Eat Without Guilt » eating

Black Bean and Corn Salad

Dinneen — Thu, 27 May 2010 10:25:20 +0000

As the weather is warming up, I LOVE making quick, easy, and healthy salads. And not just lettuce-based salads. When I lived in France, I saw there were so many types of salads out there that the word “salad” took on a completely different meaning. There were fruit salads, vegetable salads, tabouli, bean salads….the list goes on and on. And food took on a whole new meaning too. Especially during the Summertime when it was too hot to cook (AND there was no air-conditoning!) I saw the abundance of foods available — whole foods. My favorite pastime (besides eating and drinking some wine) was going to the outdoor markets. Walking around, the air was filled with so many amazing smells: I’d catch a whiff of the ripeness of a tomato, the sweetness of a freshly cut melon, the aroma of a strawberry picked just hours before, an organic chicken roasting… Read more

10 Simple Strategies to Eat and Shop Healthy (and Save!)

Dinneen — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 01:21:20 +0000

If you’re looking for ways to save a little while food shopping, but don’t want to sacrifice good nutrition, you just may be surprised how easy it is to do both. Eating healthier foods can actually save you money. When people eat more healthfully (especially if the family does it together), they not only reduce their waistlines but their grocery bills go down too. When people decide to eat healthier and lose a few pounds they usually do (and should): reduce portion sizes, buy fewer high-calorie foods, and purchase less ‘extras’, foods that add lots of calories but have little nutritional value like chips, sodas, or donuts. These changes add up to savings at the grocery store. Though convenience and high-calorie foods may seem cheaper, but as they have little or no nutritional value people tend to eat a lot of them. Their body is saying “hey, I’m not satisfied… Read more

Do You Know When to Stop Eating?

Dinneen — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 16:00:58 +0000

Here’s a question for you. When you eat – whether it be a meal or a snack – when do you stop? Is it: 1) When you’ve finished everything on your plate? 2) When the box or bag is empty? 3) When the TV show is over? 4) When you feel full? If you answered #4 – good for you! You probably have a healthy weight and are maintaining it. However, if you answered any of the first three, you may need to take a look at your eating style, or more precisely, your fullness factor. A key element in keeping your weight down is whether you use internal or external cues to signal that it’s time to put down your fork and step away from the table. Last year researchers at Cornell University studied people in the U.S. and France to better understand how they decide they’ve had enough… Read more

How to Indulge, Without the Bulge, Over the Holidays

Dinneen — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:16:29 +0000

As someone whose job it is to help people lose weight (and keep it off), you might be surprised to hear that, yes, I do indulge a bit during the holidays. Hot chocolate? Pass me a cup. Gingerbread? Mmm, mmm, serve me some. Christmas cookies? Absolutely! And I don’t gain weight. “Impossible,” you say. No, not at all. Now that doesn’t mean I forgo eating my veggies and other healthy foods during the holidays. It just means I relax a bit don’t try to be so vigilant by following a strict regimen. And you should do the same. My philosophy is that there’s no reason not to indulge a bit in something you (or your family) enjoy during the December holidays, provided you: 1) eat with pleasure 2) do it in moderation and 3) get some exercise. Okay, I know. Easier said than done, right? That’s… Read more