Big Time Brown-Bagging
We know that eating food from home is a smart way to cut calories instead of opting for fast food or takeout, but who has time to pack lunch every morning? Here is a new idea: Take a week’s worth of lunches and snacks to the office on Monday and stock your desk drawer with your non-perishable favorites.My good-to-go list includes whole-grain crackers, natural peanut butter, a pouch of tuna in water, a canister of whole almonds and a few pots of low-calorie, low-sodium microwave soup.
Make a list of easy-to-store foods that you enjoy and could build five days' worth of simple meals and snacks around. If you have a mini-fridge at your disposal, take advantage of it during your weekly stock-up by stashing yogurt, string cheese and a few pieces of produce, to make your at-work meals more balanced.
Fill Up on Fiber without Regret
One of the most important ways we can all improve our diets is to get in more fiber, but keep in mind that it takes your system a few weeks to adjust to a significant increase in dietary fiber. (Adding too much, too soon can cause digestive woes in the form of cramps and gas.)The best way to ease your body into a fiber increase is to add it in small increments such as five grams at a time, per week. So, if you eat about 10 grams a day now, start with taking in 15 grams a day for a week or two and build up from there. (It’s easy to add more fiber-rich foods in smaller increments: Examples of a five-gram fiber fix are a serving of high-fiber cereal or two slices of whole-grain bread.)
It is also important to drink more water when you add more fiber to your diet to keep your digestive system working smoothly.
Savor Something Sweet
Sweet treats are a must to keep from feeling deprived while dieting, but that doesn’t mean you should reach for a brownie. Solve your sweet tooth with a smarter treat -- indulge in dark chocolate every now and then. Dark chocolate contains just 150 calories an ounce and provides health benefits in the form of flavanoids -- they may help regulate blood pressure and improve circulation, both of which can lower your risk of developing heart disease.Eating a small serving of dark chocolate on a daily basis could help you reap health benefits. (That could be as simple as eating two dark Hershey Kisses -- about 30 calories worth -- nightly. Yum!) When shopping for your dark chocolate fix, look for varieties with at least 60% cacao (this information is often on the front of the label).
Have a Side of Protein with Your Carb Fix
Hungry? Don't reach for a piece of toast and expect it to do the trick. Carbohydrates are simply not satisfying -- at least not refined carbs like white bread or cookies -- so they are easy to overeat. Plus, your blood sugar drops not long after you eat them, which leads you to feel hungry again very soon … hence the cravings for more!Eating protein with carbs can lessen the blood sugar-lowering effect. (Protein is digested more slowly that carbs so they will help you feel fuller and for much longer than carbs alone.) For example, pair up your favorite crackers with a tablespoon of natural peanut butter to better quell hunger and curb cravings. Good lean protein sources include lean beef, cottage cheese, tuna and eggs.
Sources
Grassi, D.,et al. Short-term administration of dark chocolate is followed by a significant increase in insulin sensitivity and a decrease in blood pressure in healthy persons. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, March 2005; vol 81: pp 611-614.
Taubert, Dirk MD, et al. Effects of low habitual cocoa intake on blood pressure and bioactive nitric oxide. JAMA, July 2007; 298:49-60.
