You CAN'T Eat That!

This is a phrase that I hear all too often. I hear it from "helpful" friends and family and even complete strangers when they find out that I am on Weight Watchers. My inner Skinny Chick says: Let's demystify the idea that there are things you CAN'T eat.  It's all about learning to make choices. The common belief is that once you have committed to lose weight or to live a healthier lifestyle, there are things you MUST give up. This could not be further from the truth. What would happen if you began a weight-loss plan and part of that plan was giving up all of the foods you absolutely LOVE? Would you actually stick to that plan or even further, make it a lifestyle? For most of you, the answer to that question is "No." This is exactly why you shouldn't give up the foods you love. Learning how to make the right choices for YOU is the key.

What exactly do I mean by this? Well, my favorite foods are pizza and popcorn. Not just any popcorn, movie theater butter popcorn. I think it is more like a popcorn addiction. I may need an intervention. If I started a weight-loss plan that required me to give up pizza and popcorn forever, there would be no chance of me actually sticking to it. So how can I incorporate pizza and popcorn, foods that are not so healthy, into a healthy lifestyle? Well, as I said earlier it's all about choices, and shall I venture to say, planning. Here are some tips from my inner Skinny Chick on how to incorporate your favorite foods into a healthy lifestyle:

Lighten it Up
Remixing our favorite foods into a lighter version of themselves is a wonderful way to still enjoy the foods we love. This helps you in many different ways. In addition to still being able to enjoy a slice of pizza, you are also using your creative mind and trying new things. I remember the first time I decided to try making a homemade pizza. I was very skeptical. I went to the store and purchased the whole wheat pizza crust. I used part-skim mozzarella cheese, fresh tomato sauce and loaded it with lots of veggies and grilled chicken. (Sounds good doesn't it?) Well, it was good, actually it was GREAT. I may get gasps from this, BUT it was even better than a pizza I could have ordered. Skinny Chick Challenge: Take your favorite food or recipe and swap out some of the ingredients for lighter or low-fat options. You will be surprised at how you don't sacrifice taste or flavor. 

Portion Control
This is a difficult concept to comprehend when your thinking of your favorite foods. However, grasping and practicing the art of portion control will not only help you when enjoying your favorite things, but also when eating all foods. My inner Skinny Chick says: Make it a habit to look at the nutrition label of the foods you are eating (if there is one) and take note of the serving size.  This just might be an eye-opener for you. I know it was for me. *SIDENOTE* Did you know that for most cereals, the typical serving size is between 3/4 of a cup and 1 cup? Measure that out and put it in your cereal bowl and see if that is how your bowl typically looks in the morning.

Another tip for portion control is "bulking up" your portioned meal. Take my favorite food pizza, for example. If I am using portion control and just having 1 slice of pizza, I can add a salad or soup to the pizza to bulk up the meal. More than likely I would still be hungry if I limited myself to ONLY the slice of pizza.

Treat Yourself
WHAT??? We can actually do this?? Of course! My inner Skinny Chick says: Deprivation is our enemy! When we feel deprived of the foods we love...we BINGE! It is very important to live a flexible and realistic lifestyle, meaning allow yourself to actually enjoy the foods you love. This does take proper planning, however. Make sure that if you are going to treat yourself that it is a planned treat. You should try to do things like add in extra activity to allow for the treat. Or if you know that you enjoy a beer or glass of wine after work, fit that into your plan by adjusting your meal choices throughout the day. (A special shout out to my girl Suzi Storm who lost over 100 pounds on WW and never sacrificed her BEER! Check out her blog: Ok, Just One More Beer http://www.suzistorm.com/)

So go out there and eat! Just remember these tips and the next time someone says, "You CAN'T eat that!" Remember, you can. It is your choice to eat and plan for the foods you love and still live a healthy lifestyle.