Fruit is your friend. Call me crazy, but on days when I eat at least two servings of fruit (assuming I haven't gone completely over the top with my calorie intake), I'm very happy with the scale the next day. Whether it's the sweetness taking the edge off any sweets cravings I might have, the fiber content, the water content or a combination of the above, I'm not sure. But I do know that fruit is a very important element of a weight-loss plan and an eating plan that you can live with for the rest of your life.
I have to admit I was never a big fan of fruit growing up. Since I was put on overweight alert by my pediatrician at age six, my mother pushed fruit as an alternative to those yummy Pepperidge Farm cookies that my slender sister could eat freely. And I didn't like it one bit. So as an adult, it was never high on my list of favorite foods. But since I discovered just how healthful fruit really is and how much it helped me lose (and now, helps me maintain) weight, I'm a huge fan. I still have to make a mental note to get those two servings in, but it's really not hard to do. Here are some suggestions:
1. Fruit smoothie: 1-2 cups of fresh mixed berries, a banana, a scoop of fat-free plain or vanilla yogurt, a splash of soy milk, a tablespoon or so of honey and a dash of vanilla. Blend in a blender or with a hand blender until smooth and serve.
2. Add fruit to your green salads: Grapes, peaches, blueberries, apples, pears, dried cranberries, raisins--all add a different dimension to your salads and will calm your sweet craving at the same time.
3. Fruit salsa: Dice fresh peaches and strawberries, and combine with red onion, lemon juice, olive oil and cilantro for my friend's version of a delicious salsa. Serve with whole-grain crackers or raw veggies.
4. Slice up melon or apples and serve over a small scoop of ice cream. The fruit's fiber will lessen the negative effects of the indulgence and add a satisfying textural difference.
5. Keep a bowl of washed grapes in the fridge, front and center where you can see them. Snack often.
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I just love baked fruit. All you have to do is put it in an oven- (or microwave-) safe bowl and add a little juice. Try Fiber One (or your favorite low-cal cereal) as a crunchy topping, or yogurt if you prefer cream!
ReplyDeleteGood point, Claire. That reminds me of another fruit favorite of mine, which I got from my dental hygienist: apple-pie apples, as my daughter calls them. Core and roughly chop an apple (any kind). Place in a microwave-save container and add brown sugar and cinnamon to taste. Cover and microwave for 5 minutes. Stir and serve: over ice cream or frozen yogurt, as a side dish with roast chicken or turkey, over whole-wheat waffles or pancakes instead of maple syrup. The apples make their own yummy syrup.
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