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Start the new year with a healthy approach to
eating
Creamy onion dip and homemade tortilla chips
After indulging during the holiday season,
many people start the new year with the best
intentions to eat well. But imposing a
too-strict New Year's resolution diet can
backfire and when you don't see immediate
results, it's easy to slip into unhealthy
eating habits.
If you're overweight and have been fighting
a losing battle to manage your weight,
perhaps you need to change your approach to
weight loss and practice something called
"mindful eating." Being a mindful eater
means being aware of, consciously choosing
and enjoying what you're eating. It's about
preparing foods that have the right
combination of fat and calories for healthy
weight loss - weight loss that is gradual
and sustainable.
"Treating yourself during the holidays and
depriving yourself in January is obviously
not healthy," says Anne M. Wolf, R.D, M.S,
obesity specialist and instructor of
research at the University of Virginia. "A
better approach is to consider what you're
eating and its effect on your well-being, no
matter what time of year it is. By changing
how you think about food, you can reach and
maintain a healthy weight.
To start the year off right, Wolf recommends
eating well-balanced meals instead of
obsessively counting calories. She suggests
stocking up on fresh vegetables and fruits,
lean proteins such as roasted turkey,
chicken and fish, healthy breakfast foods
including oatmeal and lowfat yogurt, and
better-for-you snacks like whole-grain
crackers and part-skim cheeses.
She says this mindful approach to eating,
which focuses on nutritious ingredients and
moderate portions, can easily be carried out
beyond the beginning of the year and become
a way of life. It also means eating to fill
a nutritional need and not an emotional
need.
But practicing portion control and choosing
healthy foods over high-fat ones isn't easy
for everyone. For those who need some extra
help, Wolf recommends FDA-approved alli to
her patients. With the alli plan, you can
lose weight gradually by learning the right
way to use food. This healthier approach to
food can stay with you for life, which could
help keep the pounds off for good. "Because
of the way it works, alli makes you more
conscious of the fat in the foods you eat,
which ultimately helps you lose weight,"
says Wolf. "It should be used as part of a
comprehensive plan that teaches you to make
healthy decisions."
Recipe for a healthful new year
Getting back on track after the
overabundance of the holidays can be
difficult. Instead of making a hard-to-keep
resolution to lose weight fast, start your
new year on the path to "mindful eating"
with this recipe from The Alli Cookbook.
Creamy onion dip and homemade tortilla chips
Ingredients for the creamy onion dip
2 cups finely chopped onions
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup fat-free sour cream
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
Preparation:
In a large skillet, cook the onions in the
oil over medium heat for 3 minutes, or until
barely soft. Transfer to a medium bowl and
stir in the sour cream and paprika. Season
with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate
until needed.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups - Serving Size: 1/4
cup
Per Serving: 2 grams fat - 72 Calories
Ingredients for homemade tortilla chips
1 package of soft corn tortillas
Preparation:
Cut soft corn tortillas into six wedges and
set the wedges on a baking sheet that's
lightly coated with nonstick cooking spray.
Bake the wedges at 400 F for five minutes,
turn them, and bake for five minutes more,
or until brown and crispy.
Serving Size: 6 chips
Per Serving: 1 gram of fat - 80 calories
Courtesy of ARAcontent
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