Weight Loss 101: Fast, Healthy Options to Curb Hunger
Gail Davis
July 09, 2009
If you´re like most people struggling with their weight, you eat too many calories picking at food while you´re waiting to eat. It would be nice if those licks, tastes, and bites didn´t count, but unfortunately they do. In fact, the number of calories between losing weight, maintaining your weight, and gaining weight is surprisingly small.
Sticking to your weight loss plan is much easier if in fact you actually have a plan! If you can go from "I´m hungry" to eating in under five or ten minutes, you´ll have a much better chance of experiencing success on the scale.
There are many simple things you can do to improve your odds of success. Obviously, you need to start by clearing out the unhealthy foods in your fridge and pantry and replacing them with healthier options. Keep plenty of fresh (or frozen) fruits and vegetables on hand. Have salad fixings available at all time. Make sure you have plenty of whole grains in the form of brown rice, pasta, and wraps or bread. Stock up on tuna and salmon in the can or pouch. Have heart healthy nuts and olives. Replace your usual dairy products with skim milk and fat-free yogurt. Have Parmesan and feta cheese handy as a little goes a long way in adding flavor. Keep water stored in the fridge where it´s cold and readily available!
One of my favorite things to make when dieting is a fruit smoothie. These can be used as breakfast options, meal replacements, or just healthy snacks! Not only is it fast and easy, but you can also check off several of your recommended dairy and fruit servings for the day. Using a blender, mix skim milk, fat-free plain yogurt, a banana, and frozen berries together. In five minutes, you can have a delicious, nutritious breakfast. If you want to add more protein to your diet, purchase a low-fat whey protein powder and add it to your smoothie.
Another refreshing and quick meal, especially in warm weather, is gazpacho. I usually make a large bowl on weekends and eat it all week. It only gets better the longer it sits in your refrigerator. I cut up cucumbers, yellow squash, zucchini, carrots, celery, and onion in a large bowl. I add fresh tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes. After adding salt, pepper, and garlic, I add tomato juice until it makes the soupy consistency that I´m looking for. At that point, I add one tablespoon of olive oil, a splash of balsamic vinegar, and a couple of tablespoons of red wine vinegar. (I like mine tangy, but you really have to taste it so that it suits you.) Some people prefer to blend half or all of it, but I prefer mine to be "chunky." This one large bowl can provide an instant, delicious, healthy lunch all week—no fuss, no muss!
Another quick, healthy meal option that you will always find in my refrigerator is bean salad. I mix canned black beans, red kidney beans, and garbanzo beans together, after draining and rinsing them really well. I add diced celery and bell pepper, and a little onion. Garlic is a must, either powdered or fresh! I add one tablespoon of olive oil and about four tablespoons of red wine vinegar. I mix it up well and let it marinate in the fridge until it´s gone! I often grab a cup for dinner with a chicken breast or a piece of baked or poached fish.
Having healthy ingredients on hand will make your mealtime that much easier. Large salads are delicious and filling and are only limited by your imagination. Enjoy variety by adding fruit, nuts, canned tuna, or feta cheese. Be careful with high-caloric salad dressings and opt instead for a tablespoon of olive oil with your choice of vinegar. Chicken fajitas or wraps can be made in less than 10 minutes by sauteing thin slices of chicken and peppers in a small amount of healthy oil or broth.
Eating healthy and sticking to your weight loss plan can be easier than you think. You don´t have to be a talented cook, and you don´t have to spend all your time in the kitchen. Just plan ahead and have nutritious, unprocessed foods on hand along with a few ideas about what to throw together. Your scale will thank you!
Sticking to your weight loss plan is much easier if in fact you actually have a plan! If you can go from "I´m hungry" to eating in under five or ten minutes, you´ll have a much better chance of experiencing success on the scale.
There are many simple things you can do to improve your odds of success. Obviously, you need to start by clearing out the unhealthy foods in your fridge and pantry and replacing them with healthier options. Keep plenty of fresh (or frozen) fruits and vegetables on hand. Have salad fixings available at all time. Make sure you have plenty of whole grains in the form of brown rice, pasta, and wraps or bread. Stock up on tuna and salmon in the can or pouch. Have heart healthy nuts and olives. Replace your usual dairy products with skim milk and fat-free yogurt. Have Parmesan and feta cheese handy as a little goes a long way in adding flavor. Keep water stored in the fridge where it´s cold and readily available!
One of my favorite things to make when dieting is a fruit smoothie. These can be used as breakfast options, meal replacements, or just healthy snacks! Not only is it fast and easy, but you can also check off several of your recommended dairy and fruit servings for the day. Using a blender, mix skim milk, fat-free plain yogurt, a banana, and frozen berries together. In five minutes, you can have a delicious, nutritious breakfast. If you want to add more protein to your diet, purchase a low-fat whey protein powder and add it to your smoothie.
Another refreshing and quick meal, especially in warm weather, is gazpacho. I usually make a large bowl on weekends and eat it all week. It only gets better the longer it sits in your refrigerator. I cut up cucumbers, yellow squash, zucchini, carrots, celery, and onion in a large bowl. I add fresh tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes. After adding salt, pepper, and garlic, I add tomato juice until it makes the soupy consistency that I´m looking for. At that point, I add one tablespoon of olive oil, a splash of balsamic vinegar, and a couple of tablespoons of red wine vinegar. (I like mine tangy, but you really have to taste it so that it suits you.) Some people prefer to blend half or all of it, but I prefer mine to be "chunky." This one large bowl can provide an instant, delicious, healthy lunch all week—no fuss, no muss!
Another quick, healthy meal option that you will always find in my refrigerator is bean salad. I mix canned black beans, red kidney beans, and garbanzo beans together, after draining and rinsing them really well. I add diced celery and bell pepper, and a little onion. Garlic is a must, either powdered or fresh! I add one tablespoon of olive oil and about four tablespoons of red wine vinegar. I mix it up well and let it marinate in the fridge until it´s gone! I often grab a cup for dinner with a chicken breast or a piece of baked or poached fish.
Having healthy ingredients on hand will make your mealtime that much easier. Large salads are delicious and filling and are only limited by your imagination. Enjoy variety by adding fruit, nuts, canned tuna, or feta cheese. Be careful with high-caloric salad dressings and opt instead for a tablespoon of olive oil with your choice of vinegar. Chicken fajitas or wraps can be made in less than 10 minutes by sauteing thin slices of chicken and peppers in a small amount of healthy oil or broth.
Eating healthy and sticking to your weight loss plan can be easier than you think. You don´t have to be a talented cook, and you don´t have to spend all your time in the kitchen. Just plan ahead and have nutritious, unprocessed foods on hand along with a few ideas about what to throw together. Your scale will thank you!
Print
Email
