We've all been there, at one point or another: trying to lose weight for whatever reason and finding ourselves a proverbial fish out of water. Its hard to get right, and when you do find things that are healthy, they almost always seem to end up being bland and lifeless. Well, why not share our knowledge of various ways to improve our healthy fooding so that its actually fairly good? I'll get things started...
1 ) Salsa. I really can't stress how wonderful salsa has been to me while trying to be healthy. A tablespoon or two of medium-heat Pace picante salsa turns a bowl of otherwise unremarkable, if not outright boring, vegetables into something you actually want to put in your gob. Boring beans? Mix in a little salsa, and suddenly, those beans are tasting mighty fine.
2 ) Spices. Simple spices. Black pepper and salt are the two most versatile additions to any food you can get. Other good additions (especially for canned black beans) include cumin (which smells and adds the taste of chili) as well as chili powder, and other staples like garlic powder, onion powder, and rosemary make fine seasonings for lots of things, depending on your tastes.
3 ) Mushrooms. This more depends on the person, since I know not everyone likes mushrooms, but adding a few slices of cooked button mushrooms to something not only adds flavour, but also fills the dish out, giving it just that little bit of oomph to help stave off the munchies.
4 ) Beans. Canned or cooked at home, doesn't really matter. They're a good source of...well, lots of things, especially fiber. A can of plain, black beans can serve as the base for a number of good dishes.
5 ) Chicken. This is one a lot of folks already know, but I might as well throw it out there. Chicken is low in fat (compared to pork and beef) and provides plenty of protein. Its also damned tasty and usually not too expensive. Ground or no, chicken has been my one constant companion for this journey, and it has yet to let me down.
6 ) Honey. Likely more expensive than sugar, honey is a good alternative sweetener, as it has (according to my research) around 25% fewer calories per gram than regular, plain sugar. Great for sweetening tea, likely good for coffee (haven't tried it, yet). Honey's also, if memory serves, got a fair supply of antioxidants and other goodies.
7 ) Multivitamins. I'm quite partial the the chewable gummy variety (don't judge!). Don't need any special supplements, so long as you eat right, but shoring up a few areas (especially B-vitamins) is a good way to make sure you have enough energy thru the day.
8 ) This one's gonna hurt. Black coffee. Plain, no cream, no sugar. When you start, unless you're used to it already, it will be painful. Coffee on its own is a difficult thing to drink. However, if you stick it out, you do get used to it, and sugar and cream add a lot of calories to your coffee. Without 'em, you still get the caffeine, but not the extra calories. In this realm, it really is a good idea to spend a little more on the good stuff (like Dunkin Donuts) than to buy in bulk. Cheap, bulk coffee is very bitter and quite nasty, and will make this process all the more difficult. Splurging a little on something like Dunkin Turbo is well worth it, trust me.
9 ) This is the last one for now. Olive oil. Another good friend of mine. This one is actually plot-critical. Your body needs at least some oil to function properly, just like a car. Olive oil isn't mega calorie-dense (I mean, its still got a fair supply, it is oil), and it adds a nice hint of flavour to things like chicken and vegetables that can make meals much more enjoyable.