SensibleSlimming

It can be very easy to overeat at Christmas when there are all sorts of temptations in your way.  You need to be strong and resist if you don’t want to undo all the hard work that you’ve put in over the last few months.

Have a look at these two short videos that will give you some tips on how to cut calories at Christmas and not give on to temptation.

If you struggle to resist temptation, help is at hand here:

The Slim Girls Box of Secrets
The Slim Girls Box of Secrets

 or check out my review in a previous post  http://sensibleslimming.com/the-slim-girls-box-of-secrets-review/

Here in the UK we are gripped by snow which is making life very difficult and is very unusual for November.  I had to have my two grandaughters for the day today as their school was closed and their mum had to struggle in to work for a few hours.  I was planning lots of work today, but instead I got to play out in the snow.  I am pretty exhausted now after pulling them round on the sledge, making a snowman and having a snowball fight – but we had good fun and I’m sure I’ve burnt off lots of calories and toned up some muscles that I didn’t know I had!!

I decided to make some warming winter soup to keep out the chill – it is really delicious and really warms you from the inside.  Soup is a really good weight loss food as it is normally low in calories, full of healthy nutrients and fills you up, so you are not tempted to snack on high calorie foods.  I thought I would share it with you as it is pretty simple to make and very tasty. (more…)

I usually give you lots of good advice on what are good foods to eat and how to make healthy choices, but what are the bad foods?

Check out this video and discover what are the top 10 worst foods which should be avoided if you are serious about losing weight and making healthy choices.

Eating out and socialising with friends is one of life’s great pleasures, but can be difficult if you are trying to lose weight.  Knowing how to make healthy choices when eating out  is the key to not sabotaging your weight loss efforts, so follow my guidelines and you will not go far wrong: (more…)

If you have been out at work all day, the last thing you want to be doing is slaving over a hot stove when you get home.  This is often where problems arise when you are trying to lose weight, it is so easy to pop in to the supermarket on the way home and buy a ready-meal, or worse still get a very high-fat takeaway meal, such as a pizza, kebab or Chinese meal.

I have found this really tasty recipe for a low-fat supper which has only 320 calories per portion and 12.5g of fat per portion, it is very quick and easy to make, and is ideal for a winters evening.

Creamy Pork with Peppers – Serves 2

250g Pork fillet (cut into strips)
1 large red pepper (deseeded and thinly sliced)
2 small shallots (finely chopped)
100g small mushrooms
1 clove garlic (crushed)
1tspn sweet paprika + a little extra
1tspn cornflour
25ml chicken stock
100ml dry white wine
salt and pepper
75ml Greek yoghurt
1/2 tbspn groundnut oil

Method

1. Heat half the oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook the meat over a high heat until browned on all sides.  Remove and reserve.

2. Add the pepper and shallots to the pan with the rest of the oil, reduce heat and stir-fry for 4- 5 mins (until softened & just turning golden).  Add the garlic and paprika for the last minute of cooking, add a little water if ncessary.

3. Add the flour and a little splash of stock, stir for about 20 secs, then add the mushrooms, wine and the rest of the stock and seasoning.  Stir well.

4. Return the meat to the pan and bring to a simmer.  Cook gently for 5 mins, stir in the yoghurt to warm through without boiling.
Sprinkle with the extra paprika and serve.

Serve with basmati rice or noodles and a green salad.

When I made this the other night, it only took me about 30 minutes from start to finish, so there is no excuse.  Give it a try, it is really tasty.

Losing weight is never easy – but good news – there are lots of simple things you can do to cut calories at home and you will barely notice any difference.

Here are 10 Simple ways to cut calories at home: (more…)

Vegetables are a very important part of your diet if you are trying to lose weight naturally.  Not only are they full of valuable nutrients that will keep you healthy, but they are also generally low in calories so, by including plenty of vegetables in your diet you will greatly improve your chances of weight loss success.

My top ten vegetables for health and weight loss are: (more…)

If, like me, you are a  lover of cakes and really miss them because you are trying to lose weight and cut down on fats, then I have some good news for you – you can bake really delicous cakes that do not contain any fat.

You can use dried fruit purees in place of fat in many cake recipes and they are moist and very yummy.   This does not work for ordinary sponge cakes, but is most successful in recipes that have a moist texture and fruity flavour.

To make the dried fruit puree, all you do is chop it up roughly (apricots or prunes work best) and put them in a blender with a few tablespoons of water and blend until roughly smooth.  To use, simply substitute the fruit puree for the same amount of butter or fat that the recipes calls for, or you can use a combination of part fat and part fruit puree if you prefer.

Here’s a recipe that I have tried a few times and it is really very tasty – you would never know that there is no fat in it.  It’s quite easy to make – so give it a go. (more…)

Did you know that it is a fact that obesity spreads within social networks?  People with fat friends are 50% more likely to be overweight than those who hang out with skinny people.  It is so easy to be influenced by those around you with unhealthy attitudes toward food – how many times do you mix with people, friends or family, who tuck into a large bucket of fries or deep-fried chicken?  Do you say “no thanks, not for me, I’m into sensible eating!”?  No, of course you don’t – you tuck in with them.

You really need to be aware of the power of  influence so that you don’t fall for it and can condition your mind to be strong so that you can resist overeating.  Sometimes your friends unconciously don’t want you to succeed in your efforts to lose weight – often  because they cannot be bothered themselves and don’t want you to succeeed where they have failed, so watch out for their attempts to sabotage your good intentions.

Beware when you hear the words “Why not stay and finish the bottle.”  or “Have this last piece of cake, it’s only going in the bin,” or “I made this specially for you because I know how much you love sticky toffee pudding with custard and cream.”

It’s very, very hard not to fall for it and give in, but you need to make your friends and family aware in advance of any social occasion that your intentions to lose weight are completely serious and you will not be overindulging just to keep them happy.  If they truly care about you they will respect your wishes and not badger you when you refuse what they are offering.

On the other hand if you are the one badgering your friends to over-eat/drink – stop now and show some support and consideration – remember  “what goes around….”

If you need help in overcoming your cravings and losing weight effortlessly, take a look at this site.  It will really help you to change your attitude towards food and recondition your mind into thinking like a thin person.  The price has been reduced for a limited time, so it is well worth taking a look and buying now if you are interested, before the price goes up again.

The Slim Girls Box of Secrets
The Slim Girls Box of Secrets

Or have a look at my review on the “Reviews” page of this site.

When you are trying to lose weight sensibly and not resort to crash diets that you will not be able to sustain in the long term, there are lots of things you can do to reduce your intake of fat and calories without really noticing.  If you can do just some of these things you will undoubtedly lose weight naturally especially if you incorporate some extra activity into your day as well.

 Try some of these tips:

1. Grate cheese finely instead of coarsely – it will go further so you will use less.
2.  Thicken sauces with cornflour instead of using butter and flour to make a roux.
3.  Use low-fat yoghurt, low-fat fromage frais or reduced-fat mayonnaise as the basis for salad dressings.
4.  Use tomato juice or passata as a basis for a salad dressing.
5.  Use mashed potato to top savoury dishes instead of pastry.
6.  When using oil in a recipe, measure out the oil accurately instead of pouring straight from the bottle and guessing the amount.
7.  Use water from vegetables, stock cubes and herbs to make gravy instead of using the meat juices.
8.  Use leaner cuts of meat and trim off any visible fat before cooking.
9.  Use low-fat alternatives to meat like tofu or Quorn.
10.If making a pie, make one with one crust instead of two and use wholemeal flour and poly/monounsaturated margarine.
11. Grill, poach, microwave, boil or steam food whenever possible.
12. ‘Sweat’ or cook vegetables in a covered pan in their own juices instead of frying or sautéing them.
13. Dry-fry mince and drain off any excess fat before adding other ingredients.
14. When serving cooked vegetables, toss them in lemon juice or fresh herbs instead of dotting them with butter.
15. In sandwiches, spread the bread with low-fat mayonnaise instead of butter or margarine.
16. Use skimmed milk to make sauces, milk puddings, scones, batter etc.
17. Reduce the quantity of sugar in a recipe and replace it with dried apricots or banana.
18. Use dried or fresh fruit purees in place of all or some of the fat in suitable baking recipes.
19. Choose fruit canned in fruit juice instead of in syrup.
20.Baste foods with fruit juice or fat-free marinade when grilling or barbecuing.

 So go on, give it a go, with a bit of thought it is pretty easy to reduce your calorie and fat intake and you will never notice the difference.