A Yummy Desert...

Each month at my school we have a "Goody Day."  This month a teacher brought a desert I thought was worth posting.  It was a dessert cup using wonton wrappers.  I searched and found a similar recipe, Wonton Fruit Cups.  I did the calculations (for my Weight Watchers friends) and found, as is, the recipe per serving is 3 PointsPlus values.  I got to thinking...it could be skinnied up a bit.  Maybe use spray butter on the wontons. Use one instead of two wrappers. Instead of yogurt, use sugar-free non-dairy whipped topping to mix with fruit.  One of the comments suggested sprinkling the wrappers with cinnamon sugar after using the butter...this would add flavor, but may affect the PointsPlus value. They look fancy, but are very doable. I know they are delicious!

SWEET!

So who doesn't have a sweet tooth?  Just about everyone likes candy, cookies, or cake occasionally. "Not me," you say, "I only eat healthy foods." What about the "hidden sugar?"  I hadn't really thought about the unexpected (or unknown) sugar in some foods.  Pickles? Really?  After reading a recent news article, "Consumer Reports Exposes Hidden Sugar," I learned that some things, including spaghetti sauce, low-fat yogurt, and pickles, may have high sugar content. Too much sugar can lead to high triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood stream) and the risk of heart disease.  It was recommended that women not have over 6 teaspoons and men over 9 teaspoons of sugar per day.
     So where is this sugar hiding?  I  recognize the sugar when it's listed under labels like sucrose, glucose, and high fructose corn syrup. According to the article, added sugar my be listed under names like fruit juice concentrate, malt syrup, and evaporated cane juice.
     After realizing I didn't know so much about sugar, I checked out some other articles. Hidden Sugars-How to become a Nutrition Spy explains a little more about the effects of sugar. When you want something sweet, both articles recommend making the healthier choice of fruit over sugary snacks.
     After realizing how little I knew about sweeteners in general, I located an article about the different kinds of sugar and sweeteners.  The Skinny on Sugar and Sweeteners tells about the different varieties of sugar and other sweeteners, such as molasses, honey, and agave syrup.  It also gives tips on cooking with the sweeteners, including artificial ones. Wow, who knew...obviously not me!

(Click on the article title to read the entire article.)

Organization and Weight Loss

     I try to be an organized person...most of the time.  Sometimes I let things take over. My desk gets piled up, my laundry gets piled up, I eat at my counter because my table is cluttered.  I have noticed I can get more things accomplished and stay on my daily meal plan when I have "things" put away and in order.  I thought this may just be the OCD side of me, but apparently being organized has an effect on weight loss.
     In an article called "Control the Chaos," Peter Walsh discusses how getting a handle on clutter can lead to better living and more weight loss.  There were many points in the article that made me say, "Wow, I resemble that remark!" or "That makes a lot of sense."  Walsh points out that our choices have consequences...whether it's buying more to add to our physical clutter or choosing to put food in our body that adds to our weight problem. It's important to recognize our emotional clutter as well as our physical clutter.  The article gives suggestions on decluttering your mind and decluttering your kitchen.  I especially like the statement "Make mindful eating a way of life." To read the full article, click on the article title at the beginning of this paragraph.
   Since I've posted on the importance of getting sleep to help weight loss, I checked out an article called "Add An Hour To Your Day (Without Losing Any Sleep!)." It was nice to see that some of the things mentioned I already put in practice.  I have a "launch pad" by the door where I put what I have to take with me every morning. I actually get everything ready to go for the next day, including what I want to wear and a "To Do" list for that day.  I also keep my keys on the outside of my purse to save time searching inside my purse.  (The few times I've "lost" my keys at work I found them inside of my purse!) One of the tips in the article I need to work on is "Don't get sidetracked by your computer."  I need to realize that my mail, facebook, etc. doesn't need to be checked as frequently as I do.  I will really need to work on the suggestion to check email twice a day and respond once.  All in all, there are some helpful suggestions for families to have some extra time each day. To read the full article, click on the article title at the beginning of this paragraph.
     In closing this post, I want to give you another site you might want to check out.  It is Get Organized Now!  It has so much info, you might want to pace yourself.  It has tips and articles on time management, getting your home and office organized, organizing storage, kids, and much more. 
     So now you know...getting organized not only in your planning of meals and grocery lists, but also in your home and life, will help you on your weight loss journey! What are some of your tips for organizing or saving time?