Easy and Budget-Friendly Ways to Eat More Protein

proteinEasy and Budget-Friendly Ways to Eat More Protein:

When it comes to energy, your body needs protein, carbohydrates and fats. These are three sources of energy that your body needs in order to function properly. Fats and carbohydrates are easily available and can be purchased at a relatively inexpensive cost. On the other hand, protein is not as available and this is largely due to cost. Unless you are faced with kidney or liver disease, protein is hardly an item that is restricted from anyone’s diet. As a result, consumers are forced to pay top dollar is they are looking to consume more protein. With plenty of protein powders and protein bars on the market that have a tendency to be more on the expensive side, you probably thinking consuming more protein cannot be easily accomplished on a budget. Fortunately, there are a number of easy and budget-friendly ways to eat more protein.

Here are some surprising forms of protein that are on the less expensive side.

Lentils. The only legumes that are more protein-packed than lentils are soybeans and hemp. This makes lentils a great and inexpensive choice for those looking to consume more protein. In most grocery stores, you are able to purchase a one-bag bag of store-brand lentils for under two dollars. Lentils are not only a great source of protein, but they are also high in folate and fiber.

Peas. In just one cup of peas, you may consume as many as 8 grams of protein. Peas are also high in dietary fiber, vitamins B1, B6 and K as well as phosphorus. Peas can be eaten as a snack, in salads or as a side dish. For under three dollars, you can purchase frozen, dried or fresh peas.

Eggs. Chances are you already have eggs in your home. In order to consume more protein, you just may want to consider consuming more of those eggs. A carton of eggs is around two dollars and contains a total of 72 grams of protein.

Parmesan Cheese. Cheeses that are low-moisture are typically highest in protein opposed to other cheese. Did you know that nearly 40 percent of the composition of parmesan is protein. You can add this form of protein to a pasta dish or a salad. Five ounces of parmesan cheese will cost you four dollars or less.

Plain Greek Yogurt. Greek yogurt is high and protein. While some may argue that Greek yogurt is not cheap. You need to consider that Greek yogurt can also be used a substitute for mayonnaise and sour cream. A larger container of plain Greek yogurt is going to be your best bet when it comes to eating more protein and saving money. Look for a large container of Greek yogurt at your local grocery store when it is on sale. You should also check your local paper for coupons. Greek yogurt can be much more affordable than you think.

As you can see, consuming more protein does not mean that you have stock up on expensive protein powders and expensive protein bars. Consuming more protein is more within reach than you may have thought. In fact, you may already have some of these foods in your home right now.


Seven Day Meal Plan to Lose Belly Fat

MB900438709Looking for a seven day meal plan to jumpstart your weight loss plan? Trying to lose belly fat, but don’t know where to start? Follow this week long meal plan to lose belly fat and see results. You’ll notice this meal plan is high in fiber, lean protein, and fresh fruits and vegetables. It’s low calorie but filling and delicious.

 

Monday

 

Breakfast

Two eggs with a low-carb English muffin. Feel free to prepare the eggs in any fashion: hard boiled, fried (use nonstick spray, not butter), or scrambled with low fat milk and veggies or a small amount of lean meat like diced ham.

 

Mid morning snack

1 cup blackberries

 

Lunch

Burrito bowl with lean ground turkey or chicken, black beans, tomatoes, chilies, corn, lettuce and cilantro.

 

Mid afternoon snack

Celery sticks with peanut butter

 

Dinner

Homemade beef stew, light on the beef and potatoes, and heavy on the carrots, celery, and stewed tomatoes. Skip the bread.

 

Tuesday


Clean Eating (8 Issues)

 

Breakfast

Old fashioned oatmeal with a sprinkling of nuts, cinnamon and dried cranberries

 

Mid morning snack

Sliced mango

 

Lunch

Green leafy salad packed with crudités – broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, shredded carrots. Top with lean protein – eggs, grilled chicken or salmon. Go light on dressing – just dip your fork into the dressing before you take each bite.

 

Mid afternoon snack

Mozzarella cheese stick

 

Dinner

Lean pork tenderloin baked with half of an acorn squash. Drizzle olive oil inside the acorn squash half and season with salt, pepper, thyme and sage.

Wednesday

 

 

 

Breakfast

Homemade protein shake consisting of: ½ cup low fat milk, ½ cup low sugar vanilla greek yogurt, 2 scoops protein powder, ½ cup frozen unsweetened berries. Need more fiber to keep you full? Add in a tablespoon of Metamucil. Blend and enjoy!

 

Mid morning snack

One large apple. If you need to spice it up, slice it and sprinkle with ground cinnamon and nutmeg.

 

Lunch

Hearty chili made with lean ground beef or ground turkey, kidney beans, and tomatoes. Skip the cornbread and cheese but top with low fat sour cream or plain greek yogurt.

 

Mid afternoon snack

½ cup hummus with 1 cup baby carrots

 

Dinner

Homemade chicken parmesan. Dip chicken breasts in Italian salad dressing, coat with bread crumbs, and bake in oven in pan sprayed with non stick spray. Drench baked chicken in pasta sauce but skip the pasta and bread. Serve with broccoli or asparagus as a side; sprinkle grated parmesan over everything.

 

Thursday

Breakfast

Low fat or fat free low sugar greek yogurt or Islandic skyr (my favorite is Siggi’s vanilla Islandic skyr – 14 grams of protein but only 9 grams of sugar) with a ¼ cup of blueberries and one tablespoon of nuts.

 

Mid morning snack

Celery sticks with almond butter

 

Lunch

Hearty vegetable or seven-bean soup (skip the bread, but allow yourself a packet or two of saltine crackers)

 

Mid afternoon snack

One ounce of your favorite cheese and one ounce pretzel thins

 

Dinner

Homemade chicken curry on quinoa. Choose a low calorie premade curry sauce; just cook chopped chicken breasts, add to curry sauce, and serve over quinoa.

 

Friday

 

Breakfast

High fiber English muffin with almond butter

 

Mid morning snack

One cup of strawberries

 

Lunch

Grilled talapia and a leafy green salad

 

Mid afternoon snack

One avocado, sliced and sprinkled with lemon pepper or spice of your choice

 

Dinner

Pork medallions or chicken breasts roasted with chunks of sweet potatoes, drizzled with olive oil and spiced with garam masala (prepared Indian spice mix).

 

Saturday

 

Breakfast

Scrambled eggs with lean ham and veggies of your choice

 

Mid morning snack

Low sugar yogurt

 

Lunch

Sandwich made with lean cold cuts, lettuce, tomato and mustard or other low calorie condiment. Enjoy with pickles and side of sliced cucumbers or tomatoes.

 

Mid afternoon snack

Handful of nuts

 

Dinner

Lean stir fry of lean meat (shrimp, beef, pork or chicken) plus assortment of vegetables (snow peas, carrots, broccoli, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, onions) and low calorie stir fry sauce. Serve over brown rice.

 

Sunday

 

Breakfast

Enjoy a Spanish omelet of two eggs, a tablespoon of milk, chopped tomatoes, chilies, onions, bell peppers and black beans.

 

Mid morning snack

Banana

 

Lunch

Saute shrimp with zucchini and summer squash in olive oil with fresh garlic and basil. Sprinkle with parmesean cheese and serve over quinoa.

 

Mid afternoon snack

Air popped popcorn

 

Dinner

Baked fish with fresh peas and brown rice. Dress fish with lemon and garlic for extra zest.

 

How to Lose Belly Fat

Most people lose belly fat first when they lose weight, but not all of us are built the same way. If you tend to store fat around your waistline instead of in your hips or distributed all over, you will want to focus on high protein, low carb meals and start an aggressive core strength exercise program. By strengthening the muscles under your belly fat, you will burn more calories and see results sooner.

 

Try strength training in general – building muscles in your legs, buttocks, back, stomach, shoulders, and arms will help you burn more calories as you go about your every day routine. Eventually the belly fat will come off. It just takes perseverance, especially once you are over age 40. Patience, plus hard work and discipline with your diet, will pay off.

 

 


Summer Menu Ideas For Staying Fit Over 40

It’s hot out. You don’t want to spend time slaving over the stove or baking anything in the oven. You just want something delicious and low calorie that you can eat NOW. The following menu ideas are perfect for those of us who are trying to stay fit over 40 and need to both reduce caloric intake while satisfying appetites.

Use the Grill
Don’t feel like cooking over the stove? You can grill just about everything you find at your local farmer’s market, plus a good lean cut of meat, for a perfect summer lunch or dinner.

Grilled Meat
Invest in a pantry full of spice packets and pre-made marinades. Look for options that don’t require cream at all – stick to the stuff that says just add citrus juice or olive oil. Marinade shrimp, chicken, pork, salmon or beef for thirty minutes in the fridge. Grill for a delicious, healthy, low-cal protein option.

My personal favorite is tarragon-garlic pork tenderloin. Buy a tenderloin (which is very lean pork), trim the fat, and cut slices into both pieces of the tenderloin. Combine 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic with two tablespoons freshly chopped tarragon and half a teaspoon of freshly ground pepper. Mix with a tablespoon of olive oil to make a paste. Generously fill the cuts you’ve made in the tenderloin with the paste and then tie the tenderloin back together with twine. Grill until cooked through. Enjoy!

Grilled Veggies
Assemble a medley of any of the following vegetables:
• Summer squash
• Zucchini
• Asparagus
• Brussel sprouts
• Red, yellow, orange or green bell pepper
• Onions
• Mushrooms
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower

Toss in a mixture of olive oil, salt, freshly ground pepper and one of more of the following fresh herbs:
• Rosemary
• Basil
• Cilantro
• Tarragon
• Sage
• Ginger
• Garlic

Wrap veggies medley in tin foil and grill. Squeeze lemon or lime juice on top for a tangy surprise if you don’t like the savory flavors so much.

Grilled Fruit
Try grilling thick slices of fresh pineapple, quartered peaches or halved plums. You don’t need to prep fruit at all; just cut into large slabs and cook them on the grill, only grilling for 2-3 minutes per side. Grilling brings out the sweetness and adds a delectable smoky flavor.

Try Cold Dishes
All winter long we roast vegetables and bake fish, right? We make hot stews and crave carbs like bread. In the summer, it’s time to cool things down, which can lead to some very healthy eating. Try the following menu ideas.

Serve Fresh Fruit
A bowl of mixed berries, especially when topped with a dollop of homemade whipped cream, can feel sinfully indulgent on a hot day. Try dipping just the tips of strawberries in melted dark chocolate or freezing grapes for fun desserts. Chop up a variety of fruits for fruit salad (throw in some mint for a fun change.) Play around with presentation and exotic fruits for variety.

Develop a Taste for Vinegar and Vinaigrettes
If you go to Italy, you’ll be served a variety of fresh vegetables drenched in vinegar-based marinades. You can learn to make these yourself by trying the following:
• Experiment with types of vinegars (white, red wine, apple cider, saki, balsamic, fruit-infused balsamics) and olive oil. You’ll discover amazing taste varieties that can spruce up a meal.
• Use your favorite oil and vinegar concoctions on fresh, sliced, cucumbers, tomatoes, greens, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, carrots and celery.
• Try marinating veggies for a few hours and note the difference in taste.
• Go simple by rubbing a clove of garlic around the inside of a bowl, filling the bowl with greens, tomatoes and cucumbers, and then tossing with oil and white vinegar. The subtle garlic flavor is refreshing.

Enjoy Lettuce Wraps
Craving a sandwich or noodle dish but don’t want to indulge in too many carbs? Get used to making yourself lettuce wraps, filled with delicious cold cuts or hot stir fry mixtures.

Invest in growing heads of lettuce or always keeping fresh lettuce in the fridge. Then start experimenting with combinations of cold cuts, cheeses, and sliced vegetables like tomatoes or roasted red peppers.

I personally get the hankering for dishes like pad Thai in the summer. I handle this by sautéing summer squash from my garden and lean chicken (cut into tiny pieces or ground chicken) with a generous amount of minced ginger, garlic, and chopped cashews. I throw in a large dollop of almond butter or cashew butter and fat free half and half to create a creamy base. Then I eat it inside lettuce leafs. The nuts add a sense of indulgence but the rest of the dish is absolutely wonderful for your body. It’s a great way to splurge without feeling guilty.

Summer FoodsUse the Grill!
Have fun experimenting with the foods you find at farmer’s markets. You’ll discover there’s a wide range of options available, all of which are good those of us who are committed to staying fit over 40!


Diabetes Dieting Tricks for Over 40 Fitness

If you’re over 40, working hard to stay fit, and dealing with diabetes, you know you’ve got your work cut out for you. Your chances of developing diabetes increases as you get older, so it’s important to take measures to prevent developing diabetes, even if you have not been diagnosed.

The key to beating diabetes is to keep your blood sugar stable. You’ll want to avoid dips and spikes in your blood sugar, reducing the demand on your body to regulate and produce insulin. You can do this by eating foods that have a low glycemic index. This means they will not spike your blood sugar levels when consumed.

Dealing with Cravings
You’ve probably heard that you shouldn’t eat certain foods in order to keep your blood sugar level stable. No more pasta; no more potatoes. Limited deserts. The following are some tricks that will help you keep your blood sugar stable while allowing you to indulge your cravings.

If you are craving pasta…
Traditional pasta usually causing blood sugar spikes, especially if you consume large portions of it. Because pasta is inexpensive (not to mention delicious), we’re used to eating large portions of it. Our mothers filled our plates to the brim because it filled us up, made us smile, and fit her budget.

However, you can eat small amounts of pasta (especially if you eat high fiber versions of pasta) with an abundance of protein such as delicious meatballs or sausage. Add in some fresh green or yellow peppers and generous slices of onions and you’ve got a healthy meal that won’t spike your blood sugar at all.

You may also find that certain brands of pasta won’t spike your blood sugar as much as others. Try high fiber or low carb pastas such as Dreamfields pasta. Test your blood sugar after your meal to make sure you’ve got portions under control and enjoy!

If you are craving potatoes…
Oh, those delicious baked potatoes drenched in butter and sour cream! And those crispy french fries, dipped in high-sugar ketchup! What is a potato-loving diabetic to do?

Believe it or not, you can eat potatoes—if you eat them when they are cold. Yep, it’s true: hot (or even warm) potatoes will spike your blood sugar to the moon, but cold potatoes aren’t so bad for you. Why? The basic chemistry of a potato changes with heat (or cooling.) This is why potato salad won’t spike your blood sugar (unless you’ve used a sweet dressing) but a plate of french fries will.

Let french fries cool (completely) and then sprinkle malt vinegar on them (like the New Englanders do) or make up potato salad with low sugar mayonnaise. Of course, check your blood sugar after to make sure your body is responding as it should.

If you are craving dessert…
In general, most berries have low glycemic indexes. Full cream whipped creams are also low in sugar and therefore should not spike your blood sugar (if used in moderation.) That’s why it’s a good idea to develop a love for berries and cream (or whipped cream) when it comes time for dessert.

Choose from blackberries, blueberries, raspberries or strawberries, and add a touch of cream or whipped cream for a delectable dessert that will keep your blood sugar stable.

Another good desert that can ward off cravings is to mix up ricotta cheese with some almond or vanilla extract and a healthy helping of cocoa powder. Some people like to add a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg and a teensy bit of stevia. This mixture resembles cheesecake in texture and can help you say no to confections that will sabotage your efforts.

The Good News
It’s important to realize that you have a lot of influence regarding your condition. You may be able to control your diabetes completely through dietary changes and exercise. You may still need medication, but you can probably improve your overall health and your prognosis if you adhere to a diabetic diet. This is especially important for those of us who are trying to follow an over 40 fitness plan. Defeating diabetes (or staving it off before we’re even diagnosed) is one of the most important keys to lasting fitness and health.
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Most Effective Appetite Suppressant Tricks

Are you over 40 and frustrated that your waistline seems to be expanding even though you haven’t changed your eating habits? As we enter our 40s (and beyond), our bodies change. Metabolism slows, and we gain weight—typically around the waistline.

However, there are several appetite suppressant tricks the 40 and over fitness crowd can master for painless ways to fight the infamous battle of the bulge. Make it your goal to implement all three of the most effective appetite suppressant tricks and you’ll avoid the weight gain that plagues your peers.

Appetite Suppressant Trick #1 Eat High Fiber Fruit and Vegetables
The very best thing you can do is to fill your stomach with low calorie, high fiber foods. This is hands down the most effective way to make your body think you’ve eaten enough and do not need to eat anything else, enabling you to say no to that peanut butter pie or donut.

Make a habit of snacking on the following types of foods: apples, celery, carrots, cucumbers or broccoli. Not only will this hold you over in between meals, but it will also help eat less once you sit down for dinner. In fact, studies have shown that people who increase their fiber intake by 14 grams each day will eat an average of 10 percent less (in calories) over the course of the day.

Best way to implement this trick: eat an apple every day mid morning and a handful of celery sticks a half hour before dinner every night. You’ll reduce your caloric intake, no doubt.

Appetite Suppressant Trick #2 Indulge in Resistant Starches
We all crave starch, but some starches are better for your waistline than others. Resistant starches are starches that actually are not digested in the stomach, but rather in the large intestine. This triggers your body to produce a form of acid that forces your body to use fat in your body as fuel. Resistant starches also automatically suppress your appetite for approximately an hour.

What are the best sources of resistant starch? Eat yams, lentils, unripened bananas, peas, garbanzo beans and cold potatoes. Why cold potatoes instead of hot potatoes? The starch in potatoes changes form when heated or cooled, going from resistant starch (when cold) to available starch when warm.

Appetite Suppressant Trick #3 Develop a Taste for Vinegar
Believe it or not, adding vinegar to a high carbohydrate meal will lower your blood sugar levels, which will prevent you from feeling hungry later. Try oil and vinegar salad dressings, sweet and sour dishes (which naturally contain a lot of vinegar) or eating a serving of pickled vegetables. Studies have shown that people who consume about a tablespoon and a half of cider vinegar with a meal will take in on average 250 less calories during the course of the day.

Other Appetite Suppressant Tricks That Really Work
In addition to these three superstar tricks, be sure to try:
• Drinking a glass of water before each meal (which will make you feel full)
• Spicing your food with hot chili peppers (which can increase your metabolism and decrease your appetite)
• Smelling or eating one square of dark chocolate (you’ll feel more satisfied than after a larger quantity of other sweets)
• Garnish meals with a few pine nuts (which naturally suppress your appetite)

Make good use of these tricks and you’ll find yourself more satiated and less likely to indulge in high calorie foods.

Tips For Those Who Are Over 40
In addition to cutting down on how many calories you consume each day, you will want to rev your metabolism. Be sure to check out our fitness over 40 exercise plans that will increase your metabolism while still fitting into your busy lifestyle.

See more tips at www.fitness-over40.com


Jumpstart Your 2013 Fitness Over 40 Plan With These Weight Loss Super Foods

During the holidays, you’ve probably developed a liking for some foods you normally don’t eat. Perhaps your sister’s homemade chocolate truffles have given you a hankering for chocolate every day, or maybe that delicious eggnog has got you thinking you should add eggnog to your coffee year round. It’s easy to get into bad habits over the holidays, so you’ll want to consciously replace unhealthy cravings with cravings for healthy foods.

The following are super foods that deliver nutritional value while filling you up, revving your metabolism, keeping your insulin production level even and tantalizing your taste buds. Have fun shopping for healthy weight loss super foods!

Most Effective Weight Loss Super Foods
These foods are effective and delicious. Enjoy!

Greens
Whenever in doubt, fill your plate with greens, fresh or cooked. In addition to salads, try braised Swiss chard, cooked spinach and using lettuce leaves in place of burritos or bread to cut down on calories and increase nutrition.

Cruciferous Vegetables
Broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, celery – these winners are full of fiber and packed with vitamins. They are so low calorie and filling that they will keep you satisfied while dieting.

Lean Meat
Your body craves protein, but some cuts of meat are so high fat that they lose their value for anyone trying to lose weight. Make sure you get plenty of protein eating lean lunch meat, salmon, chicken, pork and even beef. The protein will help your muscles repair after hard workouts and will keep you from overeating later in the day.

Cheapest Weight Loss Super Foods
The following foods won’t cost you much at all but will deliver powerful results on a budget.

Old Fashioned Oatmeal
Packed with fiber and great for your cholesterol and colon health, old fashioned oatmeal is easy to prepare and satisfying to eat, especially on cold winter days.

Legumes
Legumes will fill you up while lowering cholesterol and keeping insulin production low. Try canned beans if you don’t have time to soak and cook them. You may enjoy Indian spiced beans like channa masala (chickpeas in spices and tomatoes) or Mexican dishes like rice and bean bowls (go light on the rice, and be sure to use brown rice.) Try bean soups as well for a super healthy and delicious winter meal!

Sweet Potatoes
Bake ‘em, sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy this super healthy, filling and satisfying root vegetable. You’ll get your vitamins and great flavor all at once.

Yummiest Weight Loss Super Foods
All of the foods listed here should be used as condiments, helping you stick to your fitness over 40 weight loss plan.

Berries
High in antioxidants and packed with flavor, a sprinkling of berries will jazz up breakfast, healthy desserts, salads and even cooked dishes.

Avocado
Avocados deliver healthy fats and provide a buttery texture and flavor that can help you say no to unhealthy fats.

Nuts
Crush nuts or use nut slivers to deliver flavor, crunch, healthy fats and protein to otherwise boring meals. Just don’t over do any of these super foods or they will go from weight loss super foods to weight gain super foods!

Fill Your Pantry With Weight Loss Super Foods
Ready to purge your pantry of holiday foods and fill your cupboards with weight loss super foods? You’ll be far less likely to indulge in junk food if you have to go out of your way to get it, so you’ll want to fill your home with foods from this list.

As we get older (all of us who are on the fitness over 40 bandwagon) we need to watch what we eat more closely. Limit portions, eat slowly and savor your meals to make your super food intake count. You’ll notice a difference! Have a great 2013, nourishing your body as you feed yourself food that helps you with weight loss while improving your overall health.

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5 Healthy Ways to Make Room for Holiday Treats

Hello and thanks for joining me! I was having lunch with friends yesterday and we started talking about the upcoming holidays and how much more challenging it was going to be to maintain our relatively healthy lifestyles. With pumpkin pies and mashed potatoes looming on the horizon, it’s a tough time of year for those of us who tend to gain weight easily.

With that in mind, I’d like to talk about some easy ways to cut calories from your regular diet so that you can make room for the occasional pie splurge without completely ruining your figure. You’re going to be surprised at some of the things that you can do to trim the fat (so to speak) without sacrificing flavor or completely skipping the goodies.

1. Use fat-free cream cheese instead of regular. Yes, it’s easy to grab a bagel on your way to work but that cream cheese is killer, especially considering how much the shop will add. Four ounces, which is about what a typical chain slathers on a bagel, has a whopping 160 calories, 14 grams of fat and only 1.6g of protein.

Opt for fat-free cream cheese and you’re only looking at 60 calories, plus you’re getting 4g of protein. Even better, trade that bagel with cream cheese for 1 slice of whole grain toast with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter. You’ll save another 200 calories or so and stay full longer. In terms of holiday eating, you just made room for a serving of mashed potatoes and gravy.

2. Cook with spray instead of butter. Each tablespoon of butter has about 100 calories, but the spray only has about 7, and you can get flavored spray to boost the appeal. That’s more than enough calorie banking to have a sugar cookie!

3. Skip the croutons. There are about 100 calories in 1/2 cup of croutons, and chances are good that you won’t even notice that they’re missing from your salad. Plus, you just shaved more than enough calories to have a hot roll with Thanksgiving dinner.

To trim even more calories, use the fork-dip method of adding dressing instead of
dumping in over your salad. Dip your fork in the dressing before picking up a bite of
salad. You’ll save another 100 calories or so without losing flavor. That gives you room for 2 guilt-free chocolate covered cherries.

4. Replace at least 1 soda, sports drink, or fruit juice per day with a bottle of water.

A regular soda, sports drink or juice has about 120 calories per 8-ounce serving, and
there are at least 2 servings in a bottle. Opt for plain water or a zero-calorie flavored water and you’re saving around 240 calories. Just FYI, that’s about the same amount of calories as a half-slice of pumpkin pie with fat-free whipped cream.

5. Use salsa or bean dip instead of ranch dressing for your veggies. 40 148 15 Bean dip has about 40 calories in 2 tablespoons and the same amount of salsa weighs in at about 15 calories. Their chunky-dunking cousin, ranch dressing, weighs in at about 150 calories for the portion. Since veggie trays are common around the holidays, this tip just saves you calories for the skinny of it!

According to some studies, the average person gains about 5 pounds between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and if you are 40 and over the harder those 5 pounds are to lose! If you’re careful and make some minor health-conscious decisions, you can still have most of the goodies without picking up the extra baggage. Until next time, live well and be happy!


The Low Down on Fat

There are two types of fats, Saturated and Unsaturated.  Saturated fats are found in animal products and processed foods, such as meats, pastries, dairy and chips. This is the bad fat and is not good for your heart.  This fat raises the cholesterol, and should be eaten at the bare minimum.  Unsaturated fats are found in foods, such as nuts and avocados.  Unsaturated fat does not raise your cholesterol and is healthy for the heart.  Your meals should consist of more unsaturated fats.

 

Unfortunately, saturated fats are everywhere and are hard to avoid and can lead to heart disease.  Below are some tips on how the minimize your intake of saturated fats.

 

  • Choose leaner cuts of meat, such as round and sirloin

 

  • Chose low fat and not fat foods whenever possible

 

  • Choose skinless chicken or take skin off before eating.

 

  • Use olive, peanut, canola oils instead of vegetable oil.

 

 

Rule of thumb to follow is no more than 20% of fat in your daily meals.

 

 


What’s on your plate?

Are you getting everything you need on your plate?  To achieve fitness over 40 this is the key to weight loss.  Yes, we must exercise, but that is only about 40% of what you need especially once you reach forty and over.  Eating healthy is the key, this means a new way of eating which is the hardest thing to do.  We now have to make sure we get all the nutrients we need.  This means eating plenty of vegetables, fruits, fiber, lean cuts of meat, whole grains and the list goes on.  I say we tackle this little by little, start off by trying something new and healthy, or add a healthy variation of what you like once a week.  For example, I was never  a salad lover, but once I tried some of the different things I like in a salad like spinach, fruit, raisins, dried cranberries, I can’t eat enough!  So you never know until you try it.  Eating healthy is going to keep you looking good in your forties and beyond  it will also keep your doctor visits to a minimum.  Here are few ideas to try this week and see how you do.

Instead of Iceberg lettuce use spinach or romaine lettuce

Substitute Olive oil for butter

Cook with canola oil instead of vegetable oil

Try baking your favorite meat instead of frying

Buy a new healthy cookbook and experiment

Start taking notice of what is on your plate, keep a journal to write down what you are eating and what you can change or modify.

Fitness for over 40 requires us to do somethings differently so we can enjoy the second half of our lives! 

 

 


Are you unsure what to eat?

Many of us are still unsure what to eat even at 40 years old and above. It is important to get lean proteins, whole grains and plenty of colorful veggies in your meals. There are plenty of dishes you can enjoy incorporating healthy choices in your meal plan and lose weight. Some weight loss programs plan the meal for you if you are having trouble picking the right foods. Remember eating healthly is the key to weight loss and and long life span.

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