More Tops 10

Good information from TOPS News Magazine (April/May 2012)

Situations When Ordering a Salad Doesn't Count!

Salad can be the dieter's dream food - so low-cal, so healthy, so absolutely not true in many cases.

Do you recognize any of these salad scenarios?

1.  You drown the salad in high fat dressing.

2.  You eat the fries off you dinner date's plate.

3.  It has words like "explosion", "monster", or "annihilation" in the name.

4.  It comes with bottomless breadsticks.

5.  It's part of the three-course meal after the loaded potato skins and before the brownie volcano eruption.

6.  You wash it down with a jumbo margarita.

7.  It comes in a deep-fried bowl.  (Yes!  Portion size does matter)

8.  You go home and eat everything in sight later because the salad didn't satisfy you.

9.  You only ordered it because it had bacon on it.

10. You didn't really want a salad but thought you were "being good".

Food Friday (Have a Healthy St. Patrick's Day)

March 17^th (this coming Monday) is traditionally the day when everyone digs deep and finds their inner Irish.

Some cities offer St. Patrick’s Day parades, the Chicago River runs green for several hours and even the fountain in front of the White House flows green. 

Leprechauns guard their pots of gold and if you are lucky enough to catch one, he must grant you a wish.  Of course, shamrocks abound.

If a Leprechaun happens to see you on St. Patrick’s Day he WILL pinch.  So prepare yourself and wear something green – why you ask – legend has it that wearing green makes one virtually invisible to Leprechauns.  Good to know!

Of course, as with any other holiday or festivity it is also an excuse to eat and drink.  Green beer is on tap at pubs and bars, Irish stew, potato salad and soda bread is a common choice on menu selections.  Lucky Charms anyone?  There are a few things you can make to celebrate and still stay on a healthy eating plan. 

These are some pretty self-explanatory examples.  No recipe required!

VEGGIES

FRUIT

SNACK

And what about tomorrow?  March 15th?

Thursday's Random Thought ... Paparazzi

I hate having my picture taken!

Don’t even get me started on the fact that everyone has a cell phone camera now, so “photo ops” happen without a second’s notice … and selfies?  My arms are just not long enough to get a selfie that I would want anyone to see.

Some people are just naturally photogenic, but I am not one of them. 

Unfortunately, there are some situations where I cannot duck into another room to be “accidentally absent” or hide behind the group to camouflage my body.  I always think I look bovine in pictures.  Other times, such as at the TIFF red carpet event I was lucky enough to attend, when Colin Firth was standing right beside me … yup … I wanted my picture taken just for the bragging rights.  (And YES – he is that good looking in real life!)

So why am I even mentioning this in a “weight loss” blog?  Well, whether you have five pounds to lose or fifty-five, there is always an event sometime throughout the year where you know you are going to have to face the dreaded camera.  Despite your best planning and effort you may not have reached you goal weight yet or you fell just shy of where you wanted to be – weight wise – for the particular event.  You know that at weddings, anniversaries and birthday celebrations those flashbulbs are going to be popping like Lindsay Lohan got caught leaving a nightclub. 

Not to mention the fact that the camera automatically adds between 10 and 20 pounds. 

Aaaargh!

What can you do to look better (thinner) in photos?

The experts tell us the following:

1. Put your tongue on the roof of your mouth before the photo is taken.  This naturally pulls the chin upward, making you look slimmer.
2. Extend your face slightly forward to erase a double chin.
3. Stand slightly sideways from the camera, with your weight on your back foot.  This position shrinks the width of your body.
4. Position your arms slightly away from you upper body by holding your hand on your hip or putting it on you thigh.  This simple change make your arms look toned.
5. Pull your shoulders back and imagine a string pulling your head upward.  This tried and true model trick improves your posture, while creating a longer, leaner line.
6. Figure out your “good side”.  I know!  I know! But really, everyone has one and it is usually the left side.
7. Use the available light to your advantage.  When you are inside, always stand facing wherever the light is coming from.  It will erase everything from wrinkles to bags under your eyes.  Whether inside or outside, don’t stand in direct sunlight because it will cast shadows.
8. Play for the camera.  Standing there frozen with the deer in the headlights look is a recipe for disaster in pictures.  If it looks like you are having fun, then the picture will look better … and more natural! 
9. Sometimes, you just have to say NO to having your picture taken.  According to
   http://www.garancedore.fr/en/2013/04/23/7-ways-to-look-better-in-photos .  “Sometimes, conditions are perfect for a horrible photo.  You’ve just spent the whole night out, you’re exhausted, the light is horrible, you’re wearing the Big Lebowski clothes (it happens to everyone), you’re sweating, your hair looks like it just spent three days at Katz, oh, well, it’s just not your day.  Say no to the photo. Simple as that.  Okay, if you really cannot say no, do what the fashion editors do; put on the biggest pair of sunglasses you can find!”

                              

Hope some of that helps!