In Hina's Low Cal Kitchen...

If you are on a weight loss journey, chances are you're working on reducing your caloric intake. And if you're a foodie like me, you've already realized that it is hard work to keep those calories down!!

Here is a list of some low calorie foods I keep in my kitchen and pantry. They really help me eat foods I like, while keeping my daily caloric intake within my 1200-1500 range.

• Unsweetened Almond Breeze - a milk substitute with only 40-45 calories per 8 oz. Great for drinking and for cooking, too!
  
• Guinness Draught - gotta love stout. When you need a beer fix, this is what you drink. Although it's rich and filling, Guinness is actually a rather low cal beverage. 12 oz. is only 120 calories.
• Sara Lee Delightful Bread - only 45 calories per slice.
  
• La Tortilla Factory Low Carb Tortillas - regular size tortillas are only 50 calories, and the larger ones (for wrapping burritos and things) are only 80 calories.
  
• House Foods Tofu Shirataki Noodles - a tofu noodle in Fettuccine, Spaghetti, and Angel Hair shapes. Each bag contains 2 servings, each serving is only 20 calories!!
• Boca Burgers - a vegetarian burger patty substitute. Quite tasty, and depending on the size, only 70-100 calories.
• Lean Cuisine noodle entrees - any dinner with noodles, the Shrimp with Angel Hair, the Fettuccine Alfredo. I'll heat it up and add Tofu Shirataki Noodles to it. It makes a nice large meal for minimal calories.
• Reduced Fat and Fat Free Cheese - light cream cheese, deli style sliced mozzerella and swiss cheeses, and string cheese. They're great snacks, and usually between 50 and 70 calories per serving.
• Laughing Cow Light Cheese Wedges - my all time favorite go to cheese. Spreadable, mixable, great for making dishes creamy. Each wedge is only 35 calories. The possibilities with this stuff are endless.
• Fage Total 0% Fat Greek Yogurt - excellent for cooking and making things creamy, especially sauces. Also great on cereal, or mixed with fruit for a healthy snack! 1 cup is only 120 calories!
• Trader Joe's 100 Calorie Belgian Dark Chocolate Bars - enough said.
• Vitalicious VitaTops and VitaBrownies - the best dessert to satisfy your sweet tooth. Each brownie or muffin top is only 100 calories and super-packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber. Healthy never tasted so chocoliciously good!
• Sugar Free-Fat Free Jello Pudding Cups - each cup is only 60 calories, and they come in great flavors like Dulce de Leche and Double Chocolate.
• 100% Pure Pumpkin Puree - it's such a versatile ingredient. Great for smoothies, baking, or add it to desserts. It's also packed with vitamins and fiber.

For a more comprehensive shopping list, check out Hungry Girl's UPDATED Supermarket List. She has info on all the latest and greatest diet friendly foods!

Hungry After Exercise?

Dear Hina:
I am having a problem with my exercise. I was thinking you might have some advice. Every time I increase my level of exercise, I just get WAY hungrier. Makes sense, I'm increasing my metabolism .... but then I find myself pigging out and I think it's not going to do much if I exercise more and then just eat more. I like that it's healthier and makes me feel good, but I hate the way it makes me feel like I'm starving. What do you think?

Anonymous


Wow! This is a GREAT point, and I've been battling this problem for the last two weeks. I am not a dietician or a physician, but I did some Googling and learned a few things. If anyone has corrections or clarifications, please enlighten the rest of us! After some research online, here's what I've found out: Your body prefers to run on glucose, the sugar in your blood, which gets used up when you exercise. If you exercise to the point where you use up the glucose, glycogen (another sugar, and the main form of carbohydrate storage in the body) from the liver is released to resupply body. This leads to low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia. Some symptoms of hypoglycemia are very similar to hunger, and it's easy to confuse the two. Try the following:

*Eat a light meal at least 2 hours before, but less than 4 hours before, your workout. Don't eat a heavy meal, but do have some protein and something starchy with a little fat.

"This type of snack would allow for a slower metabolism and sustain the glucose flow at a slower rate compared to juice or a candy bar, which would bring about an immediate demand on insulin to lower the blood sugar and create an even greater dip in blood sugar when the individual begins to exercise." ~ As explained by Gail Frank, DrPH, RD, professor of nutrition at California State University, Long Beach in Hungry or Hypoglycemic by Natalie Swisher. Read the complete, and very informative, article here.

*Stay hydrated! It is very important to drink fluids before, during and after a workout. Try drinking an enhanced sports beverage with low calories, and low sugar, such as Propel Fitness Water or Glaceau Smart Water. Did you know that even a 2% drop in hydration can reduce your endurance?

*REMEMBER!! The only way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you take in. Many people overestimate how many calories they burn during exercise, and underestimate how many calories they consume. If you find yourself pigging out after a workout, plan for that. Eat smaller, more frequent meals during the day. Make sure you have a light meal about 2 hours before your workout. Stay hydrated. Above all, be accountable for what you put in your body! A bite here and a sip there can add up pretty fast. Know how many calories you eat, and adjust accordingly. If you're hungry, definitely eat something. Just don't sabotage all your hard work by eating a ton of food! Also realize that as long as you are eating enough calories, your body will adjust to the new higher burn and lower intake regimen.

If you're unsure where to start, check out these Diet Resources. Also check out this Healthy Body Calculator from Ask the Dietician to see where you rate in terms of health. If you're having trouble with your weight loss, drop me a line! I'm all for supporting and inspiring people to get healthy!

Confession Monday! .....Aack!

For me, living a healthy lifestyle is like a full time job. I've got to work at it all the time, because it's so easy for me to slip back into my Super-Snacking-Sloth habits. I will readily admit that I would prefer to sit on my butt, nursing an entire table of snacks and food, while watching tv/movies or reading a book.

This past weekend, I indulged in good food. I attended a party where the tables were loaded with Sprinkles cupcakes (read about my favorite drool-inducing cupcakes here) AND a chocolate fountain surrounded by trays of delicious dippables. It would have been fine if I had behaved myself after that, but I got home and I was greeted by a table full of Chinese take out. How could I resist a plate full of Beef Chow Fun and Salt and Pepper Ribs? ....Well, I just couldn't! The next day, I promised myself I'd be better, and I made a great start. My breakfast, lunch and snack were less than 700 calories. .....Then we went to my parents' house for a barbecue. Steaks, bratwurst, sauces, beers, and there's just no finish like an ice cream finish!

So now comes Monday, and the scale is once again my vile nemesis. Still, there is a silver lining, and the sun is shining through my cloud of cream cheese frosting: I am working on my healthy lifestyle. I could get discouraged and find solace in an ice cream filled waffle cone, but instead I have a plan. I am committing to three days of power walking, along with two trips to the park with my baby. I am going to count every last calorie I consume, and I will stay within my 1200-1500 daily caloric intake range.

Have you ever had an all out weekend splurge, then felt foodie guilt afterwards? I had a weekend of indulgence, but it isn't the end of the world. If you've been munching away, and you need some motivation to get started, I'm always ready to be a weight loss cheerleader! I'm ready to walk, run, and kick the numbers back down the scale!

A Low-Cal Day Can be a Filling Day!

I've mentioned it before, but it's worth mentioning again. Sometimes, when people lose weight, and you ask them how they did it, they answer very vaguely. You've heard these lines, right?

"Oh, you know. I just worked out and stuff." ~ "Well, I just eat healthier. That's all." ~ Or my favorite, "I don't know. I'm just losing. Isn't it great?"

I am all about sharing. Sharing info, sharing successes, even sharing failures! You can learn from all of it. That said, I want to get into details. I've said that I limit my food intake to 1200 - 1500 calories per day. If you've never counted calories, this can be difficult. I had never counted calories before I started my Healthy Lifestyle journey. And while you're definitely eating less food, it doesn't mean you have to starve. Here is a detailed food log of what I ate the other day. I want to point out that I do eat meat, and it's absolutely possible to have your steak and eat it too, however this particular day, I was very veggie heavy.

Breakfast ~ A Veggie Breakfast Burrito ~ Total - 246 calories
1 La Tortilla Factory Low Carb/Low Fat tortilla - 50 calories
1 Laughing Cow Light Cheese wedge - 35 calories
2 Boca Burger Original patties - 140 calories
1 plum tomato - 11 calories
2 tbsp salsa - 10 calories
Cook burger patties in the oven. Spread cheese wedge onto tortilla. Lightly warm or toast tortilla. Chop burger patties into strips or chunks and place onto tortilla. Add sliced plum tomato, and spread salsa on top. Wrap up the tortilla and chow down.

Snack ~ 2 Mandarin Oranges (the Cuties) ~ Total - 80 calories

Lunch ~ Mushroom Risotto with Veggies and Tempeh ~ Total - 405 calories
1 cup Mushroom Risotto (from Trader Joe's) - 150 calories
2 oz tempeh - 110 calories
1/4 cup unsweetened soymilk - 20 calories
2/3 cup frozen mixed veggies - 90 calories
1 Laughing Cow Light Cheese wedge - 35 calories
Chop or grate tempeh and combine with all other ingredients in a skillet. Simmer, stirring frequently, until liquid has reduced and risotto is thick and creamy. Serve it up warm and enjoy.

Snack ~ Chips Ahoy 100 Calorie Pack, 1 bottle Vitamin Water ~ Total - 225 calories

Dinner ~ Shrimp & Angel Hair Pasta ~ Total - 295 calories
1 pkg Lean Cuisine Shrimp & Angel Hair Pasta in creamy seafood sauce - 220 calories
1 pkg House Foods Tofu Shirataki Angel Hair noodles - 40 calories
1 Laughing Cow Light Cheese wedge - 35 calories
Drain and rinse noodles very well in hot water, or boil noodles and drain well. Prepare Lean Cuisine entree according to package directions. Place Lean Cuisine contents and tofu noodles into a microwave safe bowl. Add cheese wedge, toss, and microwave for 30 - 60 seconds. Toss again to mix thoroughly and enjoy.

Dessert ~ 1 Vitabrownie, 1 bottle Guinness draught ~ Total - 230 calories


TOTAL FOR THE DAY - 1,481 calories
Pretty cool, huh?

Hina's Fave Diet Resources

When you're taking on a huge task like losing weight, I believe in getting all the help you can. Use all the tools available to you! These are just a few of my favorite tools for battling the bulge. Check them out, and if you have any great tips or sites, share the knowledge!

Counting Calories
It's hard enough sticking to a specific number of calories per day without having to guess how much you're actually consuming. Get a food scale, some measuring cups (for liquid and dry ingredients), and measuring spoons, then check out the following sites to help calculate your daily calories.

NutritionData.com ~*~ Calorie-Count.com ~*~ and CalorieKing.com

Starting a Program
If you're new to weight loss and have no idea where to start, why don't you check out some tried and true programs? I started using Nutrisystem because it is incredibly convenient. Your food shows up, you eat and go. No cooking, no measuring. Jenny Craig is another food delivery option. Weight Watchers doesn't give you food, but it gives you the tools for eating well and in moderation. All food is assigned a points value, and you get a certain number of points every day.

Low Cal Foods and Finds
Hungry Girl is my go-to site. If you haven't seen this yet, definitely check it out. Hungry Girl and her staff check out low cal foods, find the tasty ones, and let you know about the losers - before you spend your money on them! She's got recipes, taste tests, nutrition info, and lots more. She even dishes on dishes from well known restaurants! There's tons of helpful info on the HG site.

A Buddy System
It is so important to have good support when you are working on losing weight. If you can, recruit family members. They will be around to motivate you, they can exercise with you, and they can help steer you clear of temptation. Also look for help from friends and coworkers. Most people aren't out to sabotage your progress, so the more people know you're working towards a healthier life, the more they can help and motivate you. If you don't have anyone to help you out, or if you're just not comfortable telling others about your plan, then try an online weight loss group. Sometimes just being able to vent, and hearing that you're not alone in your struggles, is enough to get you through a rough spot. And if you need a buddy, I am always ready to cheer you on!