TIP: Even if you’re sick of hearing it, breakfast is still the most important meal of the day. Eating breakfast as soon as you get up kicks your metabolism into gear and allows it to burn more calories during the entire course of the day. It has been proven, those who eat lunch have more success with weight loss and more success in maintaining a healthy weight. Your breakfast should be using 20-25% of your entire daily points. It’s also a really good meal to help you fulfill part of your milk and fruit good health guideline obligations.
TRICK: Got a lotta candles? Well, lucky you! You can use aromatherapy to help train your brain for waist watching success. When I think about lemonade, I can’t help but drool. Literally. This same phenomenon also occurs around doughnuts, grilled cheese, fresh chocolate chip cookies… the list goes on. My brain is trained to know that when it smells those items that they will soon be in my mouth making me happy and satisfied. You can use this same idea to trick yourself into thinking that you’re fuller and more satisfied that you really are. If you burn a certain candle or spray a particular scent every time you’re full after dinner or generally content, your mind will begin to associate that smell with fullness. If you do it enough times, when you find yourself feeling hungry and desperate, just burn that candle or spray that scent and the desire to raid the pantry may fade peacefully away. Just don’t forget to continue to do it when you are full for real, or the scent may begin to remind you of painful hunger!
RECIPE: Dieting can be very expensive… fresh fruits, vegetables and meats cost more and spoil faster. One meal I have often is chicken tacos, and then I eat up the leftovers quickly with taco salad. For the tacos, cook strips of chicken breast in a pan with some seasoning; you do not have to add oil if you are attentive and flip/stir often enough. Lay 1-1½ ounces of chicken (1 ounce = 1 point) per taco shell. I use Don Marco’s Fat Free tortilla shells, which are 2 for 0 points. Then top each with 1/8c FF shredded cheddar cheese, chili powder, onion, lettuce, and tomato. I also top with 1/8c FF sour cream per taco. I usually eat two, wait a while, and then realize I’m full. The entire dinner is 4-5 points. Lunch the next day can be a salad of 1 ounce hot, shredded chicken, lettuce, tomato, onion, and a Tbs of FF sour cream as a dressing. Mix it all up so the seasoning of the chicken gets on everything, and the sour cream coats all of the veggies. Lunch for 1 point, and you really get in your veggies!
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5 comments:
Thanks for posting this, Kristen.
I was thinking about Sara saying she was addicted to the 100 calorie packs, and how I have that same problem. Sure, they're cute little portion sizes, but I can't eat just one bag. I'll eat the whole box in a sitting if I can! At my meeting a couple weeks ago I brought it up and asked everyone what they do to deal with that. Some jackass actually said, "Well, I only eat one. They're so satisfying!" I wanted to smack her, but the woman next to me prevented me from doing that by whispering, "I eat the whole box, too," which made me smile. Just my style. She's the one who told me about that "twenty minute rule," which is perfect for just this situation. A good trick to use regarding the 100 cal packs. Of course, the best trick (which I have been employing for the last couple weeks) is just not to buy them. Even when they're 50% off... it's just not worth it.
I know, I have been trying so hard to not buy them. But they are SOOOO cheap at Costco that it's hard not to buy them. Plus the real issue is that Chris is really struggling with eating in general. With his schedule and the type of floor he works on he is ALWAYS on call. His pager is always going off and there is always something to do. Therefore he rarely eats unless it's something he can grab and eat on the floor in about 2 seconds. So I modified his lunches by making him 2 3pt grilled chicken sandwiches instead of regular lunch meat. This way he feels like he gets more protein. He also eats a lot of 2pt Kashi Bars (which are delicious) and apples, but that only goes so far. He works a 12 hour shift and doesn't always get to eat at a normal time. And when you're that hungry you will eat anything in site so I have to buy the 100 cal packs. When he eats one of these he feels like it's a real cookie, but he doesn't have to pay the price of a real cookie (which I hear that there is always some sort of junk available in the break room). He does good with these, but I have the willpower of a 3yr old. Maybe that should be a long term goal of mine. Yup, new goal, I am going to get to the root of this and stop being so darn weak!!! I did good last week...I can do it again!
Yeah, Brad can eat whatever he wants, and I, too, have the willpower of a 3yr old. I make him take all snacks to work (or truly hide them somewhere in the house). Is it possible for Chris to store things at work? A locker, fridge or kitchen cupboard? I'm guessing not for a hospital, but it's worth asking. And speaking of Chris, did he decide not to join us in our blog or was my invitation unsuccessful in finding him?
On an unrelated note, Brad and I just discovered the newly opened Fresh Market just ten minutes from us. What great and HEALTHY stuff! Brad's hooked on the uppity atmosphere, and I love the selection of fresh foods. Hooray!
Yeah, I think I will have him start taking the snacks to work or even hide them. Great idea...
I asked Chris about joining not too long ago and he didn't remember getting an email. Then again he gets so much spam that he may have overlooked it. If you wouldn't mind, can you send it again?? I'll tell him to keep an eye out this time :)
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