Rethink Your Drink!

Could it be the calories you are drinking that are preventing you from loosing weight?? For many, this may be the case. Here is some information and tips to help you make smarter beverage choices, to help you reach your weight loss and health goals!

The “Best to Avoid”  Beverages

The biggest calorie culprits are beverages like soda, juice with added sugar, sweetened tea, lemonade, sports drinks, energy drinks and whole milk. These beverages contain the most calories, and sugar per ounce and provide little to no nutrients. These beverages can also contribute to weight gain and other diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. So, stay away!!

The “Occasional” Beverages

Better beverage options include diet sodas, diet iced teas, ½ cup (4oz) of 100% juice, low calorie sports drinks, and 1% milk. These drinks contain minimal to no calories or added sugar and may contain artificial sweeteners. These beverages will not contribute as many calories per ounce but should still be consumed in small portions.

The “Always Ok” Beverages!

The best beverages are water, seltzer water, and skim milk. These beverages are the healthiest because they provide little to no calories or sugar. Overall, water is the best option, it’s cheap and helps hydrate the body for overall health.

Easy ways to make smarter beverage choices:

1)                          Carry a reusable bottle of water around with you. Not only will it quench your thirst, but it’s inexpensive!

2)                          Avoid buying sugar sweetened beverages when at the grocery store. If it’s not around, you won’t drink it!

3)                          Serve water or skim milk with meals.

4)                          To make water more exciting add slices of lemon, limes, cucumber, or watermelon for some natural sweetness.

5)                          Add a splash of 100% juice to seltzer water.

Planning Meals Made Easy!

           If you are going to make one change to eat more healthy this year, it should be to prepare more meals at home. I know this may seem impossible for some of you who are thinking... "Who has the time"? But, I promise it's possible! With some simple planning you'd be amazed just how easy it can be to prepare and cook most of your meals at home!
       When you eat at home you are more likely to make healthier food choices, and since you are in charge you know what is going into your food, unlike at a restaurant. Also, by eating at home you are going to save money, and who doesn't like that!

Here are some easy planning and shopping tips that my roommates and I use every week to plan our meals......

When to plan + shop

      Find a day or night each week that you are the least busy and plan out 3 to 4 meals that you are going to make during the week and then go shopping for it all at once.

Choosing what to make

      - To get ideas take a look in your refrigerator and cabinet for ingredients you already have, then look up recipes online or in cookbooks. One great thing about most recipes these days is that they include nutrition information, so you can get an idea how healthy (or not healthy) a recipe is. Look for recipes that contain >500 calories, >30% calories from fat, and > 600mg sodium per serving.

      - Choose a variety of recipes that include different sources of protein, and ingredients to mix it up. For example choose a recipe that uses chicken, another fish, and another a vegetable protein like beans.

      -Choose a couple recipes that make enough for left overs! Left overs are great because you can have them the next day for lunch or for dinner another night that week.

      - Look for recipes that don't take too long to prepare or cook.  There are many nutritious recipes out there that take less than 30 minutes to prepare. Save the more complicated recipes for weekends when you have more time!
   

For some quick, easy and of course healthy recipes check out two of my favorite cookbooks:

Make a Shopping List

Once you find the recipes you want to cook, make a shopping list with all the ingredients you will need and then add on other foods that you need for the week. By having a list when you go grocery shopping you are more likely to choose healthier foods, avoid buying those unhealthy high priced foods and be more efficient!

Hopefully these tips and ideas will help inspire you to eat at home more often. If you have any other tips to add, please share!

Guilt Free Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

      Looking for a treat to satify your sweet tooth without all the calories and fat? Try this delicious low calorie/low fat cookie recipe! These cookies make for a healthy dessert or snack, and are even good for breakfast with some non-fat yogurt.

     The secret ingredient  is the applesauce! The applesauce replaces the butter and eggs which are ingredients often found in basic cookie recipes.  This helps cut the calories and fat and also keep the cookies moist. One cookie contains less than 60 calories and only 0.4 g of fat! And for added benefit these cookies are also vegan friendly.

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
(Makes 24 cookies)

Ingredients
3/4 cup cinnamon applesauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup dried cranberries


Directions
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In medium mixing bowl, combine applesauce and sugar. Mix with electric mixer until well combined.
3. Slowly mix in flour, baking powder and salt until well combined.
4. Stir in oats and dried cranberries.
5. Drop dough into round teaspoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet. Slightly flatten cookies.
6. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 1 minute before removing from pan to cool completely.

Nutrient Analysis: (per cookie) 58 calories, 13g carb, 1g fiber, 1g prot, 0.4g fat, 48mg sodium
     (1 Carb Choice)
     contains: gluten

                                      I hope you enjoy these cookies as much as I do!