Berries are a sweet low-calorie treat.
Eating well is an important part of feeling great. Watch your calorie intake to control weight gain and activate weight loss. A well-rounded diet can include low-calorie snacks and meals to boost your metabolism. And with a little planning, eating healthy can also mean eating delicious foods.
Breakfast
Breakfast is most certainly the most important meal of the day. Skipping it means putting your body into starvation mode, which triggers it to store fat like crazy when you do finally eat. Eat a breakfast high in protein for maximum energy. These ideas are about 300 calories each, but remember to do the math for yourself based on the ingredients you choose.
A granola berry parfait is an easy breakfast treat to throw together. Choose your favorite granola mix or crumbled bar, and mix with low-fat yogurt and mixed frozen berries (thawed).
For a protein-packed breakfast, enjoy an egg sandwich. Cook one scrambled egg in a pan sprayed with cooking spray. Put egg and one slice of warmed Canadian bacon on one toasted whole-grain English muffin. Enjoy with a piece of fresh fruit.
Lunch
These lunch ideas weigh in at about 400 calories each. Treat yourself to a delightful midday break with a scrumptious lunch.
Dieting doesn't mean giving up your favorite foods; just modify them. A low-calorie BLT needs two slices of toasted whole-grain bread, four slices of cooked turkey bacon, two tomato slices, two leaves of romaine lettuce and one tablespoon light mayo. Enjoy with a piece of fresh fruit.
Eat a premium grilled cheese sandwich with some tasty extras. Start with two slices of whole-grain bread, one slice cheddar cheese, two ounces of sliced turkey and one tomato slice. Assemble sandwich and grill in a pan using cooking spray in place of butter. Serve with a half cup of veggies and low-fat ranch dressing.
Dinner
Get adventurous with your dinnertime. Each of these low-calorie dinner ideas is only about 500 calories.
Enjoy a quesadilla with delicious fresh veggies. Saute one cup of finely chopped zucchini and a half-cup of canned black beans (drained and rinsed) in two teaspoons olive oil. Season with one teaspoon cumin. Spray one side of a whole-wheat tortilla with cooking spray and top with veggie mixture and an eighth-cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Press second tortilla on top. Brown quesadilla in pan until cheese is melted.
This low-calorie pizza will satisfy your cravings. Top one slice of whole-wheat pita with one-fourth cup of spaghetti sauce, a half-cup of baby spinach, eight slices of turkey pepperoni and one-third cup of low-fat mozzarella cheese. Broil in the oven for three to five minutes.
Snacks
Snacking is important to keep your metabolism kicking all day long. A handful of whole almonds gives you a protein boost to energize your body. Feed your sweet tooth with one small box of raisins or a bag full of sliced fruit (apples, oranges, grapes etc.). Cheese lovers can snack on a wedge of babybel light cheese (each wedge is only 50 calories). Or crunch on some fat-free microwave popcorn to feed salt cravings.
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