Feed: Fit-Now-Girl.Com - AggScore: 53.0

Turkish Bean & Herb Salad

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The authentic version of this sweet, fragrant bean salad requires about three times as much olive oil. In Turkey, borlotti beans or red beans would be used; I prefer pink beans, available in many supermarkets. The salad is adapted from a recipe by the cookbook author Clifford Wright. Yields 8 servings.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound pink beans, borlotti beans, cranberry beans, kidney beans or pintos, washed, picked over, and soaked for at least four hours in 2 quarts water
  
• 1 yellow onion, cut in half across the equator
  
• 8 garlic cloves, 2 lightly crushed, the rest coarsely chopped or sliced
  
• 1 bay leaf
  
• Salt to taste
  
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  
• 1 large red onion, cut in half lengthwise, then in thin slices across the grain
  
• 1 teaspoon sugar
  
• 1 pound tomatoes
  
• 1 bunch fresh dill, stemmed and coarsely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
  
• Leaves from 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
  
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (optional), plus 2 lemons, cut into wedges, for serving
  

 

Directions:

 

1. Combine the beans and their soaking water with the two crushed garlic cloves, the halved yellow onion and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer one hour. Add salt to taste, and continue to simmer until tender but intact, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat. Discard the onion halves, garlic cloves and bay leaf, and carefully drain the beans through a colander or strainer set over a bowl.
   
2. Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes in half across the equator. Set a strainer over a bowl, and squeeze out the seeds from the tomatoes into the strainer. Rub the gelatinous seed sacs against the strainer to extract the juice, and discard the seeds. Grate the tomatoes against the large holes of a box grater set in a wide bowl, and discard the skins. Add the juice from the strained seeds to the grated tomatoes, and stir together.
   
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, heavy casserole or Dutch oven over medium heat, and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until very soft but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt and the garlic, and continue to cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Stir in the sugar, half the tomatoes and half the herbs. Reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring often, until the mixture has cooked down to a fragrant sauce, about 15 minutes. Stir in the beans, 1/2 cup of broth and the remaining tomatoes. Cover and simmer for another 25 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, stir in the remaining herbs and olive oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and allow to cool. Stir in the lemon juice if desired, and serve with lemon wedges. If the beans seem dry, add more of the bean broth to taste.
   

 

Variation: You can use canned beans for this dish. You will need 5 cups beans (three cans). Drain them and rinse well, and substitute water for the bean broth.

 

 

15 Tips for weight loss…that WORK

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Think you have to do something really radical and punishing to lose weight and keep it off? Just the opposite is true! It's actually the small, simple changes you make that have the most dramatic and lasting results. I know this firsthand, having tried every diet on earth and yo-yoed for years before discovering that weight loss doesn't have to be grueling, depressing or discouraging. It can be easy, fun, painless and permanent.

To lose 1 pound, you have to create a deficit of 3,500 calories. By incorporating easy ways to cut or avoid 250-500 calories a day, you can lose 1/2-1 pound a week, or 26-52 pounds a year. For some/most of us, that is simply accomplished by omitting our daily Starbucks Frappucchino or fast food meal.

Following are 15 tips for losing 3-80 pounds a year by making one small change in your diet. Remember that the more consistently you follow these tips, the more weight you'll lose, even when other eating and exercise habits stay the same.

You can lose about 1 pound every two months by achieving a caloric deficit of only 60-100 calories a day. Here are four really simple, fun and delicious changes in habit that will get you there easier.

1. Beware the burger blast. Make your own burgers at home with a cut of beef called round or a round steak (the butcher can grind it into hamburger for you). The best part? It's as lowcal as skinless chicken. Or use lean ground beef (95 percent lean or better) for a skinny burger with 400 instead of about 500 calories for standard ground beef.
   
2. Add the whipped cream. Instead of ice cream (350-500 calories per cup), combine a cup of fresh or frozen sweet pitted cherries with 1/4 cup canned whipped cream for a sweet, creamy dessert with just 140 calories.
   
3. Eat more pizza. Instead of ordering takeout pizza (two slices of Pizza Hut's Stuffed Crust Pepperoni Pizza pack 720 calories, 32 grams of fat and 2,240 milligrams of sodium!), fill your freezer with healthful frozen pizzas containing no more than 600 calories and 10-15 grams of fat per pie (e.g., Lean Cuisine and Healthy Choice brands).
   
4. Drink up. Have a glass of water with lunch or dinner every other day instead of a soda or an alcoholic drink and you can lose 7-15 pounds a year. To stay full, eat plenty of foods high in water, including fresh fruits, vegetables and healthful (lowfat, low-sodium) soups.
   

Want to lose 11-20 pounds (or more) in a year? This will take a caloric deficit of about 100-200 a day. You can live with that! Try these three tips.

1. Fish for health. Instead of a 6-ounce steak (550 calories), enjoy tuna (250-300 calories) or salmon (350 calories). If you eat fish instead of red meat four times a week, you'll save 200-300 calories each time, or up to 1,200 calories a week. Besides being lower in fat, seafood is also high in omega-3 fatty acids, which lower cholesterol and reduce risk for heart disease. Choose grilled, broiled or steamed fish and avoid fried or blackened versions, which pack in extra fat.
   
2. Snack more for fewer calories. People who snack all day find it easier to lose weight because they actually take in fewer calories. Enjoy healthful snacks like apple slices spread with 1 tablespoon peanut butter (about 160 calories) or 1 ounce lowfat cheese with a piece of fresh fruit (about 130 calories.) Both snacks provide natural sugars to satisfy your sweet tooth plus fiber and protein to keep you full. Opting for healthful, filling snacks that keep you away from vending-machine versions packing 250-500 empty calories each will save you thousands of calories a month.
   
3. Mine sweep for calorie bombs. Losing weight is not about discipline or willpower; it's about taking charge of your environment. So get rid of all that high-fat, high-calorie junk in your kitchen and replace it with healthful, lowfat fare.
   

Looking to lose 21-30 (or more) pounds in a year? Create a 200- to 300-calorie deficit per day using these five tips and watch the pounds melt off!

1. Cook with nonstick pans and spray. Make every meal in a nonstick pan, and you'll automatically save 100 calories every time by eliminating the butter, margarine or oil used to grease the pan. When sautéing or frying, simply coat nonstick pans with a spritz of vegetable oil cooking spray (0 calories). Always use fresh, full-flavored ingredients, and you won't need fattening butter or oil to add flavor. Talk about a painless way to lose weight!
   
2. Savor each bite. Eat more slowly to let satiety register -- it takes your stomach 20 minutes to send "full" signals to the brain. You'll save 100 calories each time you stop eating when you're almost full instead of eating until you're stuffed (about 200 calories a day).
   
3. Eat by the clock. Believe it or not, the biggest cause of Believe it bingeing is under eating. Your body gets hungry every three to five hours, so you need to eat five to six healthful, lowfat mini meals daily to stay full and curb cravings. Cut nighttime snacks and say adios to 15 pounds a year; have a fruit snack instead of a vending-machine snack and subtract 20 pounds; plan meals ahead and knock off 22-30. (For a complete guide on grazing via mini meals, including yummy recipes, see next month's issue.)
   
4. Use the dilution solution. Love regular soft drinks but hate the pounds the sugar packs on? (A 32-ounce soda has about 400 calories!) Do as my friend does and cram your cup with ice every time you have a soda, and you'll drink at least half as much. For my friend, that meant consuming about 200 fewer calories every other day. After a period of time her taste buds adapted. so all she really wanted was sparkling water. By making this one simple shift from soda to sparkling water, she cut 400 calories a day.
   
5. Defrost the freezer. Forget all the nasty things you've heard about frozen dinners! Supermarkets stock hundreds of lowfat and delicious frozen meals -- from meatloaf and mashed potatoes to Thai and Indian cuisine. Just add vegetables and fruit to boost nutrients. You'll save 300-500 calories every time you prepare a frozen dinner instead of ordering fast food or cooking a high-fat meal. Enjoy four frozen dinners a week and lose a minimum of 18-30 pounds a year.
   

And for you big "losers" out there who are looking to lose 31-40 (or more) pounds in a year, this one's for you! With these three easy tips, you'll have no trouble reaching even a big weight-loss goal in 12 months.

1. Shop by the book. Make weekly shopping a habit by setting a specific day and time when you can always go. Without healthful foods on hand, you may be tempted to improvise by hitting fast-food and convenience stores, where nearly everything is high-fat and high-calorie. Good grocery-shopping skills are the flip side of good meal-management skills. One of my clients saved at least 400 calories per meal by incorporating just this one change and lost 30 pounds in less than a year!
   
2. Keep "happy hour" at home. Spend a few hours at a bar on Friday night, and you could easily consume 3,000 calories in drinks (300 calories per mixed drink) and snacks (an order of nachos has 2,100 calories). For a healthy happy hour at home that has just 750 calories (you'll save 2,250 calories a week), stock up on sparkling water or wine and create a lowfat feast.
   
3. Satisfy your sweet tooth. Deny your sweet tooth and bingeing is sure to follow. Satisfy your cravings with a low-calorie treat -- about 120 calories -- that you can enjoy every single day. My faves are Starbucks' frozen Mocha or Java Fudge Frappuccino Blended Coffee Bars. Limit rich desserts (most have about 500 calories) to once a week, and you'll save about 380 calories a day for six days, or 2,280 calories a week.
   

 

Good Luck!

Have an AWESOME and HEALTHY day!

Fit-NOW-Girl

 

 

I’m addicted…

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Odds are that:

• 1 out of 7 adults is addicted to alcohol
  
• 1 out of 8 adults is addicted to drugs
  
• 1 out of 8 adults is addicted to the internet
  
• 1 out of 5 adults is addicted to gambling
  

 

I have an addiction too. Although it is something I MUST do in order to be happy, I don't really think it's out of control or something I need to get help for.

 

I've tried it in the past, here and there. I never really got hooked on it before…it never really did much for me. Two years ago though, I joined a group and we did it all the time. I started to notice a change in me…physically and emotionally. People around me noticed it too, and wondered what I was doing that made me change. I tried to get others addicted…to come with me to do it…but most of the time they wouldn't. They didn't want to become an addict like me. They questioned what it was that made me feel like I couldn't live without it. I guess it was the rush of adrenaline pulsing through my body as I beat an old time, pushing myself harder and faster than ever before. It was the comradery I developed with so many other addicts; they made me feel just like family. I love the endorphin release just when I am starting to get off my high…that boost me right back up to do it again. I never knew or realized just how much of an addict I was until recently when I had to stop cold turkey because of a knee injury.

 

I miss it.

 

I can't WAIT to start again.

 

I feel like part of my life is missing…a HUGE chunk of my being has gone cold, and I DESPERATELY need a fix.

 

Well, I guess the first step to dealing with an addiction is to admit you have a problem.

 

Here goes….

 

Hello. My name is Fit NOW Girl…and I'm addicted to working out. Want to join me??

 

Have a great day!!

 

Fit-NOW-Girl

 

Probiotics may aid weight loss

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Twelve weeks of consuming a fermented milk product containing the Lactobacillus strain was associated with a 4.6 per cent reduction in abdominal fat, and a 3.3 per cent reduction in subcutaneous fat, according to findings published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Furthermore, body weight dropped by 1.4 per cent and waist size decreased by 1.8 per cent, report researchers from Snow Brand Milk Products, Kyushu University, Nippon Milk Community Co., Iwaki Meisei University, and Isogo Central and Neurosurgical Hospital.

The study extends previous findings from Kyushu University researchers, which showed LG2055 may reduce fat levels (adiposity) and fat cells in animals (British Journal of Nutrition, 2009, Vol. 101, pp. 716-724; 2008, Vol. 99, pp. 1013-7). In addition, Snow Brand scientists have reported that LG2055 in fermented milk "has the ability to establish in the human gastrointestinal tract and alters the composition and metabolism of the intestinal microflora and physical characteristics of faeces", (J. Appl. Microbiol. 2001, Vol. 90, pp. 343-352).

Potential

With the World Health Organization estimating that by 2015, there will be more than 1.5 billion overweight consumers, incurring health costs beyond $117 billion per year in the US alone, the opportunities for a scientifically-substantiated weight management food product are impressive.

A breakthrough paper published in Nature in December 2006 (Vol. 444, pp. 1022-1023, 1027-1031) reported that microbial populations in the gut are different between obese and lean people, and that when the obese people lost weight their microflora reverted back to that observed in a lean person, suggesting that obesity may have a microbial component.

A recent study, published in Science Translational Medicine (Vol. 1, Issue 6, 6ra14), advanced this by successfully showing that the human gut microbiota can successfully be transferred to germ-free mice, and that this can then be passed on from mother to offspring.

Study details

The Japanese scientists recruited 87 overweight people with an average BMI of 24.2 kg/m2 to participate in their multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled intervention trial. The participants were randomly assigned to receive 200 grams per day of fermented milk with or without LG2055 day for 12 weeks.

At the end of the study, significant decreases were observed in the Lactobacillus group in body weight, BMI (1.5 per cent), waist circumference, and in the hips (1.5 per cent). No significant reductions were observed in the control group, however.

"The probiotic LG2055 showed lowering effects on abdominal adiposity, body weight and other measures, suggesting its beneficial influence on metabolic disorders," concluded the scientists.

Have an awesome day!!

 

Fit-NOW-Girl

Devotion…making the change

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It goes without saying that life can rarely be predicted. Obstacles and hills are often thrown in our paths without warning, and we as humans are tested. Our strengths, weaknesses, supports and determination are all more clearly pronounced. For better or worse, it is at these trying times that we find out what we're really made of, and what really matters. It is also at these times when routines & schedules are disrupted that you realize how incredibly comfortable and needed little routines really are…things like, oh I don't know, daily workout regimen.

Due to unforeseen circumstances beyond my control, I have been MIA at boot camp for 2 weeks. I. Miss. It. TERRIBLY.

I miss a whole 90 minutes of "me" time, when (though I am not relaxing by a pool drinking margaritas) I am truly looking after only myself. Time dedicated to the collection of thoughts, release of emotions built up throughout the day, and catching up with good friends. 2 years ago, I never knew that feeling. I never knew how exhilarating working so hard could be, that I could manage to make friends as cherished as other bootcampers, or how much I would miss working out. Me?? MISS working out?? Who is this speaking?!!

Still, I have to admit, that when I made the decision to start and COMPLETE this journey to fitness, it was a conscious decision to make it a permanent and in-exchangeable addition to my already busy schedule. For years I used the excuse "I'm too busy" or "I can't afford it" but I have to tell you that I've learned WHEN THERES A WILL, THERES A WAY. We sacrificed a little as a couple, both financially and personally, to make it work. Although there have been times when I have fallen off schedule, I always miss it and run back on. When I feared I would not be able to continue because of some unforeseen circumstance, things always just seem to work out.

And I am thankful…

Both for the opportunity to belong to such an amazing circle of dedicated women and for the sacrifices made by all involved so that I can.

I challenge you to make the decision…to make the change…to dedicate time every few days, every week, to your health.

You body will thank you. Your mind will thank you. Your family will thank you.

Your life will be never the same.

Have a beautiful day.

Fit – NOW - Girl

BBQ Baked beans & sausage

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup prepared barbecue sauce, (see Shopping Tip)
  
• 1/2 cup water
  
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  
• 1 tablespoon molasses
  
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
  
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
  
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
  
• 1 medium onion, chopped
  
• 4 cups chopped collard greens, (about 10 ounces), tough stems removed
  
• 9 ounces cooked chicken sausage links, (about 3 links), halved lengthwise and sliced
  
• 2 - 15-ounce cans great northern or navy beans, rinsed (see Note)
  

Preparation

1. Whisk barbecue sauce, water, tomato paste, molasses, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
   
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and collard greens and cook, stirring occasionally, until the collards are wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Add sausage and cook, stirring, until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes more.
   
3. Reduce heat to medium-low; add beans and the sauce mixture to the pan. Gently stir to combine, cover and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.
   

Tips & Notes

• Shopping tip: Check the sodium of your favorite barbecue sauce—some can be quite high. This recipe was developed with a sauce containing 240 mg sodium per 2-tablespoon serving.
  
• Note: While we love the convenience of canned beans, they tend to be high in sodium. Give them a good rinse before adding to a recipe to rid them of some of their sodium (up to 35 percent) or opt for low-sodium or no-salt-added varieties. (These recipes are analyzed with rinsed, regular canned beans.) Or, if you have the time, cook your own beans from scratch.
  

Nutrition

Per serving: 444 calories; 8 g fat (1 g sat, 2 g mono); 45 mg cholesterol; 66 g carbohydrates; 28 g protein; 14 g fiber; 653 mg sodium; 987 mg potassium.

Happy Dining!

Fit-NOW-Girl

Sticking to a healthy lifestyle

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Old habits are hard to break…biting nails, smoking, shopping, snacking….

Sometimes I find myself falling back into old habits that I was sure I had conquered. For example, I have been very stressed lately. A few years ago, when I became stressed, I often found food as a comforter…a safety net if you will. I would graze on a bag of chips, candy or chocolate without a second thought of what or how much I was consuming. I would convince myself that I was under such stress, I deserved the treat. Last night, as I tried to de-stress by reading a book, I caught my mind BEGGING me to walk downstairs for a night time snack. My craving would NOT leave me alone! I must have read the same sentence in my book 20 times in an attempt to change my thought process. Ultimately, I beat my craving by turning out the lights and going to sleep rather than staying up and reading, but it got me thinking and worrying about my lack of will power to regress to old habits. I am sure that if I had not gone to bed, I would have given into my mind's incessant pleading and eaten an unhealthy snack.

What is it that we find comforting in junk foods, and how can we successfully train our bodies to avoid them and lead healthy lifestyles?

# 1 - Stick to many of your own food preferences but substitute them for the lower fat varieties. This way it will seem like less of a DIET and therefore more chance you'll stick to it. Remember lifestyle change indicates a change for life!

# 2 - If you need to completely cut out certain "junk" foods then cut them slowly and introduce favorite healthier foods a little at a time. Apple "chips" are enough to satisfy my chip addiction, yet are 100 times more healthy.

# 3 - Try to get into a habit of eating little and often. Keep string cheese, crackers, fruits and veggies pre-measured and always on hand.

# 4 - Always remember to take it one step at a time, big changes are often too much too handle when within a few weeks they seem like hard work.

# 5 - Don't get too caught up with calorie content of everything, it should be a rough guide so you generally take in less calories until reaching your goal.

# 6 - Try to reduce calories slowly over the course of a few weeks, maintain the intake when losing about one pound of weight each week then continue to lower calories slowly when weight loss stops.

# 7 - Don't obsess over scale weight you could be losing or gaining water, buy some fat monitors to check progress. On average, your weight can fluctuate 2 pounds throughout the day!

# 8 - Don't get hooked on trying to achieve the perfect nutrient ratio, as long as there is enough activity and less energy intake the weight should come down no matter how many carbs/protein are consumed.

# 9 - Take a little time each day to plan your activities and stick to them.

# 10 - Set small goals often and enjoy/ revel in the joy when you reach the ultimate goal! Always take a before photo to help you remember and visualize just how far you've come.

Small and consistent changes are the ONLY way to ensure that you maintain and STICK to your decision to lead a healthy lifestyle. Old habits die hard, but given enough time, they will die and be replaced with the new healthy habits that you want.

Good luck!

Have an awesome day!

Fit – NOW – Girl

Beer Battered Fish Tacos with fresh Salsa

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Serves 4

Ingredients

• Tomato & Avocado Salsa, (recipe follows) or store-bought fresh salsa
  
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
  
• 2/3 cup beer
  
• 16 ounces tilapia fillet, cut crosswise into 1-inch wide strips
  
• 4 teaspoons canola oil
  
• 8 corn tortillas, warmed
  

Tomato & Avocado Salsa Ingredients

• 2 large tomato, diced
  
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
  
• 1 jalapeno, minced
  
• 4-6 tablespoons lime juice
  
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  
• 1 avocado, diced
  
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  
• Pinch of cayenne, if desired
  

Preparation

1. Prepare Tomato & Avocado Salsa, if using.
   
2. Combine flour, cumin, salt and cayenne in a medium bowl. Whisk in beer to create a batter.
   
3. Coat tilapia pieces in the batter. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Letting excess batter drip back into the bowl, add the fish to the pan; cook until crispy and golden, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Serve the fish with tortillas and salsa.
   

Nutrition

Per serving: 409 calories; 16 g fat (2 g sat, 9 g mono); 57 mg cholesterol; 40 g carbohydrates; 29 g protein; 8 g fiber; 408 mg sodium; 972 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (40% daily value), Potassium (27% dv), Magnesium (25% dv), Folate (23% dv), Vitamin A (20% dv).

 

How to make eating fun

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If you're anything like me, the act of eating can be a somewhat scary thing. Something that, while a vital part of our being, is so intimidating because of the lasting effects it can have when we make the wrong decisions. It occurred to me this afternoon as I was contemplating my lunch choices, that eating has somehow become something I dread rather than enjoy. I love food. I love the way it smells, looks, makes me feel and of course the way it tastes. Yet, although I have such a love for it, I realized that I also hate it. I mean, it's easy to blame food for my present battle with weight…although I KNOw the fault is mine and my long past with poor food choices.

So, as a result, I decided to list some ways that I can make healthy eating fun again, and not a chore or something that has become painful.

• Vegetables are your friend. In addition to being super healthy, they are flavorful, colorful, and so versatile. The can be eaten raw , boiled, steamed, sautéed, baked or grilled. No matter how you cook them, they come packed with healthy vitamins & minerals, and rarely need anything more than a dash of seasoning.
  
• Don't be afraid to experiment! Some of my favorite meals have been a result of "a little of this, a little of that." Butter, cheese, dressing or sauces need not be added when you brave seasonings and spices. The possibilities are endless!
  
• Make it a game. Journey back to elementary school and revisit the food pyramid. Try to get all of the major food groups and servings in your daily diet…every day! As a reminder, food groups & servings are:
  
• Learn about vitamins, how they help you, what the daily recommendations are, and where their natural forms.
  
• See how many people notice your healthy choices and see if your changes rub off on them.
  

Have a FABULOUS (and cool) day!

Fit-NOW-Girl

How to be a loser

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If you've drifted away from the direct path to your weight loss goal lately, join me as we take a look at some ways to ease yourself back into living like a "loser"!

Television and TemptationWe're not just talking about those commercials for the latest $1 hamburger at the fast food joint around the corner! Didn't you hate it when your mom called the television "the boob tube" as if you were a complete idiot for watching it so much? Turns out she was on to something... at least when it comes to the part of our brain that tells us enough is enough. When we tune in to the "X-Files" marathons on Tuesday nights (or whatever your TV addiction might be!) and sit down with some munchies, it's a virtual feeding frenzy.

Research has shown that we automatically exaggerate portions when we snack in front of the television, especially on the foods we tend to overdo anyway like straight-out-of the bag potato chips, powdered donuts, buttered popcorn... (All those delicious treats that just happen to be high in fat and sugar that go with TV so well!) Do yourself a favor and portion out a single serving of your favorite treat into a snack bag and allow yourself only that serving during prime time.

Stave off HungerA sure-fire way to fail in your re-dedication to weight loss is to skip meals or eat so little during the day that you allow yourself to become super-hungry by nightfall. When you don't eat well-balanced meals during the day or forgo them entirely you will end up so famished by the time you do eat that you're far more likely to binge. A reliable way to keep your appetite from getting out of control is to incorporate good sources of protein into your meals:

• Breakfast will stick with you until lunch if you include cottage cheese, eggs or yogurt.
  
• Working poultry into lunch will keep you away from the vending machine mid-afternoon. Perhaps a turkey sandwich with lots of veggies on the side or add sliced grilled chicken to a salad with reduced-fat dressing.
  
• At dinnertime, making lean meat or fish your entrée will fill you up and prevent the midnight munchies from sneaking up on you.
  
• Legumes are a great side dish for lengthening any meal's staying power.
  
• Snacks serve up a protein punch with yogurt, legumes or peanut butter.
  

Give Yourself Writer's CrampMost of us get into the groove of keeping a food diary when we first start assessing our eating habits or when starting a new diet. But once we get an idea of where our trouble spots are, or, we get the hang of our diet, we stop. In actuality, keeping a food diary is a good idea anytime, but it's especially useful if you know that you've gotten off course from your diet program or your healthier eating goals. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, just a notebook or a few copies of a food diary form.

Jot down what you ate, how much and when. Keep track of everything, including the slice of your boss's birthday cake that you didn't know was going to be lurking in the employee break room and other unexpected goodies. Write down each item as soon as you throw away the plate or packaging that came along with your treat so you don't forget to account for it! Make it a daily habit and sit down with your diary and glean your bad habits and pitfalls from your record. Commit to changing the unfavorable patterns you see!

Go HalvesOne of the most crucial steps in losing and maintaining weight is to master the skill of portion control. If you've slipped back into old eating habits, a really useful way to start managing your portions again is to cut normal servings of your usual fare in half. Not only does that mean boxing up half of your entrée as soon as it's served or splitting your deli sandwich with a co-worker, there are also sneakier ways to meet your weight loss effort halfway:

• use only half your normal creamer in your coffee
  
• drink 1/2 your bottled soda now and 1/2 tomorrow instead of downing the whole bottle in one sitting
  
• use 1 slice of bread halved when making a sandwich instead of two slices
  
• use 1/2 as much mayo as usual on your sandwich
  
• use half as much oil as usual when you sauté veggies for dinner tonight
  
• These may sound like small things, but they really do matter in the big picture of making changes you can stick with. Couple them with your bigger changes and it all adds up to pounds lost!
  

Be a Fruity FoodieThere are so many good reasons to incorporate fruit into your diet. Even if you thought you could never become a fan of fruit, try sneaking it in a couple of times a day and it'll grow on you (No pun intended!). Make fruit the only thing you eat between meals for a few days. You'll get the boost of additional nutrients that help your immunity and general health and you'll eventually have fewer cravings for sweets and begin having a yen for fruit instead.

A great way fruit will help you lose weight is to replace desserts with it. You'll be surprised at how well a banana or apple can appease your sweet tooth once you become accustomed to it. If you really want some extra pizzazz, try fruit cocktail (not syrup-based), add reduced-calorie whipped topping to your melon, zap your apple with some cinnamon in the microwave or freeze a banana to make a "fake" ice pop.

Go VeggieMake one day of the week's meals all vegetarian. You'll not only eat healthier by building your meals around vegetables and grains (thus reducing fat and increasing fiber), you might end up finding you like the veggie lifestyle and go veg for good! Incorporate recipes you've never tried into your menu and try vegetables you've shied away from in the past. If you try different ways of preparing veggies, you'll probably find some to your liking.

For example, I was positive that the only way I could tolerate broccoli for years was to eat it raw. And even then it wasn't very pleasant. You know the episode of "Seinfeld" where Jerry tells Newman he wouldn't eat broccoli if it was covered in chocolate? I liked broccoli even less than everyone's favorite postman. But I finally had some steamed broccoli when I first began a vegetarian diet and it became one of my favorite foods. Try the same trick on your taste buds and you may be pleasantly surprised at their reaction!

Until Tomorrow!

Fit-NOW-Girl

Grilled Salmon Teriyaki

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Ingredients:

• 4 salmon steaks (about 6 oz. each), skinned
  
• 1 cup light soy sauce
  
• 1/3 cup sake (Japanese rice wine)
  
• 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
  
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
  
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger root, grated
  
• 1/3 cup sesame oil
  

Instructions:

1. Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves.
   
2. Rinse salmon under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Divide each steak into two pieces by cutting along either side of the central bone and then discarding the bone. Place the salmon in a shallow glass or ceramic container and pour 1 cup of the marinade over the fish. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, turning the fish occasionally.
   
3. Let come to room temperature before cooking. Prepare grill.
   
4. Remove the salmon from the marinade, reserving the liquid. Place the fish on an oiled grill rack, approximately six inches from the heat source. Turn once and brush with reserved marinade. Cook 3-5 minutes per side, depending on the salmon's thickness.
   

Makes 8 3-oz. servings.

Key to Successful Weight Loss - # 3

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In the past 2 weeks, we have covered how important MOTIVATION and SELF ACCEPTANCE are when it comes to successful weight loss.

This week, key # 3

FOCUS ON POSITIVES NOT NEGATIVES

Many of us have a tendency to look at our bad points, however once you start to accept yourself it will be easier to focus on the positive side more. To make it easier try writing a list of all the good things in what you've done or what you like about your physical self. Practice running these positives through your mind regularly, it may take time but its surprising what you can believe if it is said enough times - remember the past believe that you could look like the models if you obtain the right diet!

Until Tomorrow!
Keep healthy, keep safe and keep going!