Pre News Years Eve Resolution

We all mean to do well over the Christmas period. We say or think we'll eat wisely and not have too much, and we'll do some exercises too. Sadly, for many, that doesn't happen.

Not meeting these goals though, doesn't mean all is lost. The best time to get back on track if you're trying to lose weight or get fitter isn't next week, or next month. The best time to get back on track is right now!

Right now, you can decide whether you're truly hungry, or simply bored. Right now you can walk up those steps instead of catching a lift. Right now you can eat a piece of fruit instead of the tasty but fat laden cake you've been thinking about.

The new year means party time for many, and party time often goes with lots of food, fattening food. Arm yourself if you go to a party with some low fat and calorie snacks, such as rice crackers. Either take them with you, or eat a meal before you go out, and stay firm when you tell others you're not hungry.

If it's too difficult to do, stick to the healthiest foods you can see at the party, and have lots of water to drink. The water will help you to feel full, and will be good for your body too.

Christmas time is often holiday time too. Get out, walk around your neighbourhood. You can often find interesting things quite close by if you travel by foot. Driving around means you can sometimes drive past things you would have enjoyed, if you'd been going slowly.

There are many things to do to lose weight that a free or at least cheap. Walking is always a good one, swimming is too. Most biggish towns have a heated indoor pool which is available to the public at a reasonable price.

If you've been a couch potato for many years and think you can't do anything, at least get up and walk a little bit. It doesn't have to be a 20 hike to do you good. Just walking to the letter box and back a couple of times can be a good start. Do it twice one day, then slowly increase the number of times every day. Before you know it, you might be going beyond your letterbox!

These small things can all add up. As you get fitter, you may feel more like getting out and about. Getting fitter isn't just about getting slimmer, it's about becoming more comfortable with your own body too. You may realise your body loves the new fitter you you've become!

Maintaining Weight Loss

I live in Australia, where we are heading into winter. This has been a danger time for me in the past.

With winter comes staying inside, the need for comfort food and weight gain. Not anymore though.

I will remain in touch with me body, eat only when I am hungry and try to fit exercise into my daily life. There are many good and healthy things to eat that can be comforting without the calories.

I love making mini muffins for putting in the freezer so there is a snack for me whenever I feel the need for one. And the muffins I make are always low in fat and high in taste.

Fruit in muffins is great, muesli in place of some of the flour adds the the textural interest as well as taste.

Whenever I have bananas that are getting too brown, I pop them in the freezer for my next batch of muffins - Super Yummy, Super Tasty, Super Easy!

These sorts of recipes can help you to say no to the fatty things that tempt you to make bad food choices. Because muffins are so nice, your whole family will learn to pop a muffin in the microwave when they want something to munch.

If you know you have lots of muffins in the freezer for snacking on, it's easy to not buy snacks at the supermarket. Those chip packets may satisfy you snacking urge, but they offer no good things nutritionally.

Your muffins, on the other hand, are yummy and healthy too.

Are you really hungry?

Here's one easy tip to try next time you think you're hungry. Have a glass of water, then wait fifteen minutes and think about it again. Are you still feeling hungry?

You may have been thirsty, rather than hungry. And learning to wait, rather than eating straight away is a good habit to get into if you're trying to lose weight.
It can be as simple as that.

Drinking can be a problem with weight gain too. Try low fat milk with your tea and coffee. And low fat iced coffee is available too, just the thing on a hot day when you need a caffeine lift. Lemonade made at home with real lemons can be a refreshing drink in summer, and lime juice is even better, refreshing, no fat, and so good for you.

Good snacks with satisfying crunch are carrot and celery sticks, with a little salt if you like. They sure beat chips if weight is an issue for you.

It's heading toward cooler weather here in Australia, which can be a danger time for many trying to lose weight. One tip is to use a little water instead of oil to saute food. Try it when making a tomato sauce for spaghetti bolognaise next time. There's still a lot of flavour, with a lot less fat.

Dining out

Dining out, you ask, you mean I can dine out when I'm trying to lose weight?!

Well, sure, why not. I'm not talking about fast food, but sit down dining in a restaurant. It takes a bit of planning to do it at the optimal level, but, with that planning done, you can relax and enjoy yourself.

The first thing is to eat earlier in the day, realising that you will be dining well later on. This means eating lower fat things, and eating less. If you feel like you're being starved, just remind yourself of the good things that are coming later on.

Some good lower fat options might be cereal, with low fat milk for breakfast, or perhaps without the milk for a snack later in the day. Fruit is always a good option, just be aware of the 'All things in moderation' rule. Bananas are harder to go overboard with than fruits like grapes may be - a banana will never be a bad food choice.

Once you arrive at the restaurant, look carefully at the menu. This is what to look for in your meal choice:

• Items grilled rather than fried
• No cream sauces
• Vegetarian over steak
• Chicken over beef
• Fish, if you like it, grilled is a good choice
• Don't get fries, or if your plate does arrive piled up with fries, well, just leave them!
  
• Ask for a children's sized meal if available - it never hurts to ask
• Or go for an entree sized main course if you can, again, never hurts to ask

If you've seen the dessert of your dreams on the menu, radically rethink your main course - if you opt for a salad, with no high fat dressing, and don't eat any bread extras, well, go for the dessert. Just make sure you take your time and savour the yummy sweetness. Luxuriate in it, and it will be there in your memory for a long time to come.

Of course, dining out like this will become boring and might lead to weight gain, not weight loss if you do it too often. Keep it as a special treat, enjoy your food, and think about the best choices. You can dine well and still lose weight, as long as you follow these few rules.

What's for tea?

If you're a wife and mother, you will have heard those words a million times. I know I have.

Now that I'm more conscious of the importance of diet, I'm more restricted in some ways, with what the answer might be. I know sausages and chips will get a positive response, but I'm careful about too much fat in the diet, and the importance of getting enough fibre, so that is not the best thing for tea very often.

I've had more success with mini pizzas, made with English muffins and topped with whatever is in the fridge that seems suitable. Capsicum, mushrooms, onions, cold meats, BBQ sauce, cheese are usual suspects in our mini pizzas, and we all enjoy them. Fibre from the vegetables (extra if you use wholemeal muffins), vitamins, protein. It's all good.

I'm thinking about home made burgers for tea - we have a bit of mince, and lots of carrots - I'll grate the carrots and mix them up with the mince, an egg, some sweet chilli sauce and whatever takes my attention closer to tea time - probably balsamic vinegar.

I'll have to go and get some hamburger rolls from the shop, and I'll grill the burgers and serve with cheese and lettuce, with BBQ sauce.

Yummalicious!