Monday, October 21, 2013

Healthy Weight Tip #3

Plan to have healthy snacks.
  • Snacking is not always a bad thing. It just depends on what the snack is.
  • Prepare healthy snacks ahead of time and keep them handy when you’re on the go.
  • Healthy snacks include raw vegetables, fruit, a small handful of nuts, or unbuttered popcorn. Look at snacks as a way to eat more fruits and vegetables.
Understand recent weight gain.
  • Sometimes people gain weight in a short period of time because they are going through hard times (death, divorce, or job changes). They don’t have the time or energy to watch what they eat or to get regular physical activity.
  • Are you gaining weight because you are trying to quit smoking?
Understand how weight loss works.
  • If you have tried losing weight but weren’t able to keep it off, don’t feel bad!
  • Most diets lead to some weight loss, but keeping the weight off is much harder.
  • Think about when you tried to lose weight: what worked and what didn’t work?

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Healthy Weight Tip #2

Get rid of guilt.
  • Feeling guilty about eating a “bad” food or eating too much isn’t helpful.
  • Guilt is a type of negative thinking, and you can overcome it!
  • Instead, make a list of the foods that you feel most guilty about eating, and replace them with healthier foods or eat them less often and in smaller amounts.
  • Stop buying the foods that make you feel guilty. You can’t eat them if you don’t have them in the house.
Eat when you are hungry and stop eating when you’re full.
  • Sit at a table to eat.
  • Slow down! Eating slowly lets you enjoy your food and gives your brain a chance to figure out when you’re full.
  • Put your fork down between most bites to help you slow down.
  • Pay attention to portion size.

Monday, October 7, 2013

Healthy Weight Tip #1

Avoid emotional eating.
  • Don’t let strong feelings turn into weight gain.
  • Figure out what your eating triggers are.
  • Pay attention to how much and what you are eating.
Don’t skip meals.
  • Skipping meals does not help you lose weight!
  • Your body needs a certain number of calories every day.
  • If you skip a meal, you will probably snack or eat more later.
  • Try to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

“Mom, the House Smells Great” Roasted Chicken

Makes 6 Servings

Ingredients
1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil, or 1 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon bottled crushed garlic or 1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
One 4- to 5-pound roasting chicken
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Combine the olive oil, lemon zest, basil, rosemary, salt, and garlic in a small bowl and mix well.
Place the chicken on a work surface or cutting board. Loosen the skin from the chicken breast and drumsticks by inserting your fingers and gently pushing between the skin and meat. Rub the seasoning mixture under the loosened chicken skin. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.
Place the chicken, breast side up, on a broiler or roasting pan in the center of the oven. Bake until the chicken turns golden brown and an instant-read meat thermometer registers 180°F, about 1 hour and 20 minutes (18 to 20 minutes per pound).
Remove and discard the skin. Slice the meat and serve.

Nutrition Information per Serving: 190 calories, 10g fat (2g saturated), 300mg sodium, 1g carbohydrate, 0g fiber, 23g protein, 10% iron