Since I've recently become engaged, I've been happily buying many many bridal magazines. There's actually a new bridal magazine out on the market. It's Shape Brides (a special quarterly issue of Shape magazine). The magazine is basically Shape with bridal advertisements. There are also some slim down quickly types targeted specially for brides as well as "bridal advice" columns.
In the latest issue, it had some tips to cut calories so that you could slim down before the big day. I have no expectations that I will miraculously become a size 2 before my wedding day. I'm pretty sure my skeleton would not even be a size 2 - I'm just not built that way. But, that doesn't mean that I cannot try something new. Plus, I've been really stressed out so that leads me to wanting to eat a diet of pure M&Ms - not so healthy.
In the last couple of weeks, I've tried a few of the recipes from Shape Brides. The article's concept is to always eat protein, fiber, fat, and carbs in combination. You should never have one without the other three. This makes sense to me and it's advice I've read in other places. However, usually that advice is not accompanied by easy recipes of things I'd actually want to eat. Luckily, the recipes I've found so far are really good. I've listed a few of them below in case you are in the mood to try them. I did make some minor adjustments based on my personal tastes, but I kept the concept and calorie amount the same.
Yogurt Parfait
- 3/4 c plain Greek fat free yogurt
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp nuts (I used sliced almonds)
- 1/2 c Kashi Go Lean Crunch
- 3/4 c blueberries
Mix together yogurt, honey, and cinnamon. Top with nuts, kashi, and blueberries.
Chicken Salad (you can also use tuna in this recipe but it will probably make 2-3 sandwiches instead of 3-4)
- 1 can chicken breast packed in water
- 2 tbsp light mayo
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard (or more to taste)
- 1 cup shredded carrots (you can add more to increase bulk and stretch the recipe further)
- 1/4 c. chopped celery
- 2 Tbsp sliced almonds
- 2 Tbsp raisins
Mix all ingredients together. Makes 3-4 sandwiches worth of filling. Serve in a medium whole wheat pita or a whole wheat sandwich thin (the more fiber the better)
Snack Mix (under 200 calories)
- 4 cups 94% fat free popcorn
- 2 tbsp peanuts
- 1 tbsp chocolate chips
Yum.
Anyway, it's been good to mix up my breakfast and lunch options. I've been getting bored lately so it's nice to have something new and healthy to try.
There are many more recipes to try. I'll post the ones here that I think are worthwhile.
