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Okay, girlfriend. This is the real deal. This is where you eat
in, you eat out and you party, and you're faced with lots and lots
of food choices. But while nutrition used to be a long list of foods
you shouldn't eat, now in this new age of nutrition discovery it's
all about adding the foods that boost our health. The Dish Divas'
motto is "the more you know, the more you can eat!"
In these pages we'll dish about how to make healthy eating fun
and fill you in on some nutrition tidbits you just might have overlooked,
whether you're dining home alone, eating out at a 4-star restaurant
or going through the local drive-thru. Throwing a party? We're there
for you. Just read on for a few entertaining tips at your next fete.
With all the talk about the wily ways of women on the hit series
“Desperate Housewives,” we thought it might be fun to
chat a bit about how cheating can actually be a strategy for successful
weight control. After all, being good all of the time is just so
incredibly boring! Here are 5 smart tips inspired by some of our
Hip & Healthy Heroines, who shared some of their cheating ways
with us in The Dish.
1. Order dessert first
Yep, that’s right. Life is short, so order dessert first.
This strategy helps you plan the rest of your meal around that sinfully
rich dessert you really crave. OK, the waiter may look at you a
little strange when you ask for the dessert menu first, but you
need information on your destination before you can map out your
meal. If you know you’ve just got to have the chocolate cheese
cake or coconut cake with pineapple ice cream then you’ll
make sure not to start with the fried calamari appetizer or the
creamy New England Clam chowder! Save yourself for your true love,
dessert!
2. Cover Your Tracks
A food diary or journal can help you keep track of your intake,
so you won’t go over your daily calorie quota. Research shows
the most successful dieters do it and do it daily. Your journal
notes don’t have to be overly obsessive, but do jot down the
types of foods you eat, estimate amounts and write down where you
were and maybe even your mood. This will give you a snapshot of
your relationship with food.
3. Straighten Up and Fry Right
Did you know that foods that are fried right have fewer total fat
and calories? Now these are the bad boys worth the heat! Choosing
cooking oils with a high smoke point, such as peanut oil or safflower
oil, allows foods to fry at a higher temperature and therefore cook
faster and absorb less fat. If you master the right technique, your
fried foods will be lighter. (See page 158 in The Dish.)
4. Be a Smart Snacker
You may crave the crunch of potato chips and dip or nacho chips
piled high with refried beans and sour cream, but give your cravings
a healthy makeover. Choose baked potato chips with a low-fat yogurt
dip or nachos made with baked chips, black beans and salsa. Let’s
get the party started!
5. Savor Every Moment
If you’re going to cheat, then relax and enjoy it! Choose
really fine chocolates so you only need a few decadent bites. Or
if it’s a five-course gourmet meal you’re luxuriating
over, remember to put your fork down every so often and savor the
flavors. It’s quality, not quantity that counts. Sure, being
satisfied is about feeling full and getting enough food, but there
are mysterious forces at work in the mind, too. Psychological effects
are powerful forces. So, slow down and let your body and soul appreciate
small portions of big tastes.
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