Chances are if you’ve made a resolution for 2014, it involves weight loss. You may have decided you want to slim your waistline, hit the gym a bit more and pay attention to what you eat this year. However, there is no magic pill or fad shake that will yield long-term results. The best way to drop pounds — for good — is to exercise more and eat less.
This should involve changing the way you eat for the better. You might have seen a lot of buzz out there about popular low-fat diets. Health.com says a low-fat diet restricts the number of calories you take in from fat and saturated fat. In addition, it puts a limit on cholesterol, sodium and the total number of calories you consume each day.
What to Eat
A low-fat diet is rich in vegetables, whole-grains and lean protein. Start your day with oatmeal. Opt for raw baby carrots instead of potato chips with your sandwich for lunch. Enjoy salmon or another nutrient-rich fish along with steamed veggies for dinner. And pay attention to labels on prepared foods to avoid excess sodium.
Just Desserts
Just because you’re watching what you eat doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy a sweet treat from time to time. Healthy swaps can make your snacks more nutritious while still satisfying your cravings. This recipe for Chocolate Beet Cake with Cream Cheese Icing from the No Sweat, York blog is the perfect example.
By using beets, the recipe can nix some of the sugar and fat associated with typical dessert ingredients. The cake is still sweet and moist, but it has only 9 grams of fat and just over 200 calories per serving. Plus, it even packs a whopping 9 grams of protein to fuel your next workout. Bake it to perfection in your 2 Qt 100% Ceramic Ovenex Oblong Baking Pan by Ceramcor.
