TruFit Blog

Skinnier Picks for Thanksgiving!

by Karen Steen on 11/16/11

Which Is the Skinnier Pick: Pumpkin or Apple Pie?

At 316 calories and 14 g of fat per slice (1/8 of a 9 inch pie), pumpkin is a slimmer choice than apple, which will cost you 411 calories and 19 g of fat for that same-size slice. One explanation for the higher calorie count: the double crust. Another bonus of picking the pumpkin: whipped topping has significantly fewer calories and less fat than the vanilla ice cream often served atop apple.

Which Is the Skinnier Pick: Traditional Sausage Stuffing or a Dinner Roll with Butter?

If you’re all about the calories, go for the dinner rolll, which will set you back 140 calories and 4.5 g fat, versus the 371 calories and 19 g of fat you’ll gobble down in ¾ cup of the stuffing.

Which Is the Skinnier Turkey Topper: Jellied Cranberries or Gravy?

Surprise! Gravy is actually the skinnier selection in this case. Per ¼ cup, gravy delivers about 30 calories and 1.5 g fat, versus the cranberries, with 110 calories (and 0 g fat) per ¼ cup. Why so high? Lots of added sugars!

Which Is the Skinnier Pick: White or Dark Meat (Turkey)?

White meat! Per 3 ounces, opting for the “white” turkey breasts over the “dark” meat will save you 50 calories and 4 grams of fat: 115 calories and 7 grams of fat versus 160 calories and 11 grams of fat, respectively.

Comments (0)

Bah Humbug - Holiday

by Karen Steen on 11/03/11

post by Ashlie Brown

Bah Humbug!

Are you in the Holiday Spirit?

During the holiday season, millions of people fall off their “routine”. Schedules are crazy, parties are being planned, families are traveling, and we simply have no time to concentrate!

So, what are we supposed to do about the HOLIDAY WEIGHT GAIN?!

Is there any hope?

You must plan for life’s crazy. If you plan ahead for “life’s crazy”, you start to feel in control, lowering your stress level and making it actually possible to succeed!

A great way to help you stay on track, during the holiday season, is to jump into a fitness routine. THIS DOES NOT HAVE TO BE 60 MINUTES!! –Especially during the holidays, some of us don’t have 60 min. Create a fitness routine that works for you. You can walk the family pet every morning, take the kids to the park, jog with a family friend, really anything that gets you off the couch!

After we find a fitness routine, join a Holiday weight loss challenge! (www.fatsecret.com is a great website). If you are held accountable for your nutrition, you can stay focused during hard times.

Don’t diet alone!!

Join the challenge with a friend or family member! (That way it’s fun and everyone stays healthy for the holiday season.)

No matter what….DONT GIVE UP! Right after the holidays, we have bikini season! J

Spinach Salad with Dried Cranberries, Walnuts and Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Ingredients

1/2 cup pomegranate juice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Salt and ground black pepper
6 cups baby spinach leaves
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup walnut pieces

Directions: In a small container with lid, combine pomegranate juice, vinegar, oil, and Dijon. Seal and shake to combine. Season to taste (with salt and pepper.)

Place spinach on a serving platter and top with cranberries and walnuts. Pour vinaigrette over spinach and serve.

Comments (0)

3 Quick Tips to Burn MORE Fat!

by Karen Steen on 10/25/11

We all want to burn fat, but how?

SWITCH UP YOUR CARDIO: Have you been in the same routine for months, maybe even years? Our bodies have the ability to adapt to our environment. If you’ve trained your body in a certain way, for a certain amount of time, you eventually LOSE the effect it had on you when you first started! We tend to train within our comfort zone instead of always challenging ourselves. So, look at your routine (or lack thereof) and ask yourself… “Have I been doing this for more than 6mths?” If the answer is YES, It’s time to find a new cardio routine/class.
EAT AFTER YOUR WORKOUT: This is a common mistake. We tend to eat before our workout, so we can “burn off what we just ate! Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen! The body takes at least 90min to start using our fuel. Even then, we don’t use everything we just consumed (We might not use our fuel for 8hours!-Depending on what we ate). Before a workout, you want to eat light; fruit is great, so you don’t feel heavy and weighed down by a big breakfast or lunch. After your workout, your heart rate is much higher than it was going into the workout (It will stay like this for at least 60min following a good workout). Therefore, what you consume afterwards will burn more quickly (due to a higher HR), then it would if you consumed the same meal before your workout (Due to your HR being lower). So, treat yourself to a high protein/fiber meal after training and watch your body shed those extra pounds!
WORKOUT IN THE MORNING: Eh! Are you a morning person? Our Heart Rate is higher in the morning than it is in the evening. So, even if you’re not a morning person, you should find at least one day a week to wake up early and join the workout. Working out earlier will also help you with Tip # 2 (Eating after your workout). Once you find a morning routine (whether its 5:00am or 10:00am), you will be pleasantly surprised with how much higher your energy level is and how much better your body reacts to food thought the day.

Comments (0)