Cooking tips to keep you FIT

We all know that 80% of our fitness results come from what we do in the kitchen. I wanted to write this little blog to give you a few tips to add to your hard work in fitness. As I get ready to venture into a clean eating support group with some very eager students, I wanted to share a few tips here first! Whether it be that you are a bit too generous with the olive oil, or you are falling for the 'low fat' options on food labels, this post will surely help you in some way!

#1: Easy on the olive oil...

No doubt olive oil is a healthy fat—it's rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids. In addition, the aroma of olive oil may even improve satiety, prompting you to eat less at later meals, finds a recent German study. But that doesn't mean you can pour it on without measuring! One tablespoon of olive oil contains 120 calories, and if you're eyeballing how much you add to a pan, it's easy to pour twice that—and therefore, twice the calories. It is suggested that you should use just enough oil to coat the pan's cooking surface, then using a paper towel to wipe off any excess oil before adding other ingredients. In addition, try sautéing veggies in low-sodium chicken or veggie stock or white wine.

#2: Don't forget to spice things up

Rethink how you add flavor to foods. Instead of covering steamed broccoli in butter, sauces, or cheese, reach for your spice rack. I find that when I add herbs and spices to foods, they are just as tasty as if I had cooked in fattier items such as butter. Some of my favorites are rubbing fish with dill,  smokey paprika, and garlic and topping with a squeeze of lemon. Also try covering chicken breasts with rosemary, garlic, lemon or orange slices, and sage before baking it in the oven.

 #3: Elevate your meat when baking in the oven

Baking chicken in the oven can definitely help save calories over pan-frying or sautéing, but here's what you're probably missing: you should elevate the meat and cook it on a rack. This allows the fat to drain away. Do the same with veggies. Toss them with oil, salt, and pepper, then roast on a rack placed atop a baking sheet. When done, they won't be swimming in gobs of oil, but you'll still enjoy the same delicious flavor.

#4: You're COOKING everything

Because research shows that adults are eating far too few fruits and vegetables, it's a good idea to try to get more into your diet, whether steamed, roasted, or grilled—whatever way you love them the most. But don't forget to eat them raw, too. The process of cooking produce makes more calories available to the body. That means your body burns more calories by simply digesting raw foods, which could translate into weight loss. (Sure, it's a minimal amount, but over time this can add up.) So don't forget to include big salads; with raw options like sliced cukes and red peppers, dipped in salsa or guac; in your meal rotation.

#5: You think pasta was made for noodles

If you've already switched from white pasta to whole wheat versions, then give yourself a pat on the back. Pasta made with 100% whole wheat flour digests slower than refined versions, so you stay fuller for longer. But there's life beyond wheat noodles, and it saves mega-calories and dials up the nutrition: veggies masquerading as noodles. Think spaghetti squash, zucchini and squash ribbons, and sliced asparagus. One cup of spaghetti squash contains 42 calories compared with one cup of pasta at 200 calories. Top veggie "noodles" with a tomato sauce and turkey meatballs and you've got a lower-carb and lower-calorie (but still satisfying) meal. One tip: when making spaghetti squash, don't salt it before cooking, which adds about 16% of your daily value of bloat-inducing sodium. The sauce you put on top will contain enough salt to flavor the dish. (want another tip? Make your own sauce and save on sodium bloating all together)

#6: You are making baked goods "clean" or "paleo"

You know the tricks to "healthify" treats like cookies, muffins, and brownies: use puréed fruit instead of refined sugar, and add black bean purée to brownies. Try whole-grain flour in your muffins. And while it's a good idea to make an effort to add as much nutrition as possible to treats, it makes it easier to justify a splurge. In fact, people eat larger portions if food is marked "healthy." So you may snack on four cookies instead of two because your new recipe contains half the fat—but this defeats the entire purpose.


For many more tips to come, please join me in my 30 day clean eating support group where I will guide you into clean eating and help you lay the groundwork so you can be successful in health.

You can request to join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1513030335592770/

or send me a message on facebook at:

www.facebook.com/dawnjeter
www.facebook.com/jeterfitness

Be sure to sign up to receive my blog by email and you can also find me below:

dawnjeterfitness@outlook.com
www.mindfulimpacthealth.com

Make it a Healthy Day!!