A true story: I am at a cocktail party and the hors d'oeuvres are being passed around. I am with friends who are married to each other and the husband starts to accept the mini grilled cheese that is being offered to him. His wife gingerly slaps his hand while smiling politely and looks at the waitress as she says “no thank you, he can’t have that, she (looks at me) is a nutritionist and it’s not on the “approved food list”. Well, she was right, it’s not healthy (it’s probably fried and on white bread and loaded with fat). I did feel bad, clearly my friend’s husband was disappointed. Sushi or shrimp cocktail would have been healthier, so I quickly directed him to where I spotted the server passing out healthier items!
I believe that there are always options of foods to eat (even at a party). It’s all about knowing what to choose. Here are some foods that I would suggest to stop eating ASAP in efforts to make healthier choices.
White rice- swap for brown rice or quinoa.
I love sushi and while every once in awhile I will eat a sushi roll, I mostly eat sushi without rice (sashimi) or wrapped in cucumber. Most sushi restaurants have this option or will use brown rice if you ask for it. Quinoa is also an amazing grain to substitute for rice altogether. It packs a whole bunch of extra benefits, and is usually higher in fibre & protein!
Energy bars- make sure they don’t have too much sugar and have a lot of protein.
Health bars have become such a popular fad. It’s important to make sure you always check the label for the amount of sugar in each bar. A healthy bar should either be 100% all natural and the only sugar should be from fruits or a protein based bar that contains a tiny amount of sugar. These can be consumed in the place of a snack, or even an extra source of protein.
I believe that the sneakiest ingredient to an almost healthy meal is the salad dressing. It’s either high in fat or sugar. Most cream based dressings will contain a lot of fat and calories and could turn your “healthy salad” into a fat content similar to a cheeseburger. Instead, opt for some freshly squeezed lemon, and cracked pepper! If you need a little creaminess, add a drizzle of olive oil! This will also pack in some healthy fats (similar to those in fish), and even antioxidants. Click here for a great salad dressing recipe that is quick and easy to make and will keep for some time.
Getting healthy and fit is a journey of body transformation as well as an education. It will take time. Have some patience, you won’t be disappointed as you will see change.