Losing Winter Weight Gain-By Dawn Hall

            UGH! The winter weight gain of extra holiday pounds is upon many of us again! Despite our efforts to exercise and not over indulge (too much) these unwanted pesky pounds seem to find their way to our waistlines one way or another. 

            Even without over indulging during the holidays, it doesn’t take eating very much of the sugar fused foods such as sweet potato casserole, pecan pie or sugar cookies loaded with compacted, hidden calories to put on unwanted fat fast!

            Personally, I think another part of the problem of why we gain weight so easily in the winter months is because we become less active due to the fact the day’s amount of sunlight is shorter.  Mornings and evenings are darker much longer in the winter than in the summer months. The last thing many of us feel like doing is going for a walk in the freezing, cold, dark night if we live in the colder parts of America ; where as in the warmth of summer months we invite a walk with a pet, friend or loved one.

            Polar bears have stored resources of excess fat to use as they hibernate.  We aren’t bears though, so although we may like to sleep more due to less daylight, our bodies still don’t need the excess body fat.  We may feel like hibernating, but less calories burned by less activity easily increases our body fat percentage and packs on those unhealthy pounds.

            Wouldn’t it be nice if body fat came off as easily as it comes on! The truth is, easy on and hard off! It’s just the way it is!

            Studies show that people who exercise first thing in the morning have a greater success rate of maintaining over all better health than those not exercising in the morning and opting to exercise later in the day.  Part of the reason is because even those of us with the best of intentions who plan on exercising in the evening often get caught up in the logistics of trying to tend to other responsibilities that end up taking longer than we planned. Unfortunately, too often, our good intentions succumb to obligations and our exercise falls to the side.  In this case, the lack of exercise literally causes the excess calories to be stored as body fat on our sides, hips and thighs!

            Historically January is the month many people determined to get those unwanted pounds of fat off fast!  If you are like me, the sooner the better!  If we are not proactive in losing those unhealthy extra pounds as soon as possible, before we know it those extra five pounds turn into ten pounds and then fifteen and so on and so forth! 

            In order to help you in your battle with the bulge, this month’s recipes are from Busy People’s Super Simple Menus Cookbook, which was just released by Thomas Nelson Publishers. This cookbook is unique in that there is only one easy-to-follow set of cooking instructions for the entire meal! No more trying to figure out when to start the different recipes and no more waiting for something to finish cooking, before you can eat. Now, every time, each meal is perfectly done when it is time to eat! 

            Another bonus is that every one of the 137 complete meals is low in fat and calories!  However, if you don’t tell the family they will never know! Just let them love what they are eating!  Diabetic Exchanges and nutritional information are included for Weight Watchers.

            My wish for you: May 2008 be absolutely great! 

 

Savory Pork Chops with Grilled Red Onion Menu

The secret ingredient; I used steak sauce in the salad dressing; perks up and adds the bold and hearty flavor people think we spent a lot of time creating.  You should see the surprised look on their faces when I let them in on our little secret!

The slight crispiness of the red onion enhances these aromatic and juicy boneless pork chops. 

These Garlic & Bacon Smashed Potatoes are a masterpiece of what is traditionally thought of as “off-limits and high-fat” comfort food, but now thanks to these melt in your mouth recipes they are enjoyable to the fullest capacity for all of us watching our health.   

Tossed Salad with Bold & Hearty Salad Dressing                       Garlic & Bacon Smashed Potatoes

Savory Pork Chops with Grilled Red Onion

Tossed Salad with Bold & Hearty Salad Dressing

Calories 55 (0% fat); Total Fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 2mg; Carbohydrate: 9g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Protein 5g; Sodium: 480mg

Diabetic Exchanges: 2 vegetable           Yield 6 (1 Half-cups) servings

1 (16-ounce) bag iceberg garden salad mix                     Half cup fat-free Italian salad dressing

Half pint grape tomatoes                                               2 tablespoons of your favorite steak sauce

Half cup fat-free shredded cheddar cheese                    Half cup fat-free croutons

 Garlic & Bacon Smashed Potatoes

Calories 92 (20% fat); Total Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 9mg; Carbohydrate: 15g; Dietary Fiber: 1g; Protein 4g; Sodium: 479mg

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch                 Yield 9 (Hal -cup) servings

            3 medium-large Russet potatoes (4 cups cubed)                         1 tablespoon minced garlic

Quarter cup imitation butter flavored sprinkles                             Half cup fat-free half and half

Quarter cup plus 2-teaspoons 30% less-fat real bacon pieces     2 tablespoon lite butter

1 tablespoon garlic salt (this is dissolved in the water and discarded.)

 

 

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