Halloween Candy Guide...

It is Halloween and you probably will have candy. The key to surviving this sweet candy is portion control. Realize that a little bit of everything does rank up to a lot of calories! Below is small guide to your trick or treat nosh!

Note: Calorie Counts are based on one piece

• Small tootsie roll 25 calories
• Chocolate miniatures such as Snickers and Milky Way 40-65 calories
• Snack Size and Fun Size 70-100 calories
• One Twizzler 40 calories
• Smarties, a whole role 25 calories
• Jolly Rancher 25 calories
• Charms Blow Pop 60 calories
• Laffy Taffy Mini 30 calories
• Pixy Stix 9 calories
• Tootsie Pop 60 calories
• Hershey’s Kiss 23 calories
• Candy Corn pouch 50 calories
• Dots Mini 75 calories
• Junior Mints Snack Size Box 80 calories
• Nerds Mini Box 50 calories
• Starburst (2 Chews) 40 calories
• Swedish Fish 55 calories
• Sweetarts 50 calories

image: blog.beliefenet.com

Keeping It Healthy For the Halloween Weekend...

Alright guys, the weekend is fast approaching and you can definitely keep up the healthy eating and snacking, even if it is Halloween weekend! You've worked hard all week and you do not want to blow your efforts in one day. Here are a few key points to get you through the weekend!

• Get your exercise on. If you can get a solid half hour of heart pumping cardio activity in, on Saturday AND Sunday,then that's great. If not commit to at least one weekend day of doing half an hour of cardio
• If you are going out, load your bag with healthy snacks such as apples, almonds, string cheese and a healthy granola bar (I like the ones by Kashi)
• If you are going to a party, have a bowl of low sodium vegetable soup. This will help curb your craving and hopefully keep you away from the trick or treat bowl
• If you are craving candy, then go for the small fun size pieces. These usually rank in at about 80 calories per piece
• Drink water and sip on tea through out your days
• Eat healthy throughout the day. The worst thing you can do is save your appetite for when going out. You will just go overboard from hunger and eat way too much! Nosh on fruits, veggies and lean protein throughout the day instead.

What are some of your tips and tricks for treating this year? image from: bambooandtikis.com

The Skinny on Olive Oil...

Olive oil, although high in fat, in moderate quantities this oil is known as liquid gold. The fat in olive oil is not the belly bulging fat like saturated fat. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Olive oil is mainly comprised of monounsaturated fat, which is known to reduce belly fat and increase your good cholesterol levels (HDL) (yes, there are good levels of cholesterol) and decrease the bad cholesterol levels (LDL).

Due to its natural antioxidant powers, known as poly phenols, olive oil can help destruct the cells in your body which cause heart disease, cancer, Parkinson's etc.

So, how much olive oil should you get? One tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil has 120 calories and 14 grams of fat! To take advantage of all the benefits of olive oil, experts say two tablespoon a day is all you need. I know this can add up to a lot if you are watching your fat intake, but remember, this is the good fat (monounsaturated), rather than the bad fat (saturated).

Start substituting your butter, margarine or any animal fat for olive oil. Instead of buttering your bread or vegetables, use olive oil to replace. Not only will you be eliminating heart wrenching saturated fats and trans fats, but you will also be doing your body a favor by putting healthy fats in your diet!

I love good quality extra virgin olive oil. Good olive oil is so worth the money. Look for olive oil in dark, tinted bottles. This helps keep the light out and your EVOO tasting fresh! EVOO is great for salads. Use a lighter olive oil for frying or baking.

Don't be afraid of olive oil!

Image from: askdeb.com

Under 200 Calories Healthy Snack Pairings...

Here are a few healthy snack pairings to help you get through the day:

1. Dates stuffed with almonds: three of these pairings ranks in at 90 calories!
2. Small, really ripe banana with 1/4c. of part skim ricotta: mash the banana and fold ricotta in. This is a great banana pudding!: 170 calories
3. Apple with peanut butter: 167 calories
4. Almonds and raisins: 16 almonds and small box of raisins mixed together: 145 calories
5. Small container of non fat Greek yogurt with a 1/4c of any Kashi cereal: 120 calories
6. One slice of whole wheat toast and one tablespoon of peanut butter: 170 calories

Recipe Alert: Chicken Sausage Salad

Here's another quick and simple recipe for a sausage salad. Ingredients: One Fire Roasted Red Pepper Chicken Sausage (I like the ones by Applegate Organics) Half a bag of mixed greens 10-15 grape or cherry tomatoes Light Balsamic Vinegar Preparation: Cut the sausage into 8 pieces, on a diagonal. The sausage should already be cooked, so just warm in the microwave or skillet. Place the mixed greens and tomatoes in a bowl. Top with sausage and drizzle with dressing. Enjoy! This delicious salad is also under 200 calories!

Banana topped w/Chopped Almonds and Cinnamon

Hello everyone, I though I'd share my recipe for my easy and nutritious breakfast!


Ingredients: One ripe banana, sliced One tablespoon of chopped almonds One teaspoon of good cinnamon Preparation: In a bowl mix the bananas and cinnamon. Place on a plate and top with almonds.

One more month left...

So my birthday is a month away and I'm working towards a certain weight goal. So far I've lost seven pounds and I have three more to go. Now, I know what you're thinking...that's only three pounds, you'll take it off in no time. This is not true because as you get closer to your goal weight, the harder it gets too lose the weight. For the most part, I've been eating right and exercising, but this is a slow progress and I have to remind myself to not get discouraged. Let's see if I can accomplish this goal in a month!