How many times have you sworn off pizza, fries, ice cream and soda? Too many to count, right? Well, give up swearing off. Usually you end up caving anyway and a binge normally follows. If your taste buds are demanding a little of the “junk,” all you have to do is “makeover” your food cravings so you can indulge without busting out of your jeans.
Perfect Pizza: All you have to do with this one is order smart. Most places have the option of healthier choices. Don’t disregard this option. Ask for a thin, whole-wheat crust -- I actually like it better. Plus the thinner, the fewer the fat grams and calories, plus whole wheat ups the fiber and protein. Then pile on the veggies like onions, red and green peppers, mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, go crazy and load up on your favs. Before you chow down if there are extra puddles of grease use a napkin to soap up the extra few grams of fat. Then go to town!
Fine Fries: Unless you are making these puppies at home my advice to you...STAY AWAY! Wanna hear something upsetting? A medium fries from your favorite fast food joint has 460 calories! Don't even think about 'em.
Go-for-it Banana Split With the warm months coming ice cream may call your name more often.Go with a version that has half the fat, like many of the slow-churned ice creams. Top with sliced bananas, fat-free chocolate, and walnuts or my topping of choice, slivered almonds. Choosing a lighter version will save you 17 grams of fat per half cup. Wanna feel good about your choice to chow down on the cold stuff? The nutrients in the banana and the good fats in the nuts take the guilty edge off.
Fizzy Drinks Need an option that doesn’t taste of sugar substitutes like diet soda and doesn’t have the calories of regular soda? Make your own vitamin C-filled fizzy fruit concoctions. Start with one or two favorite juices (try combos of cranberry and orange, or pomegranate and pineapple). Halve their calories by fizzing them up with an equal amount of club soda. Plus this drink won’t have the high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) that's often the bottled soda products.
I know constantly making substitutions can be aggravating but know that making healthful choices can really make your life better.
