Go on VACATION and STAY fit!

Does the thought of taking a vacation remind you of snacks, soft drinks, alcohol, food and losing control of your weight? Do you predispose yourself to gain the weight you lost this last period?

Don’t freak out! This time I'll give some tips for you to go on vacation without guilt when eating and enjoying the most without gaining weight:

• Try to prepare healthy snacks with fruits, vegetables and healthy dressings.
• If you want to avoid small eating all day, choose the snacks that you like, put them on a plate and eat only that amount.
• Always choose snacks that contain vegetables and have a fat-free dressing.
• Choose fat-free dressings such as vinegar, chili powder, lemon, soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce.
• If you know you're going out for dinner at a restaurant, try to have a very light lunch.
• Do not skip meals, try to eat at least 3 times a day, even a little.
• If you like alcohol, choose low calorie beverages such as wine and beer. Drinks with more degrees of alcohol like vodka, tequila and rum have much more calories.
• If you drink beverages containing soda, use those that don’t contain sugar.
• Whenever you can, drink natural water and add sliced fruit like watermelon, strawberry, kiwi, lemon, tangerine or orange to give it a little taste. You can add some Stevia to achieve the sweetness you want.
• Try taking a walk a day, at least 30 minutes and preferably after eating.
• Choose to be active this holiday, climb stairs, play with your children, do group sports, and go for a walk with your family.
• Relax and sleep.

Remember that holidays are to recover and take new energy.  If you go up a few extra pounds, that is no reason not to enjoy your family.  You will eventually come back home and start your healthy routines.

"There is only one life, sizes are many" M. Godoy

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Choosing the best options in a restaurant

You are facing the menu. Over 20 delicious dishes call your attention. You have every intention to eat healthy and not gain weight but ...WHAT TO CHOOSE ?!

 What would be the best dish? Vegetarian? Beef? chicken? Will I end up choosing the same boring salad AGAIN?!

Choosing at a restaurant can be torture and enjoying food without guilt, a challenge ... this time I share with you the tips that I use to choose healthy food in order to eat delicious and guilt-free:

• Avoid eating from the bread basket or snacks at the center of the table.
• If portions are very large, check the children's menu, sometimes the same dishes are offered in smaller portions.
• Entrées are not the best choice, I recommend you choose the ones that include vegetables and have no cheese or added fats.
• Soups can be good allies, helping you to feel satiated faster.  Choose those that include broth with vegetables, avoid cream soups or soups with cheese.
• Salads are not always the best option as we risk not feeling full and end up eating more.  If you're going to choose a salad as your main course, choose those that have some protein (cheese, meat or egg). Ask to have the dressing on the side and choose a low-fat dressing.
• Try to choose a main dish that has a lot of vegetables, avoid deep fried, breaded and gratin.  If you include some bread or tortillas, they will make you feel full faster.
• Always choose natural water. You can add a few slices of lemon, orange, watermelon or cucumber to add flavor.  If you like sodas, choose those that are low in sugar.  In the case of alcohol, remember that the less alcohol %, the less calories.
  
• If you intend to order dessert ALWAYS share and choose those that include fruit.
• Try to eat at least in 30-45 minutes. The more time you take, the easier you will feel full.

¡See you next week!

To all this... what is STEVIA?

.... Sweeter than sugar ... Can lower blood pressure ... Lowers blood sugar ... Is it natural? ... The sugar of the future? .... 

What is Stevia and why is it so famous?

Stevia is a plant native to South America and like sugar cane, it has the wonderful quality of sweetening what it touches.  Used in Paraguay for centuries as a sweetener by the Guarani natives, in 1900 it was discovered that this little plant was able to sweeten 200 times more than sugar.  

The plant was named Stevia Rebaudiana, able to sweeten more than sugar but without calories or increasing blood sugar and without sugar’s side effects.  Within the Stevia leaf we can find several substances: stevioside and rebaudioside, that are responsible for its sweetness.  

Some studies have shown that steviosides have the ability to lower blood pressure, blood sugar levels and even help reduce tooth decay.  The rebaudioside moreover, proved not to have any effect beyond the sweetness, and thus was considered safe for consumption by any person.  

Thanks to these qualities, Stevia has become a good natural alternative to sugar and synthetic sweeteners on the market.  Whether you suffer from diabetes, are on a low -carb diet or just like to take care of your health, Stevia is the first natural and healthy alternative to eating sweet.

Stevia is heat resistant, so it can be used for cooking, baking and can be mixed with any food without altering its taste.  Since it is much sweeter than sugar, it takes very small amounts to achieve the sweetness you like.

APPROVED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION

After reviewing more than 300 studies evaluating the safety of Stevia, in 2006 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that there is no evidence that Stevia poses a health risk.  Later, in December 2008, it was authorized in America, and finally in November 2011 in the European community.

If you're interested in trying this new alternative, you can start by buying the sweetener which is a white powder that looks like sugar.  Use it to prepare fruit smoothies, fruit salads and experiment until you find the flavor you like. You can also include it in your baking recipes by replacing half the sugar with Stevia ... there are jams, juices , teas and jellies on the market that can help you gradually decrease sugar and include Stevia without sacrificing the taste of your food.