Here are a few reminders and helpful hints:
Remember that calories still count and there are plenty of ways to eat delicious, full plates of food if you make some clever choices. For example, when eating out you can order your fish or meat with little to no oil, butter, glaze or sauce and ask for your vegetables to be steamed without butter. (note, pasta is never low calorie and bottomless bowls of it are a mistake) At home, you can prepare your food the same way - without lots of sauces, breading or butter.
Remember that calories still count and there are plenty of ways to eat delicious, full plates of food if you make some clever choices. For example, when eating out you can order your fish or meat with little to no oil, butter, glaze or sauce and ask for your vegetables to be steamed without butter. (note, pasta is never low calorie and bottomless bowls of it are a mistake) At home, you can prepare your food the same way - without lots of sauces, breading or butter.
Some vegetables are more nutritious than others - high in nutrients but not high in calories, as long as you do not bread, fry or coat them in butter. For example, summer squashes, spaghetti squash, eggplant, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, green beans, greens (kale, broccoli rabe, etc). Use this link to find other low calorie foods, and remember just because they start out low calorie doesn't mean they end up low calorie (how you or the chef prepares them is a crucial factor).
Alcohol and caffeine(particularly in coffee) can be a part of a health promoting diet, but be mindful of two things: 1) excess alcohol and caffeine can have adverse effects on your health (excess is more than one or two drinks a day depending on your sex and size, and probably 3 to 4 8-ounce cups of coffee); 2) both alcoholic beverages and coffee that is flavored with cream and sugar, bring in calories and those calories count towards your individual daily requirements.
I enjoy a good cup of arabica coffee, black no sugar in the morning (okay 2) and decaffeinated, almond milk infused cappuccino in the evening. (sugar free milk ~ 30 cals a cup). For alcohol, I stick to one 12 ounce light beer, one 4 to 6 ounce glass of wine OR one shot of liquor mixed with a no calorie beverage. I recently made a batch of limoncello which I am enjoying several nights a week! Pictured above.
I hope this post has helped get you back on track or keep you on track and given you some new information for meeting your goals.
