Nutrition Tips
A Hundred Measly Calories
Did you know if you consume 100 fewer calories per day you could lose 10 pounds in a year?
If you burn another 100 calories every day through exercise, you could lose up to 20 pounds per year.
Here are some easy ways to cut 100 calories per day:
- Put mustard instead of mayo on a sandwich.
- Try a "light" or fat-free salad dressing instead of regular.
- Substitute Canadian bacon for regular bacon.
- Eat fresh fruit whenever possible, instead of juice or dried fruit.
- Order thin crust pizza instead of pan pizza.
- Order your coffee "skinny" - with skim milk instead of cream, whole milk or 2%.
- Use a smaller bowl for your morning cereal.
- Drink club soda with lime instead of regular soda.
Burn 100 more calories with these ideas:
- Set your alarm 15 minutes earlier and go out for a morning walk.
- Stand up and walk around while on the phone at work.
- Take your kids out for a bike ride after dinner.
- Go for a 15-minute walk on your lunch break.
- Get off the bus a stop earlier and walk the extra distance.
A Winter Alternative to Fresh Fruit
Consuming fresh fruits and vegetables is easy in the summer when everything is readily available.
What do you do in the middle of winter?
A convenient option is dried fruit. Like fresh, dried fruit contains lots of fiber, vitamins A and C, potassium and folate.
Dried fruit is a portable snack and in the kitchen it can be added to salads, pancake batter, bread recipes, a bowl or oatmeal or cereal.
Dried fruit may contain more calories per serving than fresh and some dried fruits are preserved with sulfite, which can trigger allergic reactions in some people, so read the package label.
"Heart-y" eating includes plenty of fiber
Fiber helps your body stay healthy and may prevent heart disease. Consuming enough fiber might be easier than you think.
Soluble fiber, which is found in oats, barley, beans, apples, oranges and other fruits and vegetables, may help prevent heart disease by lowering LDL, or "bad" cholesterol levels.
Set a goal to eat 20 to 35 grams of fiber every day. The best way to do this is to consume a wide variety of whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, fruits and vegetables.
Include more fiber in your eating plan by adding vegetables to stews and casseroles. Add oats to meatloaf, breads and cookies. Fruit on cereal, as a snack and in salads are other options, too.
Help prevent heart disease by eating fiber regularly. Start with a goal of five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, along with whole grains and beans.
Apples: The Presidential Fruit
The story of George Washington and the cherry tree probably isn't true. But it is known that one of our first president's favorite hobbies was pruning his apple trees. With our new 44th President in office, let's take a closer look at apples.
The story of George Washington and the cherry tree probably isn't true. But it is known that one of our first president's favorite hobbies was pruning his apple trees. With our new 44th President in office, let's take a closer look at apples.
Eat apples in salads and desserts or as toppings for meat, fish and chicken. Cut them up and enjoy them as a snack.
Eating apples may not make you president, but your body will be singing "Hail to the Chief"!
Updated Tuesday, September 13, 2011
