http://www.moranfineart.com/MoranFineArt/Home.html

megram - Index

megram - dwsummer - Index

way your stomach will be partially full
upon arrival and you won’t be as
tempted to over-indulge. It will be
easier to resist temptation and make
more mindful choices.
Load up on vegetable appetizers
such as plain, sliced cucumber, carrots,
celery, mushrooms and radishes.
Plain vegetables are low in fat and
calories and packed with good nutritional
value. If you’re faced with a
series of appetizer choices of either
the vegetable tray, the cheese and
crackers or the chips and dip, be sure
to eat the chips and dip and cheese
and crackers in very limited quantities
and load up first on the plain vegetables.
If you don’t monitor the
quantities of cheese, crackers, chips
and dip, you will have no idea how
many excess calories you consumed.
Because these foods are high in fat,
even small quantities can add up
quickly in terms of calories. The same
goes for the vegetable dip. Be mindful
how much dip you use with your
vegetables. Perhaps you could alternate
by having some vegetables plain
and then some with a little bit of dip.
If it’s a potluck, bring your own
fruit and vegetable tray. This is a
smart eating strategy because this way
you know for sure you will have some
healthy choices you can fill up on.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are also
great in terms of keeping you feeling
full and hydrated as well. Since so
much of their content is water, it is a
great way to stay hydrated in the hot
temperatures in addition to drinking
plenty of water.
Watch your alcohol consumption.
Alcohol is often central to many of
our social summer activities and celebrations.
There is nothing wrong with
drinking alcohol. However, when
consumed in excess quantities, it can
lead to a variety of health problems.
In terms of smart eating strategies,
alcohol is not only high in calories, it
can also let your guard down and
thereby cloud your ability to make
smart food choices. It also increases
your appetite and raises your blood
sugar levels. People are often
astounded at how they gain weight
over the summer. They find it hard to
understand because they’re out walking
more, riding their bikes or doing
other types of physical activity.
However, what they don’t realize is
they are still consuming way more
calories with excessive amounts of
beer, wine and coolers than they are
burning off through exercise. Also,
because it increases your appetite and
you may have a harder time resisting
temptation, you’ll be taking in more
calories as well. The excess calories are
still getting stored as fat. Therefore, be
sure to watch your alcohol intake. A
great tip is to be sure your glass is
always filled with ice first before pouring
your drink. This way there will be
less alcohol in the glass. Then be sure
to sip it very slowly. Another tip is to
alternate between alcoholic and nonalcoholic
beverages.
Rethink your beverage choices. It
is very important to stay hydrated during
the summer. However, loading up
on sweetened beverages is not a smart
way to go. Rather than fill up on sweetened
beverages, stick to plain water. If
water feels too bland, then make it
Original Modern Paintings By Moran Danan
Shipping available worldwide
more appealing by adding sliced
cucumbers, lemons, oranges or a
splash of your favourite fruit juice,
such as apple or cranberry. If you’re
finding it difficult to get in your eight
to 12 glasses of water daily, then be
sure to eat plenty of juicy fresh fruits
and vegetables such as watermelon,
cantaloupe, peaches, pears, apples, lettuce,
cucumber, tomatoes and peppers.
Eating smart over the summer
requires as much focus as during any
other season. With all the extra socializing,
it is important to choose wisely
and self-regulate your portion sizes. By
following these smart eating strategies
you can be sure to enjoy a healthy summer
season.
Roslyn Franken is an Ottawa resident and
author of The A List: 9 Guiding
Principles for Healthy Eating and
Positive Living (10-Q Publishing). She
provides counselling services on how to live
healthy through diet and healthy living
practices, and is a motivational speaker on
healthy living.
www.MoranFineArt.com
email sales@moranfineart.com
1-866-899-6577
Due West/Due East Magazine • Summer 2008 Ottawa Page 33