The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

I found this online and want to share it with our readers. Its not a complete full diet but is of some great helps. Any help we can get to maintain a good health lifestyle I am all for.

Breakfast

Add strawberries, blueberries, or bananas to your cereal, oatmeal, toast, waffles, and pancakes. Stir low-fat granola into a bowl of low-fat or non-fat yogurt. Top with sliced apples or berries. Top toasted whole-grain bread with peanut butter and sliced bananas Fill your omelet with bell peppers, spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, tomatoes and onions instead of meat and cheese. Add sliced apples or bananas and a dash of cinnamon to your pancake batter.

Lunch and Dinner

Add a small zip lock bag of fresh cut up fruit or veggies to your child’s or your own lunch box.

They also can be eaten as a great tasty snack! Place a box of raisins in your child’s backpack and pack one for yourself, too.

Add some beans to your salad.

Or, if you have a sweet tooth, add chopped apples, pears, or raisins.

Add broccoli, green beans, corn, or peas to a casserole or pasta.

Have soup.

You can stick with the basics like tomato or vegetable soup or mix up some minestrone or veggie chili to cut winter's chill.

When possible, choose soups with less sodium.

Try making your own soup and use herbs instead of salt, or use less salt (or Sea Salt) than the recipe suggests.

Add lettuce, tomato, cucumber and other vegetables to sandwiches.

Order salads, vegetable soups, or stir-fried vegetables when eating out.

Instead of french fries, choose beans, a side salad with low-calorie salad dressing, or corn on the cob.

Try eating at least 2 vegetables with dinner.

One can be cooked such as broccoli, green beans, beets, or collard greens, and one can be raw such as carrot sticks or salad.

Customize spaghetti sauce with fresh zucchini, green peppers, mushrooms and onions.

Turn a mixed green salad or spinach salad into a main dish by including diced apples, almonds then add grilled chicken or fish.

Cook portabella mushrooms for a main or side dish.

Try hummus on your whole grain sandwich instead of mayonnaise.

Create fresh fruit salsa using such fruits as diced mango, pineapple, apple or veggie salsas (tomato, cilantro, onion, peppers) as a side dish to fish, chicken, tortillas, burritos or rice and beans.

Ask for more vegetable toppings (like mushrooms, peppers, and onions) and less cheese on your pizza.

Snacks

Try hummus and whole-wheat pitas. Snack on vegetables like bell pepper strips, carrots or broccoli with a low-fat ranch dip. Try baked tortilla chips with black bean and corn salsa. Stash bags of dried fruit at your desk for a convenient snack. Keep a bowl of fruit on your desk or counter. Drink a fruit smoothie made with whole fruit, ice cubes and low-fat or non-fat yogurt. Top a cup of low-fat or non-fat yogurt with sliced fresh fruit. Encourage your child to choose his or her own fruit when shopping. Store cleaned, cut-up vegetables in the fridge at eye level and keep a low-fat dip on hand

Additionally you may go to HYPERLINK "http://www.gregthetrainer.com/50lowcaloriesnacks.html" http://www.gregthetrainer.com/50lowcaloriesnacks.html for a listing of some additional 50 great snacks that are good for us and really taste good.

Greg Burkett, Greg The Trainer is a fitness advisor in the Orange County area. For more information you may contact him at 550-0777 or go to http://www.gregthetrainer.com