And we're drinking and eating and thanking the lords of nutrition!

Are you ready to eat, drink, and party?

Here we go! Our friends just came back from abroad, our homes are stuffed with all the Christmas goodies in the world, and we’re psychologically prepared to all the extremes.



Prioritize:



Well, not everything served is worth trying. For example, you can easily skip the nuts and mini bouchées served before dinner. They will only pack on calories, and you are very likely to forget you ate them once you’re seated at the dinner table. In addition, you can easily skip the liqueur, hot chocolate, and digestif that are offered to you, and stick to sparkling water and your regular drink in moderation.



Only eat your favorite foods:



Tonight is Christmas dinner, and you are overwhelmed with all the good meals available on the table. Guilt won’t help, and frustration will only make you weaker. Therefore, the best strategy is to eat, but only what you really like. Meaning, if you’re not a turkey lover, don’t have it, stick to the beef filet or any other item. If you don’t like the buche then don’t eat it! On the other hand, if you’re a fan of salmon and foie gras, and whatever saucy dish is available, go for it instead of looking at it all night and ending up eating more nuts and dessert just because you’re frustrated!



Alcohol can be managed:



Starting the 20th of December, drinks and alcohol are all over the place. You will find some reason to indulge in it every single day. First advice I would give you is to skip drinking at home when you’re not going out. Next, drink smart! Even if the weather is bad and you’re cold, you’re still not in Moscow, so there’s no need to have one vodka drink after the other to “warm up”. Have some wine, it’s lighter in calories and alcohol, plus nothing warms you up as gently as red wine!



Cheat the smart way:



Now let’s say assume that the Christmas goodies are your favorite foods in the world. In that case, remember that you have at least 3 dinners to indulge. What I’m trying to say is, you are not going to face a period of famine in January, so you can eat what you like, but do it moderately. There’s no need to eat every meal as if it’s the last time you’ll have those foods.  You can make cheating smart by asking your hosts about the foods served. That way, you will know ahead of time what items not to be missed during each lunch/dinner, and you will be able to cut down on other less interesting foods during that particular seating.





Merry Christmas to all of you!

Rescue recipes for the holidays

Dear readers, today I will share with you some of my personal light yet yummy home recipes. They will come in handy during the festive seasons, and will help you avoid overeating.

Spicy Shrimp Soup:

Ingredients:

·         2 Carrots
·         4 zucchini
·         1 Small onion
·         4 Scallion
·         A Handful of green beans
·         1 Chili
·         ½ pack frozen baby shrimps
·         1 tbsp. diet butter
·         ¼ Cup soya sauce
·         1 tbsp. sweet and sour sauce
·         1 Medium can sliced mushrooms
·         1 Sprinkle thyme
·         1 Sprinkle black pepper
·         1 Lemon squeeze
·         ½ Bouquet parsley

This is my after yoga recipe, I start preparing it just after exercising, then shower and its ready!

Dice the vegetables into the shape you want. Place the light butter with the vegetables in a big saucepan (Start with carrots, green beans and onions, zucchini, mushrooms, then chili). When they start becoming soggy, add boiling water.  Add in the rest of the ingredients including the shrimps. Keep the parsley and the lemon till the end of the recipe. Let it all boil on medium heat half covered for about 30 to 40mins. Finally, add the lemon and parsley. Et voila!

Broccoli Pasta:

Ingredients:

·         1 Cup cooked whole wheat pasta
·         1 ½ cup boiled broccoli
·         100ml light cream
·         2 Spreadable light cheese
·         1 Slice light cheese
·         Shredded cheese
·         Salt
·         White pepper
·         Black crushed pepper
·         Oregano
·         Garlic powder

The magic in this recipe is the broccoli. It is full of fibers and will help you get the impression of having consumed a big meal, while it is very low in fat, and contains a small portion of pasta.

In a saucepan, place the freshly boiled broccoli with the cream and the spreadable light cheese. Leave them on medium fire until the cheese melts completely. Add to it the sliced cheese, ½  Tsp. garlic powder, salt ,white pepper, and black pepper to taste. When the mixture is boiling, add in the pasta, and mix well. Add a sprinkle of oregano, and some light cream if the sauce is not enough. When it is completely hot and coated, you can start eating.

My very own omelet:

Ingredients:

·         1 egg
·         2 egg whites
·         1 tbsp. shredded light mozzarella cheese
·         2 tbsp. 0% fat liquid milk
·         1 Big tomato
·         1 Small onion
·         ½ cup mushroom ( fresh sliced)
·         ½ bouquet minced parsley
·         Salt and pepper to taste
·         Spray oil

This recipe is perfect for a quick lunch on a Christmas Eve. It is very filling, low in calories. Served with a small bowl of salad, this can be a very tasty meal full of vitamins.

Dice the onions and tomatoes. In a bowl, mix the egg and egg whites with the milk and mozzarella cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste (you can add dried herbs as well). Add the mushrooms. Add the parsley. Spray some oil on a pan. Add the tomatoes and onions first into the saucepan and start cooking on medium fire. Add in the egg mixture when the tomatoes and onions tender. Keep on mixing (since it would be hard to flip the omelet because there is no fat) for 3 to 5 minutes. Finally, transfer the omelet to your plate with a small lettuce salad.

Holiday muffin top!

Dear bloggers,

Now that the holiday season has started, people are in a very joyful mood.  With plenty of occasions to meet friends and family, go out, and plan dinners, our fear of gaining weight multiplies. Today, I will hand out some dieticians’ tips to manage to stay in shape during the end of year festivities.

Here are my tips to get though the food madness without much damage!

No. 1: Plan ahead of time

During the holiday seasons, we are all booked ahead of time for various social events. The bad thing is the overdose of calories. The good thing is that it leaves room for planning the other meals of the week. Let’s say you are invited this week to threedinners; well you got 18 meals left during the week to make it up. Exclude from your regular meals the desserts, threats, afternoon snacks, or the portion of fries you indulge in sometimes. In addition, decrease the size of your plates, or opt for a 50/50 plate (50% vegetables and the rest the regular meal). That way, you would have spared a few hundred calories dailythat can compensate for the other three heavy meals.

No. 2: Work out wisely

If you are not the working out type, try to initiate in some type of light activity. For example, go for a walk every day or every other day for at least 30 minutes, at any pace since something is always better than nothing. If you are the working out type, now is the time to cut down the chitchat sessions at the gym and focus fully on the work out. Increase your cardio, and if you can,increase the number of trainings. What I am doing is that I have increased my training from three to five times per week, by adding 40 minutes of treadmill at home or at the waterfront twice per week. Surprisingly, it’s not as hard or as complicated as I expected, since it is only replacing TV time!

No. 3: Decide which ones will be feast meals and which will be regular meals

By knowing details about your invitations, you can manage your meal pattern more wisely. For example, if you are invited to a friend’s or relative’s house, you can ask about the food that will be served. That way, you can decide, based on the options offered, if that meal is going to be a cheat meal or not. Samething applies for dinners in restaurants. If you are going to one of your favorite restaurants, of course this is going to be a cheat meal (within limits, no need to overdo it), and if it’s not, you will control your intake more since it’s not really worth it to engulf extra calories on that specific meal.

Now, I hope you are armed to embrace the holiday seasons with grace and slender. Any other tips that are working for you?Please share them with us!

Let's lunch box!

Nowadays, with our hectic schedules, we have so little time for cooking and preparing meals. Most of us go to work foodless, and end up ordering some fast food. Once we’re back home at night, we feel so lazy to cook that we either end up preparing a sandwich or relying on chips and nuts along with other snacking items instead of having a decent meal.

My goal is to make your life easier. Cooking is not supposed to be a hard task. You can, with a few constant ingredients, prepare an easy and quick healthy meal for dinner or to pack for work.

Today, I will give away some of my recipes:

Step 1:  Shop right

Always have some fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables available. Get sliced, processed, light mozzarella or emmental, a shredded mix of both (light of course!), and some spreadable light cheese. In addition, have some turkey, tuna in water, brown rice, brown pasta, frozen tortilla bread, and whole wheat pain de mie. In the meat and co. section, keep some proportioned cubed meat filet and chicken breasts in your freezer, to be able to defrost individual portions. And let’s not forget, light cream, light soya sauce, tomato coulis, low fat yogurt, mustard, and light mayo.

Step 2: get ready to cook!

First recipe: Brown rice and tuna salad

Mix in a bowl brown rice, green pepper, cucumbers, tomatoes cut into small pieces, black olives ( preferably sliced), a bit of corn, lemon, and oil. If you fill a medium sized lunch box of this mix, you’re ready to go!

Second recipe: Very cheesy pasta

Boil some whole wheat pasta. On the side, heat some light cream, with white and black pepper and salt. Add two tablespoons of light shredded cheese mix and some oregano. Add the pasta to the sauce, and add to it some sliced turkey. If you plan on taking this meal to work, make it a bit juicier by adding a bit of light cream to your lunch box once the pasta is cold, and keep the turkey on the side to add it after heating your dish in a microwave.

Third recipe: Beef or chicken casserole

Now is the time to use your cubed meat or chicken. Defrost your frozen portion, and add to it some lemon juice, any types of spices available, and a bit of soya and leave it to marinate for 30 mins. Half cook on the side some vegetables (usually frozen broccoli along with some fresh carrots and sliced zucchini) in a microwave. Just put them in a plate and cover them for around 3 to 4 minutes. Heat a frying pan and throw in it the meat with the juice at high temperature. When the meat is cooked from all sides, decrease the heat; add in the vegetables, and some extra soya/lemon/spices along with some water. Cover your pan for a few minutes, and its ready! For those of you who can’t live without carbs. Make your plate 2/3 meat and vegetables and 1/3 brown rice.

Fourth recipe: Quick and light quesadillas

Get your chicken pieces defrost them. Cut them into smaller pieces, add to them some chili powder, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Slice some onions and green peppers. In a non stick pan sprinkle some spray oil, and add the vegetables. Keep on stirring to avoid burning on low fire. When the vegetables are almost ready, add in the pieces of chicken with the marinade and increase heat and cook for a few minutes. If you want to make sure your meal’s ready, take a small piece of chicken and cut it in two. If it remains pink or bloody in the middle it means it’s still not ready. When all is cooked, pre heat two tortilla breads in the microwave (around 30 seconds max). Place one tortilla bread in a plate and add to it some shredded light cheese, then the chicken mix, and finally some more shredded cheese. Cover it with the second piece of bread, and put it back in the microwave for 1 min max, or on a grill for a few minutes. And there you go. Ideally, share it with someone with some salsa and homemade light sour cream.



Fifth recipe:  Cheesy vegetables

In a bowl, pre cook some frozen broccoli, sliced carrots and zucchini, or any other type of vegetables (if you’re using green beans, boil them instead because they dry out in the microwave). Once cooked, add some salt, pepper, and herbs of your choice, along a tablespoon of shredded cheese, a bit of light cream, and two slices of light cheese on top, and cook for 2 more minutes in the microwave. This meal is perfect the way it is for dinner. If you want to pack it for lunch, cook it in a microwavable lunch box, and eat it with a side of brown rice or quinoa.

Try them, tell me which one is your favorite.

More recipes next week!

Bon appétit.

Snack time!

Everyday around 4 or 5PM, I feel the urge to nimble on something. I'm not very hungry, but I still feel like eating. It has become such an anchored habit, that trying to avoid it is almost an impossible mission.

Almost everybody likes to snack. It's a break in the middle of the day, a moment to relax and forget about work or duties. The problem with snacks is that they are very badly planned for. It's going be a chocolate bar, a bag of chips, salty crackers, or sometimes even dessert.

Sometimes, the harmless snack turns into an eating binge. For example, if you're tense, have a lot to do, or simply enjoy snacking, you’ll end up eating a multitude of items in between lunch and dinner. By dinner time, you are already stuffed, and yet, you eat more, because you haven't had a decent meal.

The main problem with snacking is that it's a "fake" meal. It's not around a time where people actually sit at a table for a meal. So whether you’re hungry or not, you will usually eat something that's swallowed quickly, doesn't need much preparation, and that can be eaten from a box.

Now let’s reverse all these habits:

Since you already know you will snack, be ready for it! Get rid of the chocolate bars, chips, and other processed food items you keep around, and go for a light snack. Instead, keep a Tupperware of washed fruits around. All houses and most offices have a fridge, so it will be easy to keep them fresh for long. You can stock up on fruits on Monday, and it will last all week long. You can also get some spreadable light processed cheese, whole wheat toast, rice cakes, or fat free crackers. Snacking on two toasts with light cheese, or on one or two pieces of fruits is ideal. You will be getting from fibers and proteins from the first option to keep you full until dinner time, and fibers and water from option two from fruits, which will help you last a bit longer as well, and not to forget the vitamins provided.

Now, you don't think that these items are your thing. You get really hungry in the afternoon, and have no time to get off your desk, to grab an apple or spread some cheese. In that case, go for nutritious bars. If regular cereal bars won't satisfy your hunger, try picking something that contains oat, peanut butter, or athletes’ protein bars. In fact, the fibers in the oat, and the proteins in the peanut butter and the athletes’ bars will fill you up. Always go for a bar that contains no more than 200 calories, and stick to one! Accompany it with a big glass of water, or sparkling water, to create a volume effect in your stomach. This snack will keep the very hungry ones full until dinner time.

If you’re the sweet tooth type of snacker, and all that matters to you is the rich chocolate taste, then pick a very flavorful item, and stick to it. Go for a low calorie hot chocolate drink, or two pieces of flavored dark chocolates(orange, mint, raspberry...) with decaf coffee. Some would prefer a wafer for its light texture and rich chocolate flavor, so the same rules apply here; Pick something low oncalories (nothing above 150 calories).

Now, if you're the kind that snacks just to fill some time, and end up eating bits and pieces all afternoon long, then replace the foods with very light items. Have some light Jell-O, herbal teas, or sugar free candy lying around to keep you busy. Also, aim at "quitting" snacking all in all, since it never ends with one item.

Now tell me? What type of snacker are you?

Little Bump!

Keresh and co:

You're a man, and you have more or less a big bump around your abdomen. In some ways, it doesn't matter because you’re a man! And on some other days, your’e like ‘ahh, just a few kilos would help’. So basically, you keep on over eating on weekends, and then on Mondays, you promise yourself you'll eat light all week to decrease the ‘keresh’. By Tuesday night, you feel like having a beer with the guys, Or, you're feel proud about your salad/soup/grilled fish Monday, that you reward yourself with pizza or some fries. Your main problem is that you lie to yourself. You can reduce your belly a few centimeters by simplymaking a few swaps, meal by meal.

Breakfast time:

You're a man’oucheh or croissant lover, you’d start your day with your daily indulgence. Well, time to make of it a very special moment, by cutting it down to once per week. Focus on low fat cheese, turkey, or labneh, with brown bread and plenty of vegetables. If you eat out, ask for a white cheese sandwich. You feel like something sweet, well go for some rice cakes, or cracottes, with a hint of peanut butter and strawberry jam. Stick to 3 toasts, and have a fruit with it. Voila, you got your sugary dose.

Lunchtime at the office:

You're at the office, it’s around 12, and like everyday, you are thinking about your lunch options. It's either chich taouk with fries, or a burger, or a pizza. And when you feel like keeping it light, you order a plat du jour with dessert, bread and salad, and eat it all. Well here's what you need to do: skip the fries, the mayo, and this sides that are not green. divide your plate into 3 pieces, and eat 2/3 of it. Ask for greens or cucumbers, and go for a lettuce salad with lemon oil dressing as a side when you can. Or simply, just skip delivery foods. Anything you'll get from home, or from the cantina, is generally lighter than delivery foods. Aim at reasonable portions, not too small and not too big, and have a veggie side or a fruit with it.

Afternoon snack:

You're on your way back home, and you're already excited for your TV ongoing snack. You get a bag of chips, nuts, a beer and watch TV for two hours, while waiting for dinner time. Well, take these two hours, and go exercise. Yes, exercise! The fats around your imaginary six-pack will not vanish if you keep your ass on the couch. Go for a walk;go to the gym, go boxing, swimming, or whatever gets you moving. Sit ups in front of the TV for 10 minutes do notcount as exercising.

Dinner:

Eat with a girl. That's my main advice! Mimic her food choices, and try her foods. Well, in other words, greens, a set portion of whatever is available, little bread... The point is to go to bed feeling light.

Today is Tuesday guys, move in with your week on the right track. Stick to my flatness rules, and you will lose your little bump in no time.

Drowning My Sorrows In Chocolate

Today is a bad day. You had a fight at work, you got a flat tire, spilled coffee all over shirt, or got ditched by your partner. You're obviously in a crappy mood, and you just feel like staying alone in front of a movie and eatchocolate!

You start with a small piece, and end up finishing the 100g pack, and move to the ice cream or chocolate spread section, with a spoon right into the jar! You can feel all the fat and sugar filling you. You start by relaxing, and then you realize that on top of your initial problem, you are piling up a big amount of calories (if the count stops here, you are already way above 500 calories). Now you're really angry, and borderline depressed. So you dive into some more sweets, drowning your sorrows in chocolate.

Today, I will provide you with a few tips that will help you get through this phase smoothly, without expanding your waistline.

First of all, call your friends. Apart from the emotional support, you will be less likely to binge in front of people. You will be eating reasonably, and talking about your issues, which will distract you from eating a lot. In addition, you will be sharing your chocolate with others, so calories will be divided over all of you.

Next, don't go shop for a binge! Unless you live in a house that is food free, avoid the stop at the supermarket, tostock your house with all the needed sugar and fat your bad day needs. Go for what is available, or cook yourself a crepe with any leftover chocolate, or just order a dessert (one not more!).

Third, pick your favorite chocolate or dessert, and stick to it. Allow yourself one type of indulgence, and go for it. In fact, if you focus on one food item, let’s say a specific chocolate bar, or a fondant or a lazy cake, you will get bored of it and eat less than if you had a wide array of desserts and sweets.

Fourth, use a plate, instead of eating straight from the chocolate spread jar, or the ice cream pot, or the chocolate box, or the whole cake bit by bit. By pouring your sweet temptation in a plate, you can control the amount you eat, and you can decide on a portion size. Also, you will remember that you had this specific item, since it has been poured, rather than being consumed directly from its original container. So, you will be less likely to feel like ‘you didn't have enough sugar and fat yet’, and you will know how much and exactly what you ate.

Fifth, go out and enjoy whatever you want. At least, you will focus on getting dressed to be ready to go out, andyou will enjoy a different setting than at home, which will most likely distract you from your cravings. Therefore, if you decide to have your sweet comfort, you will pick an item from a menu, it will probably be very flavorful, and you will be less likely to order and eat something else.

Sixth, I'm no psychologist here, but I can say that dealing with your issues would be the best solution, to avoid bad day binges. And if this is not an option right now, try directing your anger onto something productive. If you're into art, draw something. If you're into cooking, cook for your family or friends. If you're into writing, write whatever you want. If you're into exercising, go for a walk, or exercise a bit (don't overdo it, you're not supposed to overcompensate with physical activity). Or just book yourself a massage appointment, or ask your loved one to take care of you. Most of the time, sitting around the people you love, and letting go can be a lot more relieving that all the endorphins provided by chocolate.

After Midnight Feast

A few weeks ago, we discussed partying and drinking. Today, we'll discuss the aftermath of the parties, the after midnight meals! Most of us never go home once the party is over. We go for breakfast, at 3 AM! And there are plenty of options out there.

I personally prefer to skip this part of the night out. I'd rather go home, drink plenty of water, and get my beauty sleep. However, most party goers, such as yourself, find it difficult to skip the final round of the night at one of the around the clock restaurants in town.

And we all have to admit, once there, it's very difficult not to order anything to eat! Whether it's a hot dough sandwich, some fries, a pizza, eggs, or even fatteh or foul for the more ambitious ones, they all smell heavenly, and "wash out" the drinks very smoothly.

The problem is, calories pile up on top of the ones ingested from alcohol, and those meals are very often followed by a long night's sleep, rather than having an active day that will require you to spend a lot of energy.

One solution is present without you feeling punished: eat responsively.

Trick#1: Share your food

You are craving that kafta mayo sandwich and fries, or even knefeh, then split your meal with your friends. In fact, "sharing is caring". In that specific case, you'll be caring about everyone's waist line. By splitting your meal, you and your buddies will be splitting the calories in two, meaning less damage weight wise for all of you.

Trick#2: Simple items

If a dish contains more than two ingredients, then it's no good news. Avoid sandwiches filled with more than one topping (unless it's vegetables), skip the mayo or any other sauce, and stick to real breakfast foods. For example, eggs are not a bad idea, but avoid the bacon, ham or cheese, and ask for a two egg omelet instead of three. Sandwich wise, go for a labneh or a white cheese wrap loaded with vegetables, with multi-cereal dough. If you're more of a meat lover, avoid the steak and chicken sandwiches that are loaded with cheese and mayo, and instead, go for a lahme bi aajin.

Trick#3: Go green

If you ordered a sandwich, then skip this one, but in the case of eggs, or foul or fatteh, you can easily replace bread by vegetables, and decrease your caloric intake by at least 200 calories. Also, for the more ambitious ones, having a salad would be a good option, as long as you play by the rule of "keep it simple". It should be mainly greens, topped with one protein rich food ( chicken, tuna, crab, feta...), and a simple dressing, preferably lemon oil.

Now guys, I hope you'll remember my tricks next time you're drooling over a menu after midnight. I'm waiting for your feedback! Have a nice weekend everyone, and don't forget to hydrate.

MoveYour Ass Part 2

A few days ago, we discussed exercising for the lazy, and ways to make it easier to get started. Today, as promised I'll be supplying you with some more tips.

No activity can be maintained, if it doesn't include a certain level of entertainment or convenience in it. Therefore, the setting in which you exercise can make you want, or not to move!

Also, we are part of a culture that puts much emphasis on the way we look. We're less likely to go to the beach for example, if we don't have a nice swimsuit with matching accessories. Or if we go to a party with the same old dress or that bleached shirt we've being keeping around for the past 5 years, we would feel less at ease, and would probably prefer a tv night at home.

Same rules apply to exercising:entertainment, utility, and a good " emballage".

Rule#3: The mall is your playground
Everyone goes at least once per week to the mall for shopping, or for coffee to meet friends, and if not to the supermarket for grocery shopping. These spaces are huge, and you can use them to your advantage. Why not walk around the mall for a bit longer, instead of heading directly to the cafe, or desired shop? Why not check the home section at the supermarket, before going systematically to your regular corners? Why not  park a bit farther so you add a few minutes to your walk? You can easily end up walking an hour, by just looking around in a mall, or a supermarket. It's not hard core exercising, but it's a break from your usual sedentary routine. If you combine this trick with real exercising once per week ( mentioned in part 1), you would have lifted your ass off the couch already for around a couple of hours!

Rule #4: Dress to impress
By impressing, I mean impressing yourself. Invest in one or two cute gym outfits, and you will automatically want to wear them, and will be more inclined to exercise. Lose the old sweatpants you've been keeping for so long, and go for an ergonomic outfit that controls sweating, and makes any flabby ass look toned. If you're tight on budget, go to outlets or non brand shops, you can always find something that suits your taste and needs, and fits your budget.

Rule#5: Cut the distance
If you want exercising to be part of your life, you have to make it convenient. If you have to drive for more than 10 mins to reach the gym, you will be less likely to take the drive, and therefore will miss it a lot more often than you want to. Rainy days, holidays, traffic, and outings will all be very valid excuses to skip the workout. Try to find a gym, or a class venue,or an open space for walking or jogging that is close to your house or work. This way it would be a lot harder to find an excuse, and you will feel really guilty if you miss it for no valid reason.

With those 5 new rules in hand, you're very well equipped to give exercising one more chance!
Now good luck everyone! Keep me posted with your progress...

Move your ass! (Part 1)

Laziness is a trend in this country. Actually, laziness is cherished. We can't walk to work, nor do we walk to the supermarket. There are very few outdoor spaces to walk freely in. You are stuck between La Marina, Raoucheh, and the waterfront if you live in the city. None of these places are green and being a girl, I have to admit that it is not the best place to exercise alone. So we all end up overusing our cars, and limiting our walks around town to the bare minimum.

Furthermore, at home, most of us do the minimum in terms of household chores since maids are found in most households.

We are a nation of couch potatoes, and believe it or not, in 20 years from now, most of us will be obese and have health issues because of this excessive sedentary lifestyle. Problems that our parents are already facing, like excessive weight and some diseases,  have become a normal part of our culture.

But now let's get back to you. You're young, you feel full of energy, and lets face it, happy hour with the guys or spending some time at the beauty parlor is a lot more fun to you than going to the gym after a long day's work.

But who said that exercising had to be the same for everyone? You're not a fan of the gym, you hate running shoes and above all, you hate the way you look in shorts and a t-shirt. We can fix all that in no time.

Rule #1: Never pick an activity that you wouldn't enjoy

I'm no big fan of treadmills and weights, and I really hate it when a coach tells me after two long hours of exercising that I should work more on my abs and avoid a devilish category of food they call "carbs". Therefore, I've experienced exercising in all its forms. I've tried hiking, aerobics classes, Zumba, cycling, walking outdoors, sports DVDs, tae-boxing, and yoga. All are completely different activities. By broadening your spectrum, you will eventually find something that you really like. Some will pick basketball or football with colleagues after work. Some will enjoy a walk with a neighbor at sunset, and some will indulge in martial arts or dancing, and others will enjoy being at home alone with a sports DVD that will challenge them. Go out there and experiment, and if you don't like it, stop it and move to something else.

Rule#2: Anything is better than nothing

So you have a tight schedule and everybody says that if you don't exercise at least three times per week, it's not worth it. Between work, studying or home duties, you can easily fit an hour per week. 

Well, an hour per week is still better than none whatsoever. Maybe later on, you will have more time, or maybe next week, you will have a gap in your schedule that would help you fit another hour. At least you would already be motivated and ready for it. So, if you can only go for a walk on Sundays, then go for it! Or you can only go to this Zumba or body pump class once per week. Go for it! It will get you started, and it will lift your morale. In fact, endorphins, which are the happiness neurotransmitters, will be secreted. Better once per week than never!

Easy, right? Why not give it a shot?

The rest of my tips in a few days…

Party Animal

So you have a party tonight, and you promised yourself to be a decent human being who won't trash himself over alcohol and after party food. But as usual, it is easier said than done, and you often find yourself tiptoeing by 3AM, wondering how many drinks you had, and dreaming of a fatty snack. Of course a broad spectrum of after party restaurants are available around town, and in no time, you will find an eating buddy.
Next morning, as usual, you promise yourself to be wiser the next time around.
In a perfect world, alcohol would be calorie free, hang overs would not exist, and everything you eat after midnight wouldn't be stored by your body.
However, reality is completely different, so let's manipulate the available variables to enjoy every night out with less guilt about your health and slenderness.

A first step would be to eat before any party, rather than going out on an empty stomach. This way, by filling your stomach with food, ideally a light meal that comprises of a bit of beneficial fats, would fit the scenario. For example, if you're eating at home, eat some brown toasts with light cheese, along with some vegetables topped with olive oil. Or if you are out, order a grilled fish with some steamed vegetables, or a baked potato, or go for a seafood or chicken salad with a light dressing. Also, stop eating before your plate is empty.

The second step would be pacing yourself. Usually in parties you order you first drink, finish it, get thirsty ( alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it expels water out of your system), so you order a second drink, and the cycle goes on and on all night long. Well, if you order a glass of water after every alcoholic drink, you would be decreasing the dehydration effect, and hence decreasing hangover effects the next morning.

A third tip would be to do the better choice. In fact, not all drinks are created equal. A glass of whiskey, vodka or gin would be on its own at least around 200 calories, same for a margarita or Long Island. So by having two drinks, you are getting more calories than if you ate a medium sized box of French fries from McDonald's. Instead, go for wine, and you will be saving more than 200 calories from alcohol, and would still count as drinking. Most of you would not go for wine though, so let me help you drink with pleasure minus the damage. If you go for a sweet drink, the sugar will mask the taste of alcohol, and you will therefore drink more. Replace your vodka red bull or seven up, or your whiskey sour, by a real hard liquor drink. Have a short glass with ice and straight vodka and a slice of lemon. Or have a dry martini instead of any fruity martini or similar drink, and have your whiskey the way our dads have it, plain with one ice or two.

Now shots, well pick something that has a strong flavor but less alcohol. For example instead of going for a tequila shot, have a doudou shot, since half of it is lemon, and the Tabasco in it makes you feel like you had a very strong shot.

A fourth tip would be to take advantage of the dance floor. You're out looking your best, and in need for some action. Leave your drink alone for a bit, and dance. Everything you need is there: good music, people in a good mood, and your friends of course. You will be having even more fun and enjoying the company of people around, while burning calories. So lose the couch or bar stool and shake it!

I Want Junk!

I want junk!

So let's say I want a burger, a pizza, or hot wings. Doesn't sound at all like a wise idea. But we all crave junk! Here a scoop. Even skinny girls want fat. The only difference between you and them is the way they indulge in it.

So what you want is a burger? Basically it is two pieces of bread, a meat patty, some ketchup, and that's it. It’s a pretty simple recipe and that doesn't sound that bad. In fact, a plain burger from McDonald's is around 250 calories, an acceptable number that leaves some space for let's say a small box of fries. But when you go for a Whopper or a Big Mac, you automatically double if not triple (depending on toppings you add) the fat percentage, and calorie count. You add to it a big box of fries, and dessert, and you've almost reached your daily needs in term of calories.

Now let's look at the pizza scenario. You are craving the melted cheese topped with pepperoni slices and that fluffy crust from Pizza Hut. So basically you're craving pizza. What difference would it make to the end experience if you replace that thick soft crust with a thin crust? Again, what difference would it make if you go for a traditional Italian pizza from the pizzeria next door? You can always make it lighter by going for the vegetarian option, or adding some vitamins and fibers by topping the pizza of your choice by some rocca leaves. By switching from option A to option B, you will be saving around 400 calories on a small pizza, and by going to option C, you would be saving even more, and you would be consuming better quality primary food products.

What about hot wings? You are craving those mouthwatering fried skinless wings with the blue cheese dip, and a plate of nachos and cheese or Texas fries. Well, go for grilled wings that you can find at “Lord of the Wings”. Or if you prefer another outlet, go for normal wings without the blue cheese dressing. In addition, go for a smaller portion than the usual, and skip the nachos and Texas fries. If you insist on eating nachos or fries, skip the wings and order a plain mixed greens salad with grilled chicken on top and lemon/olive oil dressing, and indulge in your portion of loaded fries or nachos. You can replace the Texas fries (which are a combination of fries, gravy and cheese), with fries and cheddar. By skipping the gravy, you will shave off 300 calories. Of course if you feel full half way through, there’s absolutely no need to finish it. You can always share it with a colleague or a friend, therefore calories will be divided by two, and you will still be getting fibers and good quality proteins from the salad, to fill you up before diving into your fatty treat.

Now of course, as a dietician I would not recommend relying on such swaps to decrease your fat and calorie count daily. However, if you really want to go for junk, by applying these tips you will be minimizing the damage on your waistline and health. Try to keep these fast food meals to a maximum of once per week, and try to eat healthy most of the time and exercise frequently.

First step into a healthier you

Summer days are full of excitement. Plenty of parties, wedding celebrations, and lazy days at the beach. It is the season where you uncover your body and want to look your best. How to look healthy and fresh without skipping that night out with friends coming from abroad ? How to manage to exercise when the weather is so hot, and plenty of options are offered to us that sound more fun than the gym?
Well, start today by introducing healthy tips to your lifestyle. A first move would be to empty your house and office from all undesirable temptations. Next time you go grocery shopping, skip the chips, crackers, and chocolate bars, and replace them with fresh baby carrots that do not require any washing or peeling, and they are full of carotenoids which help obtaining a nicer skin color. Also, stick to dark chocolate, sold in a small format, this way you will get your sweet threat without overdoing it, while replenishing your body with antioxidants that prevent early aging, and magnesium which favors muscle and nerve relaxation.

As for exercising, always remember that any physical activity is better than none. If you spend your days sitting behind a computer then go home tired and drained, try taking advantage of all the opportunities you can get to want to exercise. You can pick a gym that is close to your work or home, and that way you will find it hard to skip your training. You can try to enroll a neighbor, a friend or your partner into going with you, that way you will motivate each other. And most importantly pick an activity that you like. If treadmills are not your thing don't force yourself. Go for a walk outdoors when the sun goes down, try cycling next to the sea, enroll in a Pilates, cycling, aqua bike or yoga class... And if you dread the idea of moving, just go to the mall and walk around shops for a couple of hours, that way you would be combining the joy of picking an outfit for your next party and burning some calories.
Achieving a healthy lifestyle requires time. You will get there one step at time.
Enjoy your weekend, and don't forget to hydrate! Remember to have a glass of water in between drinks, and replace half of the sodas and beer you're having by the pool by a big glass of water.