Posts filed under ‘Best Bets’
The Top 10 Processed Foods
| …for those times in need |
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Trader Joe’s Organic Brown Rice Penne Pasta 1 cup cooked: 200 cal, 1.5 g fat (0 g sat), 43 g carbs, 0 mg sodium, 2 g fiber, 4 g protein |
Amy’s Brown Rice & Vegetable BowlEntire bowl: 260 cal, 9 g fat (1 g sat), 36 g carbs, 550 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 9 g protein  |
| Uncle Sam Instant Oatmeal with Whole Wheat Flakes and Flaxseed1 packet: 130 cal, 3 g fat (0.5 g sat), 23 g carbs, 20 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 5 g protein |
| Trader Joe’s Everything Pretzel Slims23 pretzel slims: 110 cal, 0.5 g fat (0 g sat), 23 g carbs, 550 mg sodium,15 g fiber, 3 g protein |
| Laughing Cow Light Swiss Original1 wedge: 35 cal, 2 g fat (1 g sat), 1 g carbs, 260 mg sodium, 0 g fiber, 2.5 g protein |
| Barbara’s Puffins: Peanut Butter¾ cup: 110 cal, 2 g fat (0.5 g sat), 23 g carbs, 230 mg sodium, 2 g fiber, 3 g protein |
| Galaxy Granola¼ cup: 120 cal, 2.2 g fat (0 g sat), 22 g carbs, 0 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 4 g protein |
Apple Pie Lara Bar  Entire bar: 190 cal, 10 g fat (1 g sat), 24 g carbs, 10 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 4 g protein |
| Tribe Organic Classic Hummus2 tbsp: 50 cal, 3.5 g fat (0 g sat), 4 g carbs, 100 mg sodium, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein |
FAGE Total 0% Yogurt 8 oz container: 120 cal, 0 g fat (0 g sat), 9 g carbs, 85 mg sodium, 0 g fiber, 20 g protein |
Junk Food in Disguise
If you are trying to lose weight or stay healthy, there can be a lot of junk food minefields to avoid. Unfortunately, even so-called health foods can often have hidden calories and fat. See below for tips to separate the faux health foods from the real healthy choices.
When snacking, watch out for…
BRAN MUFFINS:
Since most of us at one point have baked homemade muffins or have at least seen the 2 lbs giant ones sitting next to the pastries at Starbucks, it is not surprising they can be loaded with sugar and fat and therefore high in calories. Things get a little more confusing, however, when the muffin has a healthy first name, “Bran,” “Banana Nut,” or “Carrot Ginger.” Unfortunately, a muffin by any name is still a muffin and although the healthy additions of fruits, bran, vegetables, or nuts incorporate some fiber into your meal, the fat and sugar still remain. A better way to start the day would be a cup of bran cereal and skim milk or fruit and low-fat yogurt.
DRIED FRUIT
Popping a handful of dried fruit in your mouth will provide fiber and vitamins, but also more calories than you’d expect. When fruit is dehydrated it becomes dense and smaller and yields more calories per cup, making it easy to down a lot before you fill up. For example, ¼ cup of dried cherries will set you back 140 calories, whereas 1 cup of the raw fruit will only cost you 88 calories. Also because dried fruit is often sticky and sugary it can cause cavities. So if you want to enjoy a whole bowl of fruit without feeling the slightest bit guilty, definitely reach for it in the raw.
VITAMIN WATER
If it’s packed with vitamins it must be great, right? Sadly, if you replaced your soda addiction 
with Vitamin Water you may still be drinking a good portion of your daily calories. A Vitamin Water has about 150 calories and a lot of extra sugar. And although you may see people at the gym downing it after a workout, you would need to run at least a mile to equalize those extra calories. Re-hydrating with real water is a simple, healthy, and calorie-free alternative.
GRANOLA/GRANOLA BARS
The word granola has been associated with healthy, natural diets for decades making it seem an unlikely candidate for this list. However, even with its compilation of healthy nuts, grains, and fruits, it packs on the calories via added oil and sugar. A better way to get these nutrients would be to snack on raw fruit and nuts, or indulge in other equally nutrient rich cereals with much less calories like All-Bran, Kashi, or Fiber One.
When dining out watch out for…
WRAPS
Wraps are usually a great choice, but when you are eating out, no matter what healthy ingredients are advertised, you are probably getting more than you bargained for. The size of the actual bread part of the wrap is usually much larger than what you would prepare at home. And the more bread available, the more heavy condiments like dressing or mayonnaise that can be spread on and toppings like cheese you can fit in. If you decide to order a wrap, try to take control of the portion size and save half for later.
TURKEY BURGERS/ VEGGIE BURGERS
Like wraps, the real issue with ordering a veggie or turkey burger at a restaurant is the excessive portion size. Sandwiched between a gigantic bun, the large burger is often smothered with add-ons like cheese, mayo, and sugary ketchup or BBQ sauce. The best bet is to cook this food at home, forgo the bun, or make sure to order it without the extra toppings.
SUSHI
Dining on sushi can be a great way to work towards your daily vegetable and protein needs in a satisfying low calorie meal. But be careful, behind its seaweed covering, many rolls are secretly layered with mayonnaise, cream cheese, or fried food. One shrimp tempura roll can rack up about 500 calories. Dunk your roll in some soy sauce and you not only add more calories, but also a lot of unnecessary sodium to your diet. Next time you end up at a Japanese restaurant, make sure to avoid rolls with the words “spicy,” “fried,” or “tempura;” or when in doubt ask the server what exactly lurks inside your order. Also try opting for other delicious and healthy menu options at a Japanese restaurant such as hijiki salad, green salad, edamame, miso soup, or sashimi (sushi without the rice).
Dining Out Stays In + Cooking Gets Even Easier
Like you, when I come home after a long day the last thing I’m in the mood to do is cook. I’m constantly searching for easy, quick recipes using minimal amount of ingredients (and pots and pans), which is why I was so excited to find these steamer microwave bags from Glad and ZipLoc :
Literally, this is how easy it is: I throw in whatever veggie and frozen chicken breast I already have in my freezer, add some spices, zip up the bag and into the microwave it goes.
Out comes a perfectly steamed meal in 10 minutes flat. If that’s not enough motivation for you, here’s a recipe to jump start your creativity that I edited down from here:
- Sprinkle a total of 1/4 teaspoon curry powder onto 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each).
- Combine in Medium or Large Ziploc® Zip ‘n Steam™ bag:
- 1 medium apple, peeled, cored, and sliced into 12 wedges
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced carrot
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1 tsp curry powde
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Delicious 400 Calorie Meals to Stay on Track for the New Year
Lunch:
Asian Inspired Turkey sandwich: Between 2 slices of light whole wheat bread layer ¼ of an avocado, 4 slices of turkey, 1 cup mixed baby greens, 1/2 of carrot (shredded), 2 T Newman’s own sesame ginger dressing. 1 Fuji apple.
368 calories 14g fat; 53g carbs; 24g protein
Warm Italian Chicken Pita: In 1 whole wheat pita, put inside 4 oz of grilled chicken breast, ½ sliced roma tomato, 1 T pesto, ¼ cup basil, and 1 slice of mozzarella cheese. 14 baby carrots
371 calories; 16g fat; 25g carbs; 29g protein
Quinoa and Vegetable Salad: Combine ¼ cup prepared quinoa, 5 cherry tomatoes, ½ cup broccoli and 3 diced asparagus spears steamed, ½ T olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, 2 T chopped parsley, salt and pepper. 1 cup of strawberries
367 calories; 10g of fat; 64g carbs; 10g protein
Ahi tuna sashimi and avocado salad: Put 4 oz of tuna sashimi, ½ of an avocado, 1/2 diced carrot, ½ cup cucumber, over 2 cups of mixed baby greens, . Dressing: Combine 2 T miso paste, 1 T low sodium soy sauce, 1 T rice wine vinegar, juice of 1 lime. 1 plum.
372 calories; 17g fat; 37g carbs; 23g protein
Veggie and Hummus Wrap: In 1 whole wheat tortilla, combine 2 T hummus, ¼ cup alfalfa sprouts, ¼ cup roasted red peppers, ½ cup cucumber, ½ cup small cauliflower florets, 5 kalamata olives. And 1 low fat string cheese and 1 navel orange.
398 calories; 15g fat; 49g carbs; and 15g protein
Vegetable Soup and Crackers: 1 cup Healthy Choice Garden Vegetable soup. And 5 triscuits layered
with 2 oz of sharp cheddar cheese and 3 slices of turkey.
370 calories; 14g fat; 40g carbs; 26g protein
Dinner:
Hanger steak salad: Place 3 oz of grilled hanger steak, 1 sliced roma tomato, ¼ cup cooked garbanzo beans, 1/4 cup fennel, ½ diced carrot over 2 cups of mixed baby greens. Top with 1 t olive oil and ½ T red wine vinegar
374 calories; 21g fat; 26g carbs; 25g protein
Baked halibut with potato and steamed broccoli: Bake a 4 oz halibut fillet coated with 1/2 T olive oil, 2 diced garlic cloves, salt and pepper and ½ sliced lemon in aluminum foil shaped into a boat in an 375 degree oven. Steam broccoli and 1 yukon gold potato. Top Yukon gold potato with 1 pat of butter. 364 calories; 12g fat; 36g carb; 34g protein. Baked cod, steamed broccoli and a potato.
Barbequed chicken breast, Collard greens, biscuits: Grill 4 oz of chicken breast with 2 T of Kraft light BBQ sauce and spices of your choice. Boil 1 cup of cut up collard greens in ½ cup of vegetable stock for 3 min. Add 1 t lemon zest, then cook covered at medium until tender (about 8-10 min). Add 1 pat of butter, salt, pepper, and 1/2 juiced lemon. 2 Pillsbury buttermilk biscuits with 2 t agave syrup.
341 calories; 8g of fat; 39g of carbs; 27g of protein
Veggie burger: Place 1 Morningstar veggie burger on a Thomas 100 calorie English muffin with 2 T black bean dip, ½ sliced roma tomato, ½ cup mixed baby greens, 2 T raw onions, 1 T ketchup. 1 glass of skim milk
364 calories; 5g fat; 59g carbs; 28g protein
Roast turkey with gravy and brussel sprouts: Roast 4 oz of turkey. Save dripping and use to make gravy: mix drippings + 1-2 T flour in bottom of pan, add water until desirable consistency and cook with salt, pepper, and herbs of your choice. Roast 1 cup of quartered brussel sprouts with 1/2 T olive oil and salt and pepper. Add ¼ T of balsamic vinegar and 2 t parmesan cheese to Brussels sprouts.
391 calories; 20g fat; 25g carbs; 32g protein
Black bean tacos: Cook 1/2 cup of black beans with 1t cumin. For salsa: combine 1 roma tomato, ¼ yellow onion, juice of ½ lime, salt, pepper and cilantro. Add black beans, salsa, 1 cup mixed baby greens, 1 T sour cream and ¼ avocado to 2 small corn tortillas.
394 calories; 11g fat; 63g carbs; 14g protein
What We’re Loving Now: Couch to 5K Running Plan
This just does what it says: gets you off the couch and running a 5K in just two months. 20 minute sessions 3x a week is all you need to get fit and healthy and running 3 miles before you know it. Measure your runs by time or distance. Who doesn’t have 20 minutes to spare?! My favorite motivation to get off my couch and into the gym!
Cool Running for more info:
| Week | Workout 1 | Workout 2 | Workout 3 |
| 1 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes. | Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes. | Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes. |
| 2 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes. | Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes. | Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes. |
| 3 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:
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Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:
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Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:
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| 4 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
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Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
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Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
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| 5 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
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Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
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Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog two miles (or 20 minutes) with no walking. |
| 6 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
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Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
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Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2-1/4 miles (or 25 minutes) with no walking. |
| 7 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes). | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes). | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes). |
| 8 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes). | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes). | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes). |
| 9 | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes). | Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes). | The final workout! Congratulations! Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes) |
