Food Substitutions

By Stephanie of Infinite Life Fitness

Everyone has that one favorite recipe that their mom or grandma created. Naturally that recipe is jam packed with some unhealthy things but it is your favorite dish and you cannot resist making that dish to help ease those homesick feelings.

Today…you are in luck!

I am going to share some ideas to help make some of your unhealthy recipes a little bit healthier. The reality is that everyone has their favorite dish that they like to make. But if you are able to make it a little bit healthier than it is ok for you to incorporate it into your weekly meal menu. Using healthy substitutes will allow you to greatly cut out the extra fat, sugar, sodium, and overall calorie count of your favorite meals. The trick is to make it a few times so you can figure out all the things you can substitute and still have the meal taste just as good!

Thanks to the Mayo Clinic, they have provided an easy to read chart for you to use (and also easy to copy and paste into a word document so you can print it off and post it in your kitchen!) {WEBSITE: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-recipes/NU00585}

Your guide to ingredient substitutions for healthy recipes
If your recipe calls for this ingredient:	Try substituting this ingredient:
Bacon	Canadian bacon, turkey bacon, smoked turkey or lean prosciutto (Italian ham)
Bread, white	Whole-grain bread
Bread crumbs, dry	Rolled oats or crushed bran cereal
Butter, margarine, shortening or oil in baked goods	Applesauce or prune puree for half of the called-for butter, shortening or oil; butter spreads or shortenings specially formulated for baking that don't have trans fats Note: To avoid dense, soggy or flat baked goods, don't substitute oil for butter or shortening. Also don't substitute diet, whipped or tub-style margarine for regular margarine.
Butter, margarine, shortening or oil to prevent sticking	Cooking spray or nonstick pans
Cream	Fat-free half-and-half, evaporated skim milk
Cream cheese, full fat	Fat-free or low-fat cream cheese, Neufchatel, or low-fat cottage cheese pureed until smooth
Eggs	Two egg whites or 1/4 cup egg substitute for each whole egg
Flour, all-purpose (plain)	Whole-wheat flour for half of the called-for all-purpose flour in baked goods Note: Whole-wheat pastry flour is less dense and works well in softer products like cakes and muffins.
Fruit canned in heavy syrup	Fruit canned in its own juices or in water, or fresh fruit
Ground beef	Extra-lean or lean ground beef, chicken or turkey breast (make sure no poultry skin has been added to the product)
Lettuce, iceberg	Arugula, chicory, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach or watercress
Mayonnaise	Reduced-calorie mayonnaise-type salad dressing or reduced-calorie, reduced-fat mayonnaise
Meat as the main ingredient	Three times as many vegetables as the meat on pizzas or in casseroles, soups and stews
Milk, evaporated	Evaporated skim milk
Milk, whole	Reduced-fat or fat-free milk
Oil-based marinades	Wine, balsamic vinegar, fruit juice or fat-free broth
Pasta, enriched (white)	Whole-wheat pasta
Rice, white	Brown rice, wild rice, bulgur or pearl barley
Salad dressing	Fat-free or reduced-calorie dressing or flavored vinegars
Seasoning salt, such as garlic salt, celery salt or onion salt	Herb-only seasonings, such as garlic powder, celery seed or onion flakes, or use finely chopped herbs or garlic, celery or onions
Soups, creamed	Fat-free milk-based soups, mashed potato flakes, or pureed carrots, potatoes or tofu for thickening agents
Soups, sauces, dressings, crackers, or canned meat, fish or vegetables	Low-sodium or reduced-sodium versions
Sour cream, full fat	Fat-free or low-fat sour cream, plain fat-free or low-fat yogurt
Soy sauce	Sweet-and-sour sauce, hot mustard sauce or low-sodium soy sauce
Sugar	In most baked goods you can reduce the amount of sugar by one-half; intensify sweetness by adding vanilla, nutmeg or cinnamon
Syrup	Pureed fruit, such as applesauce, or low-calorie, sugar-free syrup
Table salt	Herbs, spices, citrus juices (lemon, lime, orange), rice vinegar, salt-free seasoning mixes or herb blends
Yogurt, fruit-flavored	Plain yogurt with fresh fruit slices

Here are some other options that were not listed above:

USE: Mini Chocolate Chips
DO NOT use: Chocolate Chip Chunks!
{Image Source}

Having the little chocolate chips means that you will still get the sweet chocolate taste with every bite, BUT with not as much chocolate in the overall dish. This will help cut out calories and you can also try to use fine dark chocolate as a substitute to help cut back the calorie count as well.

USE: Reduced-Fat Cheese
DO NOT use: Regular cheese
{Image Source}

Also make sure the cheese is low in sodium as well! This will help you cut calorie and cholesterol that is in the original recipe.

Be sure to look at your recipes before you get in the kitchen and you are ready to cook! The worst feeling is to have all but ONE ingredient that you need to cook a meal. Like stated before, substituting some of the above items with your favorite recipe will allow you to enjoy it but with less calories and it will make it a healthier option for you as well.

This is Stephanie from Infinite Life Fitness; please feel free to stop by my site for more health and fitness tips!

3in6: Starting Month #6!

For the challenge guidelines, see this post.

The 3in6 Challenge is in its last month! Wow, this challenge went by so fast.  Last month, I wore small twists for two weeks at a time.  I also kept up with my internal regimen.  This month I'll rock small twists again for two weeks at time.  I feel like my hair has retained some decent length, but I haven't measured it yet.  That'll be at the end of the challenge.

How will you style your hair this final month?  What have you gained from the challenge so far?

You can now find HHB on Facebook. Share with your friends:

http://www.facebook.com/healthyhairandbody.

Twist Series: How to Keep Your Twists Stretched

Disclaimer: For some ladies, doing this method nightly may result in over manipulation of the hair and possible breakage.  Know your hair and what it can handle.  This method may work just fine for some but not for others.  Enjoy!

You can now find HHB on Facebook. Share with your friends:

http://www.facebook.com/healthyhairandbody.

Mixology || Natural Hair Grease

Do you want a hair grease without the mineral oil? Well below is a recipe for a homemade hair grease with natural ingredients.  (This recipe is from Lolazabeth.com.)

Ingredients:

2oz lanolin oil

1 oz raw, unrefined shea butter

1/4 oz extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp apple pie spice (optional)

Instructions:

Heat and melt the shea butter using a double boiler, or improvised double boiler method.  Stir in remaining ingredients, pour into container and allow to cool.  Add fragrance when mixture is reasonable cool and begins to thicken and solidify (optional).

FOR MORE RECIPES:  Lolazabeth Hair Care Recipes

You can now find HHB on Facebook. Share with your friends:

http://www.facebook.com/healthyhairandbody.

Fitness + Health

By Stephanie of Infinite Life Fitness

When it comes to achieving your health and fitness goals, working out is only HALF of the battle. The most important thing that you HAVE to change is your diet.

For instance…I had a friend who came to me for health and fitness advice. She was gaining weight BUT she was working out 4 to 5 days a week. For a whole week I told her to write down what she did for exercise and to keep a food log of everything that she ate during that week. I took a look at her workout routine and it was a high intensity workout routine which included lifting weights 3 days a week. I then took a look at her diet and that is when I knew what the problem was. She would have these amazing workouts but then go enjoy Philly cheese steak sandwiches and meat lover’s pizzas before and after her workouts.

You cannot expect to see positive health and fitness results if you continue to eat junk food, greasy food, or highly processed foods. I have tried altering the way the people I help think about eating healthier. Instead of using the phrase “you are on a diet”…I like to use “You are eating healthy”.

I DO NOT like the phrase “I am on a diet”. Eating healthy is a lifestyle…not a fad that you will do for a few weeks and then go back to eating all the crappy food you were eating before. There are TONS of healthy clean foods that taste just as good as the junk food you use to eat. You just have to find out what YOU like and stick to having them in your menu.

What is eating Healthy?

This is when you supplement your meals with natural foods. Foods that are not highly processed, low in fats and sugars, and optimal fuel for your body. These types of food include fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and lean proteins. You can start to eat better by purchasing, cooking, and eating more fresh fruits and vegetables. You can cook meals with whole grains and lean meats. This will also include snacking on healthier meals and consuming MORE water during the day.

I assure you, your health and fitness goals with be so much easier if you decide to adopt a healthier menu than what most people tend to eat. It is OK to cheat and have your favorite piece of cake or other treats…but this should be done as little as possible (like once every 4 weeks!).

YES…this will be hard to do at first. But, if you stick to it, the easier it is to turn down those less healthy food options. To help you get in the habit of eating healthy, try not to keep “bad” food around you (in your kitchen, at your work, etc.). Try to keep only the healthy options you can eat around. When you go out to eat, make sure that the place you are eating has meal options that have fresh entrees.

If you need further help there is a great article here:
http://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/healthy-eating-23-ways-eat-clean/1-apples

Also check out this site for some healthy/clean food options:
http://livelifeactive.com/2012/02/29/eating-clean-approved-foods-list/

This is Stephanie coming to your from Infinite Life fitness. Please feel free to stop by my site http://infinitelifefitness.com for more health and fitness related tips.

Protective Style Lookbook || 20+ Styles on Braids & Twists

By popular demand, this is a series showcasing various protective hair styles.  Protective styling does not have to be boring. :o)

Model: Pookinapp16

Style description: Various styles on mini braids and mini twists.

Difficulty level: 1-3 out of 5

You can now find HHB on Facebook. Share with your friends:

http://www.facebook.com/healthyhairandbody.

Fitness Motivation

By Stephanie of Infinite Life Fitness

Staying motivated to achieve your health and fitness goals can sometime be very hard to do!

You have to find something that will motivate you to keep pushing to achieve your goals. Whether it is a treat…a shopping spree at the mall…a trip someplace…or quotes that you look at…you should have something as motivation to get your workout done or to eat healthy that day. These kinds of visual aids have been found to be very influential for people when they are not feeling up to completing their goals. Sometimes these visual aids give you that extra push that you need to keep you dedicated and motivated to obtain your goals. Not just health and fitness goals, but they can be very influential and helpful with your personal life goals as well!

Today I would like to share some quotes that you may find useful to help YOU with your health and fitness goals. There are many different useful websites that you can use to find other helpful motivational tools. But, I found a few that I have recommended to peers and they seem to like these best.

• “So many people spend their health gaining wealth, and then have to spend their wealth to regain their health.” ~ A.J.Materi
• “If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health.” ~ Hippocrates
• “A man’s health can be judged by which he takes two at a time – pills or stairs.” ~ Joan Welsh
• “Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” ~ Edward Stanley
• “As for butter versus margarine, I trust cows more than chemists.” ~ Joan Gussow
• “Our food should be our medicine and our medicine should be our food.” ~ Hippocrates
• Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live. – JimRohn
• Time and health are two precious assets that we don’t recognize and appreciate until they have been depleted. - Denis Waitley
• Money is the most envied, but the least enjoyed. Health is the most enjoyed, but the least envied. - Charles Caleb Colton
• Physical fitness can neither be achieved by wishful thinking nor outright purchase. – Joseph Pilates
• To feel “fit as a fiddle,” you must tone down your middle. – Anonymous
• Take care of your body, then the rest will automatically become stronger. – Chuang Tzu
• Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person’s physical, emotional, and mental states. – Carol Welch

I hope that you are able to find some of these helpful if not useful! Remember, half of the battle is mental! If you can stay mentally strong and dedicated, this will make achieving your goals that much easier. Dig deep and work hard this week!

Please feel free to check out my personal blog at infinitelifefitness.com