It’s all about balance, right?
And making better choices for a healthier life.
Extremism is never good and it’s not good in making resolutions, either.
Resolutions like, I will NEVER…
I will ALWAYS…
EVERY day, I will…
FROM NOW ON ….
will always fail.
Very few people have what it takes to ‘always’ and ‘never’; it’s not human,
And there’s no wiggle room for moms, either.
Rather, try to make your best choice. If you ‘don’t have time’ today because you are taking care of pressing family matters {AKA: attending school field trip, etc}, do the next best thing, whatever that is for you… a brisk walk in the neighborhood, some push-ups, sit-ups & stretching, etc.
Same goes for food. Make the better choice, even if it’s not the best choice.
And find what works for YOU.
Here are some things that work for me:
One of my {many} food weaknesses is french fries from a local fast-food place. They are seasoned, and kind-of sweet, kind-of salty. {Yum}
So I hold on to my hankering until I get home and make this instead:
I know it’s not the same thing,
but it works for me because of the sweet & salty thing.
And it’s SO much better than the french fries, just sayin’.
When my family is having burgers {big fat, juicy, monster man-burgers}, I opt for:
and these rolls, instead of the Whitewheat buns everyone else eats. These are actually pretty similar nutritionally, except the sandwich rounds have fewer carbs.
They are also thinner, and I like that and it’s texture.
When I want chocolate chip cookies, a mid-day snack, or a breakfast bar, I choose this instead:
It’s higher in fiber, which is filling, and low in fat. The nutritional content is similar to the Weight Watchers bars, but this is much cheaper! In spite of this products’ packaging, I also like the Fiber One product line, granola bars and pop-tart style pastries. One thing I learned from Weight Watchers is to choose foods high in fiber, low in fat and calories.
When I prefer a warmer breakfast and have more time to eat, I will choose Thomas’ multi-grain english muffins (higher in fiber) and Simply Fruit Spreadable Fruit. This is also good for a mid-afternoon snack. I don’t like artificial sweeteners {Diet Coke and Diet Dr. Pepper are my exceptions!}, so jams {and most anything else} that contain Splenda don’t make my list.
When the kids are getting chocolate dipped cones at Dairy Queen, I sometimes join them. Remember, it’s about balance, and having a healthy attitude about foods.
But sometimes, I choose these bars. I ate them when I was ‘doing’ Weight Watchers and ultimately, lost 15 pounds {my healthy goal}. Yummy, and just 2 points!
THESE are a favorite at my house! They come in several other flavors, including blueberry {my favorite}, raspberry, and coconut {can you just say yum??}.
50-80 calories, no fat.
HOWEVER, you have to be careful about sugar. Sugar triggers the release of hormones that have been associated with obesity. I hope to address this next week on Restoring Jane. So eat these, like all things, in moderation.
Because they are made with real fruit, different flavors have different nutritional make-up, with a slightly different calorie count, as well.
Probably, the most influential in my decision-making regarding food has been:
I have subscribed to Cooking Light Magazine since 1997 {even though I could hardly read then, I was so young! ;o }.
I love this magazine because it’s not about just eating low calorie or low fat.
It is those things, but it’s also about eating well.
Eating balanced.
Eating things that enhance the absorption of certain nutrients while eating something else.
There are always articles about certain nutrients, or foods,
and articles on exercise,
and articles on healthy living.
There are also some on cooking technique
and cooking and exercise products.
At the end of the year, I ALWAYS {there’s that bad word} purchase the annual recipe cookbook.
It includes the recipes from the magazines that year in a hard-bound edition.
I love it.
I cook from them all the time,
and am never disappointed!
GIVE-AWAY:
I will be giving away an annual Cooking Light recipe cookbook, brand new ($36 value) to a randomly drawn participant.
Leave a comment here and your name will be entered once.
Twitter this give-away (and email me or tweet me that you did) or mention Restoring Jane at Finding Serendipity on your blog and link back to me (and let me know you did), and your name will be entered twice.
Participate in my photo blog-hop on Friday and your name will be entered THREE TIMES! {Yes, I really want you there!} Details for The Way I See It can be found on the tab to the top left.
A name will be drawn randomly next Sunday and I will announce the winner on next Monday’s Restoring Jane.
DOUBLE-DOG DARE: Go, and eat well! Find what works for you, and start making better choices for a healthier life.
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