyme that may help reduce  inflammation and aids in digestion.
• Pineapples are high in Vitamin C which helps your immune system.
• Pineapples are low in calories and are fat free, only 80 calories per 1 cup.

Low Calorie Chicken Oscar

If you want to make a great first “dinner” impression, this dish is your answer.  This dish is really easy to prepare and it looks so elegant when served.

What You Need:

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 box Stove Top stuffing mix
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
• spices — black pepper, thyme, sage
• 24 fresh asparagus stalks
• shredded mozzarella or pizza blend cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven @ 350 degrees F.

Place chicken breasts in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish or pan.  Pour broth over top chicken and season each chicken breast with spices.

Mix stuffing mix per package directions; but, eliminate the butter/ margarine.  Top each breast with stuffing; evenly dividing  it  per chicken breast. Cover and bake 20 minutes in preheated oven.  Remove from oven and place 4 asparagus stalks across each chicken breast, cover and bake an additional 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle shredded cheese over each breast. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes.  Voila!  Dinner is ready to impress your guests!!!

Makes 6 serving.

Nutrition Info (per serving):

246 Calories; 3 gm Fat; 22 gm Carb; 2 gm Fiber; 32 gm Protein; 70 mg Chol; 510 mg Sodium

Skinny Green Fluff — Low Calorie Pistachio Fluff

This is just in time for Spring.  If you need a quick side dish to bring to the friend & family luncheon or dinner, this fluff is the answer.  It is super quick & easy to prepare.  In addition, it is light and fluffy!

What You Need:

• 3.4 oz. box pistachio sugar-free instant pudding
• 1- 20 oz. can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
• 1 cup thawed light whipped topping
• 1/3 cup mini marshmallows

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in large bowl.  Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.  Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition Info (per serving):

65 Calories; <1 gm Fat; 14 gm Carbohydrate; <1 gm Protein; 122 mg Sodium

Healthy Ground Turkey Meatloaf

Here’s a healthier twist to the traditional meatloaf recipe.  I  swapped ground beef for  ground turkey to lower calories and fat.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 egg
• cracker crumbs (7 saltine whole wheat crackers)
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1-2  tsp basil and oregano
• 1-2 dashes  black pepper
• 1 cup (8 oz) tomato sauce

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix ground turkey, egg, cracker crumbs, and spices until well blended and shape into 2 loaves.  Place in baking dish and pour tomato sauce over loaves.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition Info:

146 Calories; 7 gm fat; 2 gm sat fat; 95 mg chol; 338 mg sodium; 5 gm carb; 1 gm fiber; 15 gm protein

 

 

Are You Cheater?

 

Are you a cheater? I’m not referring to cheating on a test or significant other.  This is referring to diet and the reason you are not losing weight. Do you check in to your weekly or monthly weight loss session with the perfect food diary. Honestly, if you are consuming exactly what you have recorded then you should lose weight.  Perhaps you snuck a few cookies or a piece of pizza when you swear to all that you’ve been on a strict diet.  And let’s not forget those few beers or glasses of wine at the end of the day that you may have guzzled but refuse to acknowledge, even to yourself! These are just some of the ways we can tell ourselves and others that we are on a more straight and narrow path with our health goals than we actually are! Though in this case, the person we are really cheating is ourselves!

Lose Weight With Go Girl Diet

Are you struggling with your weight? Do you want to be skinny?

Go girl diet will teach you how to finally eat a healthy diet. You will learn
one step at a time how to make simple changes in your eating habits that
will help you lose weight to last a lifetime. You learn the skills to make
lifelong changes and to balance healthy and not so healthy foods.

Go girl will help you lose weight and keep it off for good. No more crazy
fad diets! No more restrictions or forbidden foods! No more complicated
meal plans! No more feeling like a failure!

At go girl diet, you will find the latest weight loss trends with quick
healthy eating hints that you can incorporate into your busy lifestyle.
Who said you can’t eat your cake and lose weight too?

Skinny Chicken Waffle Sandwich

The waffle sandwich gives an entirely new perspective to the sandwich cuisine. It might sound strange but chicken and waffles are the perfect culinary couple. And please don’t knock until you try it;  you will fall in love with this waffle sandwich.

Not only will your kids love this fun and healthy sandwich, but adults will enjoy it even more.

WHAT YOU NEED:

• 2 Low-fat Whole Grain Waffles
• 2 Slices Healthy Choice Oven Roasted Chicken breast
• 1 Slice Low-fat Swiss Cheese
• 1 tsp Light Mayo
• 1 tsp Mustard
• Tomato Slices

DIRECTIONS:

Place chicken breast and cheese on frozen waffle and toast until cheese is melted. Also, toast plain waffle.  Add tomato slices and spread mayo and mustard on remaining  waffle and place on top of other waffle.

Nutrition Facts per serving / sandwich

Calories: 253
Fat Calories: 43.6

Total Fat 5g

  Saturated Fat 1.3g

Cholesterol 29.1mg

Sodium 1266.4mg

Total Carb 31.5g

  Dietary Fiber 2.6g

  Sugars 4.5g

Protein 21.8g

Spring Clean Your Diet

Spring is great time for new beginnings and a perfect time to revamp your diet. Here are a few small changes you can try to get you started to eating healthier and losing weight.

• Start your day with a healthy breakfast.
• Cut the sugary beverages. Replace the soda pop and juice with water or any calorie free drink and you could lose 1# per week.
• Start walking. The Dietary Guidelines suggest 30 minutes on most days of the week.
• If you can’t avoid the temptation, get it out of the house.
• Stock your kitchen cabinets with healthy low cal snacks.
• Finally, track your progress.