Need help with a New Year resolution

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-09-2003
Need help with a New Year resolution
18
Wed, 12-29-2004 - 6:34pm

I am trying to compile a list of food/drinks that are healthy alternatives to my usual junk. I want to use this list when I go shopping and for those times I stop at mini mart or run into the store because I didn't have time for breakfast or whatever. This way I'll have choices that are smart rather than being in a rush and grabbing a soda and a bag of chips.


What I have so far. Not much. lol


Trail Mix, wheat crackers, V8splash (diet), water, carrots (veggies), pistachios, apples, grapes, bananas, cheese, meal replacement drinks, yogurt.


Have any of you tried the Snapple meal replacements? I love these but they are very hard to find around here. I liked them because they were more juice like and not thick like some of those yogurt smoothie things.


If anyone has any suggestions please post them. I'm trying to have a no excuse plan.

Gretchen


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iVillage Member
Registered: 06-20-2004
Fri, 12-31-2004 - 10:45am

Gretchen I keep nuts in my desk at work at all times. Raw Almonds, Macadamia Nuts, Pumpkin Seeds and Sunflower Seeds. These are a healthy alternative and they stay fresh in the drawers so whenever I am hungry I pop open some nuts rather than reach for the candy dish.

I also always buy water at the store. Zone bars are good as well as laughing cow lite cheese and celery sticks.

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-20-2004
Fri, 12-31-2004 - 10:47am
Try myoplex lite ready made drinks (french vanilla is yummy) much more "protein" than slim fast, slim fast has corn syrup in it which is definitely not as good as you would want to be putting in your mouth.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-09-2003
Fri, 12-31-2004 - 12:05pm

I'm glad your a nut eater too. ;o)


Anyway, I get trail mixes with almonds, cashews, peanuts, seeds and/or dried fruit. I stay away from the kind that have candy in them.


My question for you or anyone esle is, I'm sure this has been discussed before here, but what is the good fat and what is the bad fight. This is elementary I know but I really havn't given stuff like this much thought.


I overheard a conversation about nuts verses pretzels so I checked into it a little at fit day.



Pistachios 1/4 cup -


iVillage Member
Registered: 04-09-2003
Fri, 12-31-2004 - 1:09pm
Do you recommend a particular flavor of bumble bar? I've just been checking out some different bars online and I'm planning on ordering a couple different brands but kind of want to get a feel for what would be good.
Gretchen


iVillage Member
Registered: 06-20-2004
Fri, 12-31-2004 - 5:14pm
Nuts will always have more fat than say pretzels. But nuts mainly raw almonds for one and macadamia nuts are high in essential "good" fats such as omega 3's and omega 9's. Cook with macadamia nut oil as well can increase that. Also, I'm not sure if you are aware, but fat satiates hunger, so if you are really hungry having a handful of nuts will satisfy you longer than something that is high in carb, something that is high in carb turns into glucose in the system through a bevy of too many medical terms that I can name and will in the long run make you hungrier.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-09-2003
Fri, 12-31-2004 - 5:53pm
Okay, cool. I'll have to remember that about something high in fat filling you up more than carbs. Guess that is what they mean by empty calories? I have a lot to learn. =o)
Gretchen


iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Sat, 01-01-2005 - 5:25pm

empty calories generally means food that is relatively high in calories but proportionately low in nutritional value. pixie stix would be an example of something that is definitely empty calories - high calorie, little nutritional value. the opposite would be something like broccoli - low calorie, high nutritional value.

a caveat to what "karma" said - not all carbs are going to raise your blood sugar and make you hungrier. the carbs in pretzels come mainly from "white" or refined wheat flour and they WILL tend to have that effect. but the carbs in say, spinach, will not. rather than trying to avoid carbs, try to avoid processed carbs, in particular anything made with sugar, corn syrup, or refined flour. foods which are made with WHOLE wheat or other WHOLE grain flours are better than pretzels or foods made with regular old "wheat flour" but are still not as good for you as whole grains (like brown rice, barley), legumes, veggies, etc. also, when you eat carbs, if you eat them with protein and fat and fiber, it will slow down the metabolization of the carbs. so instead of 2 pieces of whole wheat toast, eat 1 piece whole wheat toast spread with peanut butter or hummus.

as for good fat and bad fat, nuts and veggies and stuff like that have good fats. olive oil, avocados, natural peanut butter, etc. are all good fats. avoid saturated fat (mainly in meat) and trans fats (look for partially hydrogenated oil on the label - these are found in deep fried foods and many processed foods like crackers, commercial peanut butters, even foods that are supposed to be healthy like granola bars).

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-01-2005
Sat, 01-01-2005 - 8:31pm
Hi Gretchen.
Peanuts and raisons are a good snack. Sweet and salty. Peanuts have lots of protein to hold you over. Both have lots of fiber, too. Have you tried rosemary olive oil Triscuts? They are delicious. Hope that helps!

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