Posts Tagged calories

It’s Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas…

Nov 22

Posted by Chere Michelle in Healthy Living, Weight Loss | No Comments

Yes folks, it’s THAT time of year again. Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas but it brings with it all the temptations of abundant food & drink. This is a tough time for “dieters” and those of us just trying to stay healthy, one day at a time. I honestly believe with a little willpower and a good dose of positive AND realistic thinking, the Holidays can be enjoyed by all of us. First things first: Christmas DOESN’T mean you stop exercising. It’s not a ‘get out of going to the gym or walking etc’ pass. Remember, you can indulge in those Xmas treats but you HAVE TO BURN OFF THE EXCESS CALORIES YOU PUT IN. It’s simple.

Second, don’t deny yourself this season. Don’t put unrealistic expectations like, “I will not eat any chocolate this Christmas” because as devoted as you may be, this is only asking for trouble. It’s OK to indulge, just choose the occasions wisely and make it the best damn indulgence you possibly can. I was cruising the Web tonight looking for articles to quote and found this one from The Today Show. I know we’ve all probably heard these tips before, but the average person has to hear something at least 8 times before it sinks in…so why not give these tips another quick go?

Third, for all your holiday baking, why not experiment with lower fat recipes? Cooking Light is a great starter-site for this because it not only has a ton of recipes but also articles and straight talk on eating less fat and calories. I refer to this site often for my own cooking and baking…remember it’s OK to have Christmas baking, just put realistic expectations on yourself and if you can’t get to the gym, WALK IT OFF. Get moving any way you can and get your heart pumping…

I work in the health care industry and this time of year we are given endless amounts of chocolate and baking by our Clients. In fact the first tin of cookies arrived today by one of our oldest and dearest Clients….suddenly, I was face to face with CHOCOLATE and you know what? It was so damn busy at the clinic, I had time for ONE chocolate and I was OK with that. I savoured it as I walked out the door at the end of my shift and it was bloody marvelous.

I have a Cookie Exchange to participate in this year and need to come up with a suitable recipe that is equal parts YUMMY and health-smart. I’ve already poured through my cookbooks with no luck so I now turn my attention to the Internet and it’s vast array of information. If you have any recipes you swear by for tasty holiday treats, send ‘em on in!

Christmas shouldn’t be about guilt or negativity. It also shouldn’t be a time we throw our health to the wayside. All it takes is a little planning and responsibility and you CAN enjoy all the season has to offer.

I know I will!

Tags: blog, calories, chere michelle, christmas, diet, guilt free, healthy living, holidays, lose weight, low fat baking, low fat cooking, nutrition labels, weight loss, xmas

Being Smart About it…

Nov 6

Posted by Chere Michelle in Blogging, Healthy Living, Nutrition, Weight Loss | No Comments

Ok yes, it’s Kelly Osbourne BUT she did lose some weight and looks fantastic! I don’t know if she did it all on her own, or had a mess of personal trainers and crap we regular folks can’t afford, but in this this article she tells us some simple (translation: common sense) tips on how she did it. I don’t care who you are; if you’ve got a weight loss story and your tricks could be helpful, I’m gonna listen. You know? So go Kelly!

I know it’s “Hollywood” and no doubt she’s touched up, but I’ve seen the other pics and this girl, no matter how much we love to hate her, LOOKS good. In the article she mentions one way to cut out calories is soda. As North Americans we love our damn soda…and those are empty calories folks. Personally, if ‘m going to drink my calories I’ll save them for the Honey Brown Ale when I have a burger or a glass of our current fave red (see wine blog)…save them for when it counts I say….

But back to Kelly…another great tip I thought- get rid of your microwave. It’s too easy to fill your freezer with those less-than-good-for-you frozen meals that say they’re healthy (when really they pack a whollop in calories AND fat). Sure it’s easy to pop something in the microwave for 3 minutes but answer me honestly- are those meals remotely satisfying to you?

I look for inspiration where I can find it…I don’t care who is inspiring me or what they look like. If they’re doing something I think is great and can maybe teach us something, then I’m going to lean in closer for a 2nd look.

My struggle continues. I lost myself this past year and gained some weight back. I’m looking for ideas in all corner…and within. Choose your calories well.

Be well.

Namaste.

Tags: calories, chere, chere michelle, kelly osbourne, kleri tea, lose weight, soda, weight loss

A New Chocolatey Snack…100 calories….really.

Jun 24

Posted by Chere Michelle in Eating Right, Healthy Living, Nutrition | No Comments

So I have a co-worker to thank for introducing me to VitaTops; an amazing 100 calorie cake-like muffin “top” that is actually NOT full of crap.

I didn’t believe her when she raved about it. I thought something has to give – they must be tasteless or a weird consistency….something! I tried one today and it was so rich and chocolatey, a moist cake-like texture, dotted with a few chocolate chips. I kept looking at the package to be sure I was reading right:

- 7 grams fibre

- 1.5 grams fat

- 4 grams protein

- 28% of your DV of Calcium

- 100 calories

I am always looking for new 100 calorie snack ideas. It’s a great number of calories for a snack and people are often amazed at what I can pack into 100 calories. If it was up to me, my snacks would be so much bigger and sweeter but I have to be smart and sensible…and this is why I’m really excited with the VitaTops.

They’re a Canadian Company and I went to the website to see what else they had. Imagine my excitement when I saw you can order online AND they have 12 packs for some ridiculously crazy cheap price. So I was happily punching in my info to see what the shipping would be and can you believe it- from Ontario to Vancouver from a CANADIAN company it was $25! I figured whatever I would have saved in their low prices was obviously over run by the unbelievable shipping cost.

I did pick some up at Superstore; they’re in the frozen dessert section and average to less than $1 per top. Not bad! I found myself very satisfied and the Chocolate Beast within me settled down to a quiet slumber once I was done (and was licking the wrapper clean!)

Go ahead and experiment with making up your own 100 calorie snacks and take them to work or school…remember fruit is always a great snack of course!

If you have any snacks you swear by, let me know- I’d love to hear it!

Snack well and live happy.

Chere Michelle

Tags: calories, chocolate, muffin tops, snacks, Vitalicious, VitaTops, weight loss

Take your time and READ the labels

May 26

Posted by Chere Michelle in Blogging, Eating Right, Healthy Living, Nutrition, Vegetarian | No Comments

I wanted to explore nutrition labels a bit more since I touched upon it in my last post about grocery shopping. I really want to drill it into your head to take the time when shopping, to read the nutrition labels on the container. Check out the serving size and daily value % of the various vitamins and minerals. Let’s talk cereal…”breakfast” cereals. I’m an addict and I freely admit it. Perhaps there is just something comforting about making a bowl of cereal, pouring the milk in and settling down to eat it. It reminds me of being a kid. I choose my cereals wisely though and stay away from gimmicky, high sugar and high fat cereals like Fruit Loops, Corn Pops or Apple Jacks. These are NOT cereal…I don’t believe children or adults should start the day with these because they are really no more than empty calories with a hollow promise of whole grain nutrition.

Some of my favorites are:

Kashi Go Lean Crunch: This stuff packs a punch! I copied this direct from the website- “Crunchy clusters made from Kashi Seven Whole Grains and sesame. They’re naturally sweetened with a touch of honey and cinnamon and then toasted to perfection for a hearty crunch.” I honestly love this cereal with milk, or even just to grab a few clusters out of the box a snack. This will not go soggy but then again, I never have it in the bowl long enough…Nutrition info per serving 9 g protein, 8 g fibre and made with 16 whole grains such as barely, wheat and corn to name a few.
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Quaker Corn Bran Squares: If you’re looking for HIGH fibre cereal that has a sweet crunch, this cereal is awesome! At a 3/4 cup serving with skim milk, you’re looking at 30% of your daily fibre requirement! (20 g). There are no trans fats; which by the way YOU DO NOT WANT IN YOUR CEREAL- OR YOUR BODY REALLY…

Quaker Life: Yup, Mikey is still right. Since 1961 this cereal has been on kitchen tables all over the world and for good reason. It’s chock full of B Vitamins for one (great for converting food to energy) and at 8 g of fibre per serving, it more than meets my requirements! I have never tired of Life…

Okay these are only 3 cereals in a list of several other NUTRITIOUS varieties. The key to picking out cereal for you and your kids is read, read, read the labels. Ideally, the first ingredient should be a whole grain…and if you see the words “partially hydrogenated” put the cereal back on the shelf and step back. Check fat content and fibre content, calories per serving…you’ll get the hang of it once you really start analyzing those labels.

Don’t start your day by fueling your body with sugar and fat….

Live Well. Eat Well.

Chere Michelle

Tags: blog, blogging, calories, cereal, diet, food, grocery, Kashi, Life, nutrition labels, weight loss