Let the good times roll!

Happy May Day! I'm in a very jolly mood right about now. Don't hate but...guess where I'm headed bright and early tomorrow morning? New Orleans, baby! We're returning to the Big Easy - one of my fave cities in the whole world - for our annual Jazz Fest excursion. This makes our fourth consecutive trip to that event. On tap for this year: Fleetwood Mac, Black Keys, Willie Nelson, Jimmy Cliff, Los Lobos, Hall & Oates, Taj Mahal and more.
And then there's the food. Forget about dieting. I'm fully prepared to come back lugging a few extra pounds around my waistline because there's no way I'm giving up the opportunity to chow down on cochon de lait po-boys, muffulettas, beignets, jambalaya and fried boudin balls. I will be bringing some workout gear so I can jog off some of the calories in the morning, but otherwise, I plan to indulge on vacation then return to healthy eating and increased exercise next week when I'm back in the ATL.
Anyhoo, for all you who don't want to sit by jealously as I enjoy my trip to the Crescent City, here are a few low-calorie variations of some of their most famous menu items.

Chicken Jambalaya
Beignets
Turkey Muffuletta Pita

Also, if you're planning to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, check out the Calorie Control Council's suggestions for a low-cal fiesta.

Spring into shape

The sun is shining and the weather is warming up. You know what that means? Summer swimsuit season is just around the corner. 

To prepare for the return to a slimmer wardrobe, I've upped my game, working out more and eating healthier. That includes portion control, calorie reduction and incorporating sugar-free foods and beverages into my dietary mix. 

According to Beth Hubrich, a registered dietitian with the Calorie Control Council, consumers can "slim down without sacrificing their favorite foods and beverages. Low-calorie sweeteners and light products can aid in weight loss efforts. Of course, portion control and regular exercise are also crucial to a healthy lifestyle." For example, reduced-calorie yogurt eliminates about 110 calories per serving. And by switching from regular to diet soda, I save 150 calories. Over the course of a year, that daily calorie savings could result in a 15-pound weight loss.
In addition to the food changes, I've been working out a heck of a lot more in recent weeks - alternating between circuit training, step, spin, running, zumba and hiking on the weekends. I'm hoping that by constantly switching up the type of exercise, I'm less likely to get bored and lazy. Either way, I'm well on my way to hitting my target weight in time for those hot summer days. 
Wish me luck!
 

Bright and sunshiny day...

After weeks of unseasonably cool, rainy weather, it looks like we're finally getting headed into the warmer months. To celebrate the beautiful weather, we spent all weekend outside, hiking, attending barbecues, baseball games and more. It was fantastic - other than all the nasty pollen - and I have a wee bit of sunburn to prove it. Of course, all those outdoor gatherings tended to be a bit, well, high-calorie. From burgers and beer to cocktails, brats and chips, there was a ton of tempting, non-diet-friendly meals and drinks on display. It's hard to say "NO!" when faced with all that deliciousness at a backyard barbecue. But if you're trying to lose weight so you can fit into your skimpy shorts and tank tops by summer, check out these healthy grilling tips from sucralose.org. 

Choose your marinades wisely. Using sauces such as Worcestershire, Chile, Soy, or light Italian dressing in place of salt or heavy sauces will add a lot of flavor with a few calories. If you are looking to flavor with spices, try garlic, onion powder, or chili powder. If sweet taste is what you are going for add a little fruit juice to the marinade. This will add a sweet taste while also tenderizing the meat. Also, a low-calorie sweetener such as sucralose can help sweeten a marinade without the added calories.
Think beyond just meat. Barbecues don’t have to be a meat lover’s paradise. Try one of the sauces/seasonings listed above on steak or chicken skewers. In between each piece of meat add pineapple, mushrooms, peppers, or any other fruit or vegetable you and your family or friends enjoy. Cut the veggies into sizes that will cook well on the grill and then grill them for about 8 – 10 minutes. If you like seafood, shrimp or fish could be a great option for grilling whole or making into skewers.
Portion distortion is still a problem on the grill. If you are making skewers, cut the meat in small pieces with loads of vegetables in between. If you are making burgers or steak, think “tapas” and cut them into smaller appetizer portions before cooking. For every piece of meat you have, try to have an equal amount of vegetable.
Traditional barbecues are centered on grilling meat, but don’t forget about the sides. Complement your meat with a healthful pasta salad made with whole wheat pasta and light Italian dressing. Or, going along with the tapas theme, make some mini appetizers such as bruschetta, hummus with olive oil and whole wheat pita, low fat artichoke dip, or a veggie tray. Take advantage of the delicious fruits in season and provide a fruit tray and a yogurt dipping sauce sweetened with sucralose for a low-calorie dessert that is sure to satisfy all your guests!

Would you like some pi with that?

Guess what today is? It's not just Thursday, my friends. It's Pi Day. For those who (like me) are completely unfamiliar with this holiday, it was born more than 20 years ago at San Francisco's Exploratorium and celebrates the mathematical constant known as pi. Today, you see, is March 14 - or 3/14. And pi roughly equals 3.14...ad infinitum. Get it? Anyhoo, today also happens to be math genius Albert Einstein's birthday, so I guess it was meant to be.

What I find most entertaining is all the pi-related rituals that appear to accompany this holiday. Participants sing Pi Day songs, bead a "pi string" and circumnaviate a pi shrine? Even better, though, it appears they eat pie...And that's certainly something I can appreciate. So in honor of pi - and Albert Einstein - I indulged in some delicious sugar-free chocolate cream pie tonight, thanks to this fab recipe from www.Splenda.com!

You say chocoholic like it's a bad thing!

Can you believe it's almost March? This year is flying by ridiculously fast, don't ya think? Before we know it, spring will be here. Speaking of spring, I pre-ordered tickets yesterday for the Braves-Cubs series at Turner Field in April (sorry, Atlanta...but I have to root for my Cubbies in this round) so I'm really starting to gear up for baseball and warm weather.
Anyhoo, if you feel like celebrating the end of February - which is one of my least favorite months - consider indulging in a little something sweet. After all, February is the "Celebration of Chocolate" month. And if you prefer to put on your chef hat, here are some delicious, sucralose-sweetened chocolate recipes from splenda.com and Hungry Girl to check out. Enjoy!

Chocolate Velvet Mousse
HG's Fudgy Frosted Walnut Brownies
Chocolate-Chocolate Cupcakes
HG's Triple-Chocolate Softies
Chocolate Toffee Bars

Super Bowl? More like super lame

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know what's coming up on Sunday. It's the national holiday of sports - Super Bowl Sunday. As a major football fanatic, I'm typically glued to the tube every weekend heading into February. And the Big Game is no exception...except for maybe this year. I'm feeling a whole lot of "meh" about Sunday's showdown. I guess I'll half-heartedly route for San Fran, since Jimbo used to play for my beloved Bears and the 49ers are the NFC reps. Otherwise, color me bored.  Plus, I'm not overly excited about the half-time routine and the Super Bowl ads in recent years have been snoozers.
All that being said, I will still join friends (at least for the first half) in watching the game. It's the patriotic thing to do, right? But like the rest of the US nation, I'll be tempted by platters of buffalo wings, chips and dip, burgers, pizza and all sorts of other high-cal food options that seem to accompany Game Day. According to research by the Calorie Control Council (CCC) and Snack Food Association, Americans will eat 30 million pounds of snacks on Sunday. That breaks down to 11.2 million pounds of potato chips, 8.2 million pounds of tortilla chips, 4.3 million pounds of pretzels, 3.8 million pounds of popcorn and 2.5 million pounds of nuts.  The average armchair quarterback will consume 1200 calories and 50 grams of fat from snacking, which DOESN'T EVEN INCLUDE THE MEALS! Holy drawstring pants, Batman! This game is clearly tough on calorie counters. Fortunately, there are a few tricks to cut down on the fat while rooting for your favorite team.

* Fat-free is good. Choosing fat-free potato chips for the big game could save up to 300 calories per person. When it comes to dips, try salsa or substitute reduced-fat sour cream and non-fat yogurt. Use fresh herbs and spices such as cilantro, parsley and hot peppers to add great flavor. Add fresh vegetables and low-fat dips to your party tray and you’ve got a healthy appetizer in no time.
* Exercise. Try hitting the gym before going to the big party. If that's not feasible, help burn off Super Bowl snacks by tossing the football with friends at halftime or walking to a neighbors house to get a play by play.
* Don't show up hungry. Try to eat a healthy, well-balanced meal - or even a light snack - before chowing down on higher-fat foods to help curb the appetite.
* Drink in moderation. For every beer you have, drink a glass of water since alcohol tends to dehydrate you. Also, if you're truly worried about the carbs or calories in your cocktail, drink light beer or vodka with diet soda. On average, you'll save about 35 calories per beer bottle switching to the lighter version.

And check out the Calorie Control Council's appetizer recipe section to find a list of healthy spreads and dips perfect for the Super Bowl party.

As for me, I'm just excited about the Puppy Bowl. How freakin' cute are those peanuts?

Put that in your pie and eat it...

I have a confession to make...I splurged a little today.
Look, I've been healthy all week - and exercising regularly - but I just had to have a little dessert tonight. It was practically mandatory. For Pete's sake, today was National Pie Day! Who can say no to that? Especially when a chocolate cream pie is at stake.
In my defense, it was only a little sliver of a piece. And it was a low-cal, sugar-free recipe. So no judging, please. I'll tack on an extra 10 minutes of exercise tomorrow to make up for it.