First Day Back

I'm back!

Beginning tomorrow evening, and each day afterward, I will post my daily food and exercise. Hopefully, this will be helpful to those of you who have asked me what I do to stay in shape and how I eat. For better or worse, you will now have a window into my world.

As always, comments and questions are welcome. I'm happy to tweak recipes and/or give exercise advice. So, stay in touch!

Healthy sugar cookies

My kids love this recipe. In fact, they like to eat the dough raw (I omit the eggs, as the flaxseed is an egg replacement anyway, when I know they will have access to the raw dough).

Play with the cooking time, as you want to pull the cookies out while they are still a bit raw. Once they cool and set, they will be moist inside, but not raw. You might want to do a couple of test runs the first time you make this, with just one or two cookies on the sheet. Let the cookies cool, and if they are too dry or too raw, adjust the cooking time by 30 seconds to a minute. Cooking time and testing for doneness are an art in lower fat and whole-grain baking, but it is very worth it, once you get the hang of it.

Low-fat, whole-grain sugar cookies
2 cups of spelt flour (you can also use whole grain wheat flour, but it isn't quite as good. You can buy spelt in bulk at Winco). (about 800 calories, 4.5 grams of fat)
1/4 ground flaxseed (140 calories, 10 grams of fat)
1 tsp baking powder (0 calories)
1/2 tsp baking soda (0 calories)
1/4 tsp salt (0 calories)

1/2 cup sugar (360 calories, 0 fat)
3 tbsp unsalted butter (softened) (300 calories, 34.5 grams of fat)
1 egg and 1 egg white (90 calories, 3.7 grams of fat)
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract (0 calories)
2 tbsp milk (about 10 calories, 0 grams of fat)

Mix the dry ingredients together
Mix the butter and sugar together
Mix in the eggs
Mix in the vanilla and milk

Mix wet and dry ingredients together
Chill for an hour before rolling out and cutting into shapes of your choice

Bake at 400 degrees for 6-10 minutes (really depends on how thick your cookies are and on your oven)

About 1500 calories, and about 53 grams of fat for the whole batch. You can divide up how many cookies your batch makes to determine how many calories for each cookie. Of course, if you decide to frost the cookies, they will have more calories and/or fat depending on the frosting that you use.

A workout for busy people

If your workout needs a face-lift, try this for a change: Get on a cardio machine (or run stairs in your house, or run around the block, or jump rope) for 5 minutes, working as hard as you can. Then, do 20 push-ups and 20 tricep dips. Repeat this cycle a total of 5 times, beginning and ending with the cardio intervals. You'll end up with 30 minutes of intense cardio and an upper body workout targeting every major muscle group. Top it all of with crunches (twist side-to-side to target the obliques as well). Do 100 very slow crunches, and then 100 quick crunches.

Winter soup

Here is a one-pot, no-fuss, low-calorie, healthy soup.

1 box of chicken broth or stock
In-season veggies to the top of the stock. My favorites are celery, zucchini, red cabbage, green cabbage, and carrots
1 tsp sugar (to cut the bitter of the veggies)
salt to taste.
Chop veggies into bite-sized pieces.
Bring all to a boil
Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes (depending on how crunchy/soft you like the veggies)
You can add diced chicken or low-fat sausage for protein, if you like.

I have not done the calorie count on this one, as it will be different depending on the veggies you use. You can measure and check on calories for the vegetables you decide on, at www.calorieking.com

The sugar has 15 calories, the box of broth 40 calories, and the salt has zero calories.

Also, I love to top my soup with a bit of grated sharp cheese. I think it add a depth of flavor that is worth the calories.

Hope you like it. Feel free to let me know what you think.

I'm back!

I'm back!!!

The heavy cold-weather foods are creeping into our diet, as the fresh fruits and vegetables of Summer are harder to find. Treats become a staple with one holiday piggy-backing on another for the next few months.

What to do? My advice is to maintain. Don't anticipate major weight/fat loss during the Fall and Winter months. Instead, try to eat all things in moderation. If your pants are fitting tight, eat less and move more. We will all be indulging, but that doesn't mean we need to fall off the bandwagon until next year.

If you have been slacking, this is the time to get back to regular exercise. We all make better food choices when we exercise regularly. The best regimen depends on your schedule and what is realistic for you. If possible, get at least 3 30-60 minute workouts per week.

For recommendations on what to do at home or the gym, please call or e-mail me. I now offer group training session on M/W mornings, Tuesdays at 9:30am, and Tuesdays at 5:30pm.

Have a happy, healthy week!

Butt Busting Exercise

Place an exercise band under both feet. Take 10 big steps to the right, then 10 big steps to the left. Repeat three times

Now, walk forward and to a slight diagonal 10 times and then backward/diagonal 10 times. Repeat three times.

Make sure your steps are big. As this exercise gets easier, speed it up. You should get a great burn in your butt and upper leg.

If you don't have an exercise band, now is the time to get one. They travel very well and will give you a great workout no matter where you travel! Throw in a jump rope and you have a cardio and strenth workout.

Frozen Treats for Summer

Do you like popsicles? Here are some healthier alternatives:

1. Frozen Stonyfield Yokids Squeezers (like go-gurts...without all the yucky stuff) At only 60 calories each + calcium + protein + creamy/yummy taste

2. Frozen green or red grapes, rinsed and taken off of the stem. Grapes get even sweeter when you freeze them. They are full of antioxidants, fiber, healthy fruit sugar, and will satisfy your craving for sweet and cold.

3. Double Churned Dreyer's No Sugar added ice cream. With only 80 calories for 1/2 cup, and all of the flavor and texture of a full fat/full sugar ice cream. Put it on a cone for only 50 calories extra...takes you back to childhood!

With well under 100 calories per serving for each of these treats, they are a more grown-up way to enjoy Summer!