Jan
22
Not So Sinful Snacks
Filed Under Mindful Food, Mindful Living | 2 Comments
We all love to snack. Some choices are worse than others, when you’re watching your waistline like a hawk it’s good to have a few tasty snacks that are worry-free. I have personally selected each of the following items from years of personal testing, so I know you’ll enjoy each of these tasty delights!
For the Salty Snacker
Light Popcorn. I could eat light popcorn all day long. Popcorn has fiber in it, and when popped, not very much fat at all. There are the full fat varieties, then light varieties, and then 94% fat free varieties. If you still want flavor and expect to stick to healthy snacking, don’t go all the way to 94% fat free on your butter flavored popcorn. I do have to say, Jolly Time makes a 94% fat free Kettle Corn that is to die for. I’d knock someone down for a bag of that.
Pirate’s Booty Potato Flyers from Robert’s American Gourmet these fantastic little snacks satisfy your deepest potato chip cravings with only 120 calories, 3 grams of fat and 2 grams of fiber per serving. Check out all of their snack foods at their website.
Pretzel Sticks. I know these are boring, but I feel obligated to these little guys. They’ve done so much for dieters throughout history.
For the Indecisive Snacker
Mix all of the above, add some savory seasonings (garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and maybe some cumin) and go to town.
For the Sweet Snacker
Frozen Grapes! Red ones…. mmmmm. Wash them and store in a Tupperware container in the freezer.
NO Pudge! Fat free Original Fudge Brownie Mix. These are really awesome! But eat straight from the single serving container; I just used a small Tupperware thing. I suggest using some cooking spray to save on cleanup time.
Dannon’s Light and Fit Yogurt. No added sugar and fat free. It’s made with Splenda, which the FDA says won’t kill you. I don’t care, I just want to drop a few pounds and real sugar is pretty harmful too. Plus, if you get the 12 serving variety pack, you’ve got all the vanilla yogurt you need for the brownies!
Tootsie Rolls. Another “must include” an historical favorite, guaranteed to stave off chocolate cravings for up to two weeks before something must be done about it.
Jan
21
There are more skin care products on the market these days than there are cows in the Midwest it seems like. How many of you have convinced yourself you need this or that, use it for two weeks and then it sits on your shelf? Yeah, me too. Usually later I have the audacity to wonder why I spent so much money on something that doesn’t work.
Here’s the deal. Getting results form your skin care system takes a routine. Developing a routine takes effort, but having a routine does not. If you stick with it long enough to create a habit, then you will have made your skin care routine effortless.
You need two cleansers: one for the shower and one for the sink. I recommend St. Ives Apricot Scrub for the shower and any cream cleanser for the sink. I have long since reconciled with myself that I am so lazy I cannot bring myself to take the cleanser out of the shower to wash my face at night, so if I really want to do this, I just need two face washes. Besides, it’s hard to take off eye make-up with a scrub.
Eye Makeup Remover: Try Avon’s Moisture Effective Eye Makeup Remover Lotion and take off your eye makeup after you wash your face at night. It’s easier to do it after some of it has washed off. Easier, of course, is more sustainable.
Now it’s Lotion Time! Use a night crème and an eye serum. I like Avon’s Retroactive Youth Extending Crème. And, it got an award in the Allure Magazine Best of Beauty issue, October 07.
The next morning in the shower, use the scrub. After the shower, apply the daytime moisturizer (make sure it has an SPF) and more eye serum. Wait a few minutes before applying makeup. I just do my hair first.
Get your vitamins A and E. They’re great for the skin. Or take a multivitamin.
Drink Water. Got to stay hydrated.
Basically, whatever you do has to work for you and your schedule. Ask yourself what your excuses are and find a solution. I need two cleansers. Maybe you need to wash your face after dinner because you are too tired to do it right before bed. Maybe you need an astringent for times when you are just feeling too lazy. Maybe you need to put a towel on the edge of the bathroom counter because you hate all the water that splashes. Finding solutions for those excuses means healthier and better looking skin.