Enjoy or Avoid: A Healthier Sunday Brunch

Perhaps Sundays are one of your favorite days of the week. Sundays are a time to relax and take time for yourself or meet up with family and friends. For many, this comes with the tradition of Sunday brunch. Belgian waffles, muffins, maple syrup, whipped cream, bacon, sausage and many other delicious treats it is easy to overindulge. When you overindulge, this may mean spending the afternoon in a food-coma. It doesn’t have to be this way though. You can enjoy your Sunday brunch without ruining the rest of your day.

Consider topping your pancakes with at least one fruit (however, remember the more the better). Cherries, apples, bananas, blueberries and raspberries can make great (and healthy) additions to your pancakes. Fruit is sweet and may even cause you to skip out on smothering your pancakes with maple syrup.

Remember that grains make a healthy breakfast. Oatmeal, brown rice or quinoa all make for hearty, satisfying, delicious and healthy breakfast options. To make these foods even more appealing, consider adding nuts, fresh fruit or a little yogurt.

Don’t forget about protein and fiber. You can put your cravings for eggs to good use! Mix eggs with vegetables and beans for plenty of protein and fiber. This will give you plenty of energy to help keep you enjoying your entire Sunday. You’ll have plenty of energy for all your favorite Sunday activities – even if that means cheering your favorite football team on in front of the television.

Opt for a healthy spread for your bagels. Remember that cream cheese is a much more healthy option than butter. Cream cheese contains less calories and saturated fat than butter. Another option is nut butters. These butters are high in protein and good for you.

Opt for muffins and cereal with whole flaxseeds. This can add fiber to your diet as well as omega-3 fatty acids, which are great for improving your overall health.

If opting for cereal, consider mixing multiple different cereals together. This will give you a variety of tastes and textures, while increasing the nutritional value of your meal.

You do not have to sacrifice what for some is the best meal of the week. The trick is to watch your portion sizes and choose healthy brunch items.

Enjoy or Avoid – The “Diet” Food Edition

Dieting doesn’t mean eating tasteless, fat-free, low calorie foods. Instead, making informed, healthy choices will help you stay on track and leave you feeling full and satisfied. Below we’ve come up with a list of  healthy foods to enjoy and “diet” foods to avoid!

1. Avoid – Puffed cereal with skim milk
Yes, it’s true that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But eating breakfast is only half the battle, you still need to make healthy choices! Skim milk and puffed cereal may seem like a healthy, low-fat option, but the low fiber content won’t satisfy your hunger, and you’ll be left wanting more.

Enjoy – Rolled or steel cut oats.
Oatmeal is a satisfying and filling breakfast that will give you that needed boost of energy in the morning. Stick to the plain variety and add in a little brown sugar, fruits or even a tablespoon of peanut butter to satisfy your cravings.

2. Avoid – Plain rice cakes
Rice cakes are good for you, but when you notice that you’ve eaten half a bag in one sitting – well that’s a problem. These little cakes are low in fiber and have a high glycemic index, which means you’re probably going to be finishing that bag before you feel satisfied.

Enjoy – Rice cakes with some cream cheese or peanut butter.
A spread on top of your rice cake makes it a balanced choice that is fulfilling and satisfying. If you’re craving something sweet, add a tablespoon of peanut butter, or if you want something salty, then add a tablespoon of cream cheese.

3. Avoid – Light yogurt
With sweet, artificial flavors, light yogurt doesn’t leave your body with enough to digest, which means your stomach will be hungry for more.

Enjoy – Low-fat Greek yogurt
The high protein and creaminess of low-fat Greek yogurt makes it a better choice. If you want to add in some flavor try a dash of cinnamon or add in your favorite seasonal fruit.

4. Avoid – Apples
Okay, so you’ve heard “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” And it’s true – apples are good for you. However, if you eat just an apple for your daily afternoon snack, you may tend to overeat at dinner. That’s because just a plain old apple is not a balanced snack.

Enjoy – Apples and nuts (or cheese stick)
Eat an apple and some nuts too! If you combine your usual afternoon snack with a few almonds or a cheese stick, yes you might be getting some extra calories, but they are well worth it because it will keep you fuller longer.

The trick to any “diet” food is to ensure that it provides you with enough nutrients to keep you feeling full and satisfied. Remember that spicing it up or adding variety keeps things from getting boring. Also, keep in mind that if you let yourself indulge once in awhile, you will be less likely to splurge and overeat later.

Check back often for more great tips, recipes and advice. And if you’d like to learn how our revolutionary lipolaser, right here in Pittsburgh, can help remove fat, melt away the inches and reveal the body you’ve always wanted, then visit our website: www.inevocontouring.com

 

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Breakfast – it’s the most important meal of the day!

This week it’s all about recipes. We are featuring recipes that will leave you feeling full, satisfied and energized throughout your day. Today, breakfast is our featured meal of the day!

Breakfast is important because it reduces the hunger that might occur later in the day. If you skip breakfast, you’re more likely to overeat and make poor food choices (like getting a snack from the vending machine). Below are two delicious  and healthy  breakfast recipes that will help you start your morning off right.

Hearty Buckwheat and Banana Cereal
What You’ll Need:

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 cup soy milk
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 sm banana
• 1 cup buckwheat
• 1 1/2 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 2 tbsp walnut

Directions:

• Step 1: Place buckwheat, soymilk, cinnamon, nutmeg and banana into a medium saucepan.
• Step 2: Stir frequently, while bringing mixture to a boil.
• Step 3: Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low.
• Step 4: Simmer for 20 minutes, until the buckwheat is tender.
• Step 5: Top with ground flaxseeds and chopped walnuts.
• Step 6: Enjoy!

Garden Eggs
What You’ll Need:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 3 spear asparagus
• 3 egg whites
• 2 small mushrooms
• 1 cup onion

Directions:

•  Step 1: Chop onions, mushrooms and asparagus.
• Step 2: Using a small saute pan, saute vegetables in olive oil until tender.
•  Step 3: Add egg whites to pan.
• Step 4: Continue to cook on low heat until eggs are well cooked.
• Step 5: Enjoy!

Check back tomorrow for some delicious lunch ideas!

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*Recipes Courtesy of Lifestyle Innovations