Often times, people see junk food as the enemy. Greasy pizza, cheeseburgers, fries, and donuts often tempt us and cause us to abandon our resolutions. The truth is, we need to be offensive about our interactions with junk food. Here are the principles I live by:
1. Everything in moderation. Junk food is okay once in awhile-- and by that I DO NOT mean once a day, more like a couple of times a week.
2. I NEVER order fries. I know they are my weakness, and there is no good reason for me to consume deep-fried white carb.'s. (The same applies to donuts.) If I really want some, I will steal 3 or 4 from my husband.
3. I also NEVER order pizza. Pizza shows up enough at parties, meetings, etc. for me to eat it 2 times a month, so intentionally seeking it out goes beyond the whole moderation idea. Also, if I eat pizza, I do not eat the kind with meat. There are a lot of extra calories in pepperoni. (If you really want pizza, try making your own healthier version.)
4. If a dessert is offered at a party, I will ask for half of a portion. Often, I offer to bring dessert so I can make a nice cool whip/jell o pie or a fruit salad. On that note, I keep only low sugar dessert items in my house.
5. Junk food is not a reward. When it comes down to it, sometimes we think we deserve to break our healthy eating plan, only to later regret that hot fudge sundae. We must have a plan with a little leeway. Occasionally splurging will keep us from falling off the "wagon."
By the way, when it comes to dinner, we all get stuck sometimes with no other options but fast food. For those occasions, I recommend a grilled chicken sandwich and side salad from the golden arches. Avoid anything with the greasy beef fast food chains use.
For a fast dinner at home, I like Rice and Beans:
Cook some instant brown rice according to package directions.
Heat up a can of black beans, rinsed and drained, in the microwave.
Serve with salsa, shredded low fat cheese, and low fat sour cream.
Sometimes I add some corn (thawed from the freezer) or some tortillas to scoop up the beans and rice mixture.
This can be ready in 5 minutes and is quite filling, not to mention full of fiber AND budget-friendly!!!
