Better Choices to Fuel Your Life
Not all foods are created equal. The simple fact is that some foods are more nutritious, provide more energy, and a generally better for you than others. While temptations may about, simply being aware of your food choices and taking the time to seek out the healthier alternative can make a big difference in your diet, your well-being and your life.
In the chart below, we have identified many common food choices, and then provided a healthier alternative. Use this as a starting point, and then continue to make smart choices with the fuel you put into your body.
| Food Choice | Better Food Choice |
| Breakfast Cereal (Sugar Coated) | Cheerios, Wheaties, Oatmeal, or other whole-grain, low-sugar cereals / Eggs |
| Whole milk | Skim Milk / 1% Milk |
| Pop Tarts and Pastries | Whole Grain Waffles / Bagels Cinnamon Raisin Toast / English Muffin |
| Soda pop | Water / Crystal Light / Kool-Aid / Powerade |
| Hamburgers | Lean Ground Beef / Ground Sirloin |
| Hot dogs | Low-fat Hot dogs or Turkey Dogs, Luncheables or Starkist Tuna paks |
| Bologna | Light Bologna / Turkey / Chicken breast without skin or breading |
| American cheese | Fat Free Cheeses or 2% Milk Cheese Slices |
| Butter and Mayonnaise | Mustard, Ketchup, or Butter Spray Substitute (Can't believe it's not Butter spray) or Imitation Butter Flakes / Helman's Low-Fat Mayonnaise |
| French fries and Tater Tots | Oven Baked Real Potato Slices / Shake -n- Bake Potatoes / Mini-Rice Cakes |
| Pizza loaded with cheese and meat | Bagel Bites or Tortilla Pizza or Pita Pizza or Homemade Pizza! |
| Candy bars | Energy Bars / Granola Bar Rice Krispie Treats / Chocolate Low-Fat Milk |
| Ice cream | Low-fat Ice cream/ Frozen Yogurt / Water Popsicle's / Non-fat Yogurt |
| Potato Chips | Air-popped popcorn / Mini-Rice Cakes / Mini-Popcorn Cakes / Chex Mix / Trail Mix |
| Cookies / Snack Cakes | Whole-wheat crackers or animal crackers / Reduced Fat Selections / Fat Free Fig Newtons |
| Vending Machine Snacks | Fresh fruits and vegetables (Like Carrots, Celery, Apples, Oranges, Bananas) |
| Regular Peanut Butter | Smuckers 'All Natural' Peanut Butter on anything : Like an Apple, Bagel, Rice Cake, Celery or Carrots, Frosted Mini-Wheats, Wheat Crackers (Turn the jar upside down to blend the oil in the peanut butter when storing it on the shelf.) |
Comments
is low fat ice cream ok?
FT's response: Low-fat ice cream is definately a better choice than high-fat ice cream. Here are some other light choices when the ice-cream cravings hit:
- Italian Ice cups
- water popsicles
- sherbert
- low-fat or sugar free popsicles
If you think about it, you don't have to have ice cream but if you do, try to opt for a flavorful choice that is lower in calories per serving and eat only one serving. That will usually get you through that craving.
Tip: Do not keep sweets like ice cream "stocked" in your freezer. Instead if you are "dying" for ice cream make it atleast a real effort to have to go out to get some :-)
~ Best to better health and smarter nutrition choices! ~ The Fitness Twins !
Posted by: d.galpeeno | January 29, 2007 08:19 AM