Friday, March 13, 2009

Happy Friday the 13th to all. We might as well make the best of it. Don't make it a forgone conclusion the Friday the 13th is a bad thing. Make it a good thing!

So, many of us love our bread (I DO!) and therefore we love our sandwiches. Even watching The Biggest Loser, you see them head to Subway or talk about it quite often. First, let me say that there are so many great breads out there made from 100% whole grains, no wheat if that is your thing, rice bread, quinoa bread nd more! You can find such wonderful breads with 80-120 calories per slice, 0.5-1.5 grams of fat per slice, 3-6 grams of fiber per slice and 3-6 grams of protein per slice. Do your research, read the labels and find some of these breads & make you own sandwich! Trader Joes has a great selection if you are near one. I have found some really tasty ones & I certainly find a way to add them to my food program or "diet". You do not have to eliminate bread!

Now, saying that, for those of you that "buy out", be careful of trigger words that make you think you are getting the healthier choice. You can pick a turkey sandwich but if it has 2 tablespoons of mayo, 3-5 slices of cheese and some added high fat dressing on it, well, you no longer have made the best choice. Every sandwich place should have a pamphlet with the nutritional breakdown of the food. Ask for it! You can also get this info online as well. Try Calorie King which is listed under my Favorite websites. You can also special order your sandwich without the high fat additions and ask for only 1 piece of cheese rather than 3-5 pieces.

Diet Detective had an article all about Sandwiches & Their Nutritional Breakdown. Check out some of these that you might have thought to be good choices:

- Subway 6" Southwest Turkey Bacon: 410 calories, 16g fat, 48g carbs
- Panera Bread Garden Veggie: 570 calories, 24g fat, 74g carbs
- Schlotzsky's Deli Turkey & Bacon Club (regular): 834 calories, 35g fat, 79g carbs
- Au Bon Pain Smoked Turkey Club: 760 calories, 34g fat, 62g carbs

Read more sandwich choices, more about bread choices and all about condiments at the link above!

I also want to share with a couple articles & a website that might assist you with cooking at home ... which as we should all know leads to a higher rate of success for dieters & those trying to reach their weight loss goals.

1. Safe Alternatives for Cookware: Check out the different types of pans to use & how to use them. I saw the GreenPans at Target for those that want to check them out.
2. Cast Iron Pans: This article discusses cast iron pans & information on a less expensive brand to buy.
3.Prepare Foods Safely with the Microwave: This website "provides a single location for learning how to prepare foods safely using a microwave oven. Additionally, using this site, you can locate the wattage of your microwave oven to help you accurately follow the microwave cooking instructions on food packages."
 
ENJOY!