Your Guide to Eating Out Right
Friday, January 6th, 2012A woman sits at a restaurant studying the menu. She has begun an exercise routine and knows that her frequent meals out could slow her weight loss results if she wasn’t careful.
When the waiter comes she is still deep in thought over what to order. “What can I get for you?” he asks with a smile. She looks up and frowns, no closer to arriving at a decision. On a whim she blurts out, “I’m trying to eat healthy but I have no idea what to order. What do you think I should eat?”
The young waiter looks startled but quickly rattles off his idea of a healthy meal. “The eggplant and roasted pepper pasta is filled with vegetables. You could get that with a salad.”
The woman smiles. Yes, vegetables do sound healthy. So she orders the veggie pasta with a side salad and a diet soda, then sits back to enjoy a few slices of bread.
That’s a true story. Not surprisingly the woman was unable to lose weight even though she was exercising regularly.
It is said that 80% of your weight loss results are derived from diet, and the remaining 20% from exercise—so you can see how important it is for you to stick with a healthy eating plan.
Use the following tips as your guide to eating out right:
Appetizers
Appetizers are a great way to start out a leisurely meal, but can also derail your good intentions with a quickness.
Don’t Order
- Anything fried. Fried foods are a favorite, but will do damage that even the most intense workout won’t undo.
- Creamy dips. These are filled with fat and usually come with something fried to dip in it.
- Bread. It comes smothered in cheese or seeped in butter, and even when it’s plain it fills you up with more carbohydrates than your body needs.
Do Order
- Green salad. Ask for very light dressing and no croutons.
- Antipasto. A plate of thinly sliced meats, olives and cheese will start you off with some protein.
- Lettuce wraps. These are delicious, protein-filled and low in carbs.
Beverages
Calories in drinks are sneaky because they don’t fill you up. This means that you end up taking in far more calories than you bargained for.
Don’t Order
- Regular or diet soda. On one hand you’re drinking corn syrup through a straw, on the other you’re drinking chemicals that cause you to crave sweets. It’s a no win situation.
- Sweet cocktails. Many restaurants are advertizing sweet cocktails –resist the urge. Sugar plus alcohol equals loads of unneeded calories.
- Sweetened tea. You may feel righteous for ordering iced tea, but if it’s sweetened then you may as well be drinking fully loaded soda.
Do Order
- Water. Don’t laugh! Water is the best beverage of all.
- Unsweetened iced tea. Don’t ruin it by adding that packet of sugar. Learn to enjoy the natural sweetness to the tea.
- Red wine. Stick to one glass, and drink responsibly.
Entrees
This is where the real damage is done. When you order something carb-loaded you leave the restaurant feeling heavy and lethargic—you may not even realize this until you start eating better and experience the light, energetic way you’ll feel after eating a healthy meal.
Don’t Order
- Pasta. I don’t care if it comes with red sauce or white sauce, meat or veggies. If you’re trying to lose weight and maintain a lean body then never, ever order a plate of pasta.
- Pizza. Another dish that has far more carbohydrates than you need. If you’re craving the pizza toppings then simply order those over a salad.
- Burgers. If you really want a burger then ditch the bun and the fries, and have your patty wrapped in lettuce.
Do Order:
- Lean meat with vegetables. Fish, steak, chicken, take your pick and pair it with green vegetables.
- Salad with protein. Ask for very light dressing and make sure you have a nice piece of protein on it.
- Soup and salad. Stick with broth based soups that contain protein and pass on the breadsticks.
Healthy Wintertime Foods
Tuesday, November 29th, 2011Think there’s nothing exciting to eat during the winter? Open your pantry and think again!
Apples, oranges, grapes, peaches, and tomatoes. It’s easy to go crazy over summertime foods. Get into the winter, however, and you may think your options for tasty, healthy foods are at a minimum. But you’re wrong!
With a good eye and a willingness to work with the cold months’ harvests, you can enjoy a healthy diet all year round. What foods should you look to include in your routine in the cold months?
Anything with D
The warm months offer more than just great fruits and vegetables. They also offer an abundance of life-giving light from the brilliantly bright sun. While you may think the sun’s rays don’t do much besides darken your skin, keep in mind that much of your allotment of vitamin D comes through the sun. When this source of vitamin D is taken away, it’s up to you to make it up through your diet.
A few good sources of vitamin D include salmon, dairy products, and eggs. However, there is vitamin D in many other foods. Seeking these out will help you reap the benefits of vitamin D, which include decreased likelihood of depression (which often sets in during the winter), increased energy, improved immunity against common diseases, and a reduced risk for experiencing feelings of weakness.
Packing Protein
Okay, so you don’t want to eat protein nonstop all day unless you’re considering a career in professional bodybuilding. But you do need to get a fair amount of protein during the winter months. Because not only does protein help your body function well, but it also gives you a helping hand when it comes to warming up.
Granted, eating a steak in a snowstorm will not make you feel like you’re at the beach in the middle of the summer, but protein does have properties that cause you to feel warmer. And if you have problems getting warmed up during the day, another bite or two of protein may be just what your cold bones are calling for.
Frozen Colors
Before you give up all hope of finding a way to include your favorite summertime foods in your wintertime diet, remember the power of your freezer. Before the summer is over, pack up some blueberries, orange slices, and strawberries and freeze them. Pack up enough of them in well-insulated storage bags and you’ll be able to get through the winter without saying adios to summertime foods altogether.
When you’re ready to enjoy some of the frozen fruits, pull them out and include them in a smoothie or a fruit parfait. Didn’t think far ahead enough to freeze some warm-month delights? No problem. Most grocery stores have raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries frozen in abundance. Pick some up and add them to your favorite dishes. Doing this helps you maintain a nice splash of color in what you may consider some rather colorless and drab months. This increased color palate will be pleasing aesthetically. Even more important, it will give your body a wider range of vitamins and minerals from which to draw in an effort to maintain your good health.
Cold Month Health Foods
So you can’t have some of your favorite health foods during the winter. That doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of healthy alternatives out there.
If you’re looking for a wintertime health food to include in your meal, consider the following:
- beets
- Brussels sprouts
- cabbage
- carrots
- collard greens
- kale
- potatoes
- sweet potatoes
- winter squash
When these aren’t available, go with some of your favorite comfort foods. Just be careful to avoid high-fat, high-calorie foods that don’t provide the energy you need to get through the day.
Grill Your Way Lean
Tuesday, June 7th, 2011Grilling is the most popular pastime of summer.
While outdoor cookouts are a great opportunity to relax and visit with friends and family, did you know that the average barbecue meal exceeds 1500 calories? That’s almost an entire day’s worth of calories in one meal.
That type of eating will do some serious damage to your waist over the course of the summer.
The good news is that barbecue season doesn’t have to be fattening. In fact, with a few small changes to your barbecue menu, you can turn summer into the perfect opportunity for weight loss.
So before you slather on the sunscreen and fire up your grill, read the following tips to grill your way lean this summer.
On the Grill: Believe it or not, grilling is actually a very healthy way to cook meat. Of course the type of meat that you choose will make all of the difference. Burgers and hot dogs are traditional barbecue meats, but they aren’t the healthiest. Try the following:
- Choose lean cuts of beef, pork or poultry
- Marinade with low fat dressing
- Make hamburgers with extra-lean ground beef
- Take the skin off chicken before grilling
- Replace beef patties with ground turkey patties
- Grill up salmon or cod
- Forego the meat and grill veggie burgers
Side Dishes: This is where most people run into trouble. Barbecue side dishes are typically filled with loads of fat. Creamy coleslaw and potato salads can hold as much as 15 grams of fat per serving. Try the following instead:
- Make veggie kabobs and grill them
- Grill bok choy (see recipe below)
- Replace the mayo in your salads with low-fat mayo
- Serve fresh salad with light vinaigrette
- Try whole-grain macaroni for your pasta salad
- Grill up corn on the cob (pass on the butter)
- Put out a veggie tray with low fat dip
Drinks: Most people don’t realize that beverages play a big role in summer weight gain. Margaritas, beer, soda and punch all contain lots of empty calories. Try the following:
- Drink water, it is always your healthiest option
- Stick with light beer
- If you have to have a soda stick with diet
- Brew unsweetened ice tea and serve with lemon
Dessert: Yes, there are ways to satisfy your sweet tooth while getting lean. Think outside of the box instead of turning to the typical fattening options like ice cream, pie, cake or cookies. Try the following:
- Grill mango, banana and pineapple on kabobs
- Stick with sorbet instead of ice cream
- Replace peach pie with grilled peach halves
- Choose light ice cream over regular
Remember, it’s ok to splurge every once in a while. Enjoy yourself. Just keep in mind that by taking a few of the above suggestions you can enjoy great food while getting back into great shape.
Want to shape up even more this summer? Call or email your Philadelphia personal trainer today to get started on a fitness program specifically designed to get you into your best shape ever.
Is Your Lunch Fat? 7 Steps to a Perfect Packed Lunch
Thursday, September 2nd, 2010Summer vacation is winding down, fall is approaching and the kids are going back to school.
It’s time to examine the art of packing the perfect lunch.
While it is easy to rely on the school cafeteria for the kids and fast food meals for you, this method will quickly result in unwanted pounds.
The only way to ensure that you and your kids are eating a nutritionally balanced, health promoting lunch is to pack it yourself.
According to Ann Cooper and Lisa M. Holmes in their book, Lunch Lessons, “When it comes to nutrition, children are not just miniature adults. Because they’re growing, they have different dietary needs.” (Their daily serving recommendations are in boxes below.)
Use the following 7 steps as your guide for packing healthy lunches that cover the spectrum of nutrients that your growing kids needs.
Don’t have kids? Keep reading. You’ll need these steps when packing your own nutrient-dense, fitness lunches.
Step 1: Hydration
Every function of the human body requires water, so it’s a no-brainer that water should be included in your packed lunch. Eight glasses a day is a minimum.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of giving kids juice or soda pop, and once your kids are accustomed to drinking these sugary treats expect a battle when you switch to water. This is one fight that is worth winning.
Remind yourself that the sugary drinks are filled with empty calories, which quickly lead to weight gain. Sugar also robs the body of vital nutrients and minerals.
Step 2: Protein
- 2 – 3 servings daily
- 1 serving equals: 2 – 3oz meat, 1/2 cup cooked beans, 1/3 cup nuts or one egg
Protein is an essential part of lunch, both for you and your kids. Kids need protein to support their growing body, and you need plenty of protein in order to grow and maintain lean muscle tissue.
Here’s a list of healthy protein sources: fish, beans, tofu, nuts, eggs, chicken, turkey, lean pork and lamb.
Limit the amount of high-saturated-fat protein that your kids eat to no more than 3 servings per week. These include cheese, hot dogs, salami, bacon and sausage.
Step 3: Whole Grains
- Kids 6-9 yrs: 4 – 7 servings daily
- Kids 10-14 yrs: 5 – 8 servings daily
- Teens: 6 – 9 servings daily
- 1 serving equals: 1 slice of bread, 1/2 bagel, 1/2 cup cooked rice, 1/2 cup pasta, 1 cup of whole grains
Whole grains are one of the major building blocks of a healthy meal. The key word here is “whole” meaning not refined.
White bread, bagels, pasta and rice have been stripped of the nutrients and minerals. As a result these items convert quickly into sugar, leaving your child drained after an initial quick burst of energy. Always avoid refined white grain products.
Here’s a list of healthy whole grains: oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, millet, bulgur, whole-wheat or sprouted grain bread, barley, whole grain cereal and whole wheat pasta.
Step 4: Veggies
- 4 – 9 servings daily
- 1 serving equals: 1 cup raw of 1/2 cup cooked vegetables
When it comes to veggies, variety is key. Choose a array of colors like orange, red, purple, green, blue, white and yellow to make sure that your kids are getting all of the necessary vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals.
Don’t save vegetables for dinnertime. Pack each lunch with lots of colorful vegetables.
Try these veggie-packing ideas: Put a small container of hummus with cut veggies for dipping. Fill your sandwiches with baby arugula, roasted peppers and slices of tomato. Pack a container of veggie and whole wheat pasta instead of a sandwich. Invest in a small thermos and fill it with vegetable soup.
Step 5: Fruit
- 3 – 5 servings daily
- 1 serving equals: 1/2 cup cut fruit, whole fruit size of tennis ball, half a banana, 1/2 cup 100% fruit juice
Fresh fruit is filled with vitamins, nutrients and minerals. As with your veggies, choose a variety of colors to ensure that your kids are getting a range of nutrients.
Stay away from fruits that are canned and coated in syrup, and also from fruit snacks and chews that contain added sugars. If fresh fruit is not readily available then go for plain dried fruit, with no added sugar.
Unlike veggies, it is possible to eat too much fruit. Though the natural sugars within fruit are much healthier than refined sugar, too much of it will have a negative impact on your blood sugar levels and the extra calories will be stored as fat. Stick with 3 – 5 servings per day.
Step 6: Calcium
- 2 – 6 servings daily
- Serving size based on the amount of calcium in the food. Examples of 1 serving: 1 cup cooked beans, 1/2 cup almonds, 1/2 cup dried figs, 1/2 cup dark leafy green vegetables, 1/2 cup tofu, 1 cup low-fat milk, 1 cup low-fat yogurt
Your kids need calcium in order to build strong, healthy bones. It is important to incorporate calcium into each meal.
Calcium isn’t just found in dairy products. There are many plant sources that contain calcium that is more readily absorbed by the body than the calcium found in dairy.
Try these sources of calcium: nuts, dark leafy greens, salmon, broccoli, tofu, soy milk, sardines, beans, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, low-fat milk, low-fat yogurt.
Step 7: Healthy Fat
- 3 – 4 servings daily
- Serving size based on the amount of healthy fat in the food. Examples of 1 serving: 1 teaspoon of olive, safflower, sesame, flax or canola oil, 1/2 cup nuts, 1 tablespoon peanut, almond or cashew butter, 1 cup cooked beans, peas or lentils.
You may think of all dietary fat as being bad, but fat from plant sources are very important to the growth and development of a child’s body.
Limit animal fats, which are filled with saturated fat and cholesterol, and eliminate trans-fatty acids contained in foods that are labeled as hydrogenated.
There you have it, 7 steps to the perfect packed lunch. See the recipe below to get you started on your first perfect packed lunch.
Remember that eating right is only half of the equation. Exercise is just as important when it comes to fitness and weight loss.
Here’s an example of a healthy and balanced packed lunch. Try this one out, and then use it as a springboard for your own creative lunch ideas. Don’t fall into the trap of eating the same thing day after day. Remember to use the 7 steps above to create your perfect packed lunch.
Servings: 1
Here’s what you need…
For the wrap:
- 1 green tortilla
- 1 chicken breast (or your choice of protein: veggie patty, lean turkey, hardboiled egg, smoked salmon, grilled white fish, or baked tofu)
- Sliced tomato
- Romaine lettuce
- 1 Tablespoon hummus
For the veggies:
- 1/2 cup cut veggies (try broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and bell peppers)
- 1/4 cup hummus
For the yogurt:
- 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- Handful of berries (strawberries and blueberries)
- 1oz raw mixed nuts
- 5 golden raisins
For the trail mix:
- Spread the tortilla with hummus, line with lettuce, tomato slices and chicken breast. Wrap and slice in half.
- Wash and pack the cut veggies in plastic container. Pack the hummus in a small container.
- Pack the yogurt in a small container and top with the berries.
- Mix the raw nuts with the raisins and pack in a small container or bag.
- Don’t forget to pack a container of water and a napkin!
Are you ready to get started on a personalized fitness program? Call me at 267-784-3626 or email Dan@hitfitnesstraining.com today to set up a consultation.
