For the first time I have gone over on how much fat I should be consuming. Some fat of course is good for us to eat, but others are not. I am not worried about how much I had today, because I think I was able to have mostly healthy fats. So, how do we know what are healthy fats and what aren’t?
I’ve learned a lot with our home cooking that we’ve been doing, and have done over several years. So to start with, the best way to look at unhealthy fats is Paula Dean! Basically, butter is an unhealthy fat, as well as baked goods. Also, many people think that all meat is healthy for you, but unfortunately even lean beef is still extremely fatty. Pork is also another meat that can be high in fat and most dairy can be high in fat (such as cheese). Basically Saturated fat and trans fats are the fats you want to watch out for. Saturated fats are found in animal fat and some oils, and trans fats are usually from artificially made foods (such as fried foods).
Some more healthy options for your home cooking can include chicken and fish, even salmon the fattiest fish. Salmon has several components of healthy fats, and really should be eaten several times a month. But, in reality I can’t afford salmon that often, so a white fish is a good replacement if you can get a good one on sale. Chicken of course is also a great low fat meat, and we use it often. When used in moderation, pork is something we like to have often and to make sure it is low in fat we cut off all fatty areas and cook with oils that are low in saturated fat.
When it comes to desiring those fats that aren’t so healthy, I have found some alternatives that help replace the use of them. For butter, I use the I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter spray for buttering bread, veggies, and anything else that I use to put butter on top of. Of course I still use butter when it’s called for in recipes, and I found some unsalted butter that will lower the sodium levels. I’ve pimped my new love of Dijonnaise that is low calorie and low fat, which is a good substitute for mayonnaise. Miracle Whip is also a good replacement for mayonnaise and salad dressings. Oddly enough avocado is another good fat, and it’s great to add to many things. I like to add it in salads, sandwiches, and I haven’t tried it yet but I think it would be great in Mexican meals. For cheese, Kraft makes a low-fat shredded cheese, but I don’t see the benefits of eating low-fat cheese when it costs twice the price as a block of regular cheddar cheese.
Overall, it’s important to look at the labels when you’re cooking and learn more about what your eating. In the past I have counted calories and all the other lovely components of nutrition, and felt like it was time consuming and a waist of time. This time around I have really benefited from it and it seems to be increasing the level of food I am cooking, and helping me enjoy my healthy foods better.
Today I went slightly over 2,000 calories, but I also walked the mall with the stroller at a fast pace. I feel good about my day, and hope all of you had a good holiday.
Indeed the weiner wraps were not the healthiest, but they were wonderful! Eric told me the reason we did not go with Subway is because they do not make the "platter" of sandwiches anymore, and getting the 6ft sandwich (I don't know if it is really 6 ft) was not feasable in regards to serving. When there are that many people, easy serving is best. Also, Phyllis is not working right now so it was providing her with a job. Unfortunatly we will not always be around healthy food. Portion control is key in a situation like that. I thought about bringing my own food, but I decided to splurge and enjoy the wonderful yummy. I know I cannot do that often, but I do want to be happy on this journey. Beings that Sunday is the half-marathon, our group that is running is getting together for a "carb up" evening before the run. I guess before that long of a run, you should eat some carbs the night before to help with energy. I am a bit nervous, but like I said before, portion control. We are going to the Olive Garden. I will skip the dessert (which makes me want to cry :) ) and find something with red sauce and not white sauce, which is my favorite of course. I have no idea why I just rambled on with all that.....Keep up the good work. That is great that Jon is on a plan also. Men loose weight easier than women, not fair!
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