I love creamy, cheesy, stick to your ribs soups, but we all know how detrimental they can be to one's diet! Here is a recipe for creamy taco soup that is so delicious! It really hits the spot on cooler, drizzly fall days like today. The best part is it only sets you back 275 calories and 2 grams of fat per serving and its packed with lean muscle building protein! I make a big pot of this soup and take it for lunch the remainder of the week to help keep me on track. This can also be frozen (I use old ice cream tubs with handles) and heated up for a quick dinner!
3/4 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
1 can of lower sodium white beans (15oz can), drained and rinsed
1 can of black beans (14oz can), drained and rinsed
1 can diced green chiles (4oz can)
1 can diced tomatoes (15oz can)
1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
1 cup frozen corn
1 1/2 pounds pre-cooked chicken breasts, shredded
2 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp fresh oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp dried cilantro
2 tsp Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime seasoning
Add all ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours, or on low for 4-6 hours.
Serves 7
The first time I made the for dinner, my fiance ate three bowls! He begged me to pack some for his lunch the next day and has been begging me to make it again ever since!
Right now I'm pretty much looking for any way to cut calories so I can fit into this dress for my anniversary date. The following is a list of easy ways to cut calories without noticing.
1. Instead of buying yogurt parfaits (which I tend to do a lot), make your own at home. The parfaits you buy at a particular fast food chain we all know use yogurt that is loaded with fat and sugar. In addition, the fruit is of the frozen variety that tends to contain added sugar and the granola, although delicious, is terrible for you. If you make your own at home, you can use low-fat or even fat-free Greek yogurt (this adds protein and makes you feel full longer) and real fruit. Don't think you have to avoid frozen fruit! Frozen fruit is a great way to stock up on the fruit you love even if its out of season, and frozen fruit stays fresh longer, obviously. Just be sure to select the bag of frozen fruit that says "no sugar added".
To make your own fruit and yogurt parfait, 1 cup of fat-free Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup of strawberries or blueberries, and 1/4 cup of Kashi Go Lean Cereal for a great breakfast or snack that is only going to set you back about 151 calories. If you're not into the Kashi cereals, try chopping up a handful of almonds in the blender. This adds a great nutty flavor!
2. Split meals with friends or a significant other- I love going out to eat and trying new foods, but for diet purposes this isn't always ideal. To solve this problem, I split an entree with whoever I am with and order either a salad, or a side of steamed vegetables.
3. When ordering eggs, ask for them to be cooked dry- This basically means hold the butter. I used to work for Jack in the Box. When you order eggs from JIB, they get cooked on the grill in this super greasy "butter flavored vegetable shortening"...no joke! They will make them without the butter upon request. The grilled chicken strips are also grilled in this fake and fattening mess so if you love grilled chicken strips from Jack in the Box, be sure to have them hold the "butter" on those as well.
4. Use three ounces of sliced chicken breast in your morning omelet instead of sausage or bacon (which both contain an enormous amount of sodium). I love making what I like to call a fajita omelet. I fill my omelet with chicken breast, chopped green and red bell pepper, and a sprinkle of low-fat shredded cheddar cheese. I season the eggs with black pepper, cumin, and a little bit of cayenne pepper and top my omelet with chunky salsa! Its so yummy, packed with veggies and protein, and keeps me full until I get home in the afternoon.
5. Start ordering your usual coffee chain beverage with non-fat milk, Splenda, and no whipped cream.
6. Order Canadian bacon in place of the sausage on your next breakfast sandwich.
7. Slice your bagel into thirds length-wise, and save the middle part for later. This gives you the allusion that you're eating an entire bagel while saving yourself about 120 calories.
8. Eat half a grapefruit for a snack. Its high water content keeps you full and prevents you from overeating during your next meal. I personally do not care for grapefruit, but GOOD NEWS...watermelon has the same effect.
9. Replace your bag of peanut M&M's for a mixture of 1 tablespoon of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon of unsalted peanuts.
10. Dip carrots, bell pepper strips, or cucumber slices in your guacamole instead of tortilla chips. This also works great with hummus!
11. Make you snack a small meal- try two mini babybel light cheese wedges, 2 large whole grain crackers, and fresh fruit.
12. Have a tablespoon of Nutella on a small apple instead of a Snickers bar.
13. Use a teaspoon of dry roasted sunflower seeds in your salad instead of croutons.
14. Choose a 6" turkey sub instead of the tuna next time you visit Subway.
15. Spread a wedge of Laughing Cow light cheese on your sandwich instead of using a slice of cheese.
16. Order the broccoli cheese soup instead of the baked potato soup at Chili's.
17. Order FRESO at Taco Bell.
18. Choose a small cheeseburger instead of the veggie burger at Burger King.
19. Order sauces on the side at the Chinese restaurant and stick to stir-fried entrees, like beef and broccoli, instead of deep fried dishes, like orange chicken.
20. Ask for grilled instead of fried.
21. Order the roasted garlic cream sauce instead of the Alfredo sauce at Macaroni Grill.
22. At seafood restaurants, order extra lemon with your crab or lobster instead of butter.
23. Use zucchini or spaghetti squash instead of spaghetti noodles. This is surprisingly delicious!
24. To prevent late night binges, divide your normal nightly meal in half. Consume the first half at dinner time, and save the second half for when you would normally eat your snack.
25. Re-portion the foods you are eating. Fruits and veggies should take up half of your plate, carbs (such as potatoes or pasta) should take up a quarter of your plate, and protein should take up the last quarter.
26. Instead of sauteing veggies in olive oil, saute them in fat-free chicken broth and drizzle them with olive oil after they're cooked.
27. Make cauliflower and cheese instead of mac n' cheese.
28. Replace your pizza crust with a cauliflower pizza crust (I don't even like cauliflower but I love this pizza crust). See the recipe posted previously. Choose toppings like low-fat cheese, tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, onion, etc.
29. Replace the sour cream on your baked potato for non-fat plain Greek yogurt. It tastes the same and you will be adding more protein while cutting calories and fat.
30. Thicken soups with a cup of pureed white beans instead of cream.
In sticking with the theme of losing weight quickly over the next month, I want to share this article I found in Prevention. The article focuses on small changes you can make to shred big pounds without really changing your exercise routine. Between a full-time school schedule and my work schedule, I can hardly find time to work out as it is!
1. Start journaling if you have not done so already- Its super easy to lose track of what you've consumed over the course of 24 hours. Studies show that those who journal everything they put in their mouths are more likely to stay too to recommended portions. Personally, I'm so bad at portion control!
2. Workout on Commercial breaks- This is so much fun! Check out my post on commercial break workouts! During a typical two hour TV night this could equal up to 270 calories which can add up to 28 pounds in a year!
3. Limit consumption to high-fat foods to once a week- Top 5 that we usually consume are cookies, candy, ice cream, potato chips, and fries. If you typically consume these on a daily basis, try downshifting a day each week until you no longer crave these foods.
4. Subscribe to a healthy newsletter- I get Prevention (how I found this article). WebMD and SparksPeople also have great weight loss newsletters that give you everything from fitness tips and workout equipment reviews to recipes and daily logging reminders.
5. Walk 5 minutes more every day- I started parking farther away at school so I get more walking in. I already walked roughly a half mile from where I park to where my classes are held, but now I park almost a whole mile away. I also never take the elevator. Do this and you could lose an additional 12 pounds each year!
6. Strength train in mini bursts- Exercises like squats and push ups are a simple way to rev up your metabolism.
7. Climb 3 extra flights of stairs per day- This is super easy when you go to SIUE. It also helps that my room is in the basement, and my boyfriend's apartment is on the third floor of his building!
8. Take a pedometer with you everywhere you go- Research shows those who use a pedometer walk an average of 2,500 more steps per day. That's over one mile and about 100 calories! Over the course of a year, this could easily add up to 10 pounds!
9. Brown bag it at least once per week- Trade in your fast food lunch for a homemade option at least once each week. When you make your own food, you are not only in control of what goes into your lunch and your portion, but you also tend to consume less sugar, sodium, and fat. Not to mention a lunch from home typically costs a lot less than any fast food option and I'm all about saving money!
10. Follow the 1 mile rule- if your errand is 1 mile away or less, walk instead of drive.
11. Take 10 minutes to enjoy your treat- Cut down on cravings by taking the time to savor your treat! Drink your frappuccino slower, enjoy that cupcake or cookie bite-for-bite, etc. Move it around your mouth slowly while focusing on the flavors and textures. After swallowing, ask yourself if you want another bite or it you're satisfied. Aim to chew each bite at least 20 times.
12. Eat fruit, don't drink it- AKA skip the fruit juice and eat the fruit instead! This is a great way to not only cut back on calories, but sugar as well. Not to mention you'll be getting more fiber! You consume an average of 48% more calories by drinking fruit juice than simply consuming fruit.
13. Enlist a friend for moral support- This works best if your friend is trying to lose as well.
14. Drink your coffee the old school way- If you're like me an can't handle black, add a splash of skim milk and a tiny bit of sweetener (I usually use Truvia). Stay away from the calorie loaded whole milk drown chain coffee drinks.
15. Make sure you get enough sleep- I'm so bad at this being a working college student! I have noticed, however, that when I do get at least 8 hours of sleep per night I am more likely to work out that day for obvious reasons. My blood pressure also seems to be lower when I feel rested.
We have all had those high school reunions, beach vacations, and best friend's wedding situations that prompt us to want to lose excess weight FAST! Well, my boyfriend and I will be celebrating our first anniversary one month from today, and he has made plans for us to go out for a nice evening together. He requested that I wear my best dress and is even treating me to a manicure! I found this amazing dress in my closet that I purchased back when I worked for a high-end department store (found a $400 for $11!!!). The dress is a beautiful champagne colored, knee-length, cross back dress with beading on the bust. Here's the problem...its a size 9. If you have looked at my pictures from the beginning of my blog, I am not a size 9! I have my heart set on wearing this gorgeous dress because I've never gotten to wear it anywhere and it truly is the prettiest dress I own! So these next couple posts are going to focus on different ways to loose weight quickly (while staying healthy at the same time) and hopefully, the next picture I post on my blog will be a picture of me wearing that dress!
If anyone has any ideas or tips for losing weight quickly, please comment on this post and tell us about them! I would love some new ideas and I'm very interested in what has worked for you!
Hey guys,
Sorry I haven't posted anything new in a while. Things have been crazy stressful at school the past couple weeks! However, I'm back and I have some great things I want to share with you guys!
