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Ewelina
Author Archives: ewelinasuchowolec
A Wheel of (Food) Fortune
You run out the door 2 minutes later than usual and the last thing on you mind is grabbing something for lunch. Does it sound familiar? I think I am a pro of making it to work on time. A pro for bringing lunch – not so much. Although I always have some healthy snacks at work – apples, grapes, nuts – sometimes, I can get insanely hungry. The so called “wheel of fortune” seems to have an answer to all of my cravings.
The first on the list of goodies is Yoplait Original.
It seems like a semi-healthy snack, right? It has protein, very little fat per serving and only 170 calories. Considering that a snack should be around 200 calories, it is pretty darn good. One ingredient that cancels its all goodness to me is Mr. Sugar. It is the third in line on the list of ingredients. A balanced snack should have a pretty even ratio of protein to carbohydrates. 26grams per serving is nowhere near 5 grams of protein that Yoplait provides. Did I mention that this strawberry yogurt contains more sugar than it contains fruit? Let’s spin the wheel again.
Next – Dole Crisp Pineapple Mango.
The ingredients don’t look too bad. I can pronounce most of them; however, sneaky sugar made his way into this product as well. Pardon my question but why the heck would I need sugar with awesomely sweet pineapple and mango? Another Debbie Downer – calories. I know, it’s only 150 per serving but this little tiny orange cup is not going to fill me up whatsoever. I guess I pass on this snack as well.
I am looking for something more filling that involves a little more chewing. Here it is – Bob Evans Snack Size Sausage Cheese Sandwich.
It looks rather appetizing, has a decent marriage between carbs and protein. But there is always that “but.” If I had eaten the recommended serving size of these bite-size sandwiches, I would have consumed 50% of DI of fat and 33% of DI of sodium. Sorry Bobby – not tonight.
I spin the wheel again, unfortunately, all the prizes seem to look pretty much the same. I end up snacking on baby carrots for the rest of the day. This whole wheel of food fortune turned out to be one big misfortune so far.
I got home and my man and I made salmon with greek yogurt and green beans for dinner. I made sure not to forget to bring leftovers for lunch.
Apples (and grapes of course) are my hands down favorite office snacks. You know that saying: “one apple a day keeps a doctor away?” Well, I wouldn’t go as far as relying my health on good old apples but they are indeed a great choice if you just feel like hunger is right around the corner.
One medium apple contains about 14% of DI of Vitamin C and is rich in fiber that makes feel you full longer. Apples also make you regular, if you know what I mean 😉
Stock up on some granny smiths or honey crisps and keep them at your desk as an emergency snack
Downsize your plate
When you try to manage your weight by using a portion-control method, nothing looks sadder than a tiny piece of chicken with broccoli on a huge plate. “How is this supposed to fill me up,” you’re thinking to yourself. Although your belly will be more than happy with the amount of food it will receive, your mind is about scream: “Hell NO!” Upgrading or rather downgrading to a smaller plate will make your brain satisfied too. A lot of people eat “with their eyes” first and having a full plate, regardless the size, mentally satisfies their hunger.
Stay hydrated! I am probably the worst follower of this rule but, by far, it is one of the most important to stick to. Drink 64 ounces of water (approx. 2 liters) a day to keep proper hydration of your body. Did you know what sometimes your brain mistakes thirst for hunger? Make sure that you keep sipping on H2O throughout the day so you never feel thirsty. Water helps flush out excessive sodium and is a life saver after a weekend of unhealthy food choices.
If you don’t like plain water, spice it up with some lemon, ginger or cucumber. Keep a large water bottle on your desk at work whenever you need a quick refreshment.
Yesterday I mentioned a whole grain pasta. Today I want to show you an alternative – spaghetti squash. This little guy is full of nutrients that make him superior to his grainy friend. 1 cup provides almost 10% of DI (daily intake) of Vitamin C. It is also a source of niacin, riboflavin, vitamin K, A and B-6. Want more fiber and magnesium in your diet? Spaghetti squash is the way to go. Bake it in an oven on 400 degrees (poke some holes in it first) or cut in half and microwave for 6 minutes. Although it does not taste exactly like pasta, this swap-out makes Italian cuisine enjoyable for weight-conscious boys and girls.
A Slim Announcement
Since it’s already November, I think it is the perfect time to start a new routine. I will be posting a quick healthy tip on my blog every day until December so feel free to leave me comments with topic suggestions!
If you are to follow only 1 weight-management advice, this one should be your choice. But I am not talking stricktly candy – I mean sweetened yogurts, sodas, pastry and any foods with the magic “sugar” on the list of ingredients. Next time when you’re at the grocery store shopping for pasta sauce, look what it is made of.
90% of sauces that you can find on the shelves have sugar as an ingredient. The sad thing is that in order to beat the system and make your spaghetti without unnecessary sugar, you will have to fork out about 7 or 8 dollars. It is a little bit too much to enjoy dinner semi-guilt-free, me thinks. If you want to indulge in pasta once in a while (insert a whole grain reminder here!!!), try making your own sauce. It will be equally delish and at least you have control over what is in it.
Should you drink when you are trying to shed pounds?
That’s a million dollar question and we all know the correct answer; however, we still want to find somebody who will tell us what we would like to hear. Sorry hun, no, you shouldn’t drink when you try to lose weight. Alcohol is a non-nutrient which means that it provides calories/energy while possessing little to 0 nutritional value. So let’s paraphrase the original question: if I am trying to lose weight by reducing my calorie intake, should I consume extra calories that provide nothing nutritious to my body? Yea, that’s what I thought. What a bummer, eh? So now that we have that burning issue out of the way, let’s be honest here – in the end, you will either become a non-drinker or you will try to make better choices when it comes to drinking (so called lesser of 2 evils). If you do choose to have an alcoholic drink here and there, stay away from:
• Beer (especially stouts and porters)
• Gin and tonic (unless it’s a diet tonic)
• Margaritas
• Wine coolers
• Any liquor mixed with sugary soda or juice
So what are your options? Dry wine, light beer (Beck’s light has only 64 calories), vodka + diet coke/coke zero, sugar-free margarita will do too. And please remember that women are advised not to consume more than 1 alcoholic drink a day (a single shot).
I know what some would say – sugar free stuff is full of aspartame and other unhealthy junk but come on, you’re going to indulge in an alcoholic drink, should we really get into an argument about health here 😉
When I began changing my eating habits, I cut out alcohol completely. I noticed that I run faster when I don’t drink, I sleep better and have more energy in general when my poor liver is not working overtime to break down the toxins. I think it is beneficial to stay away from empty calories from food/beverages, especially if weight loss is your goal.
Another tricky aspect of alcohol – late night munchies. You know, when you get that buzz and pizza or Jimmy Johns sound sooooo good. Unless you plan on dancing all night and sweating your bottom off, you should probably pass on after-drinking snacks. Your body will not get to digesting the food until it is totally done with alcohol.
Whether you choose to drink or not, it is a personal choice. Some prefer a glass of wine over a slice of cheesecake. Moderation is the key, so indulge responsibly 😉
Cheers!
There are foods that are off limits
So you made up your mind – starting on Monday you will be working on a new slim, healthy, beautiful you. You make a list of exercises you want to try out, tell your friends that, from now on, happy hour will be celebrated with celery sticks and announce to your mom that you no longer will be liking that chocolate cake of hers because she’s trying kill you with all that Crisco icing (hello trans-fats). You can just picture yourself skinnier and more toned feeling amazingly well but then you start thinking… but what about margaritas, late night pizza, Ben and Jerry’s and bagels? You don’t have a problem with working out although it sucks, but giving up some foods like FOREVER?
“Eh”, you think, “it won’t be that bad”- “I will treat myself on Friday or work off half-priced martinis the next morning…”
And that’s how it begins – a plan that’s bound to fail.
So the question is: are some foods off limits? The answer is, unfortunately, yes. Before you shout out “hell no” and start pouting, let’s talk about off-limits foods. They are not labeled with “I’ll make you fat” because chances are they won’t if you eat them in moderation. So why not eat them? Simply because they are terrible for your overall well-being. I know treat yourself is one of the most awesome rules invented but there is no reason why you should treat yourself with: Twinkies, little Debbie’s cookies, mini donuts, a bag potato chips, a bowl of apple jacks or Wendy’s frosty. Yes, you shouldn’t feel deprived only because you want to be slimmer and healthier that’s why you should educate yourself why those highly processed foods are terrible for you so you no longer crave them. I know, it’s easier said than done. I can tell you all about what I’ve read on processed foods and food science that goes into inventing all of those lab-made products that have really nothing to do with nutrition. However, in order to truly comprehend why you shouldn’t miss them, you need to learn it yourself. Think about processed food as your horrible ex-boyfriend. Yes, you miss him at first, although your friends keep telling you what an a-hole he was. But the more you think about it, the more you realize that you no longer need him to be happy. Replace the toxic relationship with processed foods with the brand new fresh one, like fruits and vegetables. It will make you more energetic, healthier and slimmer – the goal that you decided to start going for this coming Monday. Don’t let the good memories of a bad relationship cloud the whole picture. You will love your new habits.
Life Update
Wow, I didn’t even realize how long it has been since I last posted on TSL. The end of summer was crazy busy and began with moving to a new apartment. With my man still in NYC till mid-August, I was stuck with the great pleasure of packing, moving, unpacking and organizing. I haven’t moved in 5 years and even then I don’t recollect to have been such a hassle (I guess one can accumulate way too much stuff in a half of a decade of adult living). After spending countless hours at TJ Maxx bargain shopping and leaving way too much money at Ikea, I can finally said that we are all settled I love our new place and it feels like home for the first time.
How did my slim lifestyle survive during this hectic time? It’s hanging there. I had very little time to go to the gym lately (honestly, very little willingness for the most part) and pizza sneaked into my diet maybe a little too often but I still stayed conscious of my food intake and activity level.
Last Saturday morning my man and I went to a local fresh market to pick up some real tomatoes. You know, the kind that actually has a smell and a taste of a tomato. They are absolutely delicious and most definitely worth an 8a.m. trip. After breakfast and a must-have morning espresso, we felt adventurous and decided to make a trip to the ZOO. It didn’t feel like much, but 3 hours of walking in 90-degree weather was a great exercise. My legs were definitely sore the next day. We got home exhausted, made some salmon and veggies on the grill and called it a night.
Sunday was supposed to be rather uneventful. My man had a bunch of things to do and I just wanted to relax, organize my closet and read all day. That was the plan until I came up with a brilliant idea to go look at puppies. We talked about getting a dog for quite some time but never really fully committed to actually seriously looking for one. Long story short, a couple of hours later we arrived back home with Barney – a 12-week-old Golden Doodle who now makes sure that mommy stays active ALL THE TIME.
Barney’s way of recommitting me to the slim lifestyle – making me run around with a pooper scooper as soon as I get home from work. He’s the most precious little brat ever and, although he needs attention 24/7, I wouldn’t trade him in for anything, not even a full-night of sleep.
So that’s a little updated on why I have been MIA lately but I promise I will get pack on posting track.
theslimlifestyle 