A very good year to all of you.
The Obama inauguration is a moment in history most of us thought we would never live to experience. Our new president and his team are determined to set a new course for our country, and he has called upon us to do our part. With the downturn in the economy most of us are trimming excess spending, looking to purchase higher mileage vehicles and paying more attention to the environment. We are also trimming the fat, not just from our wallets but also from our waistlines. Healthier bodies will reduce healthcare costs and improve our quality of life.
Oprah began the year by opening up to us about her weight gain. She encouraged those of us with the same problem to join her on her quest to once again lose the excess pounds with the help of her personal trainer Bob Green. Like many of you, I have also purchased Bob Green’s new diet book to get helpful tidbits on the foods to avoid, the healthy ones to purchase and new and tasty recipes to prepare. The importance of exercise in helping our bodies burn calories and reach our weight loss goals should not be overlooked.
Despite my bad knees I am returning to my treadmill, which I use in the winter. I plan to walk 30 minutes every other day with a 3 lb weight in hand. I also have an AB Lounge chair which I will use on the days I don’t walk.
My suggestions:
- If you use a gym, attend regularly.
- Take more time in the produce section of the supermarket or fruit & vegetable store; try to discover new fruits or vegetables to incorporate in your recipes and serve more of them. Read nutrition labels on jars and cans and choose prepared foods with less sodium and fat.
- Revamp your old favorite recipes; replace harmful fats with olive oil if possible; and use more herbs and spices since they add more flavor and no calories.
- Use smoked turkey to flavor southern-style vegetable dishes. Trim the fat from meats or purchase extra lean whenever possible, and remove the skin from chicken before cooking. Prepare meats grilled, or baked, and sauté or stir fry vegetables more often. These cooking methods calls for less or no oil. Reserve calorie-laden dishes like fried chicken, macaroni and cheese or lasagna for those rare and special occasions.
- Include lots of salads with low fat dressing in your diets, and add fruits and nuts to defray monotony.
I am sharing my Cabbage soup recipe that was given to me many years ago. I have retooled it over the years, adding more vegetables, herbs and spices, because I like dishes with flavor and zest. It is thick and satisfying and you will not miss the meat. Prepare a large quantity of this soup because it reheats well; you can take it for lunch if you have access to a microwave oven at work.
I will share my progress (or lack of it with you) and would appreciate hearing how you are doing out there.
