Let's Learn.

These last few months I feel like I've learned a lot. Unfortunately this does not include dominating my (seriously impossible) metabolism final, but more about life in general.
I may not have a type-A personality in all aspects, but I do love to plan.

...Plan my food, plan my days, plan my life; and when someone messes up that plan? Don't even talk to me.

Okay, completely kidding, but it does throw quite the wrench in my stress level for the time-being. A few of my 'life plans' (aka the extremely long-term plans I kept in my head) have been forced to change lately. As many hours as I may stay up with my head spinning, I have tried to spend at least a few of those hours learning all the whys, hows, and what-the-f-to-do's. (And how to make a blog.. seriously. I'll pay you to make this cool.)

Now, it's your turn. -But in a quick and easy,
noneedtospendallnightthinkingaboutit
kind of way.

Simple solutions and what-to-do's when... 

• you could seriously eat everything in sight.   
  
  Slow down and sip on something while you're picking out what to eat. I'm not going to whip out the "did you know that 238% of people mistake hunger for thirst?" comment because I hate when people pull that kind of stuff out of their butts, although this one does have a little credibility behind it.
  
  Let's stick with this: give your mouth something to keep it busy while you pick out a healthy snack. Calories add up dangerously fast while you're munching while making your snack before you even eat it.  
  
  Put your snack in a bowl, leave the kitchen, and eat without distraction.

• you're craving sugar
   
  Think about what you could make that would satisfy your craving before that entire Ben and Jerry's pint is gone. 
  
  Check it out - apple and peanut butter, yogurt, 100-cal popcorn bags, one handful of pretzels, a few pieces of hard candy (Jolly Ranchers are hard to binge on and totally do the job)

• it's late, and you're hungry. is that a Taco Bell slogan?
  Fiction: Foods eaten after [insert time here] automatically get converted to fat.
  
  Fact: Eating late at night can lead to wait gain.
  
  So here's the deal, kids. Your metabolism doesn't change or stop working after a certain time in the evening. It doesn't even really slow down. It's working 24/7 baby. The issue most people have with eating late at night is the amount they ate during the day.
  
  Is it clicking yet? No matter when you choose to eat the majority of your calories, how many is the part that matters; not when. If you have breakfast at noon, lunch four hours later, and dinner ends up at 9:00? Don't worry about it! Weight gain is a result is eating excess calories, not some magical time your metabolism decides to quit.
  
  
  much love, Tara

Outsmart Restaurant Dishes

Food is a huge part of our lives. Especially when it comes to my friends, there is nothing I love more than bonding over coffee, one of those giant Starbucks cookies, and lots and lots of chatting.

As nice as it is to get out of the house and have someone else cook, restaurant dishes can be full of calories. (Delicious) extras like creamy salad dressings, butter, fries, and fruity alcoholic drinks make restaurant meals more appealing, but not so great for our waistlines.

Here are a few tips to outsmart those restaurant dishes.

Share! Tell your waiter/waitress you’d like to split one of the main entrees with a friend. Sandwiches, burgers, and pasta dishes are often much larger than a normal serving size would be. Share with a friend, and you’ll almost always still be satisfied.

Request salad dressing on the side, or ask for an alternate kind. While salads are usually a good choice, creamy dressings often sabotage your attempt at a healthy meal. Request a vinaigrette option over a ranch or other creamy dressing. Also, ask them to keep your dressing the side. You’ll most likely use a lot less than they would in the kitchen, if you spoon it on yourself.

Go bun-less! Save yourself around 120 calories by asking for your burger or chicken breast without a bun.

I always find myself picking at my food after I’m done. Bad habit? Yes. Here’s the solution: when you’re satisfied with what you’ve eaten, ask your waiter to take your plate away! Umm, how simple is that? Place your napkin on top of your plate or cross your silverware on top to give them the hint. Another option for super-sized dishes? Ask for ½ of the dish to be wrapped up right away when you order.

Beware of sneaky dishes that sound healthy, but are far from it. Unfortunately, some restaurants think they need to load up salad with bacon and full-fat dressings in order for them to taste good. Aside from the dressing recommendation made above, look out for salads with ‘crispy’ (aka fried) chicken, bacon, and lots of cheeses. These gigantic piles of ingredients are often more caloric than other entrees.

Lastly, beware of beverages! If you choose to go for something fruity or calorie-filled alcoholic mixers, have a water on the side. Or go with water from the get-go! Ask for a lemon and you won’t even feel like you’re missing out.

Does that look like a baseball serving size to you??

much love, tara