I recently went in for my annual physical and was a bit surprised at the results. My doctor said that both my cholesterol and blood pressure are higher than she would like, and I'm a bit heavier around the middle than I should be. These results were unexpected because I am pretty conscientious about my health. I exercise regularly and try my best to eat right. But since that's not doing the trick, I'm going to have to make some lifestyle changes right away. For instance one thing decided to do is change my kitchen and shopping habits to promote low fat cooking.
I thought I was making healthy choices by eating at home instead of in restaurants, but I guess that all depends on how I prepare my foods. For instance, I like to grill meats and vegetables in butter and put lots of dressing on my salads. That obviously doesn't help my waistline, so I have to make a concerted effort to change to low fat cooking methods. Once I do so, I know butter and other high-fat, high-calorie items will be banished from my kitchen for good. But I'm willing to accept that and use low fat cooking methods to help keep my weight, cholesterol, and blood pressure in check.
I tried all the low fat cooking methods I could think of on my own, but was quickly getting bored with the bland fare I usually ended up with. If I was going to make this new diet plan work, I would need outside help. I wanted to find tastier substitutions and new recipes in order to change things up a bit. I was sure that low fat cooking didn't have to be this boring; I just didn't know how to enliven my meals on my own. Fortunately, I was able to discover a lot of low fat cooking websites and resources online. Some of these sites simply contained low fat cooking tips, while others went all out with recipes, book recommendations, and message boards so that members could interact with one another to share their low fat cooking expertise. I joined a couple of the more active sites and now have hundreds of free low fat cooking recipes right at my fingertips.
Now I know that eating right and staying healthy doesn't mean I have to give up great-tasting meals. I simply have to make certain changes in the ingredients I use and the way I prepare my food. The low fat cooking tips and tricks I've learned recently help me do just that!
Monday, February 25, 2008
Option For Good Low Carbon Cooking
Low carb cooking may seem like a real challenge but once you lay a foundation you are well on your way to a carbohydrate-controlled diet. There are a handful of things to consider and there are a few tips and tricks to take with you to the kitchen. After adopting some of the steps to low carb cooking it will become second nature.
The first thing that you want to do is consider your overall health. You really might be tempted to adopt low carb cooking approaches that use a lot of high-fat ingredients but this may work against your efforts. You also may be tempted to cut out carbohydrates entirely but this is not a good idea, either.
It is never good practice to completely cut out a food that is so prevalent on the food pyramid. Part of incorporating low carb cooking into your lifestyle on a long term basis is to remember that there are good carbohydrates that your body needs in order to get enough nutrition and fiber.
However, if you are on a mission to lose weight fast, then you can adopt low carb cooking that keeps carbohydrate intake at a minimum. This includes cutting out some vegetables like corn, peas and carrots. These vegetables are loaded with natural sugars as well as carbohydrates.
Great recipes include chicken parmesan. Just skip the breading and serve it without pasta. Stir fries that use a number of different vegetables, shrimp, beef and chicken are wonderful options and they can be really satisfying. Hankering for some lasagna? Low carb cooking can include a dish like this. Replace the pasta with thin layers of zucchini. You will be surprised by how good it is.
Once you have used low carb cooking that cuts out nearly all carbohydrates for two weeks, you really want to start adding some good carbohydrates into the mix. This may be a little difficult considering that you are used to preparing meals without using many of the ingredients that you will be adding.
You can start using some pasta in your lasagna and chicken parmesan. Choose whole grain pastas instead of the regular fair. Also, check your portions, too when working with low carb cooking recipes. It is easy to over indulge on good carbohydrates especially if you have been missing this type of food in your diet.
Low carb cooking at home can be a chore but you do have a lot of great options. Once you start adding some good carbohydrates into the mix, your options will seem endless.
The first thing that you want to do is consider your overall health. You really might be tempted to adopt low carb cooking approaches that use a lot of high-fat ingredients but this may work against your efforts. You also may be tempted to cut out carbohydrates entirely but this is not a good idea, either.
It is never good practice to completely cut out a food that is so prevalent on the food pyramid. Part of incorporating low carb cooking into your lifestyle on a long term basis is to remember that there are good carbohydrates that your body needs in order to get enough nutrition and fiber.
However, if you are on a mission to lose weight fast, then you can adopt low carb cooking that keeps carbohydrate intake at a minimum. This includes cutting out some vegetables like corn, peas and carrots. These vegetables are loaded with natural sugars as well as carbohydrates.
Great recipes include chicken parmesan. Just skip the breading and serve it without pasta. Stir fries that use a number of different vegetables, shrimp, beef and chicken are wonderful options and they can be really satisfying. Hankering for some lasagna? Low carb cooking can include a dish like this. Replace the pasta with thin layers of zucchini. You will be surprised by how good it is.
Once you have used low carb cooking that cuts out nearly all carbohydrates for two weeks, you really want to start adding some good carbohydrates into the mix. This may be a little difficult considering that you are used to preparing meals without using many of the ingredients that you will be adding.
You can start using some pasta in your lasagna and chicken parmesan. Choose whole grain pastas instead of the regular fair. Also, check your portions, too when working with low carb cooking recipes. It is easy to over indulge on good carbohydrates especially if you have been missing this type of food in your diet.
Low carb cooking at home can be a chore but you do have a lot of great options. Once you start adding some good carbohydrates into the mix, your options will seem endless.
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