Fat Loss Meals Can Be Fun, With A Little Imagination
Suppression, restriction, control: these words are more fashionable in politics than fat loss. But we use them and see them used every day. Appetite suppression, appetite control, calorie restriction are phrases used consistently in the dieting and nutrition world. But why do we need such negative words when fat loss should be a positive experience? We celebrate once goals are achieved. We show off when we're finally able to fit into those pants. Losing body fat should be happy times and your appetite needs to be satisfied not suppressed, restricted or controlled. We should be eating good nutrient rich meals, but they should also satisfy our appetite and leave us looking forward to our next meal. Not dreading it. Here are a few suggestions to help make your food more gratifying and anticipated.
Learn to Cook
Teach yourself to cook. You don't have to become Wolfgang Puck, but learn some basics about seasonings and fat loss cooking. Because eating the same flavorless meals day after day can make it difficult for you to remain on your fat loss program. If you learn to prepare your meals to your liking, you'll enjoy them more. Learn to use seasonings and herbs. Stir frying is ok. It's deep frying that's bad for you. The internet is loaded with recipes using olive oil to stir fry chicken and vegetable into healthy hearty meals. Use chicken, bell peppers, onions and seasonings to create nutritious low fat fajitas. The best thing about preparing your own meals and creating your own recipes is that you know what's going into that frying pan. You are in control of your own calorie intake.
Protein
When choosing your protein, chicken breast isn't the only meat you are able to eat. The reason chicken breast is included in most fat loss diet plans is because it's the best. It's a great protein source and it's low in fat, as long as it's skinless and most of the fat has been removed. I'm not saying to eliminate it from your diet, but there are other meats you can eat to break up "chicken breast boredom".
Turkey Breast (from the bird, not sliced luncheon meat. It's usually processed)
Very Lean Red Meat such as top round or lean sirloin. Instead of chicken in you fajitas, use beef.
Game meats such as venison, elk, buffalo or bison (buffalo and bison are more lean than regular beef)
All types for fish like tuna, swordfish or tilapia. Just be careful of mercury content
Salmon is one of the healthiest foods around and a great source of omega 3 fatty acids (wild, not farmed)
Eggs? Yes eggs and egg whites are a great source of protein. (You can even eat whole eggs in moderation, within your calorie limit - the yolk contains a highly bioavailable source of lutein and xeaxanthin, carotenoids which help protect against cataracts and macular degeneration)
All of these protein options, including chicken can be used to create very tasty low fat meals.
Vegetables
Choose vegetables that you actually enjoy eating. Broccoli, green beans and lettuce seem to be the favorites, but don't forget bell peppers (green, red, yellow and orange). They are great in salads and stir fries. Spinach also makes a great salad. Throw in some small shrimp, red onions, red or yellow bell peppers and your favorite dressing and you've got a great tasting shrimp salad. You don't need a lot of dressing either. A tablespoon is just enough to flavor it, but not overwhelm it. You can cut up some zucchini, yellow squash and onions put them in a frying pan with a tablespoon of olive oil, season to taste (garlic and ground pepper are my favorites) and you've got a nice vegetable medley. Don't be afraid to mix and match veggies, you'll be surprised how many combinations you can come up with. And all of your cooking doesn't have to be done on top of the stove. Baking vegetables can also give them a more distinct flavor. Brush on some olive oil, season and put them in the oven.
Carbohydrates
One thing about carbohydrates, you don't have to do much to make them desirable. Breads, potatoes, pastas, they're our addiction. Our problem is we tend to drench them with butters and sauces to the point where the calories in the carbs alone are enough to put us way over our calorie intake for the day. My suggestion is actually cutting back on the taste of the carbohydrates and enhance the taste of everything else so you won't consume so many carbs. Instead of butter and sour cream on your baked potato, use Molly McButter and a little salt and pepper. Stay away from gravies. The same applies to yams and sweet potatoes. Try using whole grain pastas and use red sauces in moderation, instead of white. Whole grain pasta salads are great also. Add some red or kidney beans, chick peas, diced roma tomatoes, maybe some bell peppers and an olive oil based vinaigrette dressing. Carbs consumption is better in the mornings and early afternoons and taper them off towards the evenings. Never stop eating carbs, you need them, but time them during the day. Remember carbohydrates have to be monitored. They are the primary cause of obesity in American. We love our carbs.
Spicing up your meals is essential to keeping you from straying off your fat loss diet plan. The same old oatmeal in the morning and chicken and broccoli in the evening will get old. So you must use your imagination and a cookbook. And you can't go wrong. Fat loss is fun. Experiment with your foods and your fitness. Find what works for you. If you need help with your food choices check out this article: "Foods That Burn Fat: The Top 10 List"
Learn to Cook
Teach yourself to cook. You don't have to become Wolfgang Puck, but learn some basics about seasonings and fat loss cooking. Because eating the same flavorless meals day after day can make it difficult for you to remain on your fat loss program. If you learn to prepare your meals to your liking, you'll enjoy them more. Learn to use seasonings and herbs. Stir frying is ok. It's deep frying that's bad for you. The internet is loaded with recipes using olive oil to stir fry chicken and vegetable into healthy hearty meals. Use chicken, bell peppers, onions and seasonings to create nutritious low fat fajitas. The best thing about preparing your own meals and creating your own recipes is that you know what's going into that frying pan. You are in control of your own calorie intake.
Protein
When choosing your protein, chicken breast isn't the only meat you are able to eat. The reason chicken breast is included in most fat loss diet plans is because it's the best. It's a great protein source and it's low in fat, as long as it's skinless and most of the fat has been removed. I'm not saying to eliminate it from your diet, but there are other meats you can eat to break up "chicken breast boredom".
Turkey Breast (from the bird, not sliced luncheon meat. It's usually processed)
Very Lean Red Meat such as top round or lean sirloin. Instead of chicken in you fajitas, use beef.
Game meats such as venison, elk, buffalo or bison (buffalo and bison are more lean than regular beef)
All types for fish like tuna, swordfish or tilapia. Just be careful of mercury content
Salmon is one of the healthiest foods around and a great source of omega 3 fatty acids (wild, not farmed)
Eggs? Yes eggs and egg whites are a great source of protein. (You can even eat whole eggs in moderation, within your calorie limit - the yolk contains a highly bioavailable source of lutein and xeaxanthin, carotenoids which help protect against cataracts and macular degeneration)
All of these protein options, including chicken can be used to create very tasty low fat meals.
Vegetables
Choose vegetables that you actually enjoy eating. Broccoli, green beans and lettuce seem to be the favorites, but don't forget bell peppers (green, red, yellow and orange). They are great in salads and stir fries. Spinach also makes a great salad. Throw in some small shrimp, red onions, red or yellow bell peppers and your favorite dressing and you've got a great tasting shrimp salad. You don't need a lot of dressing either. A tablespoon is just enough to flavor it, but not overwhelm it. You can cut up some zucchini, yellow squash and onions put them in a frying pan with a tablespoon of olive oil, season to taste (garlic and ground pepper are my favorites) and you've got a nice vegetable medley. Don't be afraid to mix and match veggies, you'll be surprised how many combinations you can come up with. And all of your cooking doesn't have to be done on top of the stove. Baking vegetables can also give them a more distinct flavor. Brush on some olive oil, season and put them in the oven.
Carbohydrates
One thing about carbohydrates, you don't have to do much to make them desirable. Breads, potatoes, pastas, they're our addiction. Our problem is we tend to drench them with butters and sauces to the point where the calories in the carbs alone are enough to put us way over our calorie intake for the day. My suggestion is actually cutting back on the taste of the carbohydrates and enhance the taste of everything else so you won't consume so many carbs. Instead of butter and sour cream on your baked potato, use Molly McButter and a little salt and pepper. Stay away from gravies. The same applies to yams and sweet potatoes. Try using whole grain pastas and use red sauces in moderation, instead of white. Whole grain pasta salads are great also. Add some red or kidney beans, chick peas, diced roma tomatoes, maybe some bell peppers and an olive oil based vinaigrette dressing. Carbs consumption is better in the mornings and early afternoons and taper them off towards the evenings. Never stop eating carbs, you need them, but time them during the day. Remember carbohydrates have to be monitored. They are the primary cause of obesity in American. We love our carbs.
Spicing up your meals is essential to keeping you from straying off your fat loss diet plan. The same old oatmeal in the morning and chicken and broccoli in the evening will get old. So you must use your imagination and a cookbook. And you can't go wrong. Fat loss is fun. Experiment with your foods and your fitness. Find what works for you. If you need help with your food choices check out this article: "Foods That Burn Fat: The Top 10 List"