Pick the waist-trimming ice cream sandwich

Who says dieters have to give up chocolate cookies and ice cream — or even ice cream sandwiched between two chocolate cookies? In these dog days of summer, you don't need to break you diet in order to have a refreshing dessert. Time for another showdown:

SKINNY COW LOW FAT ICE CREAM SANDWICH
VS. SOY DREAM LIL' DREAMERS ICE CREAM SANDWICH
The Skinny Cow makes low-fat versions of your favorite ice cream treats, including several flavors of sandwiches. Soy Dream, which makes all sorts of frozen desserts, is dairy-free and contains the goodness of soy protein. But which of these frozen treats will satisfy your sweet tooth for fewer calories? WINNER: Soy Dream wins the calorie battle. Each sandwich contains a low 100 calories and only 4 grams of fat — and even an ice cream connoisseur probably couldn't tell the difference between this soy version and those made with milk. Skinny Cow's sandwich is only slightly higher in calories (140), but it also contains less fat (1.5 grams), and a surprising find: 3 grams of fiber. Whether you're watching your calories or want to consume less fat while boosting your fiber intake, the choice is yours. Both of these make healthy choices for different reasons.

Source: SparkPeople

Simple switches

There is something I learned over the years and I have always tried to incorporate into my life. It's that the simplest switches can make the world of difference. This thought came into my mind today after realizing that in order to loose weight, I am not only going to need to exercise more, but I need to also make some changes in my diet (for those of you who didn't know, I am also Look Girl in the Kitchen and I love to cook and eat!). One of the biggest challenges to eating healthier is finding substitutions for existing foods in your diet. Here are some tips to make the transition easier, and some that I am going to try to stick to:

• Use mustard instead of mayo on your sandwiches. You’ll get lots of flavor with much fewer calories and fat. Try a dijon or deli style for even more punch.
  
  
• Select whole wheat bread over white bread. But be sure to read the label to ensure you’re getting whole grains, not just colored white bread.
  
  
• Eat the white meat of turkey or chicken, which is lower in fat than dark meat, red meat and pork. Animal fat is the number one dietary source of unhealthy saturated fat.
  
  
• Start using lean ground beef or turkey breast, pork tenderloin or fish instead of high-fat cuts of meat.
  
  
• Change your cooking methods. Bake, grill or broil your meals instead of frying. Use non-stick sprays—or better yet, non-stick pans—instead of oil.
  
  

• Don't drink your calories. Eat a whole orange instead of drinking a glass of juice, for example. Real food is usually more filling and more nutritious than juices, fruit drinks, and other high-calorie beverages.
  
  
• Serve sauces and dressings on the side. Dip your fork into the sauce, then dip your fork into the food. You’ll still have the flavor but with fewer calories.
  
  
• Order vegetables on the side instead of fries. Flavor them with lemon juice or herbs instead of butter.
  
  
• Snack on fruit and nuts instead of sugary treats. The fiber, protein and healthy fats in this combo will sustain you to your next meal and you won’t have the energy slump that comes after eating candy.
  
  
• Reduce your portion size. Most people will eat whatever amount of food is in front of them, so start putting your meals on smaller plates. You will be just as satisfied because your mind "sees" that you’re eating a full plate of food.

"Fruit"-filled snacking

Another food showdown for you, which is especially good right now when I've been talking about snacking! So, which "fruit" snack food is healthier?


BANANA CHIPS VS. CHOCOLATE-COVERED RAISINS
People will add all kinds of things to fruits and veggies to disguise their natural flavors and make them more appealing. Banana chips look healthy and aren't super sweet — basically dried fruit, right? What about chocolate-covered raisins? Raisins are nutritious and chocolate can be healthy in moderation, but how are they together? THE LOW-FAT WINNER: Believe it or not, chocolate-covered raisins are the lesser evil here. Despite the sugar and the chocolate coating, 1.5 ounces of these sweeties contain just over 6 grams of fat and 3.75 grams of saturated fat — that's still 18 percent of you daily value though. For 150 calories, this can be a reasonable treat that won't ruin your diet. But banana chips are much, much worse. Cooked in high-fat oil and loaded with sugar, a small 1.5-ounce serving of these crunchy fruits contains 14.5 grams of fat, over 12 grams of saturated fat (62 percent of your daily value), and 220 calories. Don't fool yourself when it comes to yogurt-covered raisins though. Although yogurt may sound healthier than chocolate, these still pack more fat (8.5 grams) and calories (200) than the chocolate version.

Remain nuts!

SparkPeople, which I mentioned here, e-mails me daily with smart vs. not-so-smart food choices. The one I got today was a great eye opener as I cook with both — almonds vs. walnuts — and much of the time it is easy to swap one out for the other in recipes (if you're trying to be a little more health conscience, that is).

ALMONDS VS. WALNUTS
Nuts have gotten a bad rap as a high calorie, indulgent food that we should decline whenever tempted. True, nuts get more than half of their calories from fat. But the fat in nuts is healthy for you, your heart, and your waistline. But how do different types of nuts compare to each other? Almonds are a healthy source of calcium, and make a great snack alone or in your favorite salad. Walnuts are an excellent source of magnesium and vitamin B6. If you want to get the health benefits of nuts without adding excessive calories to your diet, which of these two should you choose? THE LOW-FAT WINNER: Almonds contain about 182 calories and 19 grams of fat per 1/3-cup, making them a good option when trying to add nuts to your diet. At 261 calories and 26 grams of fat, the same serving of walnuts is a little harder to handle. Of course, moderation is important. About 1 to 1-1/2 ounces of nuts are recommended per day to fall into the healthy category. This is approximately one handful. If you eat much beyond that, you're eating a lot of calories!