Do you have a New Year's resolution that goes something like "get healthy," "lose weight," or "cut down on junk food"?
While it might be tempting to throw out every last potato chip and Hershey's Kiss in a new year cleansing ritual, you know by now that deprivation usually leads to late-night ice cream or burger runs (where way more calories are consumed than if you'd just let yourself have the freakin' Kiss).
Most experts say the best way to get healthier is to start slow and keep the junk food in moderation. And the easiest way to get your healthy diet started: Make over your lunch.
Breakfast is tricky -- you're still half asleep and certainly not up to calculating the calories in your cereal and coffee. And by the time dinner rolls around you just need to eat, and a salad probably isn't going to cut it. But lunch is different. You can make it in advance and take a little time the night before to put together a healthy meal that'll keep you satisfied -- and also help you reach your health goals. And once you're used to making healthy lunches every day, it'll be easier to move onto the other meals and snacks -- and who knows, maybe even kick that Hershey's habit for good.
To help get you started, we looked at five women's normal lunches, then had Kimberly Snyder, nutritionist to celebrities like Drew Barrymore and Fergie, weigh in on how to make them over into good-for-you meals. Check them out to get ideas for your own brown bag makeover.
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Makeover No. 1: Jane, Assistant Editor
The meal: A Smuckers "Uncrustables" peanut butter and jelly sandwich, Lays Baked Original chips, and Fresh & Easy sweet iced tea.
Kimberly Snyder's assessment: "Make the switch from peanut butter to almond butter. Almonds are a healthier and more beautifying nut. The jelly isn't such a great option either -- when fruit is heated and processed like that it becomes acidic in the body, and there are usually processed sugars added on top of the natural fruit sugars.
"'Sweet' iced tea is scary and dreadful for the skin, as it is usually laden with a ton of inflammation-causing sugar. Maybe Jane can make her own iced tea and sweeten it with Stevia, Xylitol, or another natural sugar (never use artificial sweeteners). Or better yet, stick to water or sparkling water with lemon!"
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Make these tweaks:
"Why don't we switch to an avocado sandwich instead [of the peanut butter and jelly] or a grilled veggie wrap? If Jane really loves nut butters, almond butter on celery sticks [would work] as a snack later on. The baked potato chips aren't horrendous, and would actually combine decently with the sandwich, but if Jane wants an A+ she would go with a green salad instead of the chips."
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Makeover No. 2: Kristal, Editorial Intern
The meal: Frozen Healthy Choice Tuscan Style Chicken meal.
Kimberly Snyder's assessment: "I understand the intense temptation to buy those frozen meals at the supermarket. After all, all you have to do is microwave them and you're all set, right? But packaged foods are processed foods. And processed foods never, ever behave the same in the body as fresh, whole foods do.
"Another thing to point out is the 540 mg of sodium, which is more than likely coming from cheap, denatured table salt. Who wants to look overly bloated from cheap salts?"
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Make these tweaks:
"If you want to not only slim down, but improve your complexion and overall beauty while maintaining high energy, you need to look beyond just the calories or protein content of food. I recommend Kristal ditch the processed frozen meals, and treat herself to a fresh salad and grilled veggie wrap or some freshly made brown rice with avocado sushi rolls."
Do you have a New Year's resolution that goes something like "get healthy," "lose weight," or "cut down on junk food"?
While it might be tempting to throw out every last potato chip and Hershey's Kiss in a new year cleansing ritual, you know by now that deprivation usually leads to late-night ice cream or burger runs (where way more calories are consumed than if you'd just let yourself have the freakin' Kiss).
Most experts say the best way to get healthier is to start slow and keep the junk food in moderation. And the easiest way to get your healthy diet started: Make over your lunch.
Breakfast is tricky -- you're still half asleep and certainly not up to calculating the calories in your cereal and coffee. And by the time dinner rolls around you just need to eat, and a salad probably isn't going to cut it. But lunch is different. You can make it in advance and take a little time the night before to put together a healthy meal that'll keep you satisfied -- and also help you reach your health goals. And once you're used to making healthy lunches every day, it'll be easier to move onto the other meals and snacks -- and who knows, maybe even kick that Hershey's habit for good.
To help get you started, we looked at five women's normal lunches, then had Kimberly Snyder, nutritionist to celebrities like Drew Barrymore and Fergie, weigh in on how to make them over into good-for-you meals. Check them out to get ideas for your own brown bag makeover.
